Mihail Lascar
Encyclopedia
Mihail Lascăr was a Romania
n General during World War II
, and Minister of Defense from 1946 to 1947.
After graduating from the Infantry Officer School in 1910 with the rank of 2nd lieutenant, he fought in the Second Balkan War
and in World War I
, being promoted to major. He became colonel in 1934, and brigadier general in 1939.
On January 10, 1941, he was appointed commanding officer of the First Mountain Brigade
, an elite military unit of the Third Army. On June 22, 1941, Operation Barbarossa
(the invasion of the Soviet Union
by Nazi Germany
and its allies) commenced, with the Mountain Brigade entering Northern Bukovina
. From there, Lascăr and his unit swung East, crossing the rivers Dniester
, Bug
, and Dnieper. He fought in the Battle of the Azov Sea, and then in the Battle of Crimea
, remaining in charge of the Mountain Brigade until February 10, 1942. On March 11, 1942, he took charge of the 6th Division of the Romanian Third Army, and fought at the Battle of Stalingrad
. He was taken prisoner on November 22, 1942, spending the years 1943-1945 in captivity in the Soviet Union.
On April 12, 1945, Lascăr became commander of the Horia, Cloşca şi Crişan Division
; the political commissar
attached to this Soviet-organized unit was the Communist activist Valter Roman
. On September 12, 1945, Lascăr was named commander of the Fourth Army
. He was a leader of the Electoral Commission of the Army, in advance of the general election
of November 19, 1946. After a coalition led by the Romanian Communist Party
won the election (through widespread intimidation tactics and electoral fraud), he was appointed Minister of Defense, holding this ministerila portofolio from November 29, 1946 until December 27, 1947, when he was replaced by Emil Bodnăraş
. He was then Inspector of the Armed Forces until January 12, 1950, when he was discharged from active duty.
On June 7, 1947, he signed the decree establishing the football club Asociaţia Sportivă a Armatei Bucureşti, now FC Steaua Bucureşti.
, 1st class and the Knight's Cross
with Oak Leaves (the first foreign recipient of this decoration). On 27 November 1942 he was also mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht
.
On December 31, 1942, he was decorated with the Order of Michael the Brave
, 2nd class.
http://www.mapn.ro/fotodb/ministrii/71_G?full=1
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 General 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...
, and Minister of Defense from 1946 to 1947.
After graduating from the Infantry Officer School in 1910 with the rank of 2nd lieutenant, he fought in the Second Balkan War
Second Balkan War
The Second Balkan War was a conflict which broke out when Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the First Balkan War, attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece, on 29 June 1913. Bulgaria had a prewar agreement about the division of region of Macedonia...
and in 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...
, being promoted to major. He became colonel in 1934, and brigadier general in 1939.
On January 10, 1941, he was appointed commanding officer of the First Mountain Brigade
Vânatori de Munte
The vânători de munte |Huntsmen]]) are the elite mountain troops of the Romanian Land Forces. They were first established as an independent Army Corps in 1916 during World War I, and became operational in 1917 under Corpul de Munte designation....
, an elite military unit of the Third Army. On June 22, 1941, Operation Barbarossa
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...
(the invasion of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
by Nazi 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...
and its allies) commenced, with the Mountain Brigade entering Northern Bukovina
Bukovina
Bukovina is a historical region on the northern slopes of the northeastern Carpathian Mountains and the adjoining plains.-Name:The name Bukovina came into official use in 1775 with the region's annexation from the Principality of Moldavia to the possessions of the Habsburg Monarchy, which became...
. From there, Lascăr and his unit swung East, crossing the rivers Dniester
Dniester
The Dniester is a river in Eastern Europe. It runs through Ukraine and Moldova and separates most of Moldova's territory from the breakaway de facto state of Transnistria.-Names:...
, Bug
Southern Bug
The Southern Bug, also called Southern Buh), is a river located in Ukraine. The source of the river is in the west of Ukraine, in the Volyn-Podillia Upland, about 145 km from the Polish border, and flows southeasterly into the Bug Estuary through the southern steppes...
, and Dnieper. He fought in the Battle of the Azov Sea, and then in the Battle of Crimea
Battle of Crimea (1941)
The Crimea Campaign was an eight month long campaign of the Axis forces to conquer the Crimea peninsula, and was the scene of some of the bloodiest battles on the Eastern Front during World War II...
, remaining in charge of the Mountain Brigade until February 10, 1942. On March 11, 1942, he took charge of the 6th Division of the Romanian Third Army, and fought at the Battle of Stalingrad
Romanian Armies in the Battle of Stalingrad
Two Romanian armies, the Third and the Fourth, were involved in the Battle of Stalingrad, helping to protect the northern and southern flanks respectively of the German 6th Army as it tried to conquer the city of Stalingrad, defended by the Soviet Red Army in mid to late 1942...
. He was taken prisoner on November 22, 1942, spending the years 1943-1945 in captivity in the Soviet Union.
On April 12, 1945, Lascăr became commander of the Horia, Cloşca şi Crişan Division
Horia, Closca si Crisan Division
The Horia, Cloşca şi Crişan division was created in April 1945 from Romanian volunteers, mostly prisoners of war, but also Communist activists such as Valter Roman. It was created by the Soviet Union at Kotovsk. Its first leader was General Mihail Lascăr, who had been taken prisoner in November...
; the political commissar
Political commissar
The political commissar is the supervisory political officer responsible for the political education and organisation, and loyalty to the government of the military...
attached to this Soviet-organized unit was the Communist activist Valter Roman
Valter Roman
Valter or Walter Roman , born Ernst or Ernő Neuländer, was a Romanian communist activist and soldier. During his lifetime, Roman was active inside the Romanian, Czechoslovakian, French, and Spanish Communist parties as well as being a Comintern cadre...
. On September 12, 1945, Lascăr was named commander of the Fourth Army
Fourth Army (Romania)
The Fourth Army was a field army of the Romanian Land Forces active from the 19th century to the 1990s.-History:The Fourth Army fought in the Romanian Campaign of World War I, under the command of General Prezan...
. He was a leader of the Electoral Commission of the Army, in advance of the general election
Romanian general election, 1946
The Romanian general election of 1946 was a general election held on November 19, 1946, in Romania. Officially, it was carried with 79.86% of the vote by the Romanian Communist Party , its allies inside the Bloc of Democratic Parties , and its associates — the Hungarian People's Union , the...
of November 19, 1946. After a coalition led by 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...
won the election (through widespread intimidation tactics and electoral fraud), he was appointed Minister of Defense, holding this ministerila portofolio from November 29, 1946 until December 27, 1947, when he was replaced by Emil Bodnăraş
Emil Bodnaras
Emil Bodnăraş was an influential Romanian Communist politician, an army officer, and a Soviet agent...
. He was then Inspector of the Armed Forces until January 12, 1950, when he was discharged from active duty.
On June 7, 1947, he signed the decree establishing the football club Asociaţia Sportivă a Armatei Bucureşti, now FC Steaua Bucureşti.
Awards
In January 1942, he received the German Iron CrossIron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
, 1st class and the Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
with Oak Leaves (the first foreign recipient of this decoration). On 27 November 1942 he was also mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht
Wehrmachtbericht
The Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
.
On December 31, 1942, he was decorated with the Order of Michael the Brave
Order of Michael the Brave
The Order of Michael the Brave is Romania's highest military decoration, instituted by King Ferdinand I during the early stages of the Romanian Campaign of World War I, and was again awarded in World War II...
, 2nd class.
http://www.mapn.ro/fotodb/ministrii/71_G?full=1
External links
- Biography
- Short bio "Mihail Lascăr, General al Armatei Române", at FC Steaua