Ioan Ilcuș

Ioan Ilcuș (February 22, 1882 – March 31, 1977) was a Romanian general, who served as minister of war in 1939–1940.

Biography He was born on February 22, 1882, in the village of Rășinari (at the time in Austria-Hungary, now in Sibiu County), as the son of the peasant Șerban Ilcuș (1855–1944) and his wife, Paraschiva (1864–1937). He pursued military studies at the Theresian Military Academy in Vienna, and was awarded the Order of the Crown of Romania, Grand Cross class. The promotion was withdrawn by decree-law no. 3,094 of September 9, 1940 of General Ion Antonescu, head of the Romanian State, together with several generals considered to be close to the former King Carol II and accused of, as high military commanders, to have behaved inappropriately in the dramatic circumstances of the summer of 1940. The decree-law provided for the removal of several generals from the active ranks of the army with the following justification: "considering that the following general officers have committed serious acts of incapacity, demoralizing by their deed the prestige of the army and the elementary commandments of the soldier's responsibility. Considering that by flattery and methods incompatible with soldierly dignity they occupied high commands, then encouraging frivolity and lack of officer dignity; Considering that the incapacity of these general officers led to the decay of the army and to serious acts through the loss of borders; Considering that the Nation must receive the example of duty and responsibility by sanctioning those who were guilty of these violations".

He had a forced residence during Antonescu's regime. The effects of the decree-law were canceled on September 1, 1944, after the coup d'état of August 23, 1944, and General Ilcuș was reinstated in his rights starting from the date of his retirement.

Detention and death He lived for a while in his native village Rășinari, in a house on Popilor Street no. 1314. On April 20, 1953, he was arrested by the security authorities in Bucharest. He was transferred on August 3, 1954, to Sighet Prison, where he was detained for seven years,

He was married to Maria, with whom he had a son, Ionel Horia Ilcuș.