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Submitted by Tidhar Klein Orbach

Information Picture Question
Category: Translation - Romanian
Approval Date: 9/16/2026 8:24 PM
Family Surname: Clein, Clain, Tudic
Country: Romania
Town: Targu Ocna
Date of Image: 5 January 1920 		Click the picture to enlarge

 Romanian cursive birth act no. 2, Targu Ocna, registered 5 Jan 1920. Please provide a diplomatic Romanian transcription and English translation, with uncertain letters in brackets. In particular: (1) what is the father’s first name? We cannot read it; (2) what is the child’s birth date, distinct from the registration date; (3) what are the witnesses’ names and ages; and (4) does the mother’s name read “Sofia Clain nascuta Tudic,” or could the first name be Sara/Sura? Source: Romanian civil birth register, Targu Ocna, act no. 2/1920.

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On  Response 
9/16/2026 11:12 PM Hello,
Here is a transcription and a translation. While these are human-made, you would probably need to get someone specifically certified if you’re looking for a “diplomatic” translation that is legally valid.

The transcription modernizes certain constructions.

As you can see, the father’s first name is omitted, although his identity was obviously known, as he made the declaration. I suspect this is primarily a consequence of sloppy record-keeping. This is also indicated by the fact that the parents’ residence is first implied to be strada Abatoru No. 53, and later strada Tăbăcari No. 53.

The mother’s name as recorded is definitely Sofia, but she could plausibly have had Sara as a Hebrew name. There is no indication of this, however.

———

Registrul Stării Civile Pentru Nașteri

No. 2

Iancu Clain
Religia Mozaică

Act de Naștere. Din anul una mie nouă sute două zeci luna Ianuarie ziua cinci orile zece.

În ziua de trei ale prezentei luni la ceasurile unsprezece, s-a născut la casa părinților sei din strada Abatoru No. 53 Comuna Tg. Ocna Județul Bacău un copil de sex bărbătesc căruia i s-a dat pronumele de Iancu numele de familie fiind Clain, Fiu al Dlui. … Clain de ani trei zeci și patru de profesie morar și al Dnei. Sofia Clain născută Țudic de ani două zeci și opt fără profesie ambii domiciliați în Comuna Tg. Ocna Județul Bacău strada Tăbăcari No. 53. Nașterea ne-a fost declarată de tatăl copilului care ne-au încredințat că fiind fată cunoaște faptul nașterii el însuși. Aceasta declarație ne-au fost făcută în prezența martorilor Iancu Orinstein de ani opt zeci și Itic Chivu de ani cinci zeci ambii de profesie muncitori domiciliați in Comuna Tg. Ocna Județul Bacău strada Tăbăcari. Carei după ce li s-a citit actul l-au subscris prin punere de deget dimpreună cu declarant și cu Noi Mihai Vasiliu membru în Comisia Interimară delegat ofițer stării civile Comunei Tg. Ocna Județul Bacău.


———

Register of Civil Status: Births

No. 2

Iancu Clain
Jewish Religion

Record of Birth. From the 5th day of January 1920 at 10:00.

On the 3rd day of the current month in the 11th hour, a male child was born at his parents’ house at strada Abatoru No. 53 (Commune of Târgu Ocna, Bacău County), who was given the first name Iancu, his surname being Clain; the son of Mr. … Clain, 34 years old, a miller by profession, and of Mrs. Sofia Clain née Țudic, 28 years old, without profession, both residing in the Commune of Târgu Ocna, Bacău County, strada Tăbăcari No. 53. The birth was reported to us [the civil registrar] by the father, who convinced us of being personally aware of the fact of the birth. This declaration was made to us in the presence of witnesses: Iancu Orinstein, 80 years old, and Itic Chivu, 50 years old, both laborers by profession and residing in the Commune of Târgu Ocna, Bacău County, strada Tăbăcari; who, after being read the act, signed it with their fingers, together with the declarant and with us, Mihai Vasiliu, member of the interim commission, delegate registrar of civil status of the Commune of Târgu Ocna, Bacău County.
9/25/2026 3:49 PM Well this is an AI take ...

