Corneliu Zelea Codreanu (1899 – 1938) is today a Romanian national hero but he remains virtually unknown outside his native country. From his early 20s, he almost single-handedly created and led a new national movement, one that confronted and exposed a corrupt Romanian government that had sold out to Jewish interests. Enduring countless attacks, assaults, deprivations, imprisonments, isolation, and abuse, Codreanu nonetheless persevered under impossible conditions. He succeeded where others failed, due largely to his high moral character, vision, and rectitude, combined with a deep and profound sense of Orthodox Christian spirituality. A man of unrelenting courage, he never surrendered, never quit, and never lost faith in his Romanian people.
This book is Codreanu’s autobiography, from ages 18 to 36. As fate would have it, he would live only two and a half more years—murdered, on the orders of his own king, at age 39.
Codreanu’s life is a true lesson—not only in resilience and courage, but also regarding the perils of a malicious, self-interested Jewish minority. We have much to learn from this remarkable young man.
Never before appearing in a scholarly format, this translation of Codreanu’s lifework has been expertly revised and re-edited by Thomas Dalton, PhD.
FOR MY LEGIONNAIRES
For My Legionnaires Translation of Pentru Legionari (1937)
by Corneliu Z. Codreanu2023, paperback, 328 pages.
ISBN: 979-8986-7250-62Chapter 1: Marching into Life 11
At the Dobrina Forest 11
At the University of Iasi 14
Preparation for Revolution 16
The Guard of the National Conscience 17
(1) The occupation of the Agency of State Monopolies 19
(2) The tricolor flag over the Nicolina Works 20
(3) National-Christian Socialism—the national syndicates 21
(4) A truthful picture of the situation in 1919 24
(5) Leaders of the Romanian workers 26
The Attitude of the Jewish Press 27
The First Student Congress after the War 32
The Opening of Iasi University in the Fall of 1920 33
The 1920-1921 University Year 35
Expelled from Iasi University Forever 36
The 1921-1922 University Year 37
(1) President of the Law Students’ Association 38
(2) Visiting Cernauti University 40
(3) The National Defense 40
(4) Founding the Association of Christian Students 48
(5) Obligation of honor 49
(6) At the end of my university studies 50
(7) The summer of 1922 51
(8) In Germany 53
The Student Movement 55
The “Numerus Clausus” 58
Chapter 2: The Jewish Problem 61
The Number of Jews 61
(1) The problem of the Romanian land 65
(2) The problem of the cities 66
(3) (a) The problem of the Romanian school 69
(b) The problem of the Romanian leading class 72
(4) The problem of national culture 73
Return to Romania 75
(1) At Iasi and Bucharest 77
(2) At Cluj 79
The Assembly of Iasi 80
March 4, 1923 82
Other Anti-Semitic and Nationalist Organizations 83
“The Romanian National Fascia” and “The Romanian Action”Modification of Article 7 of the Constitution 87
My First Arrest 89
The Great Men of Romania of 1879 91
The Student General Strike Continues 99
The Plans of Judaism against the Romanian Nation 101
(1) Against the Romanian people 101
(2) Against the Romanian land 103
(3) Against the student movement 105
(4) Jewish arguments and attitudes 105
The Congress of the Student Movement’s Leaders 107
The League Congress at Campul-Lung 110
The October 1923 Student Plot 113
(1) In Vacaresti prison 118
(2) Outside 123
(3) Thoughts of a new life 126
(4) The isolation of politicians 128
(5) Avenging the betrayal, and the trial 129
At Iasi 131
Chapter 3: A Year of Great Trials 135
The Christian Cultural Home 135
(1) The first work camp 136
(2) A new blow 137
(3) Overwhelmed by blows at the garden 138
(4) Upstairs, in the Prefect’s office 139
(5) On Rarau Mountain 141
(6) Efforts to destroy our bloc 143
(7) My betrothal 144
The Mota-Vlad Trial 144
On What Happened in the Garden 145
(1) The word of professor A. C. Cuza 148
(2) Protest meetings against Manciu 149
(3) An administrative investigation is ordered 150
The Fatal Day 153
(1) Two articles regarding the Manciu case 156
(2) Hunger strike 160
(3) Alone at Galata 161
(4) The trial is transferred to Focsani 163
(5) At Turnul-Severin 165
The Trial 167
Returning to Iasi 169
Chapter 4: June 1925 to June 1926 173
My Wedding 173
After One Year, Work Resumes 174
Dangers that Threaten a Political Movement 175
A Critique of the Leader 176
A Case of Conscience 179
At School in France 180
(1) At Grenoble 182
(2) General elections back home 183
(3) In the Alps 187
(4) At Pinet-d’Uriage among French peasants 188
At Bucharest 192
My Reaction in the Face of this State of Affairs 198
Chapter 5: The Legion of Michael the Archangel 199
Matter versus Spirit 201
Against Treachery 202
The Beginnings of Legionary Life 204
Our Program 206
Aspects of Romanian Public Life 209
Our Apprehensions Facing this World 211
Stages of the Legion’s Development 212
Contents of the First Issue 214
The Fundamental Principles of Legionary Ethics 217
Disinterestedness in Battle 218
Discipline and Love 218
Nationalist Movements and Dictatorship 220
The First Beginnings of Organization 221
A New Battle 224
The Summer of 1928 226
Fighting Misery 228
The First Assembly of Nest Leaders 229
Chapter 6: Towards the Popular Masses 231
Among the Moti 231
The Summer of 1929 236
December 15, 1929 237
In Transylvania, at Ludosul-de-Mures 240
In Bessarabia 241
Return to Bessarabia: Advent of the Iron Guard 247
Troubles in Maramures 248
The March into Bessarabia is Forbidden 250
The Attempt on the Life of Minister Anghelescu 254
Dissolution of the Legion and the Iron Guard 257
Arrest Warrant 261
The Trial 262
The Legionary Movement in the First Elections 266
The Campaign of Neamt 267
Chapter 7: Democracy Against the Nation 271
In Parliament 271
Several Observations Regarding Democracy 273
Election, Selection, Heredity 275
Individual, National Collectivity, Nation 280
The Nation 282
The Final Aim of the Nation 283
Monarchy and the Law of Monarchy 284
The Battle of Tutova 284
The Second Dissolution of the Guard 287
New General Elections 288
In Parliament for the Second Time 289
The Condition of the Legionary Organization in 1932-1933 291
Chapter 8: An Offensive of Lies 293
“Anarchic and Terroristic Movement” 293
“The Iron Guard in the Service of Foreigners” 294
“The Iron Guard in the Pay of Hitlerites” 294
Printing Counterfeit Banknotes in Rasinari 296
The Death Team 299
At Teius 301
The Visani Dam 302
The Liberal Party is Responsible 307
Comrades 309