Ion Hobana

The ufologist who established the first Romanian agency for UFO studies

Name	Ion Hobana
Age	80
Born	January 25, 1931
Died	February 22, 2011
Famous for	Establishing ASFAN and publishing the first Romanian book about UFOs

Those who knew Ion Hobana would describe him as someone who had always dreamt “of cosmic openings.” His interests are precisely why he was one of Romania’s greatest science fiction writers, and also what led him to explore the uncertainties of the UFO phenomenon.

A genius who firmly supported the possibility of extraterrestrials, Hobana didn’t naturally start as a believer. In fact, he wasn’t among those ufologists who had a life-changing, personal encounter of the third kind. Instead, his journey to becoming what might be Romania’s “Father of UFO studies” was a slow and steady one, filled with careful consideration and research.

His Early Life and Career

While someone with a keen interest in the cosmos, Ion Hobana, didn’t exactly dream of being an astronomer, but someone who could capture the beauty of the celestial on paper.

Born Aurelian Manta Roșie, Hobana spent his youth surrounded by literature.

After graduating from Gheorge Roşca Codreanu High School in 1949, he got into the Faculty of Philology of the Bucharest University, where he received a diploma in Science Fiction, the first of its kind in Romania, in 1954.

Even before completing his studies, Hobana had already begun establishing his reputation within the field. He had his first publication in the local magazine Școlarii Tutoveni in 1938, followed by a subsequent release in 1955 with his short story, Glasul Mării (The Voice of the Sea), in the magazine Ştiinţă şi Tehnică (Science and Technology).

This marked the beginning of his meteoric career in Romanian literature. He had published multiple successful works throughout the years, such as, but not limited to:

• Centru înaintaș (1954)
• Petrică și Ceasul Vrăjit (1957)
• Caleidoscop (1958)
• Sfârșitul Vacanței (1960)
• Orar de Vacanță (1962)
• Oameni și Stele (1963)
• Vârsta de Aur a Anticipației Românești (1969)
• 20,000 Pages in Search of Jules Verne (1979)
• A Restless Englishman. H.G. Wells and the SF Universe (1996)

Throughout his career, Hobana worked on a vast selection of materials and became known as a creative writer and a serious critic, popularizing science fiction within the Romanian culture.

One of the country’s first writers to have experimented and expounded on the speculative genre, Hobana earned himself positions in the following rewarded associations:

• Writers’ Union of Romania
• Société Européenne de Cultura
• H.G. Wells Society
• Centre International Jules Verne
• Associazione Internazionale per gli Studi Sulle Utopia

He had also received multiple awards for his influence and publications, including:

• The Grand Prize of the Ministry of Culture and Art of Poland, 1973
• The Special Prize Aripile de aur ale fanteziei, 1980
• The World SF Award, 1984
• The Bucharest Writers’ Association Award for his novel Călătorie întreruptă, 2007
• The Writers’ Union Award, 1969 and 1979
• The Europa SF Special Award for his books Vîrsta de aur a anticipației românești (1972) and 20,000 Pages in Search of Jules Verne (1980)

Without a doubt, Hobana was a remarkable figure in Romanian literature. As someone with such an impressive background in the field, how did he get involved with the UFO community?

His Entry to Ufology

I have always been interested in unexplained, mysterious things. My passion for the UFO phenomenon is, in essence, also linked to science fiction, although the two areas shouldn’t be confused.

Ion Hobana’s interest in UFOs was more than a curiosity. He delved into the subject, not only as a writer but as a well-known researcher, and was accepted as an expert within the community.

Romania’s interest in UFOs started during the “UFO wave” in 1968. Among the numerous sightings that year was an object spotted on August 17 by Tarom airline pilots. This case was one of the most explosive events within the country, with the existence of photos declared authentic, and it’s one that introduced Ion Hobana to the phenomenon.

The writer immediately perceived the cases as a serious matter, which led to his active participation in their popularization.

His Works and Contributions to Ufology

When Hobana discovers a fascinating subject, he jumps right into analyzing it in depth.

This is precisely how his relationship with UFOs developed, because by 1971, he had published the first Romanian book about the phenomenon, OZN: o sfidare pentru raţiunea umană (UFO: A Defiance for Human Reason).

Five other popular publications followed this:

• UFOs in Oost en West (UFOs in East and West), 1972
• Enigme pe Cerul Istoriei (Mysteries in the Sky of History), 1993
• Misterul Roswell După Cincizeci de Ani (The Roswell Mystery After 50 Years), 1997
• OZN – Observatori Credibili, Relatări Incredibile (UFO – Credible Observers, Incredible Stories), 2001
• Incidentul Roswell. Noi Mărturii și Controverse (The Roswell Incident. New Testimonies and Controversy), 2008

UFO Circles Established by Ion Hobana

Books weren’t the only contributions Hobana had in the UFO community. Enthusiastic and curious enough, the writer also founded groups that gathered and discussed UFO reports.

His UFO Beliefs

Ion Hobana approached the UFO phenomenon with rigor and balance. While he established groups and wrote books expounding on the subject, Hobana remained inquisitive about it. He believed that hoaxes can still exist, but this doesn’t discredit their possibility.

For the writer, UFOs were a persistent enigma appearing across cultures and time, challenging human reason and demanding serious analysis.

Quoting statements he has written in his book, OZN – observatori credibili, relatări incredibile, here are some of his primary beliefs about UFOs:

• Este greșit să negăm existența fenomenului doar pentru că nu-l putem explica încă.
  Translation: It is wrong to deny the existence of the phenomenon simply because we can’t explain it.

• Scepticismul este util atâta timp cât nu devine o negare apriorică.
  Translation: Skepticism is useful as long as it doesn’t become a priori denial.

Aside from these, here are some additional insights and beliefs of his.

Witness Credibility Is Key

Credibilitatea martorilor este elementul central care obligă la luarea în serios a fenomenului.

Translation: The credibility of the witnesses is the central element that obliges us to take the phenomenon seriously.

Ion Hobana insisted that what lent weight to UFO cases was the credibility of the witnesses, as well as the consistency of the reports. However, he also emphasized that cases shouldn’t be readily accepted or dismissed based on witness credibility.

He argued that there had been “people capable, from a scientific point of view,” who had attempted to identify UFOs and failed. So, reputation alone wasn’t enough. Instead, UFO events demanded attention and thorough investigation.

Historical Occurrence Indicates Genuine Mystery

Unul dintre aspectele cele mai stranii ale fenomenului OZN este mimetismul de care a dat dovadă de-a lungul istoriei sale luând înfăţişarea şi imitând comportamentul unor vehicule cunoscute.

Translation: One of the strangest aspects of the UFO phenomenon is the mimicry it has displayed throughout history, taking on the appearance and imitating the behavior of vehicles.

Hobana wrote that reports of unidentified flying objects date back to ancient history, even before modern vehicles, and often mimic the behavior or appearance of these. This highlighted his belief that UFOs weren’t simply a cultural phenomenon, but rather represented observations that reflected a genuine mystery.

Investigating UFOs Has Potential Significance

Astăzi nu m-aş mai ocupa o clipă de OZN-uri, dacă n-aş crede cu tărie că fenomenul este real şi că eforturile de a-l investiga şi de a-l înţelege, eventual de a-l rezolva, ar putea să aibă un efect profund, devenind chiar o trambulină către o revoluţie în concepţia omenirii despre Univers.

Translation: Today, I would not spend a moment on UFOs if I did not firmly believe that the phenomenon is real and that efforts to investigate and understand it, and possibly resolve it, could have a profound effect, even becoming a springboard for a revolution in humanity’s conception of the universe.

While Ion Hobana didn’t automatically associate UFO events with extraterrestrials or aliens, he also didn’t treat them as purely myth. Instead, he took them seriously, in the sense that something genuine was happening, but it was yet to be understood.

For Hobana, investigating it could have significant implications for humanity’s understanding of reality and cosmology.

Ion Hobana’s Legacy in Modern Ufology

Ion Hobana’s legacy in the UFO community is nationally and internationally respected. Aside from pioneering UFO research in Romania, he was one of the remarkable figures who argued that the phenomenon should be treated as a serious subject of inquiry, rather than a myth.

Hobana was also among the researchers and writers who compiled, studied, and discussed a wide range of UFO events worldwide.

A man renowned for his genius and notable career, Hobana, is one of the most credible and balanced voices in the UFO scene. He took the long road of avoiding sensationalism and acknowledged the hoaxes and errors surrounding the subject, while stressing that the existence of credible witnesses cannot be ignored.

Interested in learning about more voices like Hobana’s? Check out other profiles in the UFO community on UFO Connect—where enthusiasts, researchers, and historians share their insights and discoveries.

FAQ

Did Ion Hobana personally witness any UFOs?

No, there is no credible evidence claiming that Ion Hobana ever had a personal encounter with UFOs. He only positioned himself as a collector of reports and a researcher.

What was Ion Hobana’s main belief about UFOs?

Ion Hobana believed that UFOs were a real and persistent, yet unexplained, phenomenon that challenged human understanding. He firmly urged people to take cases earnestly, believing that doing so would help their understanding of reality and the cosmos.

How did Ion Hobana contribute to UFO studies in Romania?

He was the first writer to publish a book about UFOs and also established the first, albeit unofficial, organization to publicly discuss and investigate the subject.