Gheorghe Marin Fontanin

Gheorghe Marin Fontanin (October 1825–April 24, 1886) was an Imperial Austrian-born Wallachian and Romanian educator.

Born in Brașov, in the Transylvania region, his father Dumitru Marin was a merchant from Izvoarele, Dâmbovița County, Wallachia, who fled north during the 1821 uprising. His mother, née Hagi-Panteli, was from Bucharest. Gheorghe added Fontanin to his name; this was a latinization of his father's native village, Izvoarele ("the streams"). Associated with the Latinist school of Romanian culture, he later helped edit a Latin-Romanian dictionary.

Fontanin was noted for his considerable knowledge and reserved demeanor, and only formed a few friendships. Preoccupied by scientific problems and uncommunicative, he was seen as a legendary figure by the students. He founded a professor's club at Craiova and served as its president. In 1881, he edited its magazine, Vocea română, where eleven of his poems appeared. Fontanin retired as school director the same year. He died in Bucharest.