Dumitru Coroamă (July 19, 1885 – 1956) was a Romanian soldier and fascist activist, who held the rank of
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
of the
Romanian Army
The Romanian Land Forces ( ro, Forțele Terestre Române) is the army of Romania, and the main component of the Romanian Armed Forces. In recent years, full professionalisation and a major equipment overhaul have transformed the nature of the Lan ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
He was especially known for his contribution to the 1940 establishment of the
National Legionary State
The National Legionary State was a Totalitarianism, totalitarian Fascism, fascist regime which governed Kingdom of Romania, Romania for five months, from 14 September 1940 until its official dissolution on 14 February 1941. The regime was led by ...
by the far-right
Iron Guard
The Iron Guard ( ro, Garda de Fier) was a Romanian militant revolutionary fascist movement and political party founded in 1927 by Corneliu Zelea Codreanu as the Legion of the Archangel Michael () or the Legionnaire Movement (). It was strongly ...
, with which he had been secretly involved for a decade. After beginnings as a schoolteacher in his native
Neamț County
Neamț County () is a county ( județ) of Romania, in the historic region of Moldavia, with the county seat at Piatra Neamț. The county takes its name from the Neamț River.
Demographics
Population
In 2011, it had a population of 470,76 ...
, Coroamă had become an officer of the 15th ''Dorobanți'' Regiment, first earning distinction during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. Coroamă helped organize the defense of
Western Moldavia
Moldavia ( ro, Moldova), also called Western Moldavia or Romanian Moldavia, is the historic and geographical part of the former Principality of Moldavia situated in eastern and north-eastern Romania. Until its union with Wallachia in 1859, the Pr ...
, then participated in the
Hungarian–Romanian War
The Hungarian–Romanian War was fought between Hungary and Romania from 13 November 1918 to 3 August 1919. The conflict had a complex background, with often contradictory motivations for the parties involved.
The Allies of World War I intended ...
, establishing Romanian control in
Bistrița
(; german: link=no, Bistritz, archaic , Transylvanian Saxon: , hu, Beszterce) is the capital city of Bistrița-Năsăud County, in northern Transylvania, Romania. It is situated on the Bistrița River. The city has a population of approxima ...
and
Baia Mare
Baia Mare ( , ; hu, Nagybánya; german: Frauenbach or Groß-Neustadt; la, Rivulus Dominarum) is a municipality along the Săsar River, in northwestern Romania; it is the capital of Maramureș County. The city lies in the region of Maramureș ...
. He received the
Order of the Star of Romania
The Order of the Star of Romania (Romanian: ''Ordinul Steaua României'') is Romania's highest civil Order and second highest State decoration after the defunct Order of Michael the Brave. It is awarded by the President of Romania. It has five r ...
and the
Order of Michael the Brave
The Order of Michael the Brave ( ro, Ordinul Mihai Viteazul) is Romania's highest military decoration, instituted by King Ferdinand I during the early stages of the Romanian Campaign of the First World War, and was again awarded in the Second Wor ...
.
While stationed in
Piatra Neamț
Piatra Neamț (; german: Kreuzburg an der Bistrița (Siret), Bistritz; hu, Karácsonkő) is the capital city of Neamț County, in the historical region of Western Moldavia, in northeastern Romania. Because of its privileged location in the Easter ...
during the interwar, Coroamă took up various political and cultural activities, overseeing the Romanian Scouts and setting up a Military Club. He was also involved in establishing a local branch of the Iron Guard. He was moved around to the garrison in
Satu Mare
Satu Mare (; hu, Szatmárnémeti ; german: Sathmar; yi, סאטמאר or ) is a city with a population of 102,400 (2011). It is the capital of Satu Mare County, Romania, as well as the centre of the Satu Mare metropolitan area. It lies in the ...
, also becoming a General in 1934. Despite his commitment to the revolutionary ideology of the Guard, he was well-liked by
King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
Carol II
Carol II (4 April 1953) was 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 th ...
, and in 1937 became commander of the
Royal Palace
This is a list of royal palaces, sorted by continent.
Africa
* Abdin Palace, Cairo
* Al-Gawhara Palace, Cairo
* Koubbeh Palace, Cairo
* Tahra Palace, Cairo
* Menelik Palace
* Jubilee Palace
* Guenete Leul Palace
* Imperial Palace- Massa ...
garrison. This allowed him to sabotage Carol's attempt to use Palace troops against the Guard, and helped in toppling Carol. In the aftermath of the coup, Coroamă was mistrusted and marginalized by ''
Conducător
''Conducător'' (, "Leader") was the title used officially by Romanian dictator Ion Antonescu during World War II, also occasionally used in official discourse to refer to Carol II and Nicolae Ceaușescu.
History
The word is derived from the Rom ...
''
Ion Antonescu
Ion Antonescu (; ; – 1 June 1946) was a Romanian military officer and marshal who presided over two successive wartime dictatorships as Prime Minister and ''Conducător'' during most of World War II.
