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Liviu LibreskuRomanian mathematician
Date of Birth: 18.08.1930
Country:  Romania |
Content:
- Dr. Liviu Librescu: A Hero's Sacrifice
- Career in Romania
- Immigration to Israel and the United States
- Tragic End and Heroic Sacrifice
- Legacy and Recognition
Dr. Liviu Librescu: A Hero's Sacrifice
Early Life and EducationLivu Librescu was born on August 18, 1930, to a Jewish family in Ploiesti, Romania. Tragically, during World War II, he and his family were deported to a labor camp in Transnistria and later to a ghetto in Focsani. Despite these hardships, Librescu pursued his education, earning a degree in aeronautics from the Polytechnic University of Bucharest in 1952 and a master's degree from the same institution. In 1969, he earned a doctoral degree in fluid mechanics.
Career in Romania
Librescu's career in Romania was initially promising. He worked as a researcher at the Bucharest Institute of Applied Mechanics from 1953 to 1975. However, his career took a downturn in the 1970s when he refused to pledge allegiance to the Romanian Communist Party and was expelled from the Academy for his sympathies towards Israel. His request to emigrate to Israel was denied, and he was subsequently dismissed from his position.
Immigration to Israel and the United States
In 1978, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin intervened, and Librescu and his family were granted permission to depart for Israel. He became a professor of aeronautics and mechanics at Tel Aviv University from 1979 to 1986 and the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa. In 1985, he moved to the United States and became a professor at Virginia Tech.
Tragic End and Heroic Sacrifice
On April 16, 2007, Librescu, who was then 76 years old, became one of 32 victims of a mass shooting at Virginia Tech. On that fateful day, which also marked Holocaust Remembrance Day, the gunman attempted to enter Librescu's classroom while he was lecturing. Despite being shot through the door, Librescu heroically barricaded it with his body, giving the majority of his students enough time to escape through a window. He was fatally shot five times.
Legacy and Recognition
Students who survived the attack later attributed their escape to Librescu's selfless act. His son, Joe, received heartfelt emails from students expressing their gratitude for his father's bravery. A memorial service for Librescu was held in Brooklyn, New York, on April 18, and his body was later relocated to Israel as per his family's wishes.
President George W. Bush honored Librescu's memory at a ceremony at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum on April 18, stating, "Today we saw horror, but we also saw acts of courage. And none was more courageous than Professor Liviu Librescu. When the evil man tried to enter his classroom, the good professor stood in the doorway and gave his life so that his students could live. On Holocaust Remembrance Day, a survivor of the Holocaust gave his life so that others might live. And on this morning we honor his memory, and we are inspired by his example."
