Born in Brașov, Transylvania (part of Austria-Hungary at the time), he studied in his native town and in Sibiu before completing his education in Paris.

While in France, he met Dimitrie Anghel, who would become a long-time friend.

His friendship with Anghel came to an abrupt end after the two writers fell in love with the same woman, Natalia Negru.

She was first married to Iosif, but divorced him in order to remarry Anghel.

Iosif had died the year before, at a hospital in Bucharest, after having suffered a stroke.