A Romanian Army career officer who made ...
Iași
Iași ( , , ; also known by other alternative names), also referred to mostly historically as Jassy ( , ), is the second largest city in Romania and the seat of Iași County. Located in the historical region of Moldavia, it has traditionally ...
, he witnessed the clashes between Antonescu and his Guard colleagues, peaking during the Legionary Rebellion of 1941. Coroamă took a moderate stance, and his mediation helped Antonescu to restore order in Iași without bloodshed. However, Coroamă remained isolated by government, and had to resign. Later in 1941, as
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
, Coroamă advised against continuing the offensive beyond
Bessarabia
Bessarabia (; Gagauz: ''Besarabiya''; Romanian: ''Basarabia''; Ukrainian: ''Бессара́бія'') is a historical region in Eastern Europe, bounded by the Dniester river on the east and the Prut river on the west. About two thirds of Be ...
. When this was ignored, he left military life altogether.
Coroamă returned to public life after the
Royal Coup
Royal may refer to:
People
* Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name
* A member of a royal family
Places United States
* Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Royal, Illinois, a village
* Royal, Iowa, a cit ...
of 1944, participating in conspiracies against
Soviet occupation
During World War II, the Soviet Union occupied and annexed several countries effectively handed over by Nazi Germany in the secret Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of 1939. These included the eastern regions of Poland (incorporated into two different ...
. Reportedly, he was one of the Romanian generals prepared to support Germany during
Operation Spring Awakening
Operation Spring Awakening (german: Unternehmen Frühlingserwachen) was the last major German offensive of World War II. The operation was referred to in Germany as the Plattensee offensive and in the Soviet Union as the Balaton defensive operati ...
communist regime
A communist state, also known as a Marxist–Leninist state, is a one-party state that is administered and governed by a communist party guided by Marxism–Leninism. Marxism–Leninism was the state ideology of the Soviet Union, the Cominte ...
in May 1948, he spent six years doing penal labor, and was reportedly tortured. He died within two years of his release.
Biography
Early decades and rise
Coroamă was born on July 19, 1885 in Răpciune, a village in Hangu
commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to:
Administrative-territorial entities
* Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township
** Communes of ...
,
Neamț County
Neamț County () is a county ( județ) of Romania, in the historic region of Moldavia, with the county seat at Piatra Neamț. The county takes its name from the Neamț River.
Demographics
Population
In 2011, it had a population of 470,76 ...
, nowadays covered by
Lake Bicaz
The Lake Izvorul Muntelui, also known as Lake Bicaz, is the largestDieaconu ''et al.'', p. 107 He was the eighth of ten children born to Toma and Ecaterina Coroamă. His father, a likely immigrant from the neighboring
Duchy of Bukovina
The Duchy of Bukovina (german: Herzogtum Bukowina; ro, Ducatul Bucovinei; uk, Герцогство Буковина) was a constituent land of the Austrian Empire from 1849 and a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary from 1867 until 1918 ...
, was mayor of Hangu in 1876–1881; as such, he represented his constituents in litigation against landowner
Grigore Sturdza
Grigore Mihail Sturdza, first name also Grigorie or Grigori, last name also Sturza, Stourdza, Sturd̦a, and Stourza (also known as Muklis Pasha, George Mukhlis, and Beizadea Vițel; May 11, 1821 – January 26, 1901), was a Moldavian, later Romani ...
. Dumitru was the eighth of ten children born to the couple. After graduating primary school in Schitu, he studied at the Petru Rareș High School, and worked as a substitute schoolteacher in
Suceava County
Suceava County () is a county ('' ro, județ'') of Romania. Most of its territory lies in the southern part of the historical region of Bukovina, while the remainder forms part of Western Moldavia proper.
The county seat is the historical town ...
Farcașa
Farcașa is a commune in Neamț County, Western Moldavia, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hun ...
Romanian Land Forces
The Romanian Land Forces ( ro, Forțele Terestre Române) is the army of Romania, and the main component of the Romanian Armed Forces. In recent years, full professionalisation and a major equipment overhaul have transformed the nature of the Lan ...
, he graduated from the Infantry Officers' School (1907), emerging as a
Sub-lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is usually a junior officer rank, used in armies, navies and air forces.
In most armies, sub-lieutenant is the lowest officer rank. However, in Brazil, it is the highest non-commissioned rank, and in Spain, it is the second high ...
, and then took a graduate diploma from the Higher War School.
Assigned to the 15th ''Dorobanți'' Regiment in
Piatra Neamț
Piatra Neamț (; german: Kreuzburg an der Bistrița (Siret), Bistritz; hu, Karácsonkő) is the capital city of Neamț County, in the historical region of Western Moldavia, in northeastern Romania. Because of its privileged location in the Easter ...
