Holy Legionary Youth: Fascist Activism in Interwar Romania

288 Pages·2015·3.8 MB·English

by  Roland Clark

HOLY LEGIONARY YOUTH

HOLY
LEGIONARY
YOUTH
Fascist Activism in Interwar Romania
Roland Clark
CORNELL UNIVERSITY PRESS ITHACA AND LONDON
Copyright © 2015 by Cornell University
All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or parts
thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from
the publisher. For information, address Cornell University Press, Sage House,
512 East State Street, Ithaca, New York 14850.
First published 2015 by Cornell University Press
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Clark, Roland, author.
Holy legionary youth : fascist activism in interwar Romania / Roland Clark.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8014-5368-7 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Fascism—Romania—History—20th century. 2. Fascism and youth—
Romania—History—20th century. 3. Nationalism—Romania—History—
20th century. 4. Romania—Politics and government—1914–1944. I. Title.
DR264. C613 2015
949.8′02—dc23 2014045991
Cornell University Press strives to use environmentally responsible suppliers and
materials to the fullest extent possible in the publishing of its books. Such materials
include vegetable-based, low-VOC inks and acid-free papers that are recycled, totally
chlorine-free, or partly composed of nonwood fibers. For further information, visit
our website at www.cornellpress.cornell.edu.
Cloth printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Cover illustration: Legionaries injured during the 1933 election campaigns.
Photograph courtesy of Biblioteca Academiei Române, Secţia Manuscrise.
Ref #35 A-B.
For Laura

Contents
List of Illustrations ix
Acknowledgments xi
List of Abbreviations xiii
Introduction 1
1. The Roots of Ultranationalism 9
2. Youthful Justice 28
3. Mobilizing Support 63
4. Elections, Violence, and Discipline 95
5. The Power of Print 122
6. Iron-Clad Breasts and Lily-White Souls 151
7. Salvation and Sacrifice 184
8. Rise and Fall 216
Conclusion 245
Bibliography 255
Index 263

vii

Illustrations
3.1 Legionary election poster, 26 September 1937. 88
4.1 Legionaries injured during the 1933 election campaigns. 103
4.2 Legionaries in uniform. 115
6.1 Legionaries at the Carmen Sylva work camp. 158
6.2 Legionary propaganda poster, c. 1937. 178
6.3 Alexandru Basarab, T he Archangel Michael , 1935. 181
7.1 A map of the Romanian rail system showing the route
taken by the train carrying Moţa and Marin. 206
7.2 A “living cross” of legionaries at the funeral of Ion Moţa
and Vasile Marin. 208
ix