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Galatz


Governors-Mayors-Port Masters    EN

Author: ARDELEANU KONSTANTIN
Governor-Generals
Governors
Governors of a town
Mayors
Port masters

Mayors of Galaţi

After the imposition of the Organic Regulation in 1832, the town of Galaţi was administered by an “Urban Ephorate” (Eforie orăşenească), composed of three members, supported by a secretary and two civil servants. These members were elected for a term of one year and were not remunerated. There are no complete series of who these magistrates were, and available sourced only refer to some of the most important of these officials.

By the “Communal Law” of 1864, the municipal administration was led by a “Communal Council” (Consiliu communal), and the actual management was entrusted to a mayor (primar). During the next half a century, almost forty persons held this public dignity, and their terms greatly depended on the political party that led the Romanian government[1].

1

Ion Vizzu, school teacher

1864–1866

2

Rufu Mantu, merchant

1866–1868

3

Procopie S. Sgrumala, teacher

1868–1869

4

Iancu Panaitescu

1869–1870

5

P. Zamaria, merchant

1870–1871

6

Alexandri D. Moruzi, rural proprietor

1871–1873

7

Petrache Botzan

1873–1874

8

Gheorghe Volenti

1874–1875

9

Ștefan V. Nenițescu, merchant

1876

10

Gheorghe P. Mantu, merchant

1876–1880

11

Costache Vârlan, lawyer

1880–1881

12

Dumitru Vizzu, doctor

1881–1882

13

Gheorghe Mihăilescu, teacher

1883

14

Gheorghe Fulger, rural proprietor and merchant

1883–1884

15

Gheorghe N. Cavalioti, lawyer and urban proprietor

1884–1885

16

Andreiaș Panaitescu, fiscal preceptor

1885

17

Costin Vârlan, lawyer

1885

18

Nicolae Hagi Nicola, merchant

1885–1886

19

Constantin A. Ressu, lawyer

1886–1887

20

Nicolae Hagi Nicola, merchant

1887

21

Timeoleon Nebunelli, book seller

1887–1888

22

Constantin A. Ressu, lawyer

1888–1891

23

Gheorghe C. Robescu

1891–1892

24

Stavru Mantu, urban proprietor

1892

25

Virgil G. Poienaru, lawyer

1892–1894

26

Constantin A. Ressu, lawyer

1894–1895

27

Simion Hociung, lawyer

1895

28

Costache P. Malaxa, rural proprietor

1895–1896

29

Gheorghe Nicolescu, lawyer

1896

30

Costache G. Plesnilă, lawyer

1896–1898

31

Constantin Ținc, pharmacist

1898

32

Mihail G. Orleanu, lawyer

1898–1899

33

Zaharia Chiriac, lawyer

1899

34

Gheorghe Leonida Aslan, lawyer

1899–1901

35

Mihail G. Orleanu, lawyer

1901–1902

36

Ion T. Bastache, lawyer

1902–1904

37

Constantin Ținc, pharmacist

1904

38

Alexandru Nicolescu, teacher

1905

39

Emil Vulpe, lawyer

1905–1907

40

Gheorghe N. Gamulea, lawyer

1907–1909

41

Pandele Pantelimon D. Petrovici, teacher

1909–1911

42

Costache G. Plesnilă, lawyer

1911

43

Alexandru G. Nicolescu, teacher

1911–1912

44

Nicolae Filipide, teacher

1912–1914

45

August Frățilă, teacher

1914

46

Constantin Ținc, pharmacist

1914–1917

Alexandru D. Moruzi

Alexandru Dimitrie Moruzi was born on 30 March 1815 at Constantinople, in the family of a former hospodar of the Danubian Principalities. He lived in Moldavia, at the family’s estate from Pechea, where he was greatly involved in agricultural business. During the 1830s and 1840s, he was a critic of the political regime in the country, and was arrested in March 1848 for taking part in an attempt to start a revolution in the capital city of Iaşi. He held several offices at Galaţi during the 1850s and contributed to the embellishment of the city. Moruzi was also a member of the Moldavian Parliament, supporting the political views of the great conservative land owners. During the 1870s he was an MP in Bucharest, but his most prodigious activity took place during the period (1871–1873) when he was elected mayor of Galaţi. He was especially interested in the development of the local harbour, where stone quays, platforms and magazines were built. He drafted the first systematisation plan of the city, with straight and wide streets, squares and public gardens. He also initiated the programme of paving the main streets and of establishing modern services of sewage, lighting and water supply[2].

