Țurcanu was born either in Păltiniș, Dârmoxa (today part of Broșteni), or, according to his own assertion, Câmpulung Moldovenesc; in any case, all three are in Suceava County. Țurcanu had five brothers; his father was a forester. He studied at the Dragoș Vodă High School in Câmpulung Moldovenesc, where he joined in December 1940 the "Frăția de Cruce" organization, part of the Iron Guard. He was active in that organization for about a year, and participated in the January 1941 Legionnaires' rebellion in Câmpulung. His links to the Legionnaires were in fact rather vague, but exploited to the hilt when he was used as the chief scapegoat for the actions at Pitești and Gherla prisons. After 1941, when Țurcanu was 16 and the Iron Guard was suppressed, there is no further record of his participation in activities of the Guard or its youth wing.