Leonte Filipescu
Encyclopedia
Leonte Filipescu was one of the leaders of the early Romania
n communist movement, shot in custody by the Romanian authorities.
Leonte Filipescu was born in a family of workers in Bârlad
, Romania
. He worked from an early age, first as a dock labourer in the port of Galaţi
, and after 1910 as a waiter
in Bucharest
, Romania's capital. In Bucharest he met several trade unionist active in the waiter's guild, such as Gheorghe Niculescu-Mizil, Iancu Olteanu and Marian Cristescu, who introduced him to socialist ideas. He took part in several waiters' protest, and, after the start of World War I
, in the anti-war demonstrations organised in Bucharest by the Socialists . In the meantime, he also joined the Social Democratic Party
, sitting on its far left wing.
As Romania joined the war on the side of the Entente
in 1916, Leonte Filipescu was drafted and sent to the front, but was soon captured by the German Army and interned in a concentration camp. He succeeded in escaping along with several prisoners, and by the spring of 1917 he was back in Bucharest, taking part in the demonstration organised by the Socialists in front of the German Army
Headquarters in occupied Romania. In 1918 he was one of the editors of the socialist manifest Trăiască Socialismul ("Long live the Socialism"), and advocated its distribution by bypassing the military censorship.
In the first post-war years Leonte Filipescu became one of the leaders of the left-wing grouping of the Socialist Party of Romania
, and participated in the organisation of several strikes and mass demonstrations in Bucharest. In July 1919 he began contributing to the left-wing journal Federaţia, advocating communist revolution
and the transformation of the Romanian society into a socialist society
. Following the authorities crackdown on the 1920 Bucharest general strike, which he helped organise, he went into hiding, while continuing to spread pro-socialist manifestos and pamphlets.
During the January-February 1921 conference of the General Council of the Socialist Party and Trade Unions, Leonte Filipescu was one of the advocates of the party's affiliation with the Third International, and its transformation into a communist party. The same year he went to Iaşi
, in eastern Romania, where he organised, along with Pavel Tcacenco
, the Socialist Conference of March 3-6. During the talks, he reiterated his support for the transformation of the Socialist Party into a communist one. Narrowly escaping capture during the crackdown on the Conference, he left for Bulgaria, missing the May Congress of the Socialist Party which saw its transformation into the Communist Party of Romania.
Returning in Romania at the end of July 1921, he found most of the leadership of the Communist Party in prison, so he took part in the organisation of a provisional leadership, assuming the control of the party's youth wing
. He worked in gathering support for the communist imprisoned at Jilava
, Văcăreşti and Doftana
among the workers in Bucharest's factories. In October 1921 he was captured by the secret police, and became one of the main defendants in the Dealul Spirii Trial. While in prison, he contracted a severe form of tuberculosis
. Due to his health problems, he was granted severance, and was moved to a military prison in Bucharest. In April 1922 he was summoned to appear as a witness in the main trial, and the authorities decided to have him transferred to Jilava, despite Leonte's opposition. On the night of April 13/14, during the transport, he was shot in the head and in the heart, ostensibly because he was attempting to escape. His assassination provoked outrage among the Romanian working class and in the press.
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 movement, shot in custody by the Romanian authorities.
Leonte Filipescu was born in a family of workers in Bârlad
Bârlad
Bârlad is a city in Vaslui County, Romania. It lies on the banks of the Bârlad River, which waters the high plains of eastern Moldavia....
, Romania
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...
. He worked from an early age, first as a dock labourer in the port of Galaţi
Galati
Galați is a city and municipality in Romania, the capital of Galați County. Located in the historical region of Moldavia, in the close vicinity of Brăila, Galați is the largest port and sea port on the Danube River and the second largest Romanian port....
, and after 1910 as a waiter
Waiter
Waiting staff, wait staff, or waitstaff are those who work at a restaurant or a bar attending customers — supplying them with food and drink as requested. Traditionally, a male waiting tables is called a "waiter" and a female a "waitress" with the gender-neutral version being a "server"...
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 Bucharest he met several trade unionist active in the waiter's guild, such as Gheorghe Niculescu-Mizil, Iancu Olteanu and Marian Cristescu, who introduced him to socialist ideas. He took part in several waiters' protest, and, after the start of 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...
