Gheorghe Flondor

Georg Ritter von Flondor, Romanian: Gheorghe cavaler de Flondor, ( born August 31, 1892 in Roman, † April 26, 1976 in Bucharest ) was a Romanian politician and the last royal governor of Bukovina.

Biography

The scion of the old Romanian boyars and Austrian noble family Flondor studied after graduating from school at State School No. 3 in Chernivtsi law at the University of Vienna and Prague. After graduation, George served during the First World War in the Dragoon Regiment No. 14 at various theaters of war, including in Serbia and Italy. In 1917, he was severely wounded on the Rumanian front, came into the hospital swimming and was then sent with the rank of captain again to Italy, then added in the spring of 1918 to retire, to ensure the management of his estates.

For his military commitment, he has won multiple awards, so the Silver Bravery Medal 1st and 2nd class, the Signum Laudis and the Military Merit Cross 2nd class.

Political action

His political career began in 1923 with Flondor joining the National Liberal Party of Romania, of all places, on a proposal and with the support of well-known Romanian historian scientist Ion Nistor, a declared enemy of his uncle John of Flondor. He quickly rose in the party hierarchy, was from 1927 to 1935 deputy of Rădăuţi in the Romanian Parliament, then for two years Senator. During this time he was also president of the Bank of Siret and twice the Chamber of Agriculture of Rădăuţi. As president of the Union of Syndicates for animal exports, he traveled to Austria, Germany, Egypt and Palestine with the aim to open up new markets.

In 1939, the politician became the advisor to the National Frontul Renaşterii (front of national rebirth) selected. After the dismissal of Gheorghe Alexianu he was appointed by King Carol II on February 7, 1939 royal residents of the area Suceava based in Czernowitz and received with high honors. In addition to the mayor of the city of Santa Flondor made ​​him among other things, the consul general of Germany, France, Sweden, the Netherlands and Poland to pay their respects. Flondor saw his main tasks on the one hand the improvement of the economic situation and living conditions of the rural population, the other in the maintenance of order, on the one hand of the Iron Guard ( Garda de Fier ) with their ultra-nationalist and anti-Semitic attitude, on the other hand, by the of the USSR launched communist activities was threatened. In cooperation with the police and Ministry of Interior could 19 Communists will taken with terrorist background and sentenced and another 250 people were interned from their environment.

As a result of the Hitler -Stalin Pact and the resulting Soviet ultimatum of June 26, 1940 against the Kingdom of Romania, Flondor surrendered two days later the presidency to the Russian occupation. Until the final abolition of this office as of September 23 of the year he remained governor based in Vatra Dornei. Then he retired to his estates in the short term back Rogojeşti. For his exemplary behavior, he was decorated by the King with the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit. These Carol II said at the award ceremony on 29 June 1940: " The only light in all this darkness is the sublime beyond any doubt behavior of Flondor, the royal residents in Czernowitz. ".

From 1941 to 1944, he moved the family again to Czernowitz, in order then to leave permanently because of the approach of the Soviet army, the city and move to Sibiu. Flondor also helped Israelite citizens in this time of fascist oppression. Twelve people of Jewish descent from Siret documented the later notarized in conjunction with the show trial against him in communist Romania. They declared that he had proved correct, democratic and benevolent attitude towards the Jewish population, also had them this came at critical moments during the racist persecution of the Jews by the Nazi authorities for help.

Communist persecution

Through the agrarian reform of 1945, he lost all his goods. He was divorced in 1945 and had to immediately work as day laborers in a state-owned factory in Sibiu. Because of his previous office as governor of Bukovina and the accusation of a " serious offense against the Romanian working class," he was arrested on 14 April 1952 by the Securitate and sentenced to imprisonment in the penitentiary Vacaresti and forced labor on 30 May of the year by administrative act. For further investigation, he was transferred on June 29, 1954 to the penitentiary Suceava. Finally it came from 20 April 1956 a public trial before the Military Tribunal of Iaşi. Because of the oppression and persecution of 'revolutionary Romanian workers "in his time as a resident, he was by the judgment No. 675 of the Regional Military Tribunal II on June 18, 1956 and - after a revision procedure - the confirmation of the same on September 13th of the year by the Supreme Military Tribunal sentenced to ten years in prison.

After his release on 12 January 1962, he was not allowed to join his relatives still living in Bucharest, rather an obligatory residence, he was assigned in Lăţeşti, where he had to live for years in a hut. Only in 1970 allowed him the authorities to join the friends of his family Capri in the state capital.

Rehabilitation

The Attorney General of the Supreme Court arose in 2002 an action for annulment against the judgments of 18 June and 13 September 1956. Decision No 142 of 9 December 2002 the Supreme Court upheld as required by the General Prosecutor of the Supreme Court lifting of the two judgments from the year 1956. He and all the other defendants were acquitted of those processes, even at that time was revised with pronounced confiscation of assets.

Only after his rehabilitation him a bronze bust in Rădăuţi could be set up in honor. It was unveiled on 23 May 2008.

Family

George was the younger son of the politician and composer Theodor Ritter von Flondor and Mary Ciunta, brother of Constantin, and nephew of the politician Iancu and Nicholas of Flondor.

In 1927 he married the half-Jewish Lucia Stephanovici, author and translator of children's books, which became known under the pseudonym Lottenberg. She divorced at a difficult time for George in 1945 by him. Lucia suddenly showed great sympathy for the ideas of communism and was editor of the German Communist newspaper " New Way ". Their son Tudorel (1929-1952) was a budding scientist and 1951 Romanian chess master. To document the distance to the family, she did not once attended the funeral of her only child.

With Georg line Rogojeşti Flondor the family is extinct in the male line.