Nicolae Păiș

Nicolae T. Păiș (July 11, 1887–September 16, 1952) was a Romanian career naval officer.

Born in Bucharest, he attended the military school for artillery and naval officers between 1905 and 1907. After graduating, he entered the Romanian Navy with the rank of sub-lieutenant, and was a participant in World War I. He rose to commodore July 1927 and counter-admiral in March 1937. From May 11 to July 4, 1940, he was undersecretary of state in the Ministry of Air Force and Navy in the government of Gheorghe Tătărescu. Then, from July 4 to September 4, he was Minister of Air Force and Navy under Ion Gigurtu. During the World War II-era rule of Ion Antonescu, he became naval undersecretary of state in April 1941, was made a vice-admiral in the reserves in October 1942,^[1] and resigned in February 1943. His home was searched under the Romanian Communist Party-dominated government in May 1946, but nothing incriminating was found. Păiș was ill in bed, but was taken to the prison hospital at Văcărești. He was held for some time before being temporarily released.^[2] Rearrested by the communist regime in August 1948, he was sentenced to three years' imprisonment the following January as a former dignitary under Antonescu.^[1] In August 1951, he was moved from Aiud prison to Sighet prison, where he received no medical attention. In protest, he declared a hunger strike of forty days. After his death a year later, his body was buried in a mass grave on the banks of the Iza River.^[2]

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