Ioan Popovici (divisional general)
Ioan Popovici (16 August 1857 – 6 August 1956) was a Romanian general and commander of the Romanian 1st Army Corps from 1916 to 1918 during World War I.
Ioan Popovici | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | "Provincialul" ("The Provincial") |
| Born | 16 August 1857 Galați, Moldavia |
| Died | 6 August 1956 (aged 98) Bucharest, Romanian People's Republic |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of Romania |
| Service/ | Cavalry |
| Years of service | 1879–1916 |
| Rank |
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| Commands held | Commander of I Army Corps (Romania) (15 August 1916 – 17 September 1916) |
| Battles/wars |
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Born in Galați, he attended the Școala Militară de Infanterie și Cavalerie (Military Infantry and Cavalry School) in Bucharest from 1879 to 1881. Afterward he rose through the ranks until he became a divisional general in 1916 as World War I was raging, engulfing Romania. He was known as "Provincialul" ("The Provincial") because of his ineptitude.: p. 129
In World War I, he took command on 3 September 1916 of the First Army Corps, which was subordinated to the First Army, under the command of Ioan Culcer. The 1st Corps comprised the 13th Division (under the command of Ioan Oprescu and after 10 September of Gheorghe Sănătescu), the 23rd Division (Matei Castriș), and the 1st Călărași Brigade (Oprescu). In September 1916, Popovici fought at the First Battle of Petroșani. The loss suffered by his command a few days later at the Battle of Sibiu led to his forced retirement.: p. 275
He died in Bucharest in 1956, aged 98.