Constantin A. Ressu

Born on 5 November 1843 at Cărăpceşti, Tutova County, he studied at a primary school in Bârlad and at a high school in Iaşi. He took juridical courses at the universities of Iaşi and Brussels and in 1873 defended a PhD in law. After he returned to Romania, he was employed as lawyer, prosecuting attorney and judge in different areas of the country, including at Galaţi, where he settled himself. He also followed a political career and joined the conservative party, being elected an MP in the Lower House of the Romanian Parliament. He held several dignities at a local level, including that of mayor for four different terms (November 1886 – March 1887, August 1888 – September 1890, September 1890 – February 1891, September 1894 – July 1865). His name is related to important accomplishments, such as the modernisation, paving and embellishment of the central streets and public squares of Galaţi (Domnească Street, Negri Square), the extension and improvement of the municipal parks, the introduction of gas lighting, the construction of schools etc. He also greatly supported the development of the local industry and culture[3].

Mihail G. Orleanu

He was born at Focşani on 20 November 1859 and after graduating from the Academic Institute in Iaşi (1876) also studied at Paris, where he defended a PhD in law in 1881. After returning to Romania, Orleanu was employed as prosecuting attorney and judge at different local courts, including the appellative court of Galaţi (1887–1889). He was married to Valentina Gheorghiadis, who inherited the large fortune of her father (Gheorghe Gheorghiadis). Orleanu chose a political career with the Liberal Party and in 1895 was elected MP in the Lower House of the Parliament. He was mayor of Galaţi for two terms (November 1898 – April 1899 and April 1901 – November 1902). He later held high offices in the central administration, including the offices of Minister of Industry and Trade and president of the Chamber of Deputies. As mayor of Galaţi, he contributed to the development of the city by investing in the pavement of streets and in the restoration of schools, but also by the development of tramway routes and the extension of the water system to the peripheral areas[4].

Costache G. Plesnilă

Costache G. Plesnilă had a similar professional and political career as those presented above: he was attorney prosecutor in different areas of Romania, including at Galaţi. He was a member of the Conservative Party and held the office of mayor of Galaţi twice (December 1896 – March 1898 and January – March 1911). He was a great supporter of building new schools and of paving the streets[5].

Constantin Ţinc

He was born at Giurgiu in 1857. After completing the compulsory education Ţinc was employed apprentice at a pharmacy in Bucharest (1876) and then graduated from the University of Bucharest. In 1886 he moved to Galaţi as a pharmacist, and as a supporter of the Liberal Party was for several terms local councillor and member of the Romanian Parliament (1907–1911). Ţinc was mayor of Galaţi for three terms (March – November 1898, September – December 1904 and March 1914 – October 1917). The main accomplishments of his terms were the construction of the city beltway, the pavement of streets, the modernisation of parks, and the restoration of schools[6].

Prefects of Covurlui

The general administration of the county and the direct representation of the central government at a local level were entrusted to a magistrate called prefect[7]:

1

Al. Cantacuziono

1860–1861

2

G. Răşcanu

1861–1862

3

I. A. Cantacuzino

1862

4

Leon Ghica

1862–1864

5

V. Romalo

1864–1865

6

G. Răşcanu

1865–1866

7

Nicu Alcaz

1866

8

G. Răşcanu

1867

9

M. Buzdugan

1867

10

Matei Rosetti

1867

11

Alecu Lupaşcu

1867–1868

12

Nicu Catargiu

1868–1870

13

G. Emandi

1871–1872

14

N. Catargiu

1872–1876

15

G. Răşcanu

1876–1883

16

C. Christodulo Cerchez

1883

17

C. Cotescu

1883

18

I. Urlăţeanu

1884

19

G. Răşcanu

1884–1885

20

Lupu Costachi

1885–1886

21

Ion Gh. Theodorescu

1886–1887

22

Epaminonda Peride

1887–1888

23

Dumitru Gh. Rosetti

1888

24

C. Merişescu

1888–1889

25

Scarlat Scheletti

1889–1890

26

M. C. Deşliu

1890–1891

27

Vasiliu Gh. Poenaru

1891–1892

28

Gh. Iamandi

1892

29

George Şuţu

1893–1894

30

Gheorghe Robescu

1894–1895

31

Gh. Antachi

1895

32

Petre Th. Schiari

1895–1896

33

Emil Culoglu

1896–1897

34

Dănilă D. Zorilă

1897–1899

35

Sebastian Moruzi

1899–1900

36

Mihai Cupşa

1900–1901

37

Ioan C. Atanasiu

1901–1903

38

Emil Vulpe

1903–1905

39

Grigore Ciuntu

1905–1907

40

Ioan C. Atanasiu

1907–1908

41

Alexandru Gusi

1908–1910

42

Emil Vulpe

1911

43

Dumitru Hagi Anton

1911–1912

44

Ion Bastachi

1912–1914

45

Alexandru Gusi

1914–1916

 

