| Romanian Youth Labour | |
|---|---|
| Munca Tineretului Român | |
 MTR insignia | |
| Founder | Ion Antonescu |
| Commander | Emil Pălăngeanu |
| Coordinator of the Breaza Center | Ioan Dimăncescu |
| Foundation | 23 December 1941 |
| Dissolved | 23 August 1944 |
| Country | Romania |
| Allegiance | Ion Antonescu's regime |
| Motives |
|
| Headquarters | Breaza,Prahova County, in the former building that housed the headquarters of Straja Țării, now home to the "Dimitrie Cantemir" Military College. |
| Ideology | Romanianultranationalism Militarism Anti-communism Fascism Antisemitism Antiziganism |
| Political position | Far-right |
| Status | Dissolved |
| Means of revenue | Financed by theGovernment of Romania under Ion Antonescu |
| Allies | |
| Opponents | |
TheRomanian Youth Labour (Romanian:Munca Tineretului Român – MTR) was a national auxiliaryparamilitary labour organization active in Romania between 1941 and 1944.
The Romanian Youth Labour was established on 23 December 1941 underIon Antonescu’smilitary dictatorship, with the purpose of ideologically organizing Romanian youth and aligning them with state policies. It was essentially conceived as an alternative for the youth to joining the notoriousIron Guard,[1] which Antonescu had suppressed following theLegionary Rebellion of January 1941.
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By Decree no. 3.597 issued by Ion Antonescu on 23 December 1941 and published inMonitorul Oficial (the government's officialgazette) on 3 January 1942, Brigadier GeneralEmil Pălăngeanu was appointed commander of the Romanian Youth Labour.[2] Alongside him served Lt. Col.Ioan Dem. Dimăncescu, who coordinated the organization’s Breaza Center.[3]
Both Pălăngeanu and Dimăncescu had long careers in the military,scouting, youth training, and sports, and had previously served in KingCarol II'sStraja Țării (English:Sentinel of the Motherland), which organized extensive youth programs ranging from labor camps and sports competitions to military training.
The organization's headquarters was inBreaza as well,[4] in the same building that today houses the"Dimitrie Cantemir" National Military College. Between 1937 and 1940, the Commanders’ Center of Straja Ţării was also located there.[3]
The MTR was primarily inspired by theReichsarbeitsdienst (English:Reich Labour Service),Organisation Todt, and, to some extent, theHitlerjugend (English:Hitler Youth).[5][4] Most likely for advisory and consultative purposes, on 8 March 1943 its commander, Emil Pălăngeanu, met withKonstantin Hierl, head of the Reichsarbeitsdienst.[6]
The organization aimed to educate Romanian youth in the spirit of social labour through their involvement in civil construction and public utility projects such as roads, bridges, viaducts, aqueducts, and tunnels.[5][4] Article 1 of the MTR statute, among other provisions, prescribed preparation of the youth for military service and the cultivation of a sense of national solidarity.[7]
Article 3 of the MTR statute prescribed that young men fit for military service, once recruited, shall serve in the organization for seven months prior to their conscription into the army.[7] Compulsory public service labour within theKingdom of Romania was regulated by Law no. 425 of 15 May 1941 and applied to bothJews andRomanians, including the unemployed,labour camp prisoners, and those incorporated into the MTR.[8]
The organization ceased its activity after23 August 1944,[5] when Antonescu's government was overthrown by KingMichael I with the support of an alliance between the communists and the traditional political parties, subsequently ending Romania's collaboration withNazi Germany and joining theAllies. It was ultimately dissolved sometime in 1945.[4]
