Gheorghe Apostol, Romanian Communist Who Criticized Ceausescu, Dies at 97
Gheorghe Apostol, a veteran Communist politician who gained international attention in 1989 by publicly criticizing the Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, died Saturday in Bucharest. He was 97.
His death was reported by the Romanian news media, which did not give the cause.
Mr. Apostol became a Communist in the 1930s, when the party was still illegal in Romania, and served as a close ally of the Communist leader at the time, Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej. After World War II, the Communists gained power, taking over the government in 1947.
Mr. Apostol served as Romania’s agriculture minister in 1953 and 1954 and as the party’s general secretary in 1954 and 1955.
After Mr. Gheorghiu-Dej died in 1965, Mr. Apostol was defeated in a contest for Communist Party leader by Mr. Ceausescu, who ended up ruling Romania for 24 years....
Read entire article at NYT
His death was reported by the Romanian news media, which did not give the cause.
Mr. Apostol became a Communist in the 1930s, when the party was still illegal in Romania, and served as a close ally of the Communist leader at the time, Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej. After World War II, the Communists gained power, taking over the government in 1947.
Mr. Apostol served as Romania’s agriculture minister in 1953 and 1954 and as the party’s general secretary in 1954 and 1955.
After Mr. Gheorghiu-Dej died in 1965, Mr. Apostol was defeated in a contest for Communist Party leader by Mr. Ceausescu, who ended up ruling Romania for 24 years....