The survival of 20,000 Jewish residents in the city of Chernivtsi during the 1940s is attributed to the direct intervention of Traian Popovici. A trained lawyer and local politician, he leveraged his position as mayor to obstruct state-mandated deportations, ultimately securing an exemption for a large portion of the city's Jewish population despite intense political pressure.
Early Life and Education
Born in 1892 in the village of Rușii-Mănăstioara, Popovici descended from a family with roots in the Duchy of Bukovina. He pursued his higher education at Chernivtsi University, where he earned a law degree. His early political engagement included serving as the president of the Societatea Academică Junimea and managing regional branches for the National Agrarian Party and the National Christian Party during the interwar years.
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In 1941, military dictator Ion Antonescu appointed Popovici as mayor of Chernivtsi. Upon taking office, he resisted directives from Governor-General Alexandru Rioșanu to confine the local Jewish population in a ghetto. Following Rioșanu’s death, his successor, General Corneliu Calotescu, issued an order for the deportation of all Jews from the city to Transnistria. Popovici actively contested this mandate.
Intervention and Preservation
Popovici sought a reprieve by arguing that the Jewish community remained essential to the economic stability of Chernivtsi. Through persistent negotiation, he obtained permission from Calotescu to exempt specific individuals from deportation. He utilized this administrative authority to expand his list of protected persons, eventually shielding 20,000 Jews from removal. His political opponents subsequently labeled him with the derogatory term jidovitul.
Legacy
Following the conflict, Popovici spent his final years in the village of Colacu, where he died in 1946. In 1969, his actions received formal international recognition when Yad Vashem designated him as one of the Righteous Among the Nations. He is currently buried in the churchyard beside the wooden church in Colacu, Suceava.
Fast facts
- Born: 1892, Rușii-Mănăstioara
- Died: 1946, Colacu
- Education: Chernivtsi University
- Political Positions: Mayor of Chernivtsi, Member of the Chamber of Deputies of Romania
- Award: Righteous Among the Nations (1969)
- Burial Site: Colacu Wooden Church, Suceava
Questions readers ask
What official role did Traian Popovici hold during the deportations?
He served as the mayor of Chernivtsi in 1941.
How many people were saved due to his intervention?
He is credited with saving 20,000 Jews from deportation.
Achievements
- Righteous Among the Nations — 1969
- Worked as lawyer, politician and mayor
- Educated at Chernivtsi University
