Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective
Ilie Ciocan
Oldest living person in Romania From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
Ilie Ciocan (born 10 June [O.S. 28 May] 1913) is a Romanian supercentenarian who is currently the oldest living World War II veteran in the world, the oldest living man in Europe, and the oldest Romanian ever.[1]
Remove ads
Biography
Early life
Ilie Ciocan was born in the village of Cremenari, Galicea, Vâlcea County, Romania on 10 June [O.S. 28 May] 1913. He had a difficult upbringing, having lost his father at 6 years old, and then his mother at the age of 12.[2] He had to start working as a child to survive. He worked as a shepherd in the village.[3]
At 18, he married Floarea Obogeanu, who was seven years older than him, and they were officially married on 28 January 1932, in the Romanian Orthodox Church. Together they had six children, three daughters and three sons. His wife died in 1992, aged 87.[4]
Remove ads
Military service
He was drafted into the army at the age of 22, then he was drafted into the 6th Artillery Regiment Pitești in 1935 and went to the war fronts in 1941. He participated in World War II as a machine-gunner and courier on the Eastern Front, in Odessa and the Don elbow, but also went to the Western Front and even as far as Czechoslovakia.[5]
Following orders of general promotion issued after 1990 by the Ministry of National Defense of Romania, Ciocan reached the rank of major.
Remove ads
Health and longevity
Ciocan could ride a bicycle until 90 years old. At the age of 93, he slipped in the snow and broke his leg, and successfully recovered, despite refusing to let the doctors put his leg in a cast.[6]
Ciocan became the oldest living man in Europe following the death of 112-year-old Briton John Tinniswood on 25 November 2024.[7] On 16 January 2025, he surpassed the final age of Dumitru Comănescu (1908–2020) of 111 years, 219 days, becoming the oldest validated person ever from Romania.[8]
References
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads