1938 in Romania

Decades:	1910s ; 1920s ; 1930s ; 1940s ; 1950s ;
See also:	Other events of 1938 ; History of Romania ; Timeline of Romanian history ; Years in Romania ;

Last updated March 22, 2023

Events from the year 1938 in Romania. A self-coup and subsequent new constitution make Carol II a royal dictator.

Incumbents

King: Carol II.^[1]
Prime Minister:^[2]
- Octavian Goga (until 10 February)
- Miron Cristea (from 11 February)

Events

10 February – Carol II stages a self-coup, deposes Octavian Goga as Prime Minister and cancels the elections planned for March in an attempt to create a royal authoritarian dictatorship.^[3]
24 February – A constitutional referendum is held, which by 4,289,581 votes to 5,843 grants Carol II the dictatorial powers he sought in his self-coup. Voting is open and compulsory, and there are allegations of coercion.^[4]
27 February – The 1938 constitution is ratified by Parliament, codifying the earlier coup and referendum.^[5]
30 March – The right-wing National Christian Party and Romanian Front are dissolved.^[6]
16 April – Corneliu Zelea Codreanu, the leader of the Iron Guard, along with other members of the party, is arrested. He is sentenced to ten years prison but shot while allegedly trying to escape on 30 November.^[7]
14 August – In a major reorganisation of the administrative division of the country, Carol II divides Romania into 10 Regions (Romanian : Ținuturi), which are named Argeș, Crișuri, Dunării, Jiu, Mării, Mureș, Nistru, Prut, Suceava and Timiș.^[8]
24 November – Carol II meets Chancellor of Germany, Adolf Hitler. An agreement is reached to provide Germany with food and oil.^[9]
Date unknown – Letea Forest is declared the first nature reserve in Romania.^[10]

Births

20 January –Maria Zaharescu, physical chemist.^[11]
3 October – Lia Vanea, volleyball player who competes in the 1964 Summer Olympics.^[12]
9 October – Olga Orbán, World Champion and Olympic medal winning foil fencer (died 2022).^[13]

Deaths

12 February – Iosif Trifa, Romanian Orthodox priest and evangelist.^{[ citation needed ]}
9 June – Ovid Densusianu, poet, linguist, folklorist, and full member of the Romanian Academy (born 1873).
18 July – Queen Marie of Romania, consort of Ferdinand I (born 1875).^[14]
16 August – Marcel Pauker, husband of Ana Pauker, Communist leader, executed near Moscow during the Great Purge (born 1896).^[15]
5 September – Gheorghe Mărdărescu, major general in World War I, commander during the Hungarian–Romanian War of 1919, and Minister of War from 1922 to 1926.^[16]
2 October – Alexandru Averescu, general in World War I, Marshal and Prime Minister of Romania (born 1858).^[17]
30 November – Corneliu Zelea Codreanu, Romanian politician and organization founder.^[18]
29 December – Eugenia de Reuss Ianculescu, teacher, writer, and women's rights activist (born 1866).^[19]

Related Research Articles

Carol II was the King of Romania from 8 June 1930 until his forced abdication on 6 September 1940. The eldest son of Ferdinand I, he became crown prince upon the death of his grand-uncle, King Carol I, in 1914. He was the first of the Hohenzollern kings of Romania to be born in the country; both of his predecessors had been born in Germany and came to Romania only as adults. As such, he was the first member of the Romanian branch of the Hohenzollerns who spoke Romanian as his first language, and was also the first member of the royal family to be raised in the Orthodox faith.

Corneliu Zelea Codreanu was a Romanian politician of the far right, the founder and charismatic leader of the Iron Guard or The Legion of the Archangel Michael, an ultranationalist and violently antisemitic organization active throughout most of the interwar period. Generally seen as the main variety of local fascism, and noted for its mystical and Romanian Orthodox-inspired revolutionary message, it gained prominence on the Romanian political stage, coming into conflict with the political establishment and the democratic forces, and often resorting to terrorism. The Legionnaires traditionally referred to Codreanu as Căpitanul, and he held absolute authority over the organization until his death.

