Vasile Lascăr was born on November 7, 1852, into a family with uncertain origins, either Levantine or French. His father, Serdar Manolache (Emanoil) Lascăr, was a cultured man for that time, fluent in French and several Oriental dialects. He settled in Târgu-Jiu around 1842 and, after being widowed, remarried Raluca Urdăreanu, the daughter of Sluger Dumitru Urdăreanu. From this marriage, four children were born: Anica, Constantin, Alexandru, and Vasile.

Childhood and family of Vasile Lascăr

Vasile was the youngest of the siblings and was noted for his seriousness. He attended primary school in Târgu-Jiu, at the institution led by teacher Stancovici, and later studied at the high school in Craiova. 

Although his grades were weak in exact sciences, he excelled in the humanities, such as history, geography, French, and German. Even in adolescence, his intelligent gaze and serious demeanor set him apart from his peers.

Studies in paris and the beginnings of his legal career

In the fall of 1872, Lascăr left for Paris to study law. For five years, he attended the Faculty of Law, while also taking additional lessons in accounting and philosophy at the Sorbonne. He is said to have occasionally attended sessions of the National Assembly in Versailles, an exercise that prepared him for his future political career.

After earning his degree, he returned to Romania, joined the bar in Târgu-Jiu, and quickly became one of the most respected lawyers of his time. 

He pleaded in highly publicized cases, such as those concerning the inheritance of Mihai Vodă Sturdza’s fortune or complex murder trials. At the same time, he managed the family estates and became actively involved in local community life.

Entering politics and his activity as mayor

His political career began early. In 1878, at just 26 years old, he was elected to the County Council and, by government decision, became mayor of Târgu-Jiu. 

To the astonishment of the townspeople, he refused the daily gifts and offerings from butchers and bakers—a rare gesture in an era when corruption was nearly institutionalized.

Later, he served another term as mayor between 1883 and 1884, during which he distinguished himself through honesty and administrative efficiency. 

His move to Bucharest and entry into Parliament, as part of the National Liberal Party, established him as one of the leading political figures of his generation.

Reformer and visionary at the ministry of the interior

The most important stage of his career took place at the Ministry of the Interior, where he served two terms: 1896–1897 and 1902–1904. His experience in France and knowledge of Western policing models inspired him to propose a profound reform of the Romanian police.

In 1903, after heated debates, he succeeded in passing through Parliament the “Law on the Organization of the General State Police.” This law radically changed the status of police officers, turning them into true magistrates of public order and safety.

Lascăr insisted on professionalizing the police force, removing electoral agents and unfit individuals from service, and introducing capacity exams for all officers. Those who passed gained tenure, guaranteeing their independence from political pressure.

The fight against corruption and political influence

One of Vasile Lascăr’s greatest merits was his attempt to free the police from political control. Until then, governments replaced police officers with every change of power, using them as electoral tools. Lascăr strongly condemned these practices, emphasizing that they undermined citizens’ safety and compromised the authority of the state.

In his parliamentary speeches, he argued for order, stability, and morality. He believed that Romania had to be a factor of balance in Europe and that the police had to be “the shield of order and the security of the state.” 

His reform, bold and uncompromising, met with resistance, and he even received threatening letters. Despite this, he pushed forward, convinced that laws, if firmly enforced, could change mentalities and strengthen institutions.

Premature death and lasting impact

Unfortunately, Vasile Lascăr did not live a long life. He died on March 23, 1907, at only 55 years old, after having left behind an invaluable legacy. 

His motto, “I wish to make the administration a second magistracy,” remains inscribed on the pedestal of the statue erected in his memory, on the street in Bucharest that bears his name.

Posterity honored him as a true reformer. Nicolae Iorga described him as “a very good Minister of the Interior, strict with officials who neglected their duties, but without brutality.” General Ion P. Suciu considered him “a visionary and a pioneer in the history of the Ministry of the Interior and the Police.”

Tributes after his passing

Twenty years after his death, in 1927, a memorial service was held for him at Amzei Church in Bucharest, attended by prominent figures such as Octavian Goga and Constantin Argetoianu.

Policemen, prefects, and politicians paid tribute, recognizing him as “the first liberator of administrative officials.”

Later, in his honor, the Police Agents School in Câmpina was named after him, and in 2008, his descendants, settled in France, visited the institution, touched by the respect shown to their distinguished ancestor.

The legacy of Vasile Lascăr

More than a century after his death, Vasile Lascăr’s principles and ideals remain relevant. Although he sought to separate politics from administration, reality has shown that his goal has not been fully achieved even today. 

Still, his contribution to the modernization of the Romanian police is undeniable, and his efforts to professionalize and moralize the institution justify his title as “the father of the modern Romanian police.”

Today, the street that bears his name in Bucharest is more than just an urban landmark: it is a testament to the respect owed to a man who placed law and order above partisan interests and who firmly believed that administration should be a true magistracy of the state.

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