, Coroamă first saw action during the
Second Balkan War
The Second Balkan War was a conflict which broke out when Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the First Balkan War, attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece, on 16 ( O.S.) / 29 (N.S.) June 1913. Serbian and Greek armies r ...
of 1913."Extrase din memoriile originale ale foștilor comandanți", in ''În Slujba Patriei'', January 2007, p. 8 He was again called to action during the campaign of World War I, overseeing defensive maneuvers on the fortified lines of the
Trotuș
The Trotuș ( hu, Tatros) is a river in eastern Romania, a right tributary of the river Siret (river), Siret. It emerges from the Ciuc Mountains in the Eastern Carpathians and joins the Siret in Domnești-Sat near Adjud after passing through Comă ...
,
Oituz
Oituz (formerly ''Grozești''; hu, Gorzafalva) is a commune in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania. It is composed of six villages: Călcâi (''Zöldlonka''), Ferestrău-Oituz (''Fűrészfalva''), Hârja (''Herzsa''), Marginea, Oituz and Poi ...
, and Uz river valleys. By 1916, Coroamă was a Captain,Traian D. Lazăr, "Azi căpitan, mâine...", in ''
Magazin Istoric
''Magazin Istoric'' ( en, The Historical Magazine) is a Romanian monthly magazine.
Overview
''Magazin Istoric'' was started in 1967. The first issue appeared in April 1967. The headquarters is in Bucharest. The monthly magazine contains articles ...
'', June 2018, pp. 60–61 and in full command the 3rd Infantry Battalion. He earned distinction following the
Battle of Mărășești
The Battle of Mărășești (6 August 1917 – 3 September 1917) was the last major battle between the German Empire and the Kingdom of Romania on the Romanian front during World War I. Romania was mostly occupied by the Central Powers, but th ...
: he was cited on October 11, 1916 for his "initiative and energy in holding on to a difficult position", and, on December 27, was made a Knight of the
Order of the Star of Romania
The Order of the Star of Romania (Romanian: ''Ordinul Steaua României'') is Romania's highest civil Order and second highest State decoration after the defunct Order of Michael the Brave. It is awarded by the President of Romania. It has five r ...
. He continued to receive other distinctions, including the
Order of Michael the Brave
The Order of Michael the Brave ( ro, Ordinul Mihai Viteazul) is Romania's highest military decoration, instituted by King Ferdinand I during the early stages of the Romanian Campaign of the First World War, and was again awarded in the Second Wor ...
3rd Class (presented by
Eremia Grigorescu
Eremia Teofil Grigorescu (28 November 1863 – 21 July 1919) was a Romanian artillery general during World War I, and Minister of War in the Constantin Coandă cabinet (October–November 1918).
Early life
Born in 1863 in the village Golășei ...
) and various medals of the Allied countries. He was later an Officer of the Order of the Star of Romania.
On December 6, 1918, Coroamă, by then a Major, led his troops into
Transylvania
Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...
, arriving by train at
Bistrița
(; german: link=no, Bistritz, archaic , Transylvanian Saxon: , hu, Beszterce) is the capital city of Bistrița-Năsăud County, in northern Transylvania, Romania. It is situated on the Bistrița River. The city has a population of approxima ...
(''see
Union of Transylvania with Romania
The union of Transylvania with Romania was declared on by the assembly of the delegates of ethnic Romanians held in Alba Iulia. The Great Union Day (also called ''Unification Day''), celebrated on 1 December, is a national holiday in Romani ...
''). Upon entering that city, he met with the Hungarian Republican administration, which he did not immediately depose. When the incumbent mayor, Gábor Ajtai Nagy, asked him to "spare the city", Coroamă replied that this his only mandate was to reestablish order "together with city leaders". He was subsequently in charge of the Romanian garrison for the entire County of Bistrița. Following the outbreak of a
Hungarian–Romanian War
The Hungarian–Romanian War was fought between Hungary and Romania from 13 November 1918 to 3 August 1919. The conflict had a complex background, with often contradictory motivations for the parties involved.
The Allies of World War I intended ...
, Coroamă led the assault battalion that secured
Baia Mare
Baia Mare ( , ; hu, Nagybánya; german: Frauenbach or Groß-Neustadt; la, Rivulus Dominarum) is a municipality along the Săsar River, in northwestern Romania; it is the capital of Maramureș County. The city lies in the region of Maramureș ...
on January 6, 1919. An accidental
ecrasite Ecrasite is an explosive material which is unaffected by moisture, shock or fire. It is a mixture of ammonium salts of cresol, phenol and various nitrocresols and nitrophenols principally trinitrocresol and picric acid. It was invented in 1888-188 ...
explosionCornel Țucă, "Activitatea Senatului Național Român (Cluj) oglindită în notițele Sidoniei Docan", in ''Document'', Issue 1/2009, p. 30 wounded Coroamă in the train station of
Dej
Dej (; hu, Dés; german: Desch, Burglos; yi, דעעש ''Desh'') is a municipality in Transylvania, Romania, north of Cluj-Napoca, in Cluj County. It lies where the river Someșul Mic meets the river Someșul Mare. The city administers four vill ...
