| Dumitrascu Lacatusu | |
 | |
| Birth: | 22 March 1891 Covurlui County, Romania |
| Death: | 13 August 1999 Bucharest, Romania |
| Age: | 108 years, 144 days |
| Country: |  ROU
|
| Centenarian | |
Dumitrascu Lacatusu (Romanian; Dumitrașcu Lăcătusu, 22 March 1891 – 13 August 1999) was a Romanian centenarian, a veteran of the Balkan Wars, the First and the Second World War, as well as the oldest known living man and person in Romania and the Balkans at the time of his death.
Biography[]
Dumitrascu Lacatusu was born in Covurlui County, Romania on 22 March 1899. Lacatusu faced the war as a young man.
During the Balkan war he was part of the 11th Siret Regiment, being decorated with the "Danube Star" medal. But his life was not going to be peaceful, because in 1914, when the First World War broke out, he was concentrated as a medic, and in 1916, when Romania renounced neutrality, he took part in the battles at Târgu-Jiu and Selimbar. After retreating to Moldova, he fought in Oituz and Mărăşeşti. For his special merits, Lacatusu was decorated with the Military Virtue, Sanitary Merit, Queen Mary Cross and the Commemorative Cross of the First World War with the Mărăşti, Mărăşeşti, Oituz medals. After the great war ended, Lăcătuşu became the marshal's private secretary Averescu, at whose urging he decided to stay on the land of Bessarabia, where he founded a family.
In 1939, at the outbreak of the Second World War, Praetor Dumitrascu Lacatusu took part in the battles of the Romanian army until the fall of Odessa. Then, he resumed his old service in the administration of the province newly returned to the motherland. In 1953, he settled permanently in Bucharest. In 1997, when he turned 106 years old, he received the title of "Honorary Citizen of the Municipality of Bucharest" from Bucharest City Hall and was promoted from sergeant to the rank of second lieutenant in the reserve.
Dumitrascu Lacatusu was included in the album "La Grande Guerre", published in 1998 in France. In this album he was presented as the oldest living soldier among the 21 survivors of the Two World Wars. Dumitrascu Lacatusu also holds another significant record: he is a veteran of three wars (the Balkan war and the two world wars) and the last Romanian cavalryman.
Dumitrascu Lacatusu died in Bucharest, Romania on 13 August 1999 at the age of 108 years, 144 days. At one time he was the oldest known Romanian man ever until 14 December 2013 when his age was surpassed by Gheorghe Covaci.
References[]
- Dumitrașcu Lăcătușu (n. 22 martie 1891, Județul Covurlui — d. 13 august 1999, București) LinkedIn Sverige
- "Am avut trei mari pasiuni în viaţă: Basarabia, pământul în care m-am născut, familia şi armata" – interviu cu colonelul (r) Gheorghe Lăcătuşu, veteran de război DorDeBasarabia, 18 April 2011 (Archived)
- Povestea ultimului supravieţuitor român al Primului Război Mondial. A murit uitat de stat, în cel mai crunt anonimat Adevărul, 17 December 2016