Ion Codru-Drăgușanu (November 9, 1818–October 26, 1884) was an

Austro-Hungarian Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...

ethnic Romanian prose writer. He was born in

Drăguș Drăguș (; ) is a commune in Brașov County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Drăguș, part of Viștea Commune until being split off in 2004. Drăguș is located at the western edge of Brașov County, in the central p ...

Brașov County Brașov County () is a county (județ) of Transylvania, Romania. Its capital city is Brașov. The county incorporates within its boundaries most of the Medieval "lands" (''țări'') Burzenland and Făgăraș. Name In Hungarian language, Hungari ...

, in the

Transylvania Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...

region. His parents were Adam Plăiaș Codru or Adam al lui German (in his early years, the writer signed as Ioanne Germaniu Codru) and his wife Asinefta (''née'' Trîmbițaș). His family were soldiers in the

Transylvanian Military Frontier The Transylvanian Military Frontier (; ; ) was a territory in the Habsburg monarchy. It was a section of the Habsburg Military Frontier. History It was founded in 1762 from territories that had been part of the Habsburg Principality of Transyl ...

, ennobled during the time of Zsuzsanna Lorántffy. He studied at the village school, at the German Military Frontier School in nearby Viștea de Jos and for one semester at Saint Sava College in the

Wallachia Wallachia or Walachia (; ; : , : ) is a historical and geographical region of modern-day Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians. Wallachia was traditionally divided into two sections, Munteni ...

n capital

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...

, but was largely self-taught. He left Transylvania in 1835 and between 1838 and 1846 made several journeys; his travels took him to Hungary, Austria, Italy, Germany, France, England, Russia and Switzerland.
"Rastignacul din Făgăraș, Ion Codru Drăgușanu"
, in ''România Literară'', nr. 17/2009 From 1846 to 1848, he worked as a teacher in

Ploiești Ploiești ( , , ), formerly spelled Ploești, is a Municipiu, city and county seat in Prahova County, Romania. Part of the historical region of Muntenia, it is located north of Bucharest. The area of Ploiești is around , and it borders the Ble ...

. He subsequently held several administrative positions in his native province, culminating with that of deputy captain for the

Făgăraș Făgăraș (; , ) is a municipiu, city in central Romania, located in Brașov County. It lies on the Olt (river), Olt River and has a population of 26,284 as of 2021. It is situated in the historical region of Transylvania, and is the main city of ...

district (1863-1880). He was a participant in the

Wallachian Revolution of 1848 The Wallachian Revolution of 1848 was a Romanian liberal and nationalist uprising in the Principality of Wallachia. Part of the Revolutions of 1848, and closely connected with the unsuccessful revolt in the Principality of Moldavia, it sough ...

, a deputy for

Hațeg Hațeg (; ; ) is a town in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 8,793 as of 2021. Three villages are administered by the town: Nălațvad (''Nalácvád''), Silvașu de Jos (''Alsószilvás''), and Silvașu de Sus (''Felsőszilvás''). I ...

in the

Transylvanian Diet The Transylvanian Diet (; ; ) was an important legislative, administrative and judicial body of the Principality (from 1765 Grand Principality) of Transylvania between 1570 and 1867. The general assemblies of the Transylvanian noblemen and the jo ...

Sibiu Sibiu ( , , , Hungarian: ''Nagyszeben'', , Transylvanian Saxon: ''Härmeschtat'' or ''Hermestatt'') is a city in central Romania, situated in the historical region of Transylvania. Located some north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles th ...

from 1863, secretary of the Military Frontier School Committee (1880-1884) and vice president of

Astra Astra (Latin for "stars") may refer to: People * Astra (name) Places * Astra, Chubut, a village in Argentina * Astra (Isauria), a town of ancient Isauria, now in Turkey * Astra, one suggested name for a hypothetical fifth planet that became t ...

's Făgăraș chapter. His first published work was ''Cuvânt scholastic'', which appeared in ''Universul'' newspaper in 1848. He also contributed to ''Foaie pentru minte, inimă și literatură'', ''Concordia'', ''Albina'', ''Telegraful român'', ''Federațiunea'', ''

Gazeta Transilvaniei ''Gazeta de Transilvania'' was the first Romanian-language newspaper to be published in Transylvania. It was founded by George Bariț in 1838 in Brașov. It played a very important role in the awakening of the Romanian national conscience in Tran ...

'', '' Familia'' and ''Transilvania''. His literary reputation was established by ''Peregrinul transelvan'' (1865), among the most interesting travel accounts published in the post-1848 era. He died in Sibiu.Aurel Sasu (ed.), ''Dicționarul biografic al literaturii române'', vol. I, p. 364. Pitești: Editura Paralela 45, 2004.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Codru-Dragusanu, Ion 1818 births 1884 deaths People from Brașov County Romanian Austro-Hungarians Educators from Austria-Hungary Writers from the Austrian Empire Writers from Austria-Hungary Organizers of the Wallachian Revolution of 1848