Stop, ay ROMANIA A HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE EDITED BY DINU C. GTURESCU ‘and STEPHEN FISCHER-GALATI st) LEBRARY OF THE fy CENTRAL EUROPEAN ~, CEU Univensiry ses BUDAPEST [EAST EUROPEAN’ MONOGRAPHS, BOULDER 1998"TRANSITION TO COMMUNIST TOTALITARIANISM. "THE OPULAR-DEMOGRATIC' REGIME MARCH TMS ~ DECEMBER 1947 Ghia tonese Romanian communist historias and political theorists mantain tha the advent to power of the Groza goveramest oa March 6 1945 sigaied the installation ofthe “popular democrat’ regime. Tai i te torn wa the St ‘hist of the popular revolution in Romania the second bag thal of he ‘icatrship of te proletariat stating on December 31,1947 a terns of Marist politcal philosophy te phase, which led om 1945 al 1949, descled asa "unity of power” Duiog this phase, dy roeced agaist foeiga neve by ie prseace of he Sov ay he ‘oms ofthe old sate were ouinained but tey were led fom wits wih row revolutionary contents, whi would make possible the “qualitative {hinge om this rovisioaal Rist stage tothe second sage which was the ‘Sage of the dcatorship of he proletariat and he consnation of sociale, ‘This, according to communist hisorans, was fo occur on December 30, 1987, when the moaueby fell and the sew Republic wat prociaimed. Moreover Vasile Laca himself declared that Match 6, 1947 was far moze Fimportaet than August 23, 1944, ‘These historians mde no atempt, up to 1959, to conceal the part played by the Soviets inthe latallaton of thi tine. Indewd, since 1548, the part played bythe Soviet any inte establishment and consolation of the peoples’ demacaces has beed stesso ithe conetatonal definition of A hse states, withthe exception of Yogorivia Ts even before the fisl ‘coming fo power of the Groza government the presence of units of he Soviet amy in Romania consated the decisive factor which “oored the lots ofthe bourgeoisie nad landowners of Roma, backed by the western Impecals TEESE IR nd po Chis Coil ena 4-86 (els tare cr 1)0 ROMANIA: A HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE “The inpance of his ir pe of the sng contiannsrevalon- ary pce i Roman is define a coin in crying out of the Teieesse ask of be revluoe wheres he second, soci Pase meat er ann nllowingovt or olin of te ol isons fe Soatugse sae and on tnetaher, te dtchment of Romacia from an seit of wim tom in cmp of te imperatives. Tis could TESTELEG'wough te peiod of te "Guay of power in which some ees oie ald stat ave lle mana, wee sl epecte oes ny is duay of power phe could oot be bypassed oc ever st ay he fe at eto he ieeauonal Staion 8% oath tena one permite move than was acoaly achieved o® Size 1s need, te wet sl one sos thread he sre sic mpi of the bougcos-andowning parties and tat part oft sey si ak omaced of the fact atte Nao Peas Wee Secon of te poses fi cplsidd aso the aed fo «colton wth cetain bourgeois aries to ia In ovr fo Shain ths colton cer nora ter yint uch ate monte of duty bad be dropped edie Gro government fred vader Vybinsky’ perce super cmaay sil he end OF 17,2 pat the tous POSE piccmed by Taree wing ofthe Libel Paty whieh canes T*Stotos indudiag the Foregn Office and vicepremicahip fr ee Pema Tale consid re renege Natal Peasants, Dat Tete Gicredtedpiscnns, Totes. hse! being, pty “ther 1958, howeve, he communi istrins minimied the prt of the Sones ny and preset the duty of power a8 fac-ied pas SF e"Romunan Communist Pury, which effaced 2 smoot tansion once te seizure of power ath inal revolton. roc, with his oval cynicism, wae undismayed by the sileae of he oust which be ho becn se pt rule and even by tbe cosempt of some SRLS Sotamenist coctomcs, among them Pataseans, Keowing, a he fori tha the cat wat inthe bag’ He hap lasalled binselt io the ld Beka ofthe peesidency. In the same bull, only in # move secioded ‘sit, Emil