Picture 1.3_1 Alexandru Moruzi
Source: http://www.bvau.ro/manifestari/2010/0300/alexandru_moruzi.jpg

Picture 1.3_2 Constantin Ressu
Source: http://www.bvau.ro/manifestari/2011/0300/constantin_ressu.pdf

Picture 1.3_3 Mihail Orleanu
Source: http://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mihail_G._Orleanu


[1] The list was compiled and corrected with the support of two students, Nicu Diaconu and Vasile Gheorghe; a list also in Moise N. Pacu, Cartea judeţului Covurluiu. Note geografice, istorice şi în deosebi statistice (Bucharest: Stabilimentul Grafic I. V. Socecu, 1891), 302–303 and George Munteanu, Galaţi, part II, 1900–1938, Oameni în presă, literatură, comerţ, etc. (Galaţi: Tipografia Eminescu, 1938], 61–62.

[2] For his activity, cf. Victor Slăvescu, Vieata şi opera economistului Alexandru D. Moruzi 1815–1878 (Bucharest: Imprimeria Naţională, 1941), 9–12; Cultura, ştiinţa şi arta în judeţul Galaţi, edited by Nedelcu Oprea, Ion Petrulias, Gheorghe Hîncu (Galaţi: s.e., 1973), 184–185; http://www.bvau.ro/manifestari/2010/0300/alexandru_moruzi.pdf.

[3] Corneliu Stoica, “Constantin Ressu”, in vol. Întâlniri confortante (Galaţi: Sinteze, 2007), 8–13; http://www.bvau.ro/manifestari/2011/0300/constantin_ressu.pdf.

[4] Ilie Zanfir, Pompiliu Comşa, Galaţi. Ghid turistic (Galaţi: Editura Axis Libri, 2011), 40–41; Săndel Dumitru, Liberalii gălăţeni (Brăila: Editura Istros, 2012), 318–324.

[5] Zanfir, Comşa, Galaţi, 38–39.

[6] Dumitru, Liberalii, 428–429.

[7] Pacu, Cartea¸ 318.


References

Websites:

A list of all mayors, with errors:

http://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/List%C4%83_de_primari_ai_Gala%C8%9Biului

Official site of the “V. A. Urechia” Library, with an online catalogue and further sources

http://bvau.ro/

Official site of the Municipality of Galaţi

http://www.primaria.galati.ro/

Official site of the prefecture of Galaţi

http://www.prefecturagalati.ro/

Archival sources:

Serviciul Judeţean Galaţi al Arhivelor Naţionale (The National Archives, Galaţi Branch), Primăria oraşului Galaţi (The Municipality of Galaţi), files starting with 1831.

Serviciul Judeţean Galaţi al Arhivelor Naţionale (The National Archives, Galaţi Branch), Prefectura Judeţului Covurlui (The Prefecture of Covurlui County), files starting with 1848.

Bibliography:

Biblioteca Judeţeană “V. A. Urechea”, Oameni în memoria Galaţiului, Aniversări 2010 [The “V. A. Urechia” Departmental Library of Galaţi, Personalities in the Memory of Galaţi. 2010 Anniversaries] (Galaţi: Editura Axis Libri, 2011).

Biblioteca Judeţeană “V. A. Urechea”, Oameni în memoria Galaţiului, Aniversări 2011 [The “V. A. Urechia” Departmental Library of Galaţi, Personalities in the Memory of Galaţi. 2011 Anniversaries] (Galaţi: Editura Axis Libri, 2013).

Cultura, ştiinţa şi arta în judeţul Galaţi [Culture, Science and Arts in Galaţi County], edited by Nedelcu Oprea, Ion Petrulias, Gheorghe Hîncu (Galaţi: s.e., 1973).

Dumitru, Săndel, Liberalii gălăţeni [The Liberals of Galaţi] (Brăila: Editura Istros, 2012).

Pacu, Moise N., Cartea Judeţului Covurlui. Note geografice, istorice şi în deosebi statistice [The Book of Covurlui County. Geographical, Historical and Mainly Statistical Notes] (Bucharest: Stabilimentul Grafic I. V. Socecu, 1891).

Zanfir Ilie, Comşa, Pompiliu, Galaţi. Ghid turistic [Galaţi. Touristic guidebook] (Galaţi: Editura Axis Libri, 2011).


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