Ion Diaconescu
Encyclopedia
Ion Diaconescu was a Romania
n anti-Communist activist and politician
. He was imprisoned as a political prisoner
for seventeen years from 1947 to 1964 during Romania's Communist era
. Diaconescu later became a leader of the Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party
(PNŢCD).
Born in Boţeşti
, Argeş County
, Diaconsescu began his political in 1936, when he joined the Peasants' Party
youth wing. The Communist Party took power in Romania in 1947
following World War II
. Diaconescu was arrested in 1947, but survived his imprisonment at a Romanian gulag
. Romanian authorities released him in 1964 after seventeen years in prison as party of a amnesty
program for political prisoners.
Romanian dictator
, President
Nicolae Ceaușescu
, and the Communist government fell in the Romanian Revolution of 1989
. Diaconescu co-founded the Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party
in 1989 after the revolution.
Diaconescu served as the Speaker
of the Chamber of Deputies of Romania
, the lower house
of the Romanian Parliament
, from 1996 to 2000. In 2011, Diaconescu criticized his own Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party, which has been plagued by in-fighting, saying that the party should be relaunched under the leadership of former Prime Minister, Victor Ciorbea
.
Diaconescu died in Bucharest in 2011, at the age of 94. He had suffered from heart ailments during his later years. His burial took place in Bucharest
at the Bellu cemetery. A moment of silence
was held in the Parliament of Romania
in his honor. He received praise from many Romania's politicians and activists. Former Romanian President Emil Constantinescu
called Diaconescu, "a symbol of communist resistance in Romania and Eastern Europe, and a symbol of honesty and honor." Former Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea
paid tribute to Diaconescu saying, "Ion Diaconescu understood that faith and principles are national treasures, and he didn’t betray these (values), enduring 17 years in communist prisons." One of Romania's best known political activists, Doina Cornea
, also praised Diaconescu's life and career, "Today’s politicians only think about their own interests. ... That is why Romania is crawling along."
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 anti-Communist activist and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was imprisoned as a political prisoner
Political prisoner
According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, a political prisoner is ‘someone who is in prison because they have opposed or criticized the government of their own country’....
for seventeen years from 1947 to 1964 during Romania's Communist era
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...
. Diaconescu later became a leader of the Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party
Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party (Romania)
The Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party is a Romanian Christian-Democratic party...
(PNŢCD).
Born in Boţeşti
Botesti, Arges
Boţeşti is a commune in Argeş County, in southern central Romania. It is composed of two villages: Boţeşti and Moşteni-Greci....
, Argeş County
Arges County
Argeș is a county of Romania, in Wallachia, with the capital city at Pitești.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 652,625 and the population density was 95/km².*Romanians – 96%*Roma , and other.-Geography:...
, Diaconsescu began his political in 1936, when he joined the Peasants' Party
Peasants' Party (Romania)
The Peasants' Party was a political party in post-World War I Romania that espoused a left-wing ideology partly connected with Agrarianism and Populism, and aimed to represent the interests of the Romanian peasantry. Through many of its leaders, the party was connected with Romanian populism , a...
youth wing. The Communist Party took power in Romania in 1947
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...
following 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...
. Diaconescu was arrested in 1947, but survived his imprisonment at a Romanian gulag
Gulag
The Gulag was the government agency that administered the main Soviet forced labor camp systems. While the camps housed a wide range of convicts, from petty criminals to political prisoners, large numbers were convicted by simplified procedures, such as NKVD troikas and other instruments of...
. Romanian authorities released him in 1964 after seventeen years in prison as party of a amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
program for political prisoners.
Romanian dictator
Dictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
, President
President of Romania
The President of Romania is the head of state of Romania. The President is directly elected by a two-round system for a five-year term . An individual may serve two terms...
Nicolae Ceaușescu
Nicolae Ceausescu
Nicolae Ceaușescu was a Romanian Communist politician. He was General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and as such was the country's second and last Communist leader...
, and the Communist government fell in the Romanian Revolution of 1989
Romanian Revolution of 1989
The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a series of riots and clashes in December 1989. These were part of the Revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several Warsaw Pact countries...
. Diaconescu co-founded the Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party
Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party (Romania)
The Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party is a Romanian Christian-Democratic party...
in 1989 after the revolution.
Diaconescu served as the Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the Chamber of Deputies of Romania
Chamber of Deputies of Romania
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house in Romania's bicameral parliament. It has 315 seats, to which deputies are elected by direct popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms...
, the lower house
Lower house
A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power...
of the Romanian Parliament
Parliament of Romania
The Parliament of Romania is made up of two chambers:*The Chamber of Deputies*The SenatePrior to the modifications of the Constitution in 2003, the two houses had identical attributes. A text of a law had to be approved by both houses...
, from 1996 to 2000. In 2011, Diaconescu criticized his own Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party, which has been plagued by in-fighting, saying that the party should be relaunched under the leadership of former Prime Minister, Victor Ciorbea
Victor Ciorbea
Victor Ciorbea is a Romanian politician. He was the Mayor of Bucharest in 1996-1997 and, after his resignation from office, Prime Minister of Romania from 12 December 1996 to 30 March 1998.-Biography:...
.
Diaconescu died in Bucharest in 2011, at the age of 94. He had suffered from heart ailments during his later years. His burial took place 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....
at the Bellu cemetery. A moment of silence
Moment of silence
A moment of silence is the expression for a period of silent contemplation, prayer, reflection, or meditation. Similar to flying a flag at half-mast, a moment of silence is often a gesture of respect, particularly in mourning for those who have recently died or as part of a commemoration ceremony...
was held in the Parliament of Romania
Parliament of Romania
The Parliament of Romania is made up of two chambers:*The Chamber of Deputies*The SenatePrior to the modifications of the Constitution in 2003, the two houses had identical attributes. A text of a law had to be approved by both houses...
in his honor. He received praise from many Romania's politicians and activists. Former Romanian President Emil Constantinescu
Emil Constantinescu
Emil Constantinescu was President of Romania from 1996 to 2000.He graduated from the law school of the University of Bucharest, and subsequently started a career as a geologist...
called Diaconescu, "a symbol of communist resistance in Romania and Eastern Europe, and a symbol of honesty and honor." Former Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea
Victor Ciorbea
Victor Ciorbea is a Romanian politician. He was the Mayor of Bucharest in 1996-1997 and, after his resignation from office, Prime Minister of Romania from 12 December 1996 to 30 March 1998.-Biography:...
paid tribute to Diaconescu saying, "Ion Diaconescu understood that faith and principles are national treasures, and he didn’t betray these (values), enduring 17 years in communist prisons." One of Romania's best known political activists, Doina Cornea
Doina Cornea
Doina Cornea is a Romanian human rights activist and French professor. She was notable as a dissident during the communist regime of Nicolae Ceauşescu.-Dissidence under communism:...
, also praised Diaconescu's life and career, "Today’s politicians only think about their own interests. ... That is why Romania is crawling along."