Ioan Rășcanu
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ioan Rășcanu | |
|---|---|
 General Ioan Rășcanu | |
| Born | 1 October [O.S. 19 September] 1878 |
| Died | 25 February 1952 (aged 73) |
| Buried | Paupers Cemetery, Sighetu Marmației, Maramureș County |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of Romania |
| Branch | Army |
| Service years | 1893–1922 (active) 1922–1945 (reserve) |
| Rank | Brigadier general (1917) Major general (1922) Lieutenant general (1942) |
| Commands | 15th Artillery Brigade Vânători First Division |
| Conflicts | |
| Awards | Order of the Crown, Commander rank Order of the Star of Romania, Officer class Order of the Star of Romania, Grand Cross class |
| Alma mater | Higher War School |
| 42nd Minister of War of Kingdom of Romania | |
| In office September 27, 1919 – November 30, 1919 | |
| Prime Minister | Artur Văitoianu |
| Preceded by | Artur Văitoianu |
| Succeeded by | himself |
| In office December 1, 1919 – March 1, 1920 | |
| Prime Minister | Alexandru Vaida-Voevod |
| Preceded by | himself |
| Succeeded by | Traian Moșoiu |
| In office March 12, 1920 – December 15, 1921 | |
| Prime Minister | Alexandru Averescu |
| Preceded by | Traian Moșoiu |
| Succeeded by | Ștefan Holban |
| Minister of State for Bessarabia and Bukovina | |
| In office March 30, 1926 – July 4, 1927 | |
| Prime Minister | Alexandru Averescu |
| Preceded by | Ion Inculeț |
| In office April 18, 1931 – June 6, 1932 | |
| Prime Minister | Nicolae Iorga |
| Preceded by | Pan Halippa |
| Succeeded by | Pan Halippa |
| 55th Mayor of Bucharest | |
| In office November 15, 1942 – August 23, 1944 | |
| Preceded by | Constantin Florescu |
| Succeeded by | Victor Dombrovski |
Ioan Rășcanu (1 October [O.S. 19 September] 1878 – February 25, 1952) was a Romanian general during World War I. He held the post of Minister of War from September 27, 1919 to December 16, 1921. After entering politics, he was elected deputy in Parliament, and served as Mayor of Vaslui (1938–1942) and Bucharest (1942–1944). Arrested in 1947 by the early communist regime, he died several years later at Sighet Prison.
He was born in 1878 in Cahul, in south-western Bessarabia (now in Moldova), the son of Elefterie and Elena Rășcanu.[1] Soon after, the family moved to Vaslui, where the parents taught at School Nr. 1 for boys.[2] Growing up, he attended this school, where he befriended his classmate, Gheorghe Mironescu, who later became Prime Minister.[3]
After graduating the High School for Sons of Military in Iași,[4] Rășcanu went to Bucharest in July 1891, where he enlisted in the School for Artillery and Engineering Officers, graduating in July 1893 with the rank of second lieutenant.[1] For two years he commanded a platoon of the 4th Artillery Regiment, after which he attended the Artillery School (1895–1897) and then Higher War School in Bucharest (1898–1900),[4] where he was colleague with the future generals Ernest Broșteanu, Ștefan Holban, and Ioan Vernescu.[2]
Career in the Romanian Army
Rășcanu advanced in rank to lieutenant (April 1896), captain (March 1903), and major (March 1910).[2] Speaking several languages (Russian, German, English, and French), he served from 1907 to 1911 as Romania's military attaché in Germany.[4][5] From 1910 to 1912 he served on the General Staff of the Romanian Army.[1] He was awarded in 1909 the Order of the Crown, Commander rank, and in 1912 the Order of the Star of Romania, Officer class. In 1913 he participated in the Second Balkan War, and was decorated with the Avântul Țării Medal. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in April 1914 and became colonel in April 1916.[4]
World War I
After Romania entered World War I on the side of the Allies in August 1916, Rășcanu served as Chief of the Operations Section of the General Headquarters, and was attached to the General Staff of the French Army in 1916. Together with a fellow artilleryman, Colonel Vasile Rudeanu, he represented the Romanian High Command at the Third Chantilly Conference in November 1916.[2]
In the summer of 1917 Rășcanu fought at the battles of Mărășești, Mărăști, and Oituz.[4] Promoted to brigadier general in September 1917, he took command of the 15th Artillery Brigade. He represented the Romanian Army at the Armistice of Focșani from December 7, 1917 between Romania, Russia, and the Central Powers.[1]
In January 1918 he became the first commander of the newly formed Vânători 1st Division. In March his division crossed the Prut River and he replaced General Ernest Broșteanu (his classmate at the Higher War School)[2] as commander of the Romanian troops in Chișinău and central Bessarabia. His troops paraded in support on March 27, when Sfatul Țării voted the Union of Bessarabia with Romania.[4] The 1st Division was disbanded in May 1918 as a result of the Treaty of Bucharest with the Central Powers.