Armand Călinescu was a Romanian economist and politician, who served as 39th Prime Minister from March 1939 until his assassination six months later. He was a staunch opponent of the fascist Iron Guard and may have been the real power behind the throne during the dictatorship of King Carol II. He survived several assassination attempts but was finally killed by members of the Iron Guard with German assistance.

Octavian Goga was a Romanian politician, poet, playwright, journalist, and translator.

Alexandru Averescu was a Romanian marshal, diplomat and populist politician. A Romanian Armed Forces Commander during World War I, he served as Prime Minister of three separate cabinets. He first rose to prominence during the peasants' revolt of 1907, which he helped repress with violence. Credited with engineering the defense of Moldavia in the 1916–1917 Campaign, he built on his popularity to found and lead the successful People's Party, which he brought to power in 1920–1921, with backing from King Ferdinand I and the National Liberal Party (PNL), and with the notable participation of Constantin Argetoianu and Take Ionescu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horia Sima</span> Former Deputy Prime Minister of Romania (1940-1941)

Horia Sima was a Romanian fascist politician, best known as the second and last leader of the fascist paramilitary movement known as the Iron Guard. Sima was also the vice president of the council of ministers and de facto co-leader in Ion Antonescu's National Legionary State. Sima had previously served briefly as State Secretary of Education under Gheorghe Tătărescu in 1940, and as a short-lived Minister of Religion and Arts in the government of Ion Gigurtu.

Constantin Argetoianu was a Romanian politician, one of the best-known personalities of interwar Greater Romania, who served as the Prime Minister between 28 September and 23 November 1939. His memoirs, Memorii. Pentru cei de mâine. Amintiri din vremea celor de ieri —a cross section of Romanian society, were made known for the sharp critique of several major figures in Romanian politics.

Alexandru C. Cuza, also known as A. C. Cuza, was a Romanian far-right politician and economist.

The National Liberal Party–Brătianu was a right-wing political party in Romania, formed as a splinter group from the main liberal faction, the national liberals. For its symbol, PNL-Brătianu chose three vertical bars, placed at equal distance from each other. The Georgists' official voice was Mișcarea, a journal that supported an eponymous publishing house; notably, Mișcarea published art chronicles contributed by the writer Tudor Arghezi.

The National Renaissance Front was a Romanian political party created by King Carol II in 1938 as the single monopoly party of government following his decision to ban all other political parties and suspend the 1923 Constitution, and the passing of the 1938 Constitution of Romania. It was the party of Prime Ministers Armand Călinescu, Gheorghe Argeșanu, Constantin Argetoianu, Gheorghe Tătărescu, and Ion Gigurtu, whose regimes were associated with corporatism and antisemitism. Largely reflecting Carol's own political choices, the FRN was the last of several attempts to counter the popularity of the fascist and antisemitic Iron Guard. In mid-1940, Carol reorganized the FRN into the more radical Party of the Nation, designed as a "totalitarian unity party". The party's anthem was "Pe-al nostru steag e scris Unire". It effectively ceased to function the following year when the Parliament of Romania was dissolved.

The National Agrarian Party was a right-wing agrarian party active in Romania during the early 1930s. Established and led by poet Octavian Goga, it was originally a schism from the more moderate People's Party, espousing national conservatism, monarchism, agrarianism, antisemitism, and Germanophilia; Goga was also positively impressed by fascism, but there is disagreement in the scholarly community as to whether the PNA was itself fascist. Its antisemitic rhetoric was also contrasted by the PNA's acceptance of some Jewish members, including Tudor Vianu and Henric Streitman. The group was generally suspicious of Romania's other ethnic minorities, but in practice accepted members and external collaborators of many ethnic backgrounds, including the Romani Gheorghe A. Lăzăreanu-Lăzurică.

The People's Party, originally People's League, was an eclectic, essentially populist, mass movement in Romania. Created by World War I hero Alexandru Averescu, it identified itself with the new politics of "Greater Romania" period, and existed for almost as long as Greater Romania did. The PP broke with the antiquated two-party system, creating a wide coalition of lobbies, and advertised itself as the new challenge to the National Liberal Party (PNL). The group was held together by Averescu's charisma, and was popularly known as partidul averescan, "the Averescan party".

The cabinet of Octavian Goga was the government of Romania from December 29, 1937 to 10 February 10, 1938.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexandru Cantacuzino (militant)</span>

Prince Alexandru Cantacuzino was a Romanian lawyer and politician, a leading member of the Legionary Movement, and a close collaborator of Legionary leader Corneliu Zelea Codreanu. He notably devised a plot to overthrow Carol II, King of Romania, a plan that would later be taken over by Legionary leader and later Vice President of the Council of Ministers Horia Sima. Cantacuzino was killed on September 22, 1939, at the prison in Râmnicu Sărat, during a retaliation operation ordered by Carol II following the assassination of Prime Minister Armand Călinescu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gheorghe Cantacuzino-Grănicerul</span> Romanian politician

Gheorghe Cantacuzino-Grănicerul was a Romanian landowner, general and far-right politician who was a member of the Iron Guard, and a member of the Legionary Senate.

Events from the year 1937 in Romania. The year saw the installation of the anti-semitic government of Octavian Goga.

Events from the year 1960 in Romania. At the 1960 Summer Olympics, Iolanda Balaș wins the first Romanian Olympic gold medal.

Events from the year 1930 in Romania. The reign of Carol II started during the year, which also saw the foundation of the Iron Guard. The first local election in which women could vote and the only census of Greater Romania were also held during the year.

References

↑ Treptow, Kurt W. (2001). A History of Romania. Iaşi: Center for Romanian Studies. p. 597. ISBN 978-9-73943-235-1.
↑ Spuler, Bertold (1977). Rulers and Governments of the World Volume 3: 1930 to 1975. London: Bowker. p. 444. ISBN 978-0-85935-056-3.
↑ Ramet, Sabrina P. (2019). Alternatives to Democracy in Twentieth-Century Europe: Collectivist Visions of Modernity. Budapest: Central European University Press. ISBN 978-9-63386-318-3.
↑ Gallagher, Tom (2005). Outcast Europe: From the Ottomans to Milosevic. Abingdon and New York: Routledge. p. 116. ISBN 978-1-31768-453-4.
↑ Gliszczyńska-Grabias, Aleksandra; Belavusau, Uladzislau, eds. (2006). Law and Memory: Towards Legal Governance of History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 233. ISBN 978-1-10718-875-4.
↑ Gheorghe, Constantin; Șerbu, Miliana (2007). Miniștrii de Interne (1862–2007). Mică Enciclopedie[Ministers of the Interior (1862–2007). Small Encyclopedia] (in Romanian). Bucharest: Romanian Ministry of the Interior. p. 220. ISBN 978-9-73745-048-7.
↑ Watts, Larry L. (1993). Romanian Cassandra: Ion Antonescu and the Struggle for Reform, 1916-1941. New York : Columbia University Press. p. 174. ISBN 978-0-88033255-2.
↑ Nistor, Ioan Silviu (2000). Comuna și Județul: Factori ai Civilizației Românești Unitare: Evoluția Istorică[Commune and County: Unifying Factors for Romanian Civilization: The Historical Evolution] (in Romanian). Cluj-Napoca: Dacia. p. 125. ISBN 978-9-73350-942-4.
↑ Buzatu, Gheorghe (2006). History of Romanian Oil Vol II. Bucharest: Mica Valahie Publishing House. p. 87. ISBN 978-9-73785-825-2.
↑ Tudorancea, Claudiu (2006). Danube Delta: Genesis and Biodiversity. Leiden: Backhuys. p. 5. ISBN 978-9-05782-165-3.
↑ Madson, Lynette (2016). Successful Women Ceramic and Glass Scientists and Engineers:100 Inspirational Profiles. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Inc. p. 583. ISBN 9781118733608.
↑ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Lia Vaneau". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 23 September 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
↑ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Olga Orban-Szabo". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 3 December 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
↑ Pakula, Hannah (1984). The Last Romantic: A Biography of Queen Marie of Roumania. New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 418. ISBN 978-0-67146-364-9.
↑ Levy, Robert (2001). Ana Pauker: The Rise and Fall of a Jewish Communist. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 225. ISBN 978-0-52022-395-0.
↑ Stănescu, Manuel. "Gheorghe Mărdărescu, un general de elită". Historia (in Romanian). Retrieved August 25, 2022.
↑ (in Romanian) Ioan Parean, Mareșalul Averescu, conducător militar de excepție ("Marshal Averescu, Outstanding Military Leader") Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
↑ Barbu, p.198; Jelavich, p.207; Ornea, p.320-321; Sedgwick, p.115; Veiga, p.257
↑ Loutfi, Anna; Daskalova, Krasimira; de Haan, Francisca (2006). A Biographical Dictionary of Women's Movements and Feminisms: Central, Eastern, and South Eastern Europe, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Central European University Press. p. 463. ISBN 978-9-63732-639-4.

