Constantin Costa-Foru
Encyclopedia
Constantin Gheorghe Costa-Foru (October 26, 1856 - August 15, 1935) was a Romania
n journalist, lawyer and human rights activist.
He was born in Bucharest
, on 26 October, in a wealthy family of Jewish
origin. His father, Gheorghe Costa-Foru
(1820–1876), was a noted politician, twice minister, and the first rector of University of Bucharest
.
The family had Aromanian origins, being originally from the city of Larissa
, in Thessaly
. In 1740 they had settled in Bucharest
, where they amassed considerable wealth, building a mansion in Popeşti-Leordeni
and summer residence was in Berca
.
Costa-Foru studied in Heidelberg
, then at Collège "Sainte-Barbe"
in Paris, and around 1872 in Dresden
. After finishing his studies he returned to Paris, where married with Maria Ion Paspatti (1872–1935) on June 26, 1893. The couple had 10 children.
Constantin Costa-Foru was a vocal supporter of human rights, and accused the growing anti-Semitism in the post-World War I
Romania. On one occasion he was attacked and beaten by a band of extremists as a result of his public discourse. In 1929 he was one of the founders of the League of Human Rights, working as its secretary. As a lawyer he pleaded, in 1925 at Turnu-Severin, against nationalist Corneliu Zelea Codreanu
, leader of the anti-Semite Iron Guard
, who had assassinated the prefect
of Iaşi. However, as a result of the powerful lobby of the nationalist organisation, Codreanu was ultimately acquitted. Another contribution was in defending the rebels of Tatarbunary Uprising
during the famous 1925 "Trial of the 500".
Costa-Foru was also one of the Romanian pioneers in the business of mineral
and oil exploration
, contributing to the creation of the first Romanian Coal Company (1903).
In memory of him and his father two Bucharest
streets are named in their honor.
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 journalist, lawyer and human rights activist.
He was born in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, on 26 October, in a wealthy family of Jewish
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
origin. His father, Gheorghe Costa-Foru
Gheorghe Costa-Foru
Gheorghe Costa-Foru was a lawyer, university professor and Romanian politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.-Life and career:...
(1820–1876), was a noted politician, twice minister, and the first rector of 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:...
.
The family had Aromanian origins, being originally from the city of Larissa
Larissa
Larissa is the capital and biggest city of the Thessaly region of Greece and capital of the Larissa regional unit. It is a principal agricultural centre and a national transportation hub, linked by road and rail with the port of Volos, the city of Thessaloniki and Athens...
, in Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
. In 1740 they had settled in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, where they amassed considerable wealth, building a mansion in Popeşti-Leordeni
Popesti-Leordeni
Popeşti-Leordeni is a town in Ilfov County, Romania, 9 km south of Bucharest, although from the northern edge of the town to the southern edge of Bucharest the distance is less than 100 m. The town's population is 15,115 inhabitants...
and summer residence was in Berca
Berca
Berca is a commune located in the hillside of Buzău County, Romania, in the valley of the Buzău river. It is an oil and natural gases extraction location....
.
Costa-Foru studied in Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, then at Collège "Sainte-Barbe"
Collège Sainte-Barbe
The Collège Sainte-Barbe is a former school in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, France.The Collège Sainte-Barbe was founded in 1460 on Montagne Sainte-Geneviève by Pierre Antoine Victor de Lanneau, teacher of religious studies...
in Paris, and around 1872 in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
. After finishing his studies he returned to Paris, where married with Maria Ion Paspatti (1872–1935) on June 26, 1893. The couple had 10 children.
Constantin Costa-Foru was a vocal supporter of human rights, and accused the growing anti-Semitism in the post-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...
Romania. On one occasion he was attacked and beaten by a band of extremists as a result of his public discourse. In 1929 he was one of the founders of the League of Human Rights, working as its secretary. As a lawyer he pleaded, in 1925 at Turnu-Severin, against nationalist Corneliu Zelea Codreanu
Corneliu Zelea Codreanu
Corneliu Zelea Codreanu was a Romanian politician of the far right, the founder and charismatic leader of the Iron Guard or The Legion of the Archangel Michael , an ultra-nationalist and violently antisemitic organization active throughout most of the interwar period...
, leader of the anti-Semite Iron Guard
Iron Guard
The Iron Guard is the name most commonly given to a far-right movement and political party in Romania in the period from 1927 into the early part of World War II. The Iron Guard was ultra-nationalist, fascist, anti-communist, and promoted the Orthodox Christian faith...
, who had assassinated the prefect
Prefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
of Iaşi. However, as a result of the powerful lobby of the nationalist organisation, Codreanu was ultimately acquitted. Another contribution was in defending the rebels of Tatarbunary Uprising
Tatarbunary Uprising
The Tatarbunary Uprising was a Bolshevik-inspired peasant revolt that took place on 15–18 September 1924, in and around the town of Tatarbunary in Budjak , then part of Greater Romania, now part of Odessa Oblast, Ukraine...
during the famous 1925 "Trial of the 500".
Costa-Foru was also one of the Romanian pioneers in the business of mineral
Mineral exploration
Mineral exploration is the process of finding ore to mine. Mineral exploration is a much more intensive, organized and professional form of mineral prospecting and, though it frequently uses the services of prospecting, the process of mineral exploration on the whole is much more involved.-Stages...
and oil exploration
Oil exploration
Hydrocarbon exploration is the search by petroleum geologists and geophysicists for hydrocarbon deposits beneath the Earth's surface, such as oil and natural gas...
, contributing to the creation of the first Romanian Coal Company (1903).
In memory of him and his father two Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
streets are named in their honor.