Bodnar was sso laslled, He and Pintle Bodoareko wee ia ‘harge of al security and amy operations aod were the mala coaact mea ‘wih the Ruslans and their team of advisers working on Romanian af. SGheorghis-De} was Minister of Communications tnd itr of Economic ‘Affaire The immediate tak now was the guiation of howl frees aad the establshneat of a eign of terroir task was faciated by the ‘commoniss being fo charge ofthe stmy andthe Ministries ofthe Iteie (Goorgeses) sad Jstice (Patascans). The whole operation Wweat very Smoothly. Even the fw aests aad deletions ofthe fst montis took the form of Dang his time party enemies such as Fors, ‘war clmignls™ such ts Bogen Cistescu, tte fore head of the soe! police, sod” Clodis, the ‘German expeit on Soulh-Easera European Economie problems, disappeared either fom the prisons in which they Were {eareraed or fom th bomes. Secret eater fr lnvestigntion 30d re= ‘vcston were Buy a wor nl arts of Bucharest and other ces. Soon the rumour spread that tbe Antonescu had been brought back from Rasa fod were sil being examised in ede to pepe for tet tl, “The public, however, had otber topes af conversation. On Match 9 ttc days fer the new goverment had been Installed, i was annovnced ‘with peat "flourish tht Noches Tensylvaia Was being restored 0 Romania This was merely a formal este, fr Soviet oops wee in ‘complet cool of he amlssration and communications tere Bat fom & jriial point of view i i thow thatthe armitice convention was eld by the Rusdaas to be as binding o a teat. I aso peseated the western powerr—the United Stats ia patialawho were sill pondering overt ‘Bote sopistzsed solution ofthis thorny problem, with 3 ait accompli is time on the credit ide ofthe ledger fom the Romanian pont of view, 09 March 23 19445 another atempt wo wia more fends in the countysde was made with te publication of te il for agrarian reform. ‘Tis expropriated al farm popes of sayone who had collaborated with the Geran, of ‘war criminals, a0 of those who Beld property of more {han 10 hectare bt bad ot werkes i tenelves dung te revous seven Years ft also expropite al ober propery over 50 becars in teat, ‘Taencefons pivately—owoed propery was cesticed to 30 bests, THa2 ROMANIA: A HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE confiscation resulted in the exproptation of 143219 individual boing ‘Salling 1149.01) hectares, A tol of 1087.67 hectares was ditbuted ‘Grong the 796129 beneficiaries wo ccrved on a8 average plots of 13 ects (Qn the land refouns of 1919-21 4,312,820 hectares had besa Aistibuied 10 194036367 peasants, each of whom received approximately ‘hecases) “Te fact that the communists were fotering among the peasats the ‘very land banger sich woul ater nlite even ore against cllectviza~ on did aot deter them. They oped that among the. 700,000 peasants ‘owed with some land sre woul vote comms or even jon the pay. fa this toy were following the Moscow schedule for the phases of ‘evolution lgatcy inal countries. That sock forebly ayoehoized Speraton ss the stration of land ado be cid ota ited terval ‘Reve seizure of power pine tote existence of «uniform Blueprint for ‘he wns eplon This seems te eventhough the ts ofthe reform bills {e'Polue aod Hungary, whee no substantial and reform bad taken pace before feed in det tom those pepued for Romania and Dulgaca, Where they weve unnecessary. Ts blunt was all probably a daft by the Comistrn, refrbisbed durag the wa. ’Rr wan the agraian reform im Romani sued in even greler umbers of economically uoproducive pls of vader 3 hectares. One of the {Tereticts ofthe main 1919-21 reform bad beea fo show that « olding ‘Sf ender 3 ectares could aot feed even the family which worked s. AS ‘fouls 2 asia regrouping of land ovmersip ad taken place, the umber (St plus of tetwosn S710 and 