Codreanu И™i Garda De: Fier

Unlike the secular or pagan-leaning fascism of Italy or Germany, the Legion was a "political religion".

Originally called the Legion of the Archangel Michael , the term "Iron Guard" was technically the name of its paramilitary political branch formed in 1930, though it eventually became the name used by outsiders to describe the entire movement. Codreanu И™i Garda de Fier

The ( Garda de Fier ), led by its charismatic founder Corneliu Zelea Codreanu , represents one of the most distinct and violent chapters of interwar European history. While often categorized alongside other fascist movements of the era, the Iron Guard—originally the Legion of the Archangel Michael —was uniquely defined by a deep, mystical commitment to Romanian Orthodox Christianity . 1. The Origins and Identity Unlike the secular or pagan-leaning fascism of Italy