Gheorge Platon - History

Professor Gheorge Platon was a highly respected historian in Romania, who has written extensively on the 1848 Revolution in Romania, social structures, agrarian relations, and the nobility in the nineteenth century, thus offering a comprehensive and global perspective on society.

Early Life and Education

Prof. Gheorge Platon became a primary school teacher at the age of 18, then studied at the University of Lasi. Retained as an assistant at the History Faculty as soon as he finished his studies, he was then recruited as a researcher at the History Institute of the Romanian Academy. 
In 1960-1961, during the last great wave of purges of intellectuals, he was dismissed from his post at the University and took up a modest position in a museum, but was reinstated in the History Faculty the following year. 
After completing his doctoral thesis at the University of Cluj in 1969 and a number of studies in political and social history, he became a lecturer in modern history (18th-19th centuries) and a University Professor in 1974. In January 1990, after the fall of the communist regime, he was elected interim rector by the General Assembly of the University's teaching staff in recognition of his integrity during the Ceausescu years. 

Career and Research

Prof. Platon was a highly respected historian in Romania, elected to the Romanian Academy and the National Council for the Accreditation of University Degrees and Diplomas. He has written extensively on various subjects, with a particular focus on the 1848 Revolution in Romania, social structures, agrarian relations, and the nobility in the nineteenth century. His work offers a comprehensive and global perspective on society, exploring areas such as international relations and socio-political conflicts. Platon's interpretations have opened up new avenues for historical research in Romania. His influence and preference for synthesis and comparison have led to the establishment of a distinct and well-regarded School of History in Lasi. Overall, Platon's contributions have greatly enriched the study of Romanian history.

He became Professor Emeritus at the University of Lasi, and remained active in teaching and directing theses at the university and the Romanian Academy of Sciences. He was a frequent presence on television and radio programmes. Prof. Platon had a strong connection with France, with extensive knowledge about its literary, historical, and political culture and he has been instrumental in introducing French language teaching and research in Romanian universities. In March 1995, he became involved in the first co-supervision of a thesis in Humanities an Social Sciences between the University of Angers and Eastern European countries. The thesis, written by Cristiana Oghina-Pavie, focused on the modernization of Roman society in 1822 and 1828 within a European context. 

The University of Angers awarded Professor Gheorges Platon the Doctor Honoris Causa title on October 29, 1998