10-50 Hecate creasing, as those of under S$ eecarea were wold The new reform simply upon the economically rore ‘alsnced situation which had gradually been created as shown by the Following figures ia peoutages of the total arabe Ind Propo: 0 et ba Fetaoe (9, Tou Reel art am 2 O99). ‘TRANSITION TO COMMUNIST TOTALITARLANSL a3 Moreover, from among the pls of and of under 5 hectares, hose of under 3 hectares represented the gre majorly, inthe words of the ts oft cn 10, ae an Ba fe asi expo (00 May $194, shorty ate he land reform, a long-term economic agrecront wo signed ip Moscow Tos wat itnct om the Yaty trade ‘Efecment, the fat of which was concloéed op January 16, 1945. The Iag-tsm agreement consned of four separate prowcols, the most ‘uring and lagelous of whch rom te Soviet pit of view, wa te Int one is eblitied fo Romania'« sumber of jot company, the Sovroms. They wete joint Sovist-Romatian companies, t which cach ‘country wat meant to contibute equally. There was a Sovrom forall the ‘tajor beanches of prodoton, scoring to x plan which Decame evident ia {wo years after the signature ofthe aprement. The most viel ones 1 the Soviet economy were brought ino existence the tomeat the testy was figned: Sovomperl only 7, Sovromtransprt oo Sal 19, Sowrom-Lema (abet) oo Augut 1s, flowed at greuer iervals by Soong, Scvromsiguare, Gesusice), Sovtomchn (Chemical), and Sowromcusr (Grantum, which war aot mentoned eal was handed back By te Resins ser all the ober. vets tee ant why i ea yea, Soi ment 8 at wok posession of and eaploied det) {Vibe Romsein sors of income They signed Soviet Rowen ter= ‘ination to malstala, 0 miter Row ‘bien’ the existing governmest Iight be, Soviet flee aooe witha the Romania haogal economy sod [icone td, a such, an exta-tertral ght which could besett only he ‘Sumipor the expeaie of te ocapng Indeed 20 exe! was te fignof owner of the Sove stat a thes oat compeaies tat when he ‘communist In eatonalizing prvete oweerstip in industry as passed [a {S07 in exemped from expopitio cly the sbues of he Soviet Bovero= ‘Bea io such companies ‘rincpe these compasis were suposed 10 be setup with equal contributions fom te two pavers Bet fy pracce the Romanian pat ised of the plans, workshop, sll ot satral resources, togetber iaa OMAN: A HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE a teases Gans Ttian properties in Romi monly cote See Scuiniiageecie etsy wom Sach cacr eee eee eels Shea eres eet anes a anaes Raia eae fig Seanh ey kent ite ee Stas tegen ence meee Soccer icetwiesae man Seaton ea een SPL w we nt or tee orm rie Sd a es Sa mene ‘Also in May 1945 the Groza goverment decided wo tring the ‘Asoncseus ot might wel bave ba hal the goverment ought ht yrerposing all he mister apd crea commited dutng the Anonice ‘Laat they woul cance thir ow popularity ws tu that the ‘tion eseated Mahal Astonesc' acon od gh bel him responsible {er te war yond te Dar and fs cosequettagedis Its lv te thu te tte ond demeerae Romana be mond have had wo answer fc he cision be bd taken without consulting he wil ofthe people. But by May ae twas already too le forthe commons tty Yo appet in Bete, {gh hag Marshal Amonesca, Even by then, the Grova goverameat andthe Romanian communists were showing tempcles far more subservient 10 ‘Moscow tan Anocice hd ever ben to Bedi "Ratonesvs peal estan ha azo begun tough revelations by Geran ites of he send that he hd made agaist Her pole, tary, aod economic demands Respect for hin ieee ag te i In which be showed, afr long touts of ierogatin in Ressan and Romanian peson, 2 beta sowed serenity. ia contast 10. Mita ‘Amtonesc, who bid obvioly brakca vader he saa, be wa cl, ee ‘Seren tans be lat year of power ad eles convicing Ia cma ‘Sine of hs former subaates who beayed bth the colleagues and iter former scons, be mustated Wat is policy Bad beea to defead {he king or Mono. Te later, baving Served as 8 witess in the ia, went (ver to the deck aad. shook him by the band before leaving the cour ‘Maratal Antone war sentenced 10 death on May 1 and met the fing squad wit dignity aad coursge. Before the instalation ofthe Groza goverment, tempts to renew ipl lations benween the thee powes tod Romania bad been ignored by Soviet Russa, But ow that «government of Ross's choice was in power, she sated to rge ber two alle t recognize it a8 quickly a ostibe was around ts fret nep inthe consolidation ofthe comm ‘ist regime tata new epeade inte power gine wast be played T1945, son ater Pesidet Truman's naopuraton, the State Depa meat renewed its consultations with the Beitsh, Foign Olfce oa the (gestion ofthe tied to be adopted towards Russian condct both ia ‘Romania ster the Vysbiasi coup deat sd in Bulgaria. Poli indigaation ‘was gentine snd the fact that Sain bad elected to oatevene so agacty| ‘he lteauons of the three powers ss expesed a Yala wos the ODviOM® ‘urce ofthis rite insympuhy onthe ar ofthe maa ithe suet, Yalta Bad very quickly acgued an ugly same, apecilly inthe United Sates, were song pressure was already being brought o bear upon tbe President (o take a fm stand agains the Rossin “Al the Poldam Conference, which was held benween July 17 and ‘August 2, 1945, the American delegation ciated a memorandum which, ‘aking te Yas declaration on Mbested Earpe ais bast poited oot bow ‘tert was the station that had been crested ia Rowaala aod Bulgaria tnd tated for a change of government in both costs, The Russian Slegstion replied by demanding that all duce powers should recognize the ew ed legal govermeat of Romania forthwith Tey potted ost ft in 1944 Russtan representatives bad not been alowed mote night ia Ialy than ad the Americas tod Beh ia Romacia. They als wcll the Brish ‘tion ia Greece. Te Conference then wet 00 10 tr 10 interpret sich xpresions ase elections” and "boodly repesetative goversmectal Suhre’, “democratic elements, and sofort as contsined inthe Yel6 ROMANIA: A HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE snes angie ia scsi sma so a et srt be mat say aes tae Sea hehaiatamsmeeecetcpames Sor ec era age sine Gra rs ro itd "seer how wide wos te ifercoce of views between the powers could woe era my a aaa eles tee ts seats pareabsen nen hoc eases neha hat carl aicararmann ge es iene ewe Espn eae area Ere aare nnee ta ile airfare no ee fees fry one power gust 20th acoy-appinted Brisk Foreign Serer, rset pevia mate’ Silat stoma eying a "be Government which Bave ‘ecm itp i Bulg, Romain tangy] do 0% ou view eee west abe mety of he peopl Bute Groea government was 2c {Geopnzed on Augat 20 by Moscow. ise yuryting who aw decided as Aug 21 ost weve moat eer he ha doled he eb of hostilities aginst he Allis, So'iimooed Groce and asked him ovesign fo that anole gpvetament Toul be famed whieh would be acceptable fal thee victors. Ar ref ‘Emulsion withthe Soviet Ambar, Groza etred with » buat ‘Seo Toe Ling answer fo this sopreceented and wnconaisinalatitde ee eal sign my nw, ov detes of the cabin! OF 0 ree Woy orks members He aresed himself othe Ales obaining fom the w.citn governments cea worded denial of be "democratic and repee— EGS Rfancir of the Gocsn Goverment. Thi same shad a8 ‘TRANSTION TO COMMUNIST TOTALITARLANEN a7 ‘mained by Byroes and Bevin atthe Landoa Conference of the thee Foreign Ministers of September 11-October 3 x which, in anewer © “Molotov'saseton tat te tgime in Romania was bath fee aod tepre~ Seataive, the two western miners effimed the dviion of hee govers= ‘ments ot to tecopaze it Moreover, ar sequel to the argument wi “Molotov, Byroes decided to sead an independent Amerces journalist, Mask beside, 10 report on the situation Romania te inteaal ess was resching » climax. The administa= tion, aeady weak snd boycoted ty the people, bad come fo 2 stands en the king decided not to eodose is Strand deed. The government ‘ould rely upea the Tudor Visdimirecy division, which had been buted bck trom te froot before any eter regent sod war used by Bodatas st the secarty armed fore. Incase of cil wari clidy as bas been see, ‘upon the Soviet army. A seoe of urgency and exasperton saat the Romanians, who wee ot sue in whost favour oe would ply. The <éemocratic parties, epecally the Naoaal Peusats, whose membest were ‘opealy persecuted aad aested in villages and towns, sung w te hope of ‘lctions being elds quickly ar posible Bat such hopes were acady linked with ‘soperor external facto which would help oe Lng and the ‘People defend thc igh I Was drag tis period of evetish expectation {hat the ise ia Ustaiag to western ratio sation took plas, probably ‘Supistng the umbers who had steaed drag the war, fri had become ‘ot only the most pid source of information at also one of hope, The Romanian services of tbe BBC and of the Voice of Amesca were the authorities quoted in geseral conversations. The American and Brish ‘missions in Bucharest could indeed ty, as they erestly did Uuoughout his ‘etiod fo remain as noa-commital st ponsible in rd fo avo atop the Russias o ging he Rosas ay gown fc eleving tae ‘Wat any fim ineation of eves possiblity of heping therm, The expression "tbe Americans" of "the Beth in such contest meant much mace than anything the mission might sa, o& tat the rade had sid oc hed beee Utnderstod fo have sd, bythe sous lstners [At this time the communis were taking steps to build op well ‘otpanized and disciplined purty. The fet National Confetece ofthe Ponyas OMANGA: A HISTORIC FERSPECTVE seas srmooed on Ocabe 16 1965 take stock f he station wich had TRCETRIGG' he tug tdactiminte erating campaign, and to would Men te bode es Atte conference 8 Cel Commits wat eo elite setup, The Cot Commies was composed of Gkecrpheaposol, Ea Bodnres, Constanta Cameans, Nicola Const ee Eisinek, Mion Contatinesee, Dumia Cali, Constants SSuEeT shar Georgio, Ohorgh Oberghio-Daj, Vane Lace Vase Cc Tura Magee, andr Ncage, Constantin Parvescy, Lact NESE e*Anciel Patan Ann Pout, rn and le Pops, fs Ranches aa ag, Cave Stich Elna Todorace, Vase Vals, bd Gheorghe roa My commas wee sll twang the rovre of more le! {oo Moose eopenliy he eave Bots Seino. “ee ole of he Cetal Commie wes composed of Obeoahie= ej A Paice, Loc, Gcrgescs, Soe, Vasc ang Constantines: he Po ee ices Coal Comite soars with Gberghit-De) st Scary Sessa A the Conference Gheorghe) sea te pola “teAne Puke presented the sts, Thos he fot wo wee Lo re, ntl May 1952 om theft ook the en ato el Dabs ‘le oes A nse arge os Mancow Gal cole was ven he 2 aoe” But ia 2961 be emcid tt fom the very ft Be was Se racal powes st 582, when the pay limited the te thee Serre Sho.hcaloged, contin evel him on Moscow's odes Ber cients ibe Noverie 1961 plenary oeting a tht Dobe Rte ae Seceiat rhe Flour or even the Cental Cami Teicce aliwed wo doe ork or astnce, che Cote Commitee and Se Secu ony one suring in 1947, Moreover Censese thew on Seon Deja pusion by showing tht fom the fit Vase Lica Memes he hid ObeghanDe} sould be the “aeade’ Seat sees spook Soul be the "eal ones abd Ana Pres Beall Sretete’be the rk of concent o he goverment wodk whe she ancented onthe pty ork tet at Patascana wa oot lected 1 he Politburo shows hat a o tin fre fxaton fe ao part ie eaty ay el pte sree He cried mi hw om ofthe ntlectalsespectaly te CER itil cies tod with hs omy and more geneous Hea could [RANSON TO COMMUNIST TOTALITARIANISM as have ispted some ofthe young. But as an intellectual of considerable Iyeoath of vision be wae sumpect inthe eyes of the leaders. seat om he (Central Commince and his governmeatl pst as Minister of Jostce may ‘Sen tave excwded the lied to which the leaders ete peepated to Bo ‘Gterwise the 1985 Cental Commit represeted fly all te interes (poups ofthe party drng the war with he exception of Fos. "the Conference abo reported tint the erty now numbered some ‘00,000 embers, tremendous increase fom the thousand o oat the ed ‘Of the war. As Pasher who, togetbet with Mion Constantinescu, was ‘espoasble for rcrotmest betwers Occber 1944 and Ocober 1545, sad ‘rio bad viously made a syocmas of was Iter accused of wotbodory Int lock of icrimnation. Indeed atthe second plemam of the Coxtal ‘Comite eld ia Tune 146, the bantyrerstent Cid ot in 1945 was ‘Sogated inthe tain tesoluon, which ated tht ‘lemeats alien to te ‘working clas have ifited our tks, clemeats which were active in the Won Guard moverent, vacous oppor apd careers whose attude Is tot in harmony with poletariae moray aad who have bo business in be Dery, Moreover after Ata Pater fll Scasia, on December 18, 1952, ‘toted up this period by aatng tat much ham had beeadooe to the party by the ant-Leniist lae lavodoced by Ara Pouker afer the pay mergeace fom legality, by the poi of opening wide its doors t ayone Shd cveryone This sousntion was repested atthe Second RWP Congress {Si Sil tore fully atthe Cenal Commitee plenom of November 1960 “The culy eaegoie of members of the puty have aeady beta describe. To them must be added roughly 100000 peasants who received the card togetier withthe land io 1045; some’ workers, and some YOu imlecule Bat the blk ofthe memberbp ras mae up of thse who, 18 ‘common withthe categories steady neauooe, joined the pat either before ‘eater the selzte of power, in order fo aban orto keep the jobs, now at the mercy ofthe government. Tis, of couse, had a decisive Initial elect [pos the suatyof the new commana The geo maj were opportu ‘te, wensormed ito officials, doce and inferet and, forte mos at, Inobampeten A betes layer watt be aed ia the next fou oF ive Yeas, flemet bythe younger men who bad achieved some success in carving oa ‘rious mpecs of the esnomie ple: Tei politcal education, howevet,20 ROMANIA: A HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE remained pomiaal, By order of the leadership, they rceved in 1945-46 Trea courses, Toefist*Commonin University, te Stefan Gheorghiy pity Schock, wes opened in February 1946 and theo suspended inthe following September in favout of the preparation for the elections of [November 1986, Ts immediate post-war iafux was therefore massive But Peay iow qusity, "he paty-ccgns and orgasantions did aot eel he {lenin peioeiple tat wien the Commenist arty isa party already sated Tebees careers fom all lasts and especialy the middle clas, usb tovfards tout of theer opportuni’, sid the resolton of the enlarged plenty meeting of the Cental Comuatee of Aogast 1953 "afer opportunity to pres bome the comeuist advantage was ‘provided by the lng’ binhdsy, on November 8, 1945, whea thousands of People, sciag on 2 word-of-mouth suggestion which bad been stared by Fens, corterged onthe palace 10 chee Bw The communists seat veh {Saded with agents provocaturs to mingle with the crowd. This produced (Rav of woleace the tucks were overtuaed and buat. The Tudor Vadiir~ ‘25k Tegiment and ple were set fo te Palace Square, and they fired 00 {he dertostators: Many tree were made; tere were Aieen ead aad t {Rast 100 wounded, Tha aight andthe following cay te ein extred many houses and acesed leaders and members ofthe democratic parties 00 {he pete tht they had helped the “rebelion’ Twas alr the new wave bt persecution tus stated on November 8 that many young men decided to (ols niding, posing from one hose fo epothe or king tthe movetans Shute hopeless packers of “eistace” ad already been formed by otber Young stents and offices Atthc Moscow Conference ia December, on the basis ofthe Eabecdge por ht the Romonian and Bulgarian goveramects were autboritarian apd ‘Skiuded cemoratie clement, tbe United Sates proposed thatthe Groza (overnment shouldbe reorganized to inctode members of opposition paces, cl thar his goverameat shold undertake Yo respect ‘base freedoms’ and old fre elections at an easly date. Stalin made limited concession to TOMAS sesh tothe agreement algned on December 26 in which the ‘Gree Allied goverameatsfesommenced tha the Groza government should {Bclode one teem each of the Reson Peasat nd Liberal paris. Aa ‘Alied Commissio was to ascerai that these two members repeesated “TRANSITION TO COMMUNSST TOTALITARIANISS ey _0ups talent included in he goverment. The organized goveraent ‘Sas give errencesregudng bul fondo tad ie lectins in which {It partes would bave the ight to pacicpate were fo be eld after which he ferranet woud rae Augmentin Ta ow arangereat was tail ir to that whi had been sade fll bythe Poth communis, ad ino fra twas 01 backed by aay futbet ‘Sseeace or guarantee from the western powers the Romanians understood ‘once what hs represented. Vyobins, Haris, and Clank-Kertarived in Bucharest fom Mosanw on December 31 implement he ters of the Sgrecment, aad met he ing. who pow ogo tok up his ds, Harrah Sd Clak-Kerr then. met the tepeseitves of the oppoidon, who ‘Emanded craia guarantees Before choosing member to pari in he {overomeat and ato refed to comma tet repesnatives fo seeping {eapoonblity for he cabietssevon when they were tobe given only mot pos They were advised to scapt the assurances codied in the ‘presmcat, ad then somisned Mibalscbe and Braans The Oroza govern> ‘meat rejected thse nomiaaons, and foally Emil Hategans aed Maal Romolceane wece facade in the Cabinet 1 epreseat the Naina! Peasants {od Liberals tepectivey ‘The Moscow aptemcat rpcscated a Soviet vcioy, for the two ‘oppostion representatives were heavily outnumbered a the cabinet i which Uy bel ao pools, sod woreoverecopition ofthe Romanian gover iment was fo precede the election thatthe western Alls could exer fe pan yen tt he oar we fe wae preparing inset for as Jong 8 segs a8 posible in a cour ia whit, atiough i autor had been gewost warmed be ‘hough was ls dy fo mala ms = ‘The United States and Belish governments recogized the Groza seveancat February 1506 on te Snatens cuneate Moose ‘Srccment Bu bythe sping of that year we leat ta he Ronan eld ot permit Grocs'o Say ont te mnrnces be bel gen the Tol of fe decioas Anpe ty te Rao Feat kites Bld ltl ering wer fate a ep wee nken bes opal By ne pcs aod w ct ee Fopaptaah: Morente gre2 ROMANIA: A HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE iment made a5 organized stlempt 1 guia suppor among ster poical Te andi tis ty achieved considerable success athe Socal Democrat Pity Coops ef Mac 10,1986, when a age maori of te elepates Poh te aerge wi the commons, thus spliting te pty. Gatstinton setwcra the mini nod the commutes a beea hasty aise in May 1946, witha Toose organization called the Uitek Nonees Front Ths eallstorton, bowever, convioed the Social pei ar taak and fie and its goose leaders, Ciel Petes, The Dione, fie Mase, A" Domi, a fra te Sean Volnct hat to Parte in the onditons Ini Gows for i would mean the aniiation of SANG hat is chuerpton by te mach moe dyaamie a dangerous ree bar bot be lendeship a thr rank aod fle were blag conan Pai attted byte commit ans, we the sentient of he Paty a Srtboe remained unchanged, is means of expesing them were being 4 ctl allot. tere installation of he Groza goverment, fr che Eveme Poms eed he cg of bang una ine Ecetne mie, His plea tat Soci ep fr io be er thal resign were rece, aod Lott Radacean std Stefan Sore tbe owt imporoat of these miners ood also leaders of the “GisSetealt ings won tek fst viy. At tbe pery conference of Peete ses tuece wan tenn victorious when tbe communist Pesan to esublih common ceca iss wit the soi wa reece oP that mmeat in factone and workshops ade unonrepesctatives Gs Bremen nd enlncers in barge of ptsoanel began to dscns BEE Gs Tetatsaceraing to wher, wen applying fr eation oe Henty enesS x wed, ey deveubed theme as Pevecy or Radacana sethuteSopponcs of Petesc celded wo allow the worker 0 deseo Trenetce hoe whatever was pleasing fo the communins 20 that they emi not be vcwmized, although the derstanding was that they would weet Reve atthe eects Although on tbe whole the workers Tuite elt and Kept tir pledges at the elections of November 1986, ‘Go'elbning out of he oak snd le sod the double alegiance did rate 3 ‘Safest the advantage ofthe communist ie'ihe higher ectelos the confosion was oven greats and there crypto communists wete eal command ofthe pay: Mae than bal the “RAYSITION TO COMMUNIST TOTALITARIANISM ws members ofthe Cental snd Executive Commits were by 1946 secret, tember ofthe Communit Pay. Among them ere tee leading members ofthe Secretariat Theodor lrdacbescu, Barbu Solomon, and Mibai Leven, ‘The Seeeariat took ear ofthe organization of the Congres of Mach 10, 1046 lnviatons and credentials were reised or given aczording 10 te poliicalllegisce of tbe patipens. The offical rapporteur of the Congress, Seroua Voine, oppose the since withthe communist, but he ‘ommunlss and thei Social Democrat supporters had let wthing fo chance ‘Tudor loneso, always believed wo be one of Petresca's most sted eat aus, had beeasuocesfully suboried uo read oot forged leters allegedly revue to Pesca by Manis std Beataau. Thus the Coageess coded in ary split Pees and some rightwing party members waking ut of the Congress and joining the otber pares in opposition to the government ‘le of democratic pares ths formed on May 17, 1946. a the tmetawhile the Brith and American governments continued © try to exet press to have the Moscow agreement inplemedied. Though ost of thelr notes were ignored, they apparent had some eect for 00 ‘uly 14 the lag signed an elec law prowdg for a uaicamerlleis= lure and granting the francis to women while devying ito fascts, ron CGuuriss, sed the who had fought ognnst the ales Elections were duly bed io November, but ll ye-witesses, whether correspondents o plo~ Ialic representatives of th two western powers whose uy wast eport 0 the observance of electoral edom,wete unanimous in agrcing tat he Sonditons in which they were fought surpassed the gloomiest expectations ‘The ress, block of democratic parties 347, National Peasant 33, and Libeas 3, were a foregone conclusion. Romaiceanu and Haiegaas resigned fiom te now purely FD goverment, tod the new Assembly Bat me 08 December 1, 1946. "What made the Romanian communists and the Soviet goverament behave a5 they aid dug These eectoas in Romania in 1946, when ia Fiongary in 1945, they had permite the pple to vote more or ins ely fod tuto produce arent a which tbe communists were fas minority 20d ‘he Seaolders, the Hungarian equivalet of the Notional Peasants, ‘maj? One answer Lie precisely in his res. The Russians bad see he result of relatively fee elecons iz Hungary. There the Comsmunist hadws ROMANIA: A HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE sured them tht they bad 2 far ctanee of poling, in sliance with the Nat imjriy suficent to cary out the tasks of & coalition aera Bur halag seen the Commuaists so decisively defeated ia Severe pe pentane, te Rusang mere at going fo rua sila risk ‘a Rome “Te last yeat ofthe Romanian hiagdom began wih the signing, 2 ebrvry 10,1547 ofthe peace tay. This had been awaied, for diferent feast bth peop tepoeoment. The pve il ceed ‘GEