The Legion of the Archangel Michael, better known as the Iron Guard, was a far-right fascist and nationalist movement in Romania. Founded on 24 July 1927 and dissolved in 1941, the Iron Guard was violently anti-Semitic and was responsible for carrying out several pogroms in Greater Romania; in addition, they assassinated many politicians such as Prime Ministers Armand Calinescu and Ion G. Duca. The Iron Guard was founded by Corneliu Zelea Codreanu and later led by Horia Sima, and it was pro-Nazi Germany for much of its existence. Codreanu was killed by the government in 1938. In 1940, after the loss of many territories, King Carol II appointed Antonescu into power. He was forced to abdicate the throne. Antonescu then shared power with the Iron Guard lead by Sima, though with a lot of conflicts between them. However, Adolf Hitler decided to support Ion Antonescu's fascist government instead of the Iron Guard, and the 1940 Legionnaires' Rebellion was crushed, with the Iron Guard being destroyed. Sima died in exile in Spain. The Buchenwald concentration camp had a special area dedicated to Iron Guard members.
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