Alexandru Vaida-Voevod
Encyclopedia
Alexandru Vaida-Voevod or Vaida-Voievod (February 27, 1872 – March 19, 1950) was a Romania
n politician who was a supporter and promoter of the union of Transylvania
(before 1918 a part of Austria-Hungary
) with the Romanian Old Kingdom
; he later served three terms as a Prime Minister
of Greater Romania
.
family in the Transylvanian village of Bobâlna
(known at the time as Olpret). Initially, Voevod was supportive of a plan to federalize
the domains of the Habsburg
s along the lines of a United States of Greater Austria
, and was close to Archduke Franz Ferdinand
.
In 1906, he joined a group of Romanian nationalists
in the Budapest
Parliament (the Romanian National Party of Transylvania and Banat
), becoming an important opponent of the Hungarian governmental policy of forced Magyarization
of Romanians, and fought for the right of Transylvania to self-determination
. Disappointed by the Austrian cause after Franz Ferdinand's assassination in Sarajevo, and turned towards an advocacy of Transylvania's union with Romania; he and his party presented a demand for self-determination
along Wilsonian principles
to the Hungarian legislative in October 1918.
In December 1918, after Hungary surrendered in World War I
, he was part of the Transylvanian council that proclaimed the union with Romania, and was, alongside Vasile Goldiş
, Iuliu Hossu
, and Miron Cristea
, a member of the Transylvanian group of envoys that presented the decision to King
Ferdinand I
in Bucharest
.
of 1919, and was one of its most prominent members throughout the negotiations, as an organizer of press campaigns.
The elections of November 1919 were successful for his party, and he replaced the National Liberal
Ion I. C. Brătianu
as Prime Minister and Nicolae Mişu
as Foreign Minister. He secured the new borders by ordering Romanian troops to fight off the Hungarian Soviet Republic
. However, his radical approach toward the land reform
s made King Ferdinand dissolve his government in March 1920, to be replaced by one formed by General Alexandru Averescu
's People's Party (a populist
movement that had attracted Brătianu's conditional support). Vaida-Voevod's party emerged as the National Peasants' Party
in 1926, and he served as its leader.
Nonetheless, the problems posed by his new cabinets (in 1932 and 1933) - the Legionary Movement
's intimidation of the political scene, and Vaida-Voevod's own Anti-semitism
(which began to manifest itself in measures of repression encouraged by the Legionaries), led to a split between the Prime Minister and his Party. His second government fell because of Armand Călinescu
, who was a staunch opponent of the Legionary Movement.
He began opening up to Fascism
and Nazism
, and created his own movement, the Romanian Front
, which survived through the increasingly authoritarian
regime of Carol II
, the National Legionary State
, and most of World War II
, officially ending around 1944. Nevertheless, the party never elluded obscurity in front of competition from the Legionaries, and its members were victims of the repression carried out by the communist regime
after 1948. Vaida-Voevod was arrested on March 24, 1945. In 1946, he was put under house arrest
in Sibiu
, where he spent the remainder of his life.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n politician who was a supporter and promoter of the union of Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
(before 1918 a part of Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
) with the Romanian Old Kingdom
Romanian Old Kingdom
The Romanian Old Kingdom is a colloquial term referring to the territory covered by the first independent Romanian nation state, which was composed of the Danubian Principalities—Wallachia and Moldavia...
; he later served three terms as a Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Romania
The Prime Minister of Romania is the head of the Government of Romania. Initially, the office was styled President of the Council of Ministers , when the term "Government" included more than the Cabinet, and the Cabinet was called The Council of Ministers...
of Greater Romania
Greater Romania
The Greater Romania generally refers to the territory of Romania in the years between the First World War and the Second World War, the largest geographical extent of Romania up to that time and its largest peacetime extent ever ; more precisely, it refers to the territory of the Kingdom of...
.
Transylvanian politics
He was born to a Greek-CatholicRomanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic
The Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic is an Eastern Catholic Church which is in full union with the Roman Catholic Church. It is ranked as a Major Archiepiscopal Church and uses the Byzantine liturgical rite in the Romanian language....
family in the Transylvanian village of Bobâlna
Bobâlna, Cluj
Bobâlna is a commune in Cluj County, Romania, having a population of 1,888. It is composed of eleven villages: Antăş, Băbdiu, Blidăreşti, Bobâlna, Cremenea, Maia, Oşorhel, Pruni, Răzbuneni, Suarăş and Vâlcelele....
