Ion Valeriu Emilian

Ion Valeriu Emilian
Born(1906-12-14)December 14, 1906
Craiova, Dolj, Kingdom of Romania
Died(1985-07-06)July 6, 1985
OccupationPolitician
Known forFounder of the Swastika of Fire
Notable workThe Knights of the Apocalypse
Political party
National-Christian Defense League (?-1935) Swastika of Fire (1935–1938)

Ion Valeriu Emilian; (Romanian: [jˈon valˈeɾi͡ʊ ˌemiljˈan]; 14 December 1906 – 6 July 1985) was a Fascist Romanian politician, commander of the Lăncieri and the founder of the Swastika of Fire, an ultranationalist organization active in the 1930s. With the dissolution of his political party following the Self-coup of Carol II of Romania, Emilian volunteered on the Eastern Front during Operation Barbarossa. A cavalry captain during the war, he then went on to publish The Knights of the Apocalypse, a book relating the course of the war.

Biography

Early life

Ion Valeriu Emilian was born in Craiova on 14 December 1906.[1] His paternal grandfather, a native of Iași, was a teacher of Avram Iancu, whereas his mother originated from a family of independent farmers from South Moldova.[2] He finished Sf. Iosif High School, followed by the Military High School hosted at Dealu Monastery. Under pressure from his family, he pursued a career as a lawyer instead of becoming an active officer.

National-Christian Defense League and PNC

Emilian was active in the ranks of the National-Christian Defense League, contributing to publications such as Porunca Vremii. He was the commander of the "Blue Shirts" (colloquially known as the Lăncieri), the paramilitary wing of the LANC Youth organization before the merger with Octavian Goga's National Agrarian Party. During the short Goga-Cuza government, Emilian was named prefect of Neamț. As prefect, Emilian supposedly refused orders from Istrate Micescu, at that time the minister of foreign affairs to assassinate Corneliu Zelea Codreanu.[3]

Leader of the SDF

Viewing of the merger of the LANC and PNA as an act of Political opportunism and being dissatisfied with the naming of Nichifor Crainic as commander of the Blue Shirts, Emilian would go on to form Swastika of Fire. Due to the party's association with the Lăncieri, they inherited the "Blue Shirts" nickname in Siguranța reports.[4] In its early phase, the SDF's symbolism minimally differed from that of the LANC, given its continued use of blue shirts shortly after breaking away. By late 1936 and onward, its symbolism included brown shirts, brown peaked caps and berets, diagonal belts, and, similar to the LANC, the tricolor armband featuring a swastika with inverted colors: a blue armband, a yellow circle, and a red swastika positioned at the center of the circle.[5][6] According to a Siguranța report from 5 October 1936, the party's membership in Bucharest was that of 200 "punks", mostly homeless and, "in the best case, street vendors". By 1937, some intellectuals and professors joined the ranks of the party.[7]

Ideology and relation to other movements

The SDF espoused national socialism, fascism and Germanophilia, while also empathizing Romanian Orthodox Christianity.[8]

The merger of the LANC with the PNA was seen as a "suicide" in the eyes of the SDF. Reasons given for breaking away from the PNC include the party's less radical platform compared to that of the LANC as well as the claim that the LANC has been infiltrated by a "Trojan Horse" of Freemasonry. It was claimed that not long before the merger, LANC began accepting "suspicious" members who later facilitated the merger, most likely referring to Nichifor Crainic.[9] By the end of 1937, Emilian hoped to return to his former party. He sought to integrate his party as an elite assault and protection squad for its leaders, mainly inspired by the Schutzstaffel. The merger of the two parties never occurred.[8]

Emilian kept cordial relations with Corneliu Zelea Codreanu, a former colleague from their times in the LANC, and even participated in the swearing in of the first legionaries in 1927.[10] He found the event ridiculous, rather than solemn.[8] The SDF would later shortly declare itself in conflict with the Legion of Archangel Michael, especially after Codreanu refused to collaborate with Emilian's organization. In contrast, the shared rivalry of both movements with the LANC and the PNC could justify their amicable relations.[6]