Here is the transcription, translation, prosopographical analysis, reading notes, and visual
loss/addition audit based directly on the provided birth register document.

1. Diplomatic Transcription & English Translation

Left Margin Header & Annotations

Top Left: 4 (Page number)

Main Text

Left Margin:
Transcription: Yancu Clain / Religia mozaică
Translation: Yancu Clain / Mosaic religion (Jewish)

Main Register Body (Row-by-row structure preserved)

Row #// Romanian Transcription / English Translation
Row 1// Nº 2 /No. 2
Row 2// Act de Naștere. Din anul una mie nouă sute două // Birth Certificate. From the year one thousand nine hundred two
Row 3// zeci luna Ianuarie ziua Cincĭ zile Zece // tens, month of January, day Five, ten o'clock
Row 4// In ziua de Cincĭ a le prezentei luni la orele // On the day of Five of the present month at
Row 5// un-spre-zece, s'a născut la casa părinților // eleven o'clock, was born at the house of his parents
Row 6// sei din Strada Abatoru Nº 53 Comuna // in Abatoru Street No. 53, Commune of
Row 7// Tg. Ocna Județul Bacău un copil de // Tg. Ocna, Bacău County, a child of
Row 8// sex bărbătesc căruia i s'a dat pre // male sex to whom was given the first
Row 9// numile de Yancu [pronumele] și nume // name of Yancu [given name] and the family
Row 10// de familie fiind Clain, fiu // name being Clain, son
Row 11// al Dlui. ... Clain de ani Cincĭ zeci și patru // of Mr. ... Clain, aged fifty-four
Row 12// de profesie mojar și al Dnei. Sofia Clain // years, by profession mortar-maker, and of Mrs. Sofia Clain
Row 13// născută Tudic de ani Două zeci și nouă // born Tudic, aged twenty-nine
Row 14// fără profesie ambii domiciliați în Comuna // years, without profession, both residing in the Commune of
Row 15// Tg. Ocna Județul Bacău Strada Cobolar // Tg. Ocna, Bacău County, Cobolar Street
Row 16// Nº 53. Nașterea ne-a fost declarată de // No. 53. The birth was declared to us by
Row 17// Tatăl Copilului care ne-au încredințat // the Father of the Child, who assured us
Row 18// că fiind fața cunoaște faptul nașterii // that being present he knows the fact of the birth
Row 19// el însuși. Această declarație ne-au // himself. This declaration was
Row 20// fost făcută în prezența martorilor // made to us in the presence of the witnesses
Row 21// Iancu Orinstein de ani Opt zeci și Iscu // Iancu Orinstein aged Eighty years and Iscu
Row 22// Chivu de ani Cincĭ zeci ambii // Chivu aged Fifty years, both
Row 23// de profesie muncitori domiciliați //by profession workers, residing
Row 24// în Comuna Tg. Ocna Județul Bacău // in the Commune of Tg. Ocna, Bacău County,
Row 25// Strada Teolescari Carei după ce li // Teolescari Street, Who, after
Row 26// s'a cetit actul sau subscris prin punere // the act was read to them, signed by putting
Row 27// de deget din lipsă cu declarantul și // finger [prints] due to lack [of literacy], along with the declarant and
Row 28// cu Noi Mihai Ciolacu membru în // with Us, Mihai Ciolacu, member of the
Row 29
Row 30
Row 31
Signatures Section (Bottom)
Transcription:
Declarant
Martorĭ Iancu Orinstein
Iscu Chivu
Ofițer Starei Civile Comisia Interimară delegat
ofițer Starei Civile Comuna Tg. Ocna județul Bacău -
Mihai Ciolacu (handwritten official signature)
Interim Commission, delegated civil status officer of the Commune of Tg. Ocna, Bacău County -
Translation: Declarant Witnesses: Iancu Orinstein Iscu Chivu Civil Status Officer


Continues next post.......
9/25/2026 3:51 PM next post ......

2. Full Prosopographical Breakdown
This breakdown clearly distinguishes Explicit Document Facts from Genealogical Inferences.

