<p>TRAIAN IONASCU</p><p>The whole legal system from Romania has been dominated, more than half of the XX th century, by the charismatic personality of professor Traian Ionascu, who left his mark on doctrinary matters, as well as on the Romanian juridical university education, ensuring their survival and historical continuity during the totalitarian period of time. He was born on the 17 th of April 1897 in Iasi, from a family of intellectuals, son of professor Romulus Ionascu and of Smaranda. His father was a descendent of custom officers in Sibiu area. He graduated the famous boarding high-school located in his home town and afterwards he graduated the Faculty of Law, also in Iasi, as well as his other brothers – amongst them the famous professor Aurelian Ionascu. As many other brilliant young Romanian graduates at that time, he applied for a Ph. D. Diploma (doctorate thesis), in Paris at the Faculty of Law, where he attended courses of many famous professors such as: P.F.Girard, E. Cuq, F. Bartin, H. Capitant, Levy-Uhlman, G. Ripert – the last one being one of the closest friends of Traian Ionascu. Visit of professor H. Capitant to the Palace of Justice from Iasi ( photograph) In 1923 he obtained his Ph. D title (doctorate) with the thesis The evolution of concept of cause in pecuniary conventions, inciting passionate controversy on the matter and being given much appraisal in the open competition for doctorate thesis. His doctorate thesis was published at the same time as the work of Henri Capitant with a similar topic, which had given opportunity to G. Ripert, the president of the jury to write in his report an apologetic evaluation for Traian Ionascu’s work. The president acknowledged that even if T. Ionascu had worked independently, he reached the same conclusions as his prestigious contemporary, H. Capitant. In 1923, the University of Iasi confirmed his title as Ph.D. (doctorate) , he being one of the youngest ever to obtain such a title, enabling him to start his long and exceptional carieer as a law professor. He started as a substitute professor for the domain of international private law, first in Cernauti and after in Iasi (1923- 1924); professor for comparative civil law (1924-1927); and civil law professor in Iasi (1927 -1942) and eventually, civil law professor at the Faculty of Law in Bucharest ( 1942 -1968, with short interruptions).</p><p>1 Object of veneration for innumerable generations of lawyers, professor Traian Ionascu embodied, more than any other, the ideal professor, whose lectures, of highly scientifique level, were presented in a direct manner, very appealing to students, accessible and eloquent - the lectures were always intellectually delightful, leading the public to understand the beauty of legal reasoning. The professor’s personality was fascinating – his rethorique, his gestures, his regional accent - which he never tried to hide- were undeniable assets for a great professor. He had a noble character, always ready to help and to understand the people surrounding him. Traian Ionascu’s liaison with the Legislative Council between the two World Wars began, even before the institution was created, since he actively participated to the enactment of the Law for organization and functioning of the Legislative Council from 26 th of February 1925. He had been a member of a prestigious group of jurists who drafted the Law : I. Ionsecu-Dolj, the future president of the Council and G.G. Marzescu, the future Minister of Justice. In 1930, Traian Ionascu became a temporary councilor for the Legislative Council, Section II for International private law, where, later on, became president his close friend Mihail Eliescu. In this position, professor Ionascu participated in drafting and giving legal opinions on different legislative acts, including laws regarding unification of legislation for different historical provinces of Romania. In 1938 Traian Ionascu wrote a study about the history and activity of the Legislative Council in Romania, published in French, in Paris, as part of the thesis ”Recueil d’Etudes en l’ honneur d’ Eduard Lambert ”. While living in Iasi, Traian Ionascu had become a member of the National Paysan’s Party, along with his friends Mihail Ralea and Petre Andrei – ” the group of young party members”. In 1939, due to his sceintifique and moral reputation, King Carol the II nd appointed him ”Royal resident for Prut county”, with the residence in Iasi. His brief political activity and the appointment as Royal resident brought enormous trouble for professor Ionascu during the communist regime. The political cleansing which followed the reform of the educational system after 1948 led to his removal from the Faculty of Law in Bucharest along with other famous professors, considered ”compromised”. Fortunately, he was able to return to the Faculty of Law in Bucharest, to continue his scientifique work for the benefit of the students. 