Military career

Emilian volunteered in the Romanian Armed Forces as a reserve officer of the 2 Călărași regiment, mainly composed out of natives of Romanați County.[11] He named his horse "Dac", in reference to the Dacians. A fighter both during Operation Barbarossa and after Romania joined the Allied Powers, he claims to have received the Order of Michael the Brave, Iron Cross and the "Pabela" Soviet medal.[11] Emilian felt "shame" after turning his arms against the Axis Powers, claiming that he had "died" after the suicidal assault on Silicka Planina.[11] On the 17th of January 1945, he surrendered to the German 4th Mountain Division. Believed to be dead, he claimed he was decorated post-mortem with the Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky and the "Victoria" medal.[12]

Post-War activity

Emilian reached Vienna, where he joined a "National Romanian Government" under Horia Sima. At the start of the Cold War, Emilian collaborated with the Counterintelligence Corps. Due to his ties to American intelligence, he claimed to have become a target of the NKVD, which allegedly tried to assassinate him in 1950 and 1956 respectively. His brother, Marcel Emilian, was allegedly executed on 13 December 1949.[13]

Starting from 1953, Emilian began publishing Stindardul, a newspaper which managed to release 154 issues. In 1973, he wrote „Les Cavaliers de l’Apocalypse” (The Knights of the Apocalypse) in collaboration with Jean Marcilly, as he believed that he has not yet mastered the French language. By 1977, the book was also published in Germany[14]

Death

Emilian passed away on 6 July 1985. He was buried in the Furstenfeldbruck cemetery. Some 200 people were present at the burial.[15]

References

  1. ↑ Liviu Valenas „Soldat al Maresalului Ion Antonescu: Convorbiri cu Ion Pantazi”, ed.Vremea, Bucuresti, 2001, p.109.
  2. ↑ Ovidiu Vuia „Ion V. Emilian” in Buletinul Casa Romana, anul 8, nr. 4, dec. 1985, p. 61, California, S.U.A.
  3. ↑ Serban Milcoveanu „Pentru ce a fost asasinat Corneliu Zelea Codreanu” vol.1, f. Ed.,Bucuresti, 2007, p.190. A se vedea si mentiunea facuta de Mircea Dimitriu in Liviu Valenas „Convorbiri cu Mircea Dimitriu: Miscarea Legionara intre adevar simistificare”, ed. Marineasa, Timisoara, 2000, p.43.
  4. ↑ Beldiman & Beldiman 2000, p. 37
  5. ↑ Svastica de Foc (in Romanian). 2 (9): 5. 8 July 1937 – via BCU Cluj. Se atrage atențiunea camarzilor din provincie asupra faptului că sunt obligați să-și procure cămăși și șepci brune. [Attention is drawn to comrades in the provinces that they are required to obtain brown shirts and caps.]
  6. 1 2 Beldiman, Dana, Corneliu (2000). Dreapta românească. Elemente de organizare militară (in Romanian). Beldiman, Dana; Beldiman, Corneliu. p. 38.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ↑ Beldiman & Beldiman 2000, pp. 37–38
  8. 1 2 3 Veiga, Francisco. Istoria Gărzii de Fier, 1919-1941: Mistica ultranaționalismului [The History of the Iron Guard, 1919–1941: The Mystique of Ultranationalism] (2nd ed.). Humanitas. p. 215. ISBN 973-28-0590-0.
  9. ↑ "Organ de luptă al organizației "SVASTICA DE FOC"". Svastica de foc. 25 March 1935. p. 8.
  10. ↑ https://archive.org/details/francisco-veiga-istoria-garzii-de-fier-1919-1941-humanitas-1995-compressed/page/119/mode/2up?q=
  11. 1 2 3 Emilian, Ion Valeriu (2020). Cavalerii Apocalipsei [The Knights of the Apocalypse] (Paperback ed.). Romania: MARIST. p. 73.
  12. ↑ (6) Ion V. Emilian „Les Cavaliers de l’Apocalypse”, ed. Pensee Moderne, Paris, 1974, p.390.
  13. ↑ Ion V. Emilian „Les Cavaliers….”, p.435
  14. ↑ Emilian, Ion Valeriu (1977). Der phantastische Ritt : Rumäniens Kavallerie an d. Seite d. Dt. Wehrmacht im Kampf gegen d. Bolschewismus. Internet Archive. Preussisch Oldendorf : Schütz. ISBN 978-3-87725-084-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
  15. ↑ Ion Pantazi „Am trecut prin iad” vol.2, ed. Stindardul Romanilor, Germania, 1989, p.207.
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