(known at the time as Olpret). Initially, Voevod was supportive of a plan to federalize
Federalism
Federalism is a political concept in which a group of members are bound together by covenant with a governing representative head. The term "federalism" is also used to describe a system of the government in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and...
the domains of the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
s along the lines of a United States of Greater Austria
United States of Greater Austria
The United States of Greater Austria was an idea created by a group of scholars surrounding the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand that never came to pass...
, and was close to Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
Franz Ferdinand was an Archduke of Austria-Este, Austro-Hungarian and Royal Prince of Hungary and of Bohemia, and from 1889 until his death, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne. His assassination in Sarajevo precipitated Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia...
.
In 1906, he joined a group of Romanian nationalists
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
in the Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
Parliament (the Romanian National Party of Transylvania and Banat
Romanian National Party
The Romanian National Party , initially known as the Romanian National Party in Transylvania and Banat , was a political party which was initially designed to offer ethnic representation to Romanians in the Kingdom of Hungary, the Transleithanian half of Austria-Hungary, and especially to those in...
), becoming an important opponent of the Hungarian governmental policy of forced Magyarization
Magyarization
Magyarization is a kind of assimilation or acculturation, a process by which non-Magyar elements came to adopt Magyar culture and language due to social pressure .Defiance or appeals to the Nationalities Law, met...
of Romanians, and fought for the right of Transylvania to self-determination
Self-determination
Self-determination is the principle in international law that nations have the right to freely choose their sovereignty and international political status with no external compulsion or external interference...
. Disappointed by the Austrian cause after Franz Ferdinand's assassination in Sarajevo, and turned towards an advocacy of Transylvania's union with Romania; he and his party presented a demand for self-determination
Self-determination
Self-determination is the principle in international law that nations have the right to freely choose their sovereignty and international political status with no external compulsion or external interference...
along Wilsonian principles
Fourteen Points
The Fourteen Points was a speech given by United States President Woodrow Wilson to a joint session of Congress on January 8, 1918. The address was intended to assure the country that the Great War was being fought for a moral cause and for postwar peace in Europe...
to the Hungarian legislative in October 1918.
In December 1918, after Hungary surrendered in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he was part of the Transylvanian council that proclaimed the union with Romania, and was, alongside Vasile Goldiş
Vasile Goldis
Vasile Goldiş was a Romanian politician and member of the Romanian Academy.-Early life:He was born on 12 November 1862 in his grandfather's house in the village of Mocirla. His parents were Isaia and Floarea Goldiş. The family of his father had its origins in the Chişcău village, Bihor County...
, Iuliu Hossu
Iuliu Hossu
Iuliu Hossu was a Romanian Greek-Catholic bishop of the Cluj-Gherla Diocese and later cardinal and victim of the Communist regime...
, and Miron Cristea
Miron Cristea
Miron Cristea, was an Austro-Hungarian-born Romanian cleric and politician....
, a member of the Transylvanian group of envoys that presented the decision to King
King of Romania
King of the Romanians , rather than King of Romania , was the official title of the ruler of the Kingdom of Romania from 1881 until 1947, when Romania was proclaimed a republic....
Ferdinand I
Ferdinand I of Romania
Ferdinand was the King of Romania from 10 October 1914 until his death.-Early life:Born in Sigmaringen in southwestern Germany, the Roman Catholic Prince Ferdinand Viktor Albert Meinrad of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, later simply of Hohenzollern, was a son of Leopold, Prince of...
in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
.
In Romania
Vaida-Voevod joined the Romanian delegation to the Paris Peace ConferenceParis Peace Conference, 1919
The Paris Peace Conference was the meeting of the Allied victors following the end of World War I to set the peace terms for the defeated Central Powers following the armistices of 1918. It took place in Paris in 1919 and involved diplomats from more than 32 countries and nationalities...
of 1919, and was one of its most prominent members throughout the negotiations, as an organizer of press campaigns.
