Alexandru A. Bădărău (April 9, 1859–March 27, 1927) was a Romanian politician, academic, and journalist.

Alexandru Bădărău
Caricature of Bădărău by Nicolae Petrescu-Găină
Mayor of Iași
In office
22 April 1899 – 19 February 1901
Preceded byNicolae Gane
Succeeded byConstantin B. Pennescu [ro]
Minister of Justice
In office
22 December 1904 – 15 June 1906
Prime MinisterGheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino
Preceded byAlexandru Gianni
Succeeded byDimitrie Greceanu [ro]
Minister of Public Works
In office
14 October 1912 – 31 December 1913
Prime MinisterTitu Maiorescu
Preceded byErmil Pangrati
Succeeded byConstantin Angelescu
Personal details
Born
Alexandru A. Bădărău

(1859-04-09)April 9, 1859
Bădărăi, Iași County, United Principalities
DiedMarch 27, 1927(1927-03-27) (aged 67)
Iași, Kingdom of Romania
NationalityRomanian
Political partyConservative Party
Conservative-Democratic Party
Alma materUniversity of Paris
Free University of Brussels
OccupationPolitician, academic, journalist

History

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Born in Bădărăi, Iași County (now in Botoșani County), his father was the local mayor. He studied at the National College in Iași, graduating first in his class in 1877. He then entered the University of Iași, but was expelled in 1881 for participating in the socialist movement. Bădărău continued his education at the University of Paris, where he obtained a law degree, also earning a diploma from the École Libre des Sciences Politiques. He then took a doctorate in literature and philosophy from the Free University of Brussels. While there, he took part in a socialist circle that published Dacia viitoare magazine in 1883.[1]

After returning home in 1885, he became a French teacher at two schools in Iași as well as a psychology professor within the local university's literature faculty. Together with George Panu, he founded the Radical Democratic Party in 1888; this merged with the Conservative Party (PC) in 1897. He was elected to the Assembly of Deputies as a PC candidate. In 1908, he left the Conservative Party, following Take Ionescu into the Conservative-Democratic Party.[1]

Bădărău was mayor of Iași from 1899 to 1901, undertaking a vigorous civic activity. One of his priorities was to create a public water-supply system to bring water from the Prut River to the city; he argued at length with his predecessor, Nicolae Gane, who favored bringing water from Timișești. After he left office, the Timișești variant was chosen, and Bădărău went there in April 1907 for the start of the works.[2]

He twice served as minister in Conservative cabinets: under Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino, he was Justice Minister from December 1904 to June 1906; under Titu Maiorescu, he was Public Works Minister from October 1912 to December 1913. After World War I, he founded Opinia newspaper, where he was a frequent contributor. He died in Iași[1] and was buried in the city's Eternitatea Cemetery.[3]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c Giurescu, p. 56
  2. ^ "Primarii Iașului – Alexandru Bădărău, inițiator al proiectelor de aducțiune a apei". Curierul de Iași (in Romanian). September 16, 2011. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  3. ^ Otilia Bălinișteanu (September 24, 2020). "Cimitirul "Eternitatea" din Iași, un muzeu al vieților veșnice". Ziarul Lumina (in Romanian). Retrieved March 30, 2021.

References

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