, in the anti-war demonstrations organised in Bucharest by the Socialists . In the meantime, he also joined the Social Democratic Party
Romanian Social Democratic Party (defunct)
The Romanian Social Democratic Party was a social-democratic political party in Romania. It published the magazine România Muncitoare, and later Socialismul, Lumea Nouă, and Libertatea.-Early party:...
, sitting on its far left wing.
As Romania joined the war on the side of the Entente
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
in 1916, Leonte Filipescu was drafted and sent to the front, but was soon captured by the German Army and interned in a concentration camp. He succeeded in escaping along with several prisoners, and by the spring of 1917 he was back in Bucharest, taking part in the demonstration organised by the Socialists in front of the German Army
German Army (German Empire)
The German Army was the name given the combined land forces of the German Empire, also known as the National Army , Imperial Army or Imperial German Army. The term "Deutsches Heer" is also used for the modern German Army, the land component of the German Bundeswehr...
Headquarters in occupied Romania. In 1918 he was one of the editors of the socialist manifest Trăiască Socialismul ("Long live the Socialism"), and advocated its distribution by bypassing the military censorship.
In the first post-war years Leonte Filipescu became one of the leaders of the left-wing grouping of the Socialist Party of Romania
Socialist Party of Romania
The Socialist Party of Romania was a Romanian socialist political party, created on December 11, 1918 by members of the Romanian Social Democratic Party , after the latter emerged from clandestinity...
, and participated in the organisation of several strikes and mass demonstrations in Bucharest. In July 1919 he began contributing to the left-wing journal Federaţia, advocating communist revolution
Communist revolution
A communist revolution is a proletarian revolution inspired by the ideas of Marxism that aims to replace capitalism with communism, typically with socialism as an intermediate stage...
and the transformation of the Romanian society into a socialist society
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
. Following the authorities crackdown on the 1920 Bucharest general strike, which he helped organise, he went into hiding, while continuing to spread pro-socialist manifestos and pamphlets.
During the January-February 1921 conference of the General Council of the Socialist Party and Trade Unions, Leonte Filipescu was one of the advocates of the party's affiliation with the Third International, and its transformation into a communist party. The same year he went to Iaşi
Iasi
Iași is the second most populous city and a municipality in Romania. Located in the historical Moldavia region, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life...
, in eastern Romania, where he organised, along with Pavel Tcacenco
Pavel Tcacenco
Pavel Tcacenco or Tkachenko was a Russian-born Romanian communist activist, a leading member of the communist movements of Bessarabia and Romania in the 1920s.-Early life and the Russian Revolution:...
, the Socialist Conference of March 3-6. During the talks, he reiterated his support for the transformation of the Socialist Party into a communist one. Narrowly escaping capture during the crackdown on the Conference, he left for Bulgaria, missing the May Congress of the Socialist Party which saw its transformation into the Communist Party of Romania.
Returning in Romania at the end of July 1921, he found most of the leadership of the Communist Party in prison, so he took part in the organisation of a provisional leadership, assuming the control of the party's youth wing
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...
. He worked in gathering support for the communist imprisoned at Jilava
Jilava
Jilava is a commune in Ilfov county, Romania, near Bucharest. It is composed of a single village, Jilava.The name derives from a Romanian word of Slavic origin meaning "humid place". Jilava was the location of a fort built by King Carol I of Romania, as part of the capital's defense system...
, Văcăreşti and Doftana
Doftana prison
Doftana was a Romanian prison. Built in 1895, it was used in the 1930s to detain political prisoners, among them the future president Nicolae Ceauşescu. It is situated close to the village with the same name, in the Telega commune...
among the workers in Bucharest's factories. In October 1921 he was captured by the secret police, and became one of the main defendants in the Dealul Spirii Trial. While in prison, he contracted a severe form of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. Due to his health problems, he was granted severance, and was moved to a military prison in Bucharest. In April 1922 he was summoned to appear as a witness in the main trial, and the authorities decided to have him transferred to Jilava, despite Leonte's opposition. On the night of April 13/14, during the transport, he was shot in the head and in the heart, ostensibly because he was attempting to escape. His assassination provoked outrage among the Romanian working class and in the press.