The elections of November 1919 were successful for his party, and he replaced the National Liberal
National Liberal Party (Romania)
The National Liberal Party , abbreviated to PNL, is a centre-right liberal party in Romania. It is the third-largest party in the Romanian Parliament, with 53 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 22 in the Senate: behind the centre-right Democratic Liberal Party and the centre-left Social...
Ion I. C. Brătianu
Ion I. C. Bratianu
Ion I. C. Brătianu was a Romanian politician, leader of the National Liberal Party , the Prime Minister of Romania for five terms, and Foreign Minister on several occasions; he was the eldest son of statesman and PNL leader Ion Brătianu, the brother of Vintilă and Dinu Brătianu, and the father of...
as Prime Minister and Nicolae Mişu
Nicolae Mişu
Nicolae Mişu was a Romanian politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania.-Life and political career:...
as Foreign Minister. He secured the new borders by ordering Romanian troops to fight off the Hungarian Soviet Republic
Hungarian Soviet Republic
The Hungarian Soviet Republic or Soviet Republic of Hungary was a short-lived Communist state established in Hungary in the aftermath of World War I....
. However, his radical approach toward the land reform
Land reform
[Image:Jakarta farmers protest23.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Farmers protesting for Land Reform in Indonesia]Land reform involves the changing of laws, regulations or customs regarding land ownership. Land reform may consist of a government-initiated or government-backed property redistribution,...
s made King Ferdinand dissolve his government in March 1920, to be replaced by one formed by General Alexandru Averescu
Alexandru Averescu
Alexandru Averescu was a Romanian marshal 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 peasant's revolt of 1907, which he helped repress in violence...
's People's Party (a populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
movement that had attracted Brătianu's conditional support). Vaida-Voevod's party emerged as the National Peasants' Party
National Peasants' Party
The National Peasants' Party was a Romanian political party, formed in 1926 through the fusion of the Romanian National Party from Transylvania and the Peasants' Party . It was in power between 1928 and 1933, with brief interruptions...
in 1926, and he served as its leader.
Nonetheless, the problems posed by his new cabinets (in 1932 and 1933) - the Legionary Movement
Iron Guard
The Iron Guard is the name most commonly given to a far-right movement and political party in Romania in the period from 1927 into the early part of World War II. The Iron Guard was ultra-nationalist, fascist, anti-communist, and promoted the Orthodox Christian faith...
's intimidation of the political scene, and Vaida-Voevod's own Anti-semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
(which began to manifest itself in measures of repression encouraged by the Legionaries), led to a split between the Prime Minister and his Party. His second government fell because of Armand Călinescu
Armand Calinescu
Armand Călinescu was a Romanian economist and politician, who served as Prime Minister between March 1939 and the time of his death.-Early life:...
, who was a staunch opponent of the Legionary Movement.
He began opening up to Fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
and Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
, and created his own movement, the Romanian Front
Romanian Front
The Romanian Front was a Fascist party created in 1935 - being led by Alexandru Vaida-Voevod as a splinter group from the National Peasants' Party.-History:...
, which survived through the increasingly authoritarian
Authoritarianism
Authoritarianism is a form of social organization characterized by submission to authority. It is usually opposed to individualism and democracy...
regime of Carol II
Carol II of Romania
Carol II reigned as King of Romania from 8 June 1930 until 6 September 1940. Eldest son of Ferdinand, King of Romania, and his wife, Queen Marie, a daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the second eldest son of Queen Victoria...
, the National Legionary State
National Legionary State
The National Legionary State was the Romanian government from September 6, 1940 to January 23, 1941. It was a single-party regime dictatorship dominated by the overtly fascist Iron Guard in uneasy conjunction with the head of government and Conducător Ion Antonescu, the leader of the Romanian...
, and most of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, officially ending around 1944. Nevertheless, the party never elluded obscurity in front of competition from the Legionaries, and its members were victims of the repression carried out by the communist regime
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
after 1948. Vaida-Voevod was arrested on March 24, 1945. In 1946, he was put under house arrest
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
in Sibiu
Sibiu
Sibiu is a city in Transylvania, Romania with a population of 154,548. Located some 282 km north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt...
, where he spent the remainder of his life.