Justin Georgescu
Encyclopedia
Justin Georgescu was a Romania
n communist
activist and anti-fascist
militant assassinated in police custody during World War II
.
Born in Bucharest
, Romania's capital, in 1922, Justin Georgescu became an orphan at an early age. After finishing primary school, in 1933 he entered in the Matei Basarab High School, where he was one of the top students. By autumn 1939, Georgescu took contact with communist ideals, becoming a member of the clandestine Union of Communist Youth
(UTC). In the following months he took part in several action of the group, spreading manifestos and leaflets against Carol II's authoritarian regime
and its alignment with Hitler
's Germany
. He also organized a protest of the students with communist sympathies against an initiative of his high school that would have eliminated poor students. Soon after, the UTC nominated him as leader of a "technical group", responsible for propaganda work in Bucharest's Green Sector
.
In 1941, Georgescu enrolled in the Faculty of Letters of the University of Bucharest
, and in spring 1942 he was elected a member in the leadership of the university's UTC cell. There he continued the anti-fascist propaganda by spreading manifestos condemning the pro-fascist dictatorship of Conducător Ion Antonescu
and Romania's collaboration with Nazi Germany in the invasion of the Soviet Union
, as well as presenting the achievements of the Soviet Army
and of the other European resistance movements
in the fight against the Axis powers
. Manifestos also demanded that Romania sign a separate peace with the Allies
.
On August 29, 1942 he was arrested while going to a secret meeting of the UTC. After being tortured in Bucharest's Police Headquarters, he was ultimately killed. In an attempt to cover the murder, and present it as a suicide, his body was thrown out of a window.
After the Romanian Communist Party
came to power in Romania, Justin Georgescu, along other young Romanian anti-fascists fallen during World War II, was honoured as a "Hero of the youth".
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 communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
activist and anti-fascist
Anti-fascism
Anti-fascism is the opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals, such as that of the resistance movements during World War II. The related term antifa derives from Antifaschismus, which is German for anti-fascism; it refers to individuals and groups on the left of the political...
militant assassinated in police custody during 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...
.
Born 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....
, Romania's capital, in 1922, Justin Georgescu became an orphan at an early age. After finishing primary school, in 1933 he entered in the Matei Basarab High School, where he was one of the top students. By autumn 1939, Georgescu took contact with communist ideals, becoming a member of the clandestine Union of Communist Youth
Union of Communist Youth
The Union of Communist Youth was the Romanian Communist Party's youth organisation, modelled after the Soviet Komsomol. It aimed to cultivate young cadres into the party, as well as to help create the "new man" envisioned by communist ideologues.-History:Founded in 1922, the UTC went underground...
(UTC). In the following months he took part in several action of the group, spreading manifestos and leaflets against Carol II's authoritarian regime
1938 Constitution of Romania
The 1938 Constitution of Romania was the fundamental law that established the authoritarian monarchic regime of King Carol II. It was drafted by a university professor, Istrate Micescu, based on suggestions given by the king, and made public on February 20, 1938. Four days later, voters were...
and its alignment with Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. He also organized a protest of the students with communist sympathies against an initiative of his high school that would have eliminated poor students. Soon after, the UTC nominated him as leader of a "technical group", responsible for propaganda work in Bucharest's Green Sector
Sector 6 (Bucharest)
Sector 6 is a sector in Bucharest.-Politics:The mayor of the sector is Cristian Poteraş, from the Democratic Liberal Party. The Local Council of Sector 6 has 27 seats, with the following party composition :...
.
In 1941, Georgescu enrolled in the Faculty of Letters of the University of Bucharest
University of Bucharest
The University of Bucharest , in Romania, is a university founded in 1864 by decree of Prince Alexander John Cuza to convert the former Saint Sava Academy into the current University of Bucharest.-Presentation:...
, and in spring 1942 he was elected a member in the leadership of the university's UTC cell. There he continued the anti-fascist propaganda by spreading manifestos condemning the pro-fascist dictatorship of Conducător Ion Antonescu
Ion Antonescu
Ion Victor Antonescu was a Romanian soldier, authoritarian politician and convicted war criminal. The Prime Minister and Conducător during most of World War II, he presided over two successive wartime dictatorships...
and Romania's collaboration with Nazi Germany in the invasion of the Soviet Union
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
, as well as presenting the achievements of the Soviet Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
and of the other European resistance movements
Resistance during World War II
Resistance movements during World War II occurred in every occupied country by a variety of means, ranging from non-cooperation, disinformation and propaganda to hiding crashed pilots and even to outright warfare and the recapturing of towns...
in the fight against the Axis powers
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
. Manifestos also demanded that Romania sign a separate peace with the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
.
On August 29, 1942 he was arrested while going to a secret meeting of the UTC. After being tortured in Bucharest's Police Headquarters, he was ultimately killed. In an attempt to cover the murder, and present it as a suicide, his body was thrown out of a window.
After the Romanian Communist Party
Romanian Communist Party
The Romanian Communist Party was a communist political party in Romania. Successor to the Bolshevik wing of the Socialist Party of Romania, it gave ideological endorsement to communist revolution and the disestablishment of Greater Romania. The PCR was a minor and illegal grouping for much of the...
came to power in Romania, Justin Georgescu, along other young Romanian anti-fascists fallen during World War II, was honoured as a "Hero of the youth".