2 Professor’s Ionascu teaching activity at the University was completed with his fruitful work as director of the Institute for Legal Research of the Romanian Academy, where he had been staying for a long time between 1959 and 1971, when he retired. Within a period of time when the great values of the Romanian Legal School were removed from the educational system and were prevented to publish their works, when earning the daily living was a nightmare, professor Ionascu managed to gather around him, at the Institute, the most brilliant minds in the lawyers realm, people dismissed by the communist authorities. The Institute recovered great values such as : Mihail Eliescu, Vintila Dongoroz, Salavator Bradeanu, Petre Anca, I.L. Georgescu, Octavian Capatana, Al. Velescu, I. Rosetti-Balanescu, Ion Vantu, Virgil Economu, Alex. Bolintineanu, Yolanda Eminescu, Ion Lipovanu and many others. Under the co-ordination of Professor Traian Ionascu, The Institute for Legal Research developed an intense activity: drafting and publishing fundamental studies for the Romanian Juridical science; organizing public debates on legal matters; publishing legal science magazines; participating at international seminars on legal issues, etc. Due to the close relationships of professor Ionascu with western professors and due to his persistence in imposing his point of vue, young researchers from the Institute were sent to France, UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, etc. for training sessions and specialization on different matters. These international connections contributed to the assimilation of important legal principles, adapted to democracy, leaving aside the schematics and artificial construction of the so called ”socialist law”. Thus, a gap between generations had been avoided, as young researchers continued the work of the last generations. Professor Traian Ionascu was very often invited abroad for lectures ( Lyon, Nancy, Belgrad, Londra, etc. ). He was appointed the Vicepresident of the Council of International Faculty of Comparative Law in Strasbourg where he had been giving lectures, for more than 15 years (1960 -1976). He, also took part in numerous scientifique activities (workshops, seminars, conferences, etc.). He was the heart and soul of bilateral French – Romanian reunions, where he provided brilliant presentations and animated work atmosphere. He was a prominent member of International Academy of Comparative Law and a member of Romanian delegation at the XVII th and XVIII th sessions of</p><p>3 UN General Assembly and of Romanian delegation at the XI th session of General Conference of UNESCO. He was, until the end of his life the President of Romanian Arbitration Commission attached to the Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Professor Ionascu had a very important contribution in drafting several legislative acts (Family Code, Decree no. 31/1954 regarding natural and moral persons, etc. ). He contributed to the draft of the New Civil Code, but he never finished his work. As President of the Juridical Commission of the Great National Assembly (the Communist Parliament ), he thought that having this position would help him to change the legislation of the political regime, by creating an opening to the democracy. His endeavors were futile, since the communist party gave way to political messages, instead of democratic legislation. For his prestigious professional activity, professor T. Ionascu was rewarded with the title” Scientist of great importance ”, in 1964 and became Academy member in 1963. He was very proud of his title ” Legion d’ honneur” awarded to him by the President of France in 1931. He died on the 19 th of November 1981 and he left a very important work in civil law, international private law, family law, comparative law, etc. Professor Traian Ionascu continued the tradition of his illustrous predecessors -Vasile Conta, Dimitrie Alexandrescu, Matei Cantacuzino, Nicolae Titulescu – providing a brilliant continuation to their work, of great value, even to this day. Above all, professor T. Ionascu remains for the Romanian juridical world the embodiement of the teacher, a mentor for many generations of jurists, as well as an icon for the past and the future, an exceptional lawyer – a great value for the Romanian scientifique legal culture. </p><p>SELECTED BIBILOGRAHY I. In Romanian language A. Scientifique works</p><p>4 B. Studies II. In other languages A. Doctorate thesis (Ph. D.) B. Studies</p><p>Istrate Micescu Istrate Micescu ( born on the 22 nd of May 1881 in Ploiesti, dead on the 22 nd May 1951, Aiud Penitenciary) was a brilliant lawyer, politician and university professor, Minister for Foreign Affairs. Istrate Micescu was the son of professor Nicolae Micescu. After graduating highschool ”I.C. Bratianu” in Pitesti, he graduated in Paris in 1903 and obtained a Ph. D.