Serboianu, Popp

   Romania. Priest. He set up a nationwide Gypsy organization in 1933, the Asociatia Generala a Tiganilor din Romania (General Association of the Gypsies of Romania). One of his committee members, Lazarescu Lazurica, broke away and set up the rival General Union of the Gypsies of Romania. Popp continued to be active in the Oltenia region, together with poet Marin Simion. In 1933, he also set up a Chimney Sweeps Guild, which acted as a front for Gypsy civil rights activities. A conference was planned for the Romanies of Oltenia for late 1934, but before this took place, there was a further split, this time between Popp and Simion. The former's influence then waned. In 1934 Lazurica resigned from the presidency of the General Union and Gheorghe Niculescu, a flower dealer from Bucharest became president. Simion joined the Union and helped to set up their magazine O Rom. Lazurica then allied himself once more with Popp, but Niculescu remained the most powerful Gypsy leader, and his association continued work until 1940. The nomadic Gypsies did not take part in either of the two organizations but recognized as their leader the Kalderash Bulibasa Gheorghe Mihutescu.