In 1818, in the heart of Transylvania, a boy named Gheorghe Pomuț was born under the long shadow of empires. His homeland, a crossroads of cultures, gave him a rare gift — the ability to speak eight languages fluently. This talent, along with an unshakable sense of justice and ambition, would carry him across continents, into the ranks of the Union Army, and into the gilded diplomatic halls of Imperial Russia.
From Transylvania to the Land of the Free
Educated in the traditions of Central Europe and fluent in languages from Hungarian to French, German, Russian, and English, Pomutz left the Old World to seek opportunity in the New. Arriving in America in the mid-19th century, he found a nation brimming with promise — and on the verge of civil war. In this new homeland, Pomutz also embraced the fraternal spirit of Freemasonry, becoming a member of the Scottish Rite in the United States and joining Pythagoras Lodge, where ideals of moral duty, enlightenment, and service resonated deeply with his own life’s mission.
The Soldier Who Fought Against Slavery
When the Civil War erupted in 1861, Pomutz volunteered for the Union Army, fighting for the cause of unity and the abolition of slavery. His leadership and courage were quickly recognized, and he rose to the rank of Brigadier General. To his men, he was not just an officer but a comrade who endured the same hardships — bitter cold, long marches, and the constant peril of battle. For Pomutz, the war was not merely about territory; it was a moral fight for human freedom.
The Diplomat Who Negotiated America’s Best Real Estate Deal
In 1866, President Andrew Johnson’s administration appointed Pomutz U.S. Consul General in St. Petersburg. There, in the opulent but politically intricate court of the Tsars, Pomutz played a pivotal role in the negotiations that led to one of the greatest land purchases in history — the acquisition of Alaska. He is specifically credited for advising Tsar Alexander III to get rid the Russian Empire of the territory, citing its lack of vegetation, atmospheric conditions, and other arguments.
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On March 30, 1867, the United States bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. At the time, critics scoffed, calling it “Seward’s Folly.” History proved them wrong. Alaska’s gold, oil, fisheries, and strategic position would make it one of the most valuable acquisitions America ever made — and behind this triumph stood a Romanian-born general whose mastery of languages and diplomacy helped seal the deal.
An Immortal Legacy
George Pomutz passed away in St. Petersburg in 1882. Yet his legacy would be rekindled decades later. In 1944, during the height of World War II, a group of Romanian-Americans raised funds through public donations to build a warship for the U.S. Navy. The government accepted the gift and named it the Liberty Ship S.S. George Pomutz in his honor. The vessel survived all naval battles in which it served and remained in operation until 1970.
On July 15, 1998, Romanian President Emil Constantinescu recounted the deeds of George Pomutz (which in Romanian means “little tree”) at a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress. His praise of the once-young freedom fighter whose work forever changed U.S. history concluded with his boast that “the ship named for the ‘little tree’ served in peace and war, always a symbol of strength and vigilance.”
Today, Pomutz’s story continues to inspire. In the fall of 2025, the Scottish Rite of Romania will donate to the United States Congress an exceptional 19th-century portrait of George Pomutz, displayed in a spectacular Florentine frame, as a tribute linking the hero’s Romanian roots to the American nation he served with honor.
The Romanian-American Hero
George Pomutz stands as a symbol of the immigrant story at its best: a man who came from a small village in Transylvania, fought to end slavery, expanded America’s borders by 586,000 square miles, and left behind a name that still sails through history.
He was — and remains — the Romanian who bought Alaska for America.
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