| Dumitru Comanescu | |
 Dumitru Comănescu at the age of 111 | |
| Birth: | 8 November 1908 O.S./21 November 1908 N.S. Provița de Jos, Prahova County, Kingdom of Romania (now Romania) |
| Death: | 27 June 2020 Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania |
| Age: | 111 years, 219 days |
| Country: |  ROU
|
| Validated | |
Dumitru Comanescu [Romanian: Dumitru Comănescu] (8 November 1908 O.S./21 November 1908 N.S. – 27 June 2020) was a Romanian supercentenarian whose age has been validated by Guinness World Records (GWR) and the Gerontology Research Group (GRG). He was originally recognized as the world's oldest living man from the death of 112-year-old Bob Weighton on 28 May 2020, but it was later revealed that Emilio Flores Marquez and Tomas Pinales Figuereo were older. At the time of his death, he was the oldest validated person ever from Romania, however, his age was later surpassed by Ilie Ciocan on 16 January 2025.
Biography
Dumitru Comănescu was born in the village of Drăgăneasa (now Provița de Jos), Prahova County, Romania, on 21 November 1908 (8 November 1908, according to the Julian calendar, which was in use in Romania at the time). He was one of six siblings. His parents, Ion and Susana, were 37 and 35 years old, respectively, when he was born. At university, he studied mathematics and agronomy and graduated in 1933. After college, Comănescu moved to Târgoviște, where he met his wife, who was a pediatrician and a primary cousin of nuclear physicist Horia Hulubei. They got a son and a daughter. During the World War II, as an agronomist engineer, he was mobilized to work behind the front lines, contributing to the country’s food supply. After the death of his wife in 1990, Comănescu moved to his daughter and son-in-law in Bucharest.
Comănescu was an agronomist engineer and one of the most valuable phytopathologists, being the disciple of the founder of the Institute of Agronomic Research, Gheorghe Ionescu Siseşti. Initially, he enrolled in the Faculty of Mathematics, having as a teacher one of the greatest mathematicians, Gheorghe Ţiţeica. He would then find his vocation in the world of plant research. Comănescu worked for over 70 years until 2003. When he was 86, a competition for agricultural experts was organized in Bucharest. He took part in it and, out of dozens of candidates, he took 5th place in the country.
At the age of 108, Comănescu had a hip fracture but no hospital was able to operate on him. Eventually, he went to the Foisor Hospital where he was considered ‘a local attraction’ for both doctors and patients.
Celebrating his 110th birthday in November 2018, Comănescu became the first known documented supercentenarian ever recorded in Romania.
Dumitru Comănescu died in Bucharest, Romania, on 27 June 2020, at the age of 111 years, 219 days. Three days before his death, he was awarded the Patriarchal Cross, the highest ecclesiastical honor of the Romanian Orthodox Church. He has been the oldest validated person ever from Romania, until his age was surpassed by Ilie Ciocan on 16 January 2025.
Longevity Records
National Records
On 18 May 2014, following the death of 108-year-old Traian Grancea of Sibiu, Comănescu became the oldest known living man in Romania.
On 16 May 2016, at the age of 108 years, 177 days, Comănescu surpassed the final age of Gheorghe Covaci (1905–2014) of 108 years, 176 days, becoming the oldest validated man ever in Romania.
On 16 May 2017, following the death of 108-year-old Sofia Vrabie of Bacău, Comănescu became the oldest known living person in Romania.
On 4 November 2018, at the age of 109 years, 348 days, Comănescu surpassed the final age of Elena Lungoci (1895–2004) of 109 years, 347 days, becoming the oldest validated person ever in Romania.
Balkans Records
On 1 October 2016, following the death of 110-year-old Jovan Jovanović of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Comănescu became the oldest known living man in the Balkans.
On 29 October 2018, following the death of 110-year-old Nina Valjalo of Croatia, Comănescu became the oldest living person in the Balkans.
European and Worldwide Records
On 28 May 2020, following the death of 112-year-old Bob Weighton of the United Kingdom, Comănescu became the oldest living man in Europe. At the time, it was assumed Comănescu also succeeded Weighton as the world’s oldest living man, and he was recognized by Guinness World Records on 28 May 2020. However, it was later revealed that both Tomás Pinales Figuereo (1906–2020) of Dominican Republic, and Emilio Flores Márquez (1908–2021) of Puerto Rico were older than he was.
Gallery
References
- Cine este Dumitru Comănescu, cel mai vârstnic cetăţean al Bucureștiului Digi24, 22 June 2019
- Povestea românului Dumitru Comănescu, cel mai bătrân bărbat din lume: amintiri din copilărie dinaintea primului război mondial Life.ro, 10 March 2020
- Un român este cel mai bătrân bărbat din lume. Dumitru Comănescu a preluat astăzi acest titlu, la vârsta de 111 ani şi 202 zile România TV, 28 May 2020
- World’s oldest man, 111, says love is the secret to long life after title passed on to him with the death of British 112-year-old Daily Mail, 29 May 2020
- Dumitru Comănescu, declarat cel mai vârstnic bărbat al Planetei, a murit, la 111 ani Stirile ProTV, 27 June 2020
- Dumitru Comănescu, recunoscut oficial ca cel mai longeviv bărbat în viaţă al planetei, a primit certificatul de la Guinness World Records la un an după moartea sa Antena 3 CNN, 29 June 2021
- Emilio Flores Márquez confirmed as the world’s oldest man living at 112 Guinness World Records, 30 June 2021
| Romania's Oldest Living Person Titleholders (V • E) |
|
Mihaly Marton • Nicolae Dumitrescu • Ileana Cardos • Gheorghe Covaci • Traian Grancea • Margit Szemenyei • Elena Sireteanu • Sofia Vrabie • Dumitru Comanescu • Vasile Stamateanu • Ioan Lascau • Maria Mihai • Ilie Ciocan |
| Romania's Oldest Living Man Titleholders (V • E) |
|
Mihaly Marton • Nicolae Dumitrescu • Nicolae Pasculescu • Gheorghe Covaci • Traian Grancea • Dumitru Comanescu • Vasile Stamateanu • Ioan Lascau • Ilie Ciocan |