. He was badly hurt, and had to be sent to
Cluj
; hu, kincses város)
, official_name=Cluj-Napoca
, native_name=
, image_skyline=
, subdivision_type1 = Counties of Romania, County
, subdivision_name1 = Cluj County
, subdivision_type2 = Subdivisions of Romania, Status
, subdivision_name2 ...
for recovery.
Coroamă's interwar career saw him returning to Piatra Neamț, where he was made Garrison Commander. In October 1927, he was promoted to ColonelTrașcă, p. 230 and in 1929 was officially made Commander of the 15th Regiment. The interval also witnessed Coroamă's involvement in far-right politics. In 1930, together with his wife, he established a Piatra Neamț chapter of the
Iron Guard
The Iron Guard ( ro, Garda de Fier) was a Romanian militant revolutionary fascist movement and political party founded in 1927 by Corneliu Zelea Codreanu as the Legion of the Archangel Michael () or the Legionnaire Movement (). It was strongly ...
and sponsored its network of "Cross Brotherhoods". The family home featured a portrait of the Guardist leader,
Corneliu Zelea Codreanu
Corneliu Zelea Codreanu (; born Corneliu Codreanu, according to his birth certificate; 13 September 1899 – 30 November 1938) was a Romanian politician of the far right, the founder and charismatic leader of the Iron Guard or ''The Legion ...
, whom Coroamă had met during the previous war. The building was flooded and suffered damages during the heavy rains of May 1930, but was swiftly restored.A. A. Rotundu, "Colonelul Coroamă", in ''Avântul'', Issue 150/1934, p. 1
King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
Carol II
Carol II (4 April 1953) was 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 th ...
appointed Coroamă
Brigadier General
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
in late 1934,''Generals from Romania'' at Generals.dk after he had taken the final exams with top honors. During the early 1930s, he had involved himself with the Romanian Scouting Movement, presiding upon its meetings in Neamț County and directing its propaganda efforts. He also founded a Military Club and provided lectures detailing his own front-line experience. In 1935, he was reassigned to lead the 16th Infantry Brigade of
Satu Mare
Satu Mare (; hu, Szatmárnémeti ; german: Sathmar; yi, סאטמאר or ) is a city with a population of 102,400 (2011). It is the capital of Satu Mare County, Romania, as well as the centre of the Satu Mare metropolitan area. It lies in the ...
. In June of that year, he was included on a panel which proposed to transform Gorunzel meadow into the Satu Mare Airfield; the project was finally completed in September 1937. In November 1936, Coroamă presented military honors to Carol and Crown Prince Michael, who passed through Satu Mare on their way back from a state visit in
Alexandru Rusu
Alexandru Rusu (22 November 1884 – 9 May 1963) was a Romanian bishop of the Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic, Greek-Catholic Church. One of twelve children born to a priest in Șăulia Commune, Mureș County, he was himself ord ...
, he presided over the Satu Mare chapter of the Anti-Revisionist League, which campaigned against
Hungarian irredentism
Hungarian irredentism or Greater Hungary ( hu, Nagy-Magyarország) are irredentist political ideas concerning redemption of territories of the historical Kingdom of Hungary. Targeting at least to regain control over Hungarian-populated areas in H ...
.
1940 coup and 1941 rebellion
In November 1937, Coroamă became General Officer Commanding 1st Guard Division at the
Royal Palace
This is a list of royal palaces, sorted by continent.
Africa
* Abdin Palace, Cairo
* Al-Gawhara Palace, Cairo
* Koubbeh Palace, Cairo
* Tahra Palace, Cairo
* Menelik Palace
* Jubilee Palace
* Guenete Leul Palace
* Imperial Palace- Massa ...
in
Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...
, in service to Carol II. However, he secretly supported the Iron Guard's leader
Horia Sima
Horia Sima (3 July 1906 – 25 May 1993) was a Romanian fascist politician, best known as the second and last leader of the fascist paramilitary movement known as the Iron Guard (also known as the Legion of the Archangel Michael). Sima was ...
, who was in conflict with Carol's
National Renaissance Front
The National Renaissance Front ( ro, Frontul Renașterii Naționale, FRN; also translated as ''Front of National Regeneration'', ''Front of National Rebirth'', ''Front of National Resurrection'', or ''Front of National Renaissance'') was a Romani ...
.
Dennis Deletant
Dennis Deletant (born 5 March 1946) is a British-Romanian historian of the history of Romania. As of 2019, he is Visiting Ion Rațiu Professor of Romanian Studies at Georgetown University and Emeritus Professor of Romanian Studies at the UCL Sc ...
, ''Hitler's Forgotten Ally: Ion Antonescu and His Regime, Romania, 1940-1944'', pp. 49–50. London:
Palgrave Macmillan
Palgrave Macmillan is a British academic and trade publishing company headquartered in the London Borough of Camden. Its programme includes textbooks, journals, monographs, professional and reference works in print and online. It maintains off ...
