Constantin Ion Parhon
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Constantin Ion Parhon (October 15, 1874 - August 9, 1969) was a Romanian scientist, politician and head of state from 1947 to 1952.
He was the President of the Provisional Presidium of the People's Republic of Romania from December 30, 1947 to April 13, 1948, and President of the Presidium of the Great National Assembly of the People's Republic of Romania from April 13, 1948 to June 12, 1952.
He graduated in Bucharest, where he received his PhD in medicine. He was President of the Medics' and Naturalists' Society in Iasi, hospitals director, professor, and director of medical institutes. He received an Honorary Doctorate from the Caroline University of Prague in 1948.
A neuropsychiatrist and endocrinologist, C.I. Parhon taught Neurology and Psychiatry at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Iasi (1912-1933), and, from 1933, Endocrinology at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Bucharest. Parhon was the founder of the Romanian school of endocrinology. In 1909 C.I. Parhon co-authored with M. Goldstein the first book on endocrinology, Secretiile Interne (Internal Secretions). Later he published a Handbook of Endocrinology, co-written with M. Goldstein and St. M. Milcu (3 volumes, 1945-1949). Parhon published over 400 titles and was known for his encyclopaedic mind. Besides the afore-mentioned works, some of his other well-known works are " Old Age and its Treatment" (1948), "The Age Biology" (1955), and "Selected Works" (5 volumes, 1954-1962).
C.I. Parhon was a member and president of the National Romanian Academy and other scientific societies. He was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Work and received the State Prize. He liked to be called a "citizen-scientist".
After 1921 (when the Communist Party was created) he became politically inclined toward the Communist Party of Romania. Years later, he protested against Romania's participation in World War II. In November 1944, he became President of the Romanian Association for Strengthening the Ties with the Soviet Union. He was a deputy in parliament between 1946 and 1961.
After the forced abdication of King Michael on December 30, 1947, the Deputies' Assembly adopted Law No. 363, by which Romania became a People's Republic and the Constitution of 1866 (with major amendments in 1923) was repealed. The same law provided for a Presidium composed of five members (elected by the Deputies' Assembly) to exercise the executive powers in the state. Parhon became in a short time the President of the Presidium, thus exercising the most important function in the state.
On April 13, 1948, the parliament adopted a new Constitution, after the Soviet model, which entrusted the supreme powers to the Great National Assembly, which in turn elected a Presidium, composed of a president, three vice-presidents, a secretary and 14 members. Parhon was elected the same day as President of the Presidium, though the real power in the state was exercised by the Communist Party.
He resigned from this position in June 1952, dedicating the rest of his life to scientific research. He is buried in the round hall of "The Monument of the Heroes for the Freedom of the People and of the Motherland, for Socialism" in the King Carol Park in Bucharest.