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[1] Treptow, Kurt W. (2001). A History of Romania. Iaşi: Center for Romanian Studies. p. 597. ISBN 978-9-73943-235-1.

[2] Spuler, Bertold (1977). Rulers and Governments of the World Volume 3: 1930 to 1975. London: Bowker. p. 444. ISBN 978-0-85935-056-3.

[3] Ramet, Sabrina P. (2019). Alternatives to Democracy in Twentieth-Century Europe: Collectivist Visions of Modernity. Budapest: Central European University Press. ISBN 978-9-63386-318-3.

[4] Gallagher, Tom (2005). Outcast Europe: From the Ottomans to Milosevic. Abingdon and New York: Routledge. p. 116. ISBN 978-1-31768-453-4.

[5] Gliszczyńska-Grabias, Aleksandra; Belavusau, Uladzislau, eds. (2006). Law and Memory: Towards Legal Governance of History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 233. ISBN 978-1-10718-875-4.

[6] Gheorghe, Constantin; Șerbu, Miliana (2007). Miniștrii de Interne (1862–2007). Mică Enciclopedie[Ministers of the Interior (1862–2007). Small Encyclopedia] (in Romanian). Bucharest: Romanian Ministry of the Interior. p. 220. ISBN 978-9-73745-048-7.

[7] Watts, Larry L. (1993). Romanian Cassandra: Ion Antonescu and the Struggle for Reform, 1916-1941. New York : Columbia University Press. p. 174. ISBN 978-0-88033255-2.

[8] Nistor, Ioan Silviu (2000). Comuna și Județul: Factori ai Civilizației Românești Unitare: Evoluția Istorică[Commune and County: Unifying Factors for Romanian Civilization: The Historical Evolution] (in Romanian). Cluj-Napoca: Dacia. p. 125. ISBN 978-9-73350-942-4.

[9] Buzatu, Gheorghe (2006). History of Romanian Oil Vol II. Bucharest: Mica Valahie Publishing House. p. 87. ISBN 978-9-73785-825-2.

[10] Tudorancea, Claudiu (2006). Danube Delta: Genesis and Biodiversity. Leiden: Backhuys. p. 5. ISBN 978-9-05782-165-3.

[11] Madson, Lynette (2016). Successful Women Ceramic and Glass Scientists and Engineers:100 Inspirational Profiles. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Inc. p. 583. ISBN 9781118733608.

[12] Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Lia Vaneau". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 23 September 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2022.

[13] Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Olga Orban-Szabo". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 3 December 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2022.

[14] Pakula, Hannah (1984). The Last Romantic: A Biography of Queen Marie of Roumania. New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 418. ISBN 978-0-67146-364-9.

[15] Levy, Robert (2001). Ana Pauker: The Rise and Fall of a Jewish Communist. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 225. ISBN 978-0-52022-395-0.

[16] Stănescu, Manuel. "Gheorghe Mărdărescu, un general de elită". Historia (in Romanian). Retrieved August 25, 2022.

[17] (in Romanian) Ioan Parean, Mareșalul Averescu, conducător militar de excepție ("Marshal Averescu, Outstanding Military Leader") Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine

[18] Barbu, p.198; Jelavich, p.207; Ornea, p.320-321; Sedgwick, p.115; Veiga, p.257

[19] Loutfi, Anna; Daskalova, Krasimira; de Haan, Francisca (2006). A Biographical Dictionary of Women's Movements and Feminisms: Central, Eastern, and South Eastern Europe, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Central European University Press. p. 463. ISBN 978-9-63732-639-4.

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