, 2006.
Z. Ornea
Zigu Ornea (; born Zigu Orenstein Andrei Vasilescu"La ceas aniversar – Cornel Popa la 75 de ani: 'Am refuzat numeroase demnități pentru a rămâne credincios logicii și filosofiei analitice.' ", in Revista de Filosofie Analitică', Vol. II, N ...
, ''Anii treizeci. Extrema dreaptă românească'', p. 327. Bucharest: Editura Fundaţiei Culturale Române, 1995. Sima's rise had been made possible by Carol's decision to arrest, and then assassinate, Codreanu. Coroamă's contacts with Sima were at the core of an enduring controversy between Guard factions: Codreanu's loyalist cells, which distrusted Sima, also viewed Coroamă as an agent of the Front and an appeaser. They noted in particular Coroamă's acknowledgement that he had mediated a September 1938 encounter between Sima and Carol's spymaster,
Mihail Moruzov
Mihail Moruzov (8 November 1887 – 26 November 1940) was the founder and first head of Romania's modern domestic espionage agency, the Secret Intelligence Service (SSI), forerunner of today's SRI.
Biography
Early life
Moruzov was born in Ze ...
. During these contacts, Coroamă was expected to present Carol with a memorandum on behalf of Codreanu, who had been detained and would later be killed in custody. Coroamă himself claimed that the initiative was curbed by Sima, who did not want Codreanu alive.Dieaconu ''et al.'', pp. 109–110
As acknowledged by Sima, by May 1940 there were other encounters involving himself, Coroamă and Moruzov. During these parlays, they agreed that the Iron Guard should merge into the Front, which, on Coroamă's suggestion, was to be renamed "Front of the Nation". On June 6, 1940 he was promoted to the rank of major general. Coroamă rose to prominence after the events of autumn 1940, when the
Second Vienna Award
The Second Vienna Award, also known as the Vienna Diktat, was the second of two territorial disputes that were arbitrated by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. On 30 August 1940, they assigned the territory of Northern Transylvania, including all ...
, which lost Romania rule over
Northern Transylvania
Northern Transylvania ( ro, Transilvania de Nord, hu, Észak-Erdély) was the region of the Kingdom of Romania that during World War II, as a consequence of the August 1940 territorial agreement known as the Second Vienna Award, became part of ...
, engendered a political crisis. The Iron Guard began preparing for violent takeover, with Nicolae Petrașcu tasked with arming the would-be revolutionaries. As historian Ilarion Țiu notes, these "terrorist cells" were formed "from the second half of August, but on 3 September each member barely managed to have a revolver and the available hand grenades were very few". In this context, Coroamă cooperated with Sima; he also came into contact with another authoritarian figure, General
Ion Antonescu
Ion Antonescu (; ; – 1 June 1946) was a Romanian military officer and marshal who presided over two successive wartime dictatorships as Prime Minister and ''Conducător'' during most of World War II.
A Romanian Army career officer who made ...
, who was reluctantly appointed
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier.
A premier will normally be a head of governm ...
by Carol. In early September, as a sign of his cooperation with Sima, Antonescu appointed Coroamă to the post of General Officer in charge of Bucharest's
Military Command
A command in military terminology is an organisational unit for which a military commander is responsible. Commands, sometimes called units or formations, form the building blocks of a military. A commander is normally specifically appointed to ...
, replacing the loyalist Gheorghe Argeșanu.Miskolczy, p. 937
On September 4, Carol received Antonescu, who informed him that the Iron Guard wanted a new king; on the occasion Antonescu also commented that the Front's government "cannot count on the commanders, and especially not on General Coroamă, who has switched completely toward the Iron Guard." Soon afterward, Antonescu was told that two other loyalist generals,
Gheorghe Mihail
Gheorghe Mihail (March 13, 1887 – January 31, 1982) was a Romanian career army officer.
Born in Brăila, he completed primary school in 1902 and passed an examination to enter the school for soldiers' sons in Iași, taking years 7 and 8 there.N ...
and
Paul Teodorescu
Paul may refer to:
*Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name)
*Paul (surname), a list of people
People
Christianity
*Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...
, were planning to have him killed. He consequently demanded Carol's abdication. In tandem, General Coroamă refused to comply with the royal order of shooting down Guardists who marched in front of the Palace. According to several period witnesses, his resistance persuaded Antonescu to follow suit, and allowed for a bloodless transition. An account originating with the Guardist Ilie-Vlad Sturdza has it that "the two generals said they could not order to shoot at the population as long as no bullets
ad been
Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...
fired for the lost territories."
