Corneliu Zelea Codreanu Founder and Leader of the Legionary Movement
Romania for last 20 years has known only desperation and crisis. Much of her land lost to foreign powers and her resources surrendered to them through, unfair and dictated treaty's. Corneliu Codreanu had been to young to fight for his homeland in 1916 when the nation entered the great war. The Romania he grew up in was not a kind place. Her economy ruined by constant German interference and the massive oil revenue filling the kaiser's pockets.
The young Codreanu saw his people struggle and scrape to survive, while the bickering Political party's, and a powerless king did nothing to improve the peoples lives. It did not take him long to realize what needed to be done to save Romania from self destruction at the hands of Marxist's, Syndicalist, and the myriad of other party's.
On July 24, 1927 Codreanu and a cadre of close friends and fellow university students founded the Legion of the Archangel Michael. A party they founded on principles which would save Romania from destruction and give her new life.
In the years that followed the membership in the Legion swelled nationwide, many young and poor citizens drawn to the charismatic Codreanu, a masterful orator and politician. The Legion was unlike many party's in that it respected the old traditions and made charitable efforts to assist the population both urban and rural.
A legionary rally in Bucharest
Many however grew jealous of the Codreanu's rising star and and struggle ensued culminating in the revolution of 1929 when the King decided it was finally time to crack down and eliminate the legion once and for all. The kings plan failed of course and Codreanu avoided the assassins blade.
Enraged by the attempt on his life and the crackdown on his followers, he began to encourage Romanian's throughout the nation to rise up against the Royalist authority's. The ensuing Revolution was bloody and and short, embolden by the large scale rebellion of peasants in the country side and riots in the city's, Codreanu set his plan into motion. With a Contingent of Iron Guards, the paramilitary branch of the legion, Codreanu and his men stormed the royal palace in Bucharest forcing the king to flee the Country and leaving him in control of Romania's apparatus of state.
Soon afterward the Legionary state was declared....
The flag of the National Legionary StateThe years that followed saw much of Romania modernized and more importantly "Rematerialized" into a formidable force in the Balkans.
1936....
Romania stands at a crossroads in Europe.
To the south lies the much hated nation of Bulgaria and the potential allies Greece, and Serbia.
The the North and West lie the vile Hungary, which controls half of all Romania's rightful land. Beyond lies the fragmented Austrian Empire and the German Empire and of course Poland.
To the east lies the Kingdom of Ukraine and beyond lies the unstable Russian Republic under Alexander Kerensky.
More later....
The flag of the National Legionary State
1936....
Romania stands at a crossroads in Europe.
To the south lies the much hated nation of Bulgaria and the potential allies Greece, and Serbia.
The the North and West lie the vile Hungary, which controls half of all Romania's rightful land. Beyond lies the fragmented Austrian Empire and the German Empire and of course Poland.
To the east lies the Kingdom of Ukraine and beyond lies the unstable Russian Republic under Alexander Kerensky.
More later....
