Ion Cioaba. (self proclaimed 'King of all the Gypsies Everywhere')(Obituary) From: The Economist (US) | Date: March 8, 1997 | COPYRIGHT 1997 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

Cioaba was coronated the King of Gypsies in 1992 and fought adamantly for their rights, gaining compensation for gypsies who died in German concentration camps. Cioaba was a nontraditional gypsy in some ways, such as his success as an industrialist.

WHEN Ion Cioaba proclaimed himself King of all the Gypsies Everywhere he found himself short of loyal subjects. About 5,000 followers turned up for his coronation in Romania in 1992 at a monastery he had borrowed for the occasion. They ...