Coroamă himself confessed that he was an active participant in the coup, bringing up reserve troops to support the Guard. For this reason, Carol arrested him; Antonescu ordered his release, thus signaling to the king that he was no longer in control of the country. An anecdote relayed by the old-regime politician
Constantin Argetoianu
Constantin Argetoianu ( – 6 February 1955) 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 ...
presents another version of events, claiming that Antonescu had asked Coroamă to storm the area outside the Palace, though "without firing a shot." Also according to Argetoianu, Coroamă never showed up for duty, and claimed that he was "besieged in my own house" by the Guardists, who had mistaken him for the detested Argeșanu, also a mustachioed general. Coroamă's "inane" request was to have dispatches aired by Radio Bucharest, informing his assailants that "General Coroamă and General Argeșanu both wear mustaches"; an amused Antonescu urged him to "shave it off".
Constantin Argetoianu
Constantin Argetoianu ( – 6 February 1955) 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 ...
, ''Însemnări zilnice. Volumul IX: 21 aprilie—31 decembrie 1941'', p. 31. Bucharest: Editura Machiavelli, 2008
Like other Guardists, Coroamă was dissatisfied with Antonescu's regime, or "
National Legionary State
The National Legionary State was a Totalitarianism, totalitarian Fascism, fascist regime which governed Kingdom of Romania, Romania for five months, from 14 September 1940 until its official dissolution on 14 February 1941. The regime was led by ...
". Already on September 9, 1940, he was sent over as General Officer of the 4th Army Corps, stationed at
Iași
Iași ( , , ; also known by other alternative names), also referred to mostly historically as Jassy ( , ), is the second largest city in Romania and the seat of Iași County. Located in the historical region of Moldavia, it has traditionally ...
, which equated with a demotion.Dieaconu ''et al.'', p. 109 Coroamă survived Antonescu's violent split with the Guard and the Legionary Rebellion of January 1941. As reported by diarist
Mihail Sebastian
Mihail Sebastian (; born Iosif Mendel Hechter; October 18, 1907 – May 29, 1945) was a Romanian playwright, essayist, journalist and novelist.
Life
Sebastian was born to a Jewish family in Brăila, the son of Mendel and Clara Hechter. After c ...
, rumor spread that Coroamă and
Corneliu Dragalina
Corneliu Dragalina (5 February 1887 – 11 July 1949) was a Romanian lieutenant general during World War II.
Biography Early life and World War I
He was born in the city of Karánsebes, Austria-Hungary, in what is now Caransebeș, Caraș-Severi ...
were marching on Bucharest to assist Sima against Antonescu. This scenario was upheld by the Guardist poet
Radu Gyr
Radu Gyr (; pen name of Radu Ștefan Demetrescu ; March 2, 1905, Câmpulung-Muscel – 29 April 1975, Bucharest) was a Romanian poet, essayist, playwright and journalist.
Biography
Early life
Gyr was the son of actor Ștefan "Coco" Dumitres ...
: on January 22, he addressed "several hundreds" of his comrades, informing them that the Coroamă–Dragalina march was both welcomed and imminent.
However, Coroamă had again resumed his mitigating position and, alongside other Iași Guardists, including Ilie-Vlad Sturdza, he fought to pacify the city and minimize bloodshed. According to
Nazi German
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
diplomatic cables, he did so because he feared that the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
would profit from the unrest and invade Romania. Coroamă also sought an understanding with the Guardist leader, Gheorghe Grijincu, asking him to return control over government buildings, and also to pledge resistance in case of a Soviet attack. Another army leader,
Constantin Sănătescu
Constantin Sănătescu (14 January 1885 – 8 November 1947) was a Romanian general and statesman who served as the 44th Prime Minister of Romania after the 23 August 1944 coup after which Romania left the Axis powers and joined the Allies.
Earl ...
, noted that despite his standing as a "Guard sympathizer" Coroamă "behaved well, managing to peacefully quell the rebellion".
Constantin Sănătescu
Constantin Sănătescu (14 January 1885 – 8 November 1947) was a Romanian general and statesman who served as the 44th Prime Minister of Romania after the 23 August 1944 coup after which Romania left the Axis powers and joined the Allies.
Earl ...
, ''Jurnal'', p. 25. Bucharest:
Humanitas
''Humanitas'' is a Latin noun meaning human nature, civilization, and kindness. It has uses in the Enlightenment, which are discussed below.
Classical origins of term
The Latin word ''humanitas'' corresponded to the Greek concepts of '' philanthr ...
, 1993. Coroamă resigned his commission as commander of the 4th Army Corps in January 1941.
Repression and imprisonment
In February, following the resumption of government control over Iași, Coroamă was sent to the reserves. Sănătescu, who took over as commander of the 4th Army Corps in January 1941, claimed that his predecessor had been sacked following a quarrel with Antonescu. He continued to be marginalized as Romania opened an Eastern Front: Coroamă supported the retaking of
Bessarabia
Bessarabia (; Gagauz: ''Besarabiya''; Romanian: ''Basarabia''; Ukrainian: ''Бессара́бія'') is a historical region in Eastern Europe, bounded by the Dniester river on the east and the Prut river on the west. About two thirds of Be ...