A. Primary Subject (Child)
● Explicit Document Facts:
○ Given Name: Yancu
○ Surname: Clain
○ Gender: Male (sex bărbătesc)
○ Date of Birth: 5 January 1920, at 11:00 AM
○ Place of Birth: House of his parents, Strada Abatoru No. 53, Comuna Târgu Ocna, Județul Bacău
○ Religion: Mosaic / Jewish (Religia mozaică, written in left margin)

● Genealogical Inferences:
○ Expected to appear in census or community registers as Iancu Clain or Iancu Clein due to regional Romanian speling fluctuations.

B. Father
● Explicit Document Facts:
○ Surname: Clain
○ Given Name: Omitted/blank in the explicit formula line (fiind al Dlui. ... Clain)
○ Age: 54 years old (born ~1866)
○ Occupation: Mojar (mortar worker / mason helper)
○ Residence: Strada Cobolar No. 53, Târgu Ocna (also given as Strada Abatoru No. 53 for birth location)
○ Status: Declarant of the birth, iliterate (unable to sign, fingerprinted)

● Genealogical Inferences:
○ Father's missing given name can likely be deduced from other family records or sibling registration entries in Tg. Ocna around 1915–1925.

C. Mother
● Explicit Document Facts:
○ Full Name: Sofia Clain, maiden name Tudic (născută Tudic)
○ Age: 29 years old (born ~1891)
○ Occupation: Without profession (fără profesie)
○ Residence: Strada Cobolar No. 53, Târgu Ocna

● Genealogical Inferences:
○ Family origin for Tudic is Jewish/Romanian-Jewish local lineage in Bacău / Moldavia region.

D. Witnesses
● Witness 1:
○ Name: Iancu Orinstein
○ Age: 80 years old (born ~1840)
○ Occupation: Worker (muncitor)
○ Residence: Strada Teolescari, Târgu Ocna

● Witness 2:
○ Name: Iscu Chivu (or Iscu Chivou)
○ Age: 50 years old (born ~1870)
○ Occupation: Worker (muncitor)
○ Residence: Strada Teolescari, Târgu Ocna

E. Civil Officer
● Name & Title: Mihai Ciolacu, member of the Interim Commission (Comisia Interimară),
acting Civil Status Officer.

and continues next post ....
9/25/2026 3:53 PM continues ....

3. Ambiguous Words / Phrases Analysis

Row # // Transcribed // Alternate Interpretation // Confidence // Explanation/Context

Margin//Clain // Clein, Klein // High// Standard phonetization of Jewish surname Klein in Romanian administrative registers.
Row 11// al Dlui. ... Clain// Blank / Ellipsis //High // The clerk accidentally omitted the father's given name in the body sentence.
Row 12// mojar //moraŕ (miller), moar// Medium // Mojar refers to mortar-mixer/laborer; standard cursive forms for 'j' and 'r' overlap.
Row 15// Cobolar // Cebolar, Cocolar //Medium // Local street name in Târgu Ocna in 1920.
Row 21// Orinstein// Orenstein //High // Phonetic spelling of Jewish surname Orenstein.
Row 21// Iscu // Icu, Iscov //Medium // Given name variant for witness.
Row 25// Teolescari // Teolescu, Teodorescari // Medium // Local street name in Tg. Ocna.

4. Verification Against Original Cursive & Lost/Added Text Audit

- Row 11 (Omitted Text in Original Document): Finding: The registry official omitted the father's given name in the formula: al Dlui.[blank] Clain.

- Rows 26–27 (Literal Mark vs. Signature): Finding: The document states subscris prin punere de deget din lipsă (signed by fingerprint due to lack of literacy). No written signatures appear for the father or witnesses; only written names recorded by the clerk.

- Left Margin Addition: Finding: The annotation Religia mozaică and the large structural heading Yancu Clain were written in the left margin by the registrar for rapid indexing/archival search.

- Page Header: Finding: Formal pre-printed register header reads: REGISTRUL STĂRII CIVILE PENTRU NAȘTERI (Civil Status Register for Births).

END ... and enjoy !!

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