( doctorate thesis) in Law in 1906, also in Paris. In Romania he worked as lawyer affiliated to Arges Bar Association and afterwards to Ilfov Bar Association, where he became Dean of the Bar for two times: 1923 – 1928 and 1936. Since 1912, he gave lectures at the Law Faculty in Bucharest on civil law and philosophy of law. In 1918, professor Micescu became member of the National Liberal Party and was elected three times as a member of the parliament. In 1931 he was elected Vice-president of the Chamber of Deputies (lower chamber of parliament). He had a conflict with the party leadership and as a result of that he initiated in 1925 a dissident faction of the party and a political magazine, called ”Responsibility”, in which he vehemently asked for ”the restoration of morality and credibility of the party”. Once the King Carol the II nd, acceded to power , Istrate Micescu got close to the liberal group lead by Gheorghe I. Bratianu, but soon he returned to the National Liberal Party. After the 1937 elections, he became a member of the government Goga-Cuza as Minister for Foreign Affairs ( 28th December 1937 – 10th February 1938). After the installing of the royal dictatorship at 10 th of February 1938, professor Micescu was assigned the task of drafting a new Constitution by which he intended to give legitimity to the new political regime. The project he had proposed”brought limitation to the royal powers; the state powers sprang from the Romanian nation, the King beeing just the first citizen of the country, obeying to the country laws”.</p><p>5 He was later appointed as a member of Superior National Council of the National Rebirth Front, senator in the new Parliament and Minister of Justice in Gheorghe Tatarescu government ( 24 th November 1939 – 10 th May 1940). At that time, professor Micescu was known for his passions : books (over 33.000 volumes) and hunting. In the forests of Budeasa, Trivalea and Purcareanca he had prestigious guests such as: Liviu Rebreanu, Ion Minulescu, Lucian Blaga, Octavian Goga, Eustatiu Stoenescu, Dinu Bratianu, Ion V. Perieteanu and Pamfil Seicaru ( great Romanian writers, philosophers and important politicians ). N. Carandino wrote : ” At the Law Faculty the personality of professor Micescu was overwhelming - the professor, more than the politician. He had the appearance of an alexandrin philosopher. Slim and distinguished he had a sharp beard. He was always very elegantly dressed and gave importance to his gestures even when he was not giving lectures. He was maybe a little to selfconscious of his value and sometimes his pride, transformed into an unbearable vanity was upsetting his entourage. He was a man of great culture: he knew Latin and Greek, to a very high level and there were no secrets of speech for him. His witted sayings were quoted in all the intellectual talks and the cafes1 at the era. ” In 1945, after the communist regime overtook the political power, professor Istrate Micescu was dismissed from the Bar Association. He was afterwards arrested and accused of ” actions of resistance against the regime of popular democracy” and sentenced at the 1 st July 1948 to 20 years imprisonment. The public in the Court room narrated that when professor Micescu heard the sentence he replied to the judges: ” I give many thanks to the generosity of the High Court for wishing me such a long life, during as which I will serve only two or three years, the rest of it will be done by you!” . Istrate Micescu died on the 22 nd of May 1951, at the age of 70 years in Aiud prison, known for the ill treatement of prisoners. He was considered as ” The greatest Romanian lawyer, unrivalled in his erudition and professional rigorousity”. </p><p>Vasile Lascar</p><p>1 Coffee houses 6 Vasile Lascar, Romanian political character, the son of the magistrate Manolache Lascar ( born 3 rd November 1853, Soimaresti, Gorj, close to Targu Jiu, died on the 23 rd of March 1907, Bucharest) was Minister of Finances in 1897. After the primary school in Targu-Jiu, he graduated the high-school in Craiova, afterwards he graduated law at Sorbona, in Paris, where he obtained a Ph. D ( doctorate thesis). In 1877 he returned to the country, practicing law as a member of Targu Jiu Bar Association. In 1879 he was elected Mayor of Targu Jiu, and after 1883 he was elected member of Parliament in almost all the liberal regimes. He was appointed Minister for internal Affairs in Petre S. Aurelian government ( the 21 st of November 1896 – the 26 th of March and then 21 st of November 1902 – 13 th of December 1904). While he was Minister for Internal Affairs he put forward a proposal for the first organic law of the Romanian Police, conceived in accordance with modern scientifique principles and similar laws from western countries, but still adapted to the realities and specific needs of Romania. He took into account the model of police organization in France, Germany, Belgium and Austria. He proposed his project before the Senat on 25 th of Jaunuary 1903. On the 1 st of April 1903, after, heated debates, the ”Law for the organization of the General State Police” was adopted. The law specified the atributions and competences of the police peronnel, instituting the principle of the stability of police structures and removing them out of political fights ”. This law established a special police school for training the police forces. The School for Police Officers in Campina, Prahova county, bears the name of Vasile Lascar. Vasile Lascar was famous for his saying : ”I want to transform the administration into a second magistracy” ( Vreau sa fac din administratie o a doua magistratura). This saying was inscribed on the socle of the statue carved in bronze by the the sculpture G. Horvath, unveiled on the 1 st of June 1908, on Vasile Lascar street, in Bucharest, right in front of the house where Vasile Lascar lived. </p><p>7 8</p>