, but argued that Romania should only send an expeditionary corps to assist Germany beyond that stage. Antonescu ignored this advice, pushing Coroamă to resign from the army and return to civilian life in Piatra Neamț. Coroamă found himself under constant surveillance by Antonescu's ''
Siguranța
Siguranța was the generic name for the successive secret police services in the Kingdom of Romania. The official title of the organization changed throughout its history, with names including Directorate of the Police and General Safety ( ro, Di ...
''. By 1944, a Soviet offensive had pierced into Romania, prompting the
Royal Coup
Royal may refer to:
People
* Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name
* A member of a royal family
Places United States
* Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Royal, Illinois, a village
* Royal, Iowa, a cit ...
which toppled Antonescu. When Romania formally joined the Allied Powers, Coroamă was an alleged double-dealer, resuming his contacts with Sima, who now headed a pro-Nazi government in exile. During
Operation Spring Awakening
Operation Spring Awakening (german: Unternehmen Frühlingserwachen) was the last major German offensive of World War II. The operation was referred to in Germany as the Plattensee offensive and in the Soviet Union as the Balaton defensive operati ...
in March 1945, generals Coroamă, Dragalina, Sănătescu,
Petre Dumitrescu
Petre Dumitrescu (; 18 February 1882 – 15 January 1950) was a Romanian general during World War II who led the Romanian Third Army on its campaign against the Red Army in the Eastern Front.
Early life and military career
Dumitrescu was born i ...
, and
Radu Korne
Radu may refer to:
People
* Radu (given name), Romanian masculine given name
* Radu (surname), Romanian surname
* Rulers of Wallachia, see
* Prince Radu of Romania (born 1960), disputed pretender to the former Romanian throne
Other uses
* Radu ( ...
were reportedly involved in a Nazi-organized plot to overthrow the Soviet occupation forces.
Such initiatives failed and, over the following three years, the country underwent steady communization, ultimately reemerging as a
communist state
A communist state, also known as a Marxist–Leninist state, is a one-party state that is administered and governed by a communist party guided by Marxism–Leninism. Marxism–Leninism was the state ideology of the Soviet Union, the Comint ...
. As reported by the Guardist
Ion Gavrilă Ogoranu
Ion Gavrilă Ogoranu (January 6, 1923 – May 1, 2006) was a member of the fascist paramilitary organization the Iron Guard, who between 1948 and 1955, after the Soviet occupation of Romania and the establishment of the Romanian People's Republic, ...
in a 1999 interview, "in 1946–1947" Coroamă integrated with the anti-communist resistance, though as an army representative rather than as a Guard member. Ogoranu identifies Coroamă and Dragalina as members of the resistance coordinating committee, answering to the
National Peasants' Party
The National Peasants' Party (also known as the National Peasant Party or National Farmers' Party; ro, Partidul Național Țărănesc, or ''Partidul Național-Țărănist'', PNȚ) was an agrarian political party in the Kingdom of Romania. It w ...
and the Romanian National Committee; Guardist cells were represented therein by Nicolae Petrașcu. Gavrilă Ogoranu also recalled that in autumn 1947 Coroamă, who was based in
Sibiu
Sibiu ( , , german: link=no, Hermannstadt , la, Cibinium, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Härmeschtat'', hu, Nagyszeben ) is a city in Romania, in the historical region of Transylvania. Located some north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Ci ...
, traveled to
Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery
Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery ( ro, Mănăstirea Sâmbăta de Sus) is a Romanian Orthodox monastery in Sâmbăta de Sus, Brașov County, in the Transylvania region of Romania. Dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God, it is also known as the B ...
and met
Arsenie Boca
Arsenie Boca (; 29 September 1910 – 28 November 1989) was a Romanian priest, theologian, mysticism, mystic, and artist. He was persecuted by the Romanian Communist Party, Communists.
Born in Vața de Jos, Vața de Sus, Hunedoara County, he ...
, with whom he planned various anti-communist activities.
On May 15, 1948, as the new regime inaugurated its hunt for Guardists, Coroamă was detained at
Jilava prison
Jilava is a commune in Ilfov county, Muntenia, Romania, near Bucharest. It is composed of a single village, Jilava.
The name derives from a Romanian word of Slavic origin (Bulgarian жилав ''žilav'' (tough), which passed into Romanian as ''j ...
. He was being subjected to repeated interrogations at
Suceava
Suceava () is the largest urban settlement and the seat town ( ro, oraș reședință de județ) of Suceava County, situated in the historical region of Bukovina, northeastern Romania, and at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central and Eastern E ...
penitentiary, where he was confronted with hostile witnesses Nicolae Popa and Lucian Pascaru; however, the
Securitate
The Securitate (, Romanian for ''security'') was the popular term for the Departamentul Securității Statului (Department of State Security), the secret police agency of the Socialist Republic of Romania. Previously, before the communist regime ...
only formally registered him as a prisoner on January 23, 1951, when the accusation was formulated as: "has supported the Iron Guard." Coroamă had by then been sentenced to eight years in "labor colonies". In 1949, Coroamă was sent by train westward, to
Ocnele Mari
Ocnele Mari is a town located in Vâlcea County, Oltenia, Romania. The town administers eight villages: Buda, Cosota, Făcăi, Gura Suhașului, Lunca, Ocnița, Slătioarele, and Țeica.
