Radu Gyr
Encyclopedia
Radu Gyr was a Romania
n poet, essayist, playwright and journalist.
Gyr was the son of actor Coco Dumitrescu, from Craiova
. He did his secondary studies at the Carol I High School in Craiova. He then studied at the University of Bucharest
, where he received his Ph.D.
in Literature and became a Senior Lecturer. He joined the Iron Guard
legionnaire movement, becoming in time a local commander.
Gyr received numerous awards for his writings. During the National Legionary Government
he was appointed General Manager of the Romanian Theaters. Under his administration the Baraşeum Jewish Theater (later State Jewish Theater
) was founded (although it was not allowed to operate until after the January 1941 fall of the Legionary Government
).
began as soon as the Iron Guard lost their battle with Ion Antonescu
. After spending time in prison, Radu Gyr was sent to fight on the Eastern Front
, a form of punishment which was reserved for former Legionnaires.
In 1958 he was sentenced to death
by the Communist authorities
because of his subversive poem Ridică-te Gheorghe, ridică-te Ioane! ("Arise Gheorghe, Arise Ioan!"). The poem had asked for peasants to oppose in every way the regime's agricultural policies: it had been issued as the last wave of brutal collectivization
was taking hold of the rural landscape.
His sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, but he served only a few years.
. He was forced to collaborate, like Nichifor Crainic
, to Glasul Patriei (The Voice of the Motherland) -later called Tribuna României- a newspaper published by the Securitate targeting exiled Romanians abroad.
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 poet, essayist, playwright and journalist.
Gyr was the son of actor Coco Dumitrescu, from Craiova
Craiova
Craiova , Romania's 6th largest city and capital of Dolj County, is situated near the east bank of the river Jiu in central Oltenia. It is a longstanding political center, and is located at approximately equal distances from the Southern Carpathians and the River Danube . Craiova is the chief...
. He did his secondary studies at the Carol I High School in Craiova. He then studied at 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:...
, where he received his Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in Literature and became a Senior Lecturer. He joined the Iron Guard
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...
legionnaire movement, becoming in time a local commander.
Gyr received numerous awards for his writings. During the National Legionary Government
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...
he was appointed General Manager of the Romanian Theaters. Under his administration the Baraşeum Jewish Theater (later State Jewish Theater
State Jewish Theater (Romania)
Teatrul Evreiesc de Stat in Bucharest, Romania is a theater specializing in Jewish-related plays. Its contemporary repertoire includes plays by Jewish authors, plays on Jewish topics, and plays in Yiddish...
) was founded (although it was not allowed to operate until after the January 1941 fall of the Legionary Government
Legionnaires' Rebellion and Bucharest Pogrom
The Legionnaires' rebellion and the Bucharest pogrom occurred in Bucharest, Romania, between 21 and 23 January 1941.As the privileges of the Iron Guard were being cut off by Conducător Ion Antonescu, members of the Iron Guard, also known as the Legionnaires, revolted...
).
In prison
He was imprisoned for 20 years and he was never completely rehabilitated as a writer. His first years as a political prisonerPolitical 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’....
began as soon as the Iron Guard lost their battle with 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...
. After spending time in prison, Radu Gyr was sent to fight on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
, a form of punishment which was reserved for former Legionnaires.
In 1958 he was sentenced to death
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
by the Communist authorities
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...
because of his subversive poem Ridică-te Gheorghe, ridică-te Ioane! ("Arise Gheorghe, Arise Ioan!"). The poem had asked for peasants to oppose in every way the regime's agricultural policies: it had been issued as the last wave of brutal collectivization
Collective farming
Collective farming and communal farming are types of agricultural production in which the holdings of several farmers are run as a joint enterprise...
was taking hold of the rural landscape.
His sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, but he served only a few years.
Forced collaboration
After his release from prison in 1963 he was constantly tailed and threatened by the feared Romanian secret police, the SecuritateSecuritate
The Securitate was the secret police agency of Communist Romania. Previously, the Romanian secret police was called Siguranţa Statului. Founded on August 30, 1948, with help from the Soviet NKVD, the Securitate was abolished in December 1989, shortly after President Nicolae Ceaușescu was...
. He was forced to collaborate, like Nichifor Crainic
Nichifor Crainic
Nichifor Crainic was a Romanian writer, editor, philosopher, poet and theologian famed for his traditionalist and antisemitic activities...
, to Glasul Patriei (The Voice of the Motherland) -later called Tribuna României- a newspaper published by the Securitate targeting exiled Romanians abroad.
Published works
- Plânge Strâmbă-Lemne (roughly: "The Wood Bender Crieth"; 1927)
- Cerbul de lumină ("A Deer of Light"; 1928)
- Stele pentru leagăn ("Stars for the Cradle"; 1936)
- Cununi uscate ("Dried-up Wreaths"; 1938)
- Corabia cu tufănici ("The Ship of Chrysanthemums"; 1939)
- Poeme de război ("War Poems"; 1942)
- Balade ("Ballads"; 1943) - as well as a series of lyricised tales.