Ilie Ciocan (born 10 June 1913) is a Romanian supercentenarian, who is currently the oldest living person in Romania and the Balkans, as well as the oldest living World War II veteran in the world and the oldest living European man. He is also the oldest Romanian ever documented. His age is verified by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG).[1]

Biography

Ilie Ciocan was born in Galicea, Vâlcea County, Romania on June 10, 1913. He had a difficult upbringing, having been orphaned first by his father at 6 years old, and then by 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 January 28, 1932, in the Romanian Orthodox Church. Together they had six children, three daughters and three sons.

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.[4]

Following orders of general promotion issued after 1990 by the Ministry of National Defense of Romania, Ciocan reached the rank of major.

In 1992, his wife Floarea died, aged 87.

He 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.

  • On February 15, 2021, following the death of 108-year-old Ioan Lașcău, he became the oldest known living man in Romania.
  • On March 15, 2021, following the death of 108-year-old Stelios Fragiadoulakis, from Greece, he became the oldest known living old man in the Balkans.
  • On February 28, 2023, following the death of 109-year-old Constantin Hertoiu, he became the last known surviving person from Romania born before 1915 and the last known Balkan man born before the outbreak of World War I.
  • On April 5, 2023, following the death of Ioanna Proiou-Dimitriadou of Greece, aged 111, he became the oldest known living person from the Balkans.
  • In May 2023, he celebrated his 110th birthday and became a supercentenarian.[5]
  • In May 2024, Ciocan celebrated his 111th birthday.[6]

As of August 2024, he lives in Galicea, Vâlcea County.[7]

References

  1. ^ "World Supercentenarian Rankings List". Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  2. ^ "Ilie Ciocan". LongeviQuest. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  3. ^ "In comuna Galicea traieste azi cel mai in varsta veteran de razboi din Valcea" (in Romanian). Ziare. 29 April 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  4. ^ "Cel mai longeviv veteran de război din România. "Nu am omorât pe nimeni pe front. Calul m-a salvat din război" FOTO" (in Romanian). Adevărul. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  5. ^ "Ilie Ciocan, the country's oldest war veteran, turns 110" (in Romanian). Radio Romania Actualitați. 28 May 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  6. ^ Bratu, Alin (29 May 2024). "Ilie Ciocan, cel mai bătrân om din România, a împlinit 111 ani / A luptat în Al Doilea Război Mondial / "Cât am fost pe front am luptat ca ţara să fie liberă şi independentă"" (in Romanian). G4Media. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  7. ^ "REPORTAJ Viața la 111 ani. Ilie Ciocan, cel mai în vârstă român, trăiește în Galicea, Vâlcea, și e îngrijit cu devotament de nepoții pe care nu i-a iubit: „I-am promis tatei că o să avem grijă de el!"" (in Romanian). Libertatea. 15 August 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
Allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilie_Ciocan
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