The town is situated in the central part of the county, at ...
; she shared the cattle car with junior members of the Guard, including those who had sent him the 1938 memorandum. He used this occasion to explain to them the circumstances in which the memorandum had been lost. Coroamă shared confinement with other former Guardsmen—including
Petre Țuțea
Petre Țuțea (; 6 October 1902 – 3 December 1991) was a Romanian philosopher, journalist, and economist.
Biography
Early years and the Legionary Movement
Petre Țuțea was born in the village of Boteni, Muscel County (now in Argeș Co ...
and Ioan Victor Vojen; they joined a selection of former political rivals, including
Mihail Manoilescu
Mihail Manoilescu (; December 9, 1891 – December 30, 1950) was a Romanian journalist, engineer, economist, politician and memoirist, who served as Foreign Minister of Romania during the summer of 1940. An active promoter of and contributor to f ...
Petre Pandrea Petre is a surname and given name derived from Peter. Notable persons with that name include:
People with the given name Petre
* Charles Petre Eyre (1817–1902), English Roman Catholic prelate
* Ion Petre Stoican (circa 1930–1990), Romanian v ...
. In his ''
samizdat
Samizdat (russian: самиздат, lit=self-publishing, links=no) was a form of dissident activity across the Eastern Bloc in which individuals reproduced censored and underground makeshift publications, often by hand, and passed the document ...
'' memoirs, Pandrea would include an account of "Carol II's odyssey, with its exact details", claiming that it was partly sourced from "things confessed to me by Mihail Manoilescu and General Coroamă".
Petre Pandrea Petre is a surname and given name derived from Peter. Notable persons with that name include:
People with the given name Petre
* Charles Petre Eyre (1817–1902), English Roman Catholic prelate
* Ion Petre Stoican (circa 1930–1990), Romanian v ...
, ''Memoriile mandarinului valah. Jurnal I: 1954–1956'', p. 92. Bucharest: Editura Vremea, 2011.
Another survivor of Ocnele Mari, Ioan Dumitrescu-Borșa, recalls: " oroamă wasa short, gentle, congenial, wise little old man. He was incapable of ever offending anyone. He always urged us to be self-contained and peaceful. He never spoke of himself."Dieaconu ''et al.'', p. 110 Reports also suggest that he was fed broths made of beechnut and
hay
Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticated ...
, a starvation treatment which pushed him to gnaw on his straw mat, or on wild
dandelion
''Taraxacum'' () is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, which consists of species commonly known as dandelions. The scientific and hobby study of the genus is known as taraxacology. The genus is native to Eurasia and Nor ...
s.Dieaconu ''et al.'', p. 111 Allegedly, the general was slated for persecution by a
Romani
Romani may refer to:
Ethnicities
* Romani people, an ethnic group of Northern Indian origin, living dispersed in Europe, the Americas and Asia
** Romani genocide, under Nazi rule
* Romani language, any of several Indo-Aryan languages of the Roma ...
man of the Securitate, who made him perform pointless physical exercise and beat him repeatedly. Such mistreatment left him paralyzed and mute, his injuries unattended to for an entire year. He was later relocated to
Aiud
Aiud (; la, Brucla, hu, Nagyenyed, Hungarian pronunciation: ; german: Straßburg am Mieresch) is a city located in Alba County, Transylvania, Romania. The city's population is 22,876. It has the status of municipality and is the 2nd-largest c ...
,
Gherla
Gherla (; hu, Szamosújvár; german: Neuschloss) is a municipality in Cluj County, Romania (in the historical region of Transylvania). It is located from Cluj-Napoca on the river Someșul Mic, and has a population of 20,203. Three villages are a ...
, and Văcărești prisons, being ultimately released on June 19, 1954. By then, he had been deemed too ill to survive detention, and was dropped off by Securitate officials at the home of a Bucharest relative; this was to be his last domicile. Coroamă died in 1956. Eight years later, his body was reburied at Eternitatea Cemetery in Piatra Neamț. This final ceremony was attended by fellow generals
Nicolae Dăscălescu
Nicolae I. Dăscălescu (29 June 1884 – 28 September 1969) was a Romanian general during World War II.
Biography
He was born in a poor peasant family in Căciulești, Neamț County, Kingdom of Romania. After completing elementary school in ...
and
Ilie Crețulescu
Ilie Crețulescu (2 October 1892 – 30 November 1971) was a Romanian major-general during World War II. Biography Early days
He was born in Ploiești in 1892 (other sources place his birthplace in Piatra Neamț). After attending elementary ...
, but also by Securitate agents monitoring dissent.