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Constantin Pantazi
Constantin Pantazi
Minister of War of Romania
	In office; 23 January 1942 – 23 August 1944
Prime Minister	Ion Antonescu
Preceded by	Ion Antonescu
Succeeded by	Ioan-Mihai Racoviță
Personal details
Born	August 26, 1888; Călărași, Kingdom of Romania
Died	January 23, 1958 (aged 69); Râmnicu Sărat Prison, Socialist Republic of Romania
Military service
Allegiance	Kingdom of Romania
Branch/service	Romanian Land Forces
Rank	General
Battles/wars	World War II

Constantin Pantazi (August 26, 1888, Călărași - January 23, 1958, Râmnicu Sărat) was a Romanian army general and a politician who served as Minister of War between January 23, 1942, and August 23, 1944. He was one of the most faithful followers of Romanian ruler Ion Antonescu. He was found guilty for war crimes and sentenced to death, which was commuted to life imprisonment.

Biography

He distinguished himself in the Third Battle of Oituz in 1917, and was decorated with the Order of Michael the Brave, class III, for the way he led his company from the Mountaineer Regiment.

"For the courage and momentum with which in the battle of August 6–8, 1917 he led the 1st line of the battalion, in the attack on the enemy position at Cireșoaia, and in the battles of 27-29 he personally led the operation of cutting the enemy lines, from a mask that was only 15 paces from the webs.” High Decree no. 1191 of October 16, 1917^[1] On June 8, 1940, he was promoted to the rank of division general.^[2]

Having become Leader of the Romanian State in the National Legionary State, Ion Antonescu appointed Pantazi on September 7, 1940, as undersecretary of state at the Ministry of War^[3] and reconfirmed on September 14, 1940, as undersecretary of state at the Department of National Defense, for the Army.^[4]

On September 22, 1941, after the death in an accident of gen. Alexandru Ioanițiu, gen. of army corps adjutant Iosif Iacobici was released from the position of Minister of War and appointed head of the Great Staff and the Great Headquarters of the operations troops.^[5] The leadership of the Ministry of National Defense was taken over on an interim basis on the same day by Marshal Antonescu,^[6] who delegated to Major General Constantin Pantazi, Undersecretary of State at the Department of National Defense for the Dry Army, the leadership of the ministry and the plenipotentiary powers to sign "all decrees regarding the appointments of persons, as well as those regarding urgent matters" throughout his absence.^[7]

On January 22, 1942, Pantazi was appointed Minister Secretary of State for National Defense.^[8]

Pantazi was arrested on August 23, 1944, tried in the "Antonescu group" and ex-officio placed in the retreat position, together with Marshal Antonescu and other high-ranking military commanders of the Antonescu regime, who were accused that "through their activity in the functions or commands they had, supported the political-military leadership of Marshal Ion Antonescu, thus contributing to the disaster of the Army", by decree no. 312 of February 6, 1945.^[9] In 1946, the Romanian People's Tribunals in Bucharest sentenced him to death for war crimes. Prime Minister Petru Groza commuted his death sentence to penal labour for life, while Pantazi was being led to the place of execution.^[10] Prime Minister Groza and Minister of Justice Lucrețiu Pătrășcanu signed the decree on June 1, 1946, and submitted it to King Michael I for countersignature.^[11]

Constantin Pantazi died in 1958 at the Râmnicu Sărat Prison.

References

^ Ministerul de Răsboiu, Anuarul ofițerilor și drapelelor Armatei Române cărora li s-au conferit ordinul „Mihai Viteazul”, Atelierele grafice „Socec & Co”, București, 1930, p. 104
^ Decretul Regal nr. 1.928 din 7 iunie 1940 pentru înălțarea în grad a unor ofițeri generali, publicat în Monitorul Oficial, anul CVIII, nr. 131 din 8 iunie 1940, partea I-a, p. 2.829.
^ Decretul conducătorului Statului Român și Președintelui Consiliului de Miniștri nr. 3.070 din 7 septembrie 1940 pentru numiri de Subsecretari de Stat, publicat în Monitorul Oficial, anul CVIII, nr. 208 din 8 septembrie 1940, partea I-a, p. 5.295.
^ Decretul-lege al Conducătorului Statului Român și Președintelui Consiliului de Miniștri nr. 3.152 din 14 septembrie 1940 privind numiri de miniștri și subsecretari de Stat, publicat în Monitorul Oficial, anul CVIII, nr. 214 bis din 14 septembrie 1940, partea I-a, p. 5.415.
^ Decretul Conducătorului Statului nr. 2.679 din 22 septembrie 1941 pentru numirea Șefului Marelui Stat Major, publicat în Monitorul Oficial, anul CIX, nr. 225 din 23 septembrie 1941, partea I-a, p. 5.666.
^ Decretul Conducătorului Statului nr. 2.678 din 22 septembrie 1941 pentru preluarea interimatului la Departamentul Apărării Naționale, publicat în Monitorul Oficial, anul CIX, nr. 225 din 23 septembrie 1941, partea I-a, p. 5.666.
^ Decretul Conducătorului Statului nr. 2.680 din 22 septembrie 1941 pentru delegație, publicat în Monitorul Oficial, anul CIX, nr. 225 din 23 septembrie 1941, partea I-a, p. 5.666.
^ Decretul Conducătorului Statului nr. 217 din 22 ianuarie 1942 pentru numire de ministru secretar de Stat al Apărării Naționale, publicat în Monitorul Oficial, anul CX, nr. 19 din 23 ianuarie 1942, partea I-a, p. 436.
^ Decretul regal nr. 312 din 6 februarie 1945 pentru treceri în poziția de retragere, publicat în Monitorul Oficial, anul CXIII, nr. 33 din 10 februarie 1945, partea I-a, p. 938.
^ "Noul Guvern" (in Romanian). ziua.ro. 2007-09-27. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27.
^ "Arhiva maresalului Antonescu" (in Romanian). ziua.net. 2007-10-11. Archived from the original on 2007-10-11.