Nicu Ceausescu
Encyclopedia
Nicu Ceaușescu (ˈniku tʃauˈʃesku (September 1, 1951 – September 26, 1996) was the youngest child of Romania
n leader Nicolae
and Elena Ceaușescu
. He was a close associate of his father's political regime and considered the President's heir apparent
.
and Cornel Pacoste (whom he considered brilliant Communist intellectuals) to take care of Nicu's education; however, unlike his older siblings, he disliked school and allegedly he was derided by them for never being seen reading a book.
He graduated from Liceul no. 24 (now named Jean Monnet High School) and then studied physics
at the University of Bucharest
. He was involved in Uniunea Tineretului Comunist while a student, becoming its First Secretary and then Minister of Youth Issues, being elected to the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party
in 1982.
As an apprentice in politics, he was mentored by Ștefan Andrei
, Ion Traian Ștefănescu and Cornel Pacoste. Toward the end of the 1980s, he was made a member of the Executive Committee of the Romanian Communist Party and in 1987 its leader for Sibiu County
, being prepared by his parents to be Nicolae Ceaușescu's successor.
alleged that he scandalized Bucharest with his rapes and car accidents. Ceaușescu heard about his drinking problem, but his solution was the one given to every Romanian problem: he advised him to work harder. He was also known for losing large sums of money gambling around the world.
The documentary Videograms of a Revolution shows him exhibited as a prisoner on state television on December 22, 1989 after being arrested on spurious accusations of holding children as hostages and other crimes. He was also arrest
ed in 1990 for misuse of government funds under his father's regime
, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Released in November 1992 because of cirrhosis
, he died of the disease four years later, aged 45, in a Vienna
hospital.
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 leader Nicolae
Nicolae Ceausescu
Nicolae Ceaușescu was a Romanian Communist politician. He was General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and as such was the country's second and last Communist leader...
and Elena Ceaușescu
Elena Ceausescu
Elena Ceaușescu was the wife of Romania's Communist leader Nicolae Ceaușescu, and Deputy Prime Minister of Romania.-Background:She was born Elena Petrescu into a peasant family in Petrești commune, Dâmboviţa County, in the informal region of Wallachia. Her family was supported by her father's job...
. He was a close associate of his father's political regime and considered the President's heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
.
Life during Communism
Ceaușescu wanted Nicu to become his Foreign Minister and for that, he instructed two high-ranked Party members, Ștefan AndreiŞtefan Andrei
Ştefan Andrei is a former Romanian communist politician who, among others, served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania . He was arrested after the 1989 overthrow of the Nicolae Ceauşescu regime.-Early life:...
and Cornel Pacoste (whom he considered brilliant Communist intellectuals) to take care of Nicu's education; however, unlike his older siblings, he disliked school and allegedly he was derided by them for never being seen reading a book.
He graduated from Liceul no. 24 (now named Jean Monnet High School) and then studied physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
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:...
. He was involved in Uniunea Tineretului Comunist while a student, becoming its First Secretary and then Minister of Youth Issues, being elected to the Central Committee of 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...
in 1982.
As an apprentice in politics, he was mentored by Ștefan Andrei
Ştefan Andrei
Ştefan Andrei is a former Romanian communist politician who, among others, served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania . He was arrested after the 1989 overthrow of the Nicolae Ceauşescu regime.-Early life:...
, Ion Traian Ștefănescu and Cornel Pacoste. Toward the end of the 1980s, he was made a member of the Executive Committee of the Romanian Communist Party and in 1987 its leader for Sibiu County
Sibiu County
Sibiu is a county of Romania, in the historical region Transylvania, with the capital city Sibiu.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 421,724 and the population density was 78/km²....
, being prepared by his parents to be Nicolae Ceaușescu's successor.
Post-Communist life and legacy
Nicu had a reputation of being a heavy drinker and a playboy since high school. Ion Mihai PacepaIon Mihai Pacepa
Ion Mihai Pacepa is the highest-ranking intelligence official ever to have defected from the former Eastern Bloc. He is now a United States citizen, a writer, and a columnist....
alleged that he scandalized Bucharest with his rapes and car accidents. Ceaușescu heard about his drinking problem, but his solution was the one given to every Romanian problem: he advised him to work harder. He was also known for losing large sums of money gambling around the world.
The documentary Videograms of a Revolution shows him exhibited as a prisoner on state television on December 22, 1989 after being arrested on spurious accusations of holding children as hostages and other crimes. He was also arrest
Arrest
An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the purported investigation and prevention of crime and presenting into the criminal justice system or harm to oneself or others...
ed in 1990 for misuse of government funds under his father's regime
Regime
The word regime refers to a set of conditions, most often of a political nature.-Politics:...
, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Released in November 1992 because of cirrhosis
Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is a consequence of chronic liver disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrosis, scar tissue and regenerative nodules , leading to loss of liver function...
, he died of the disease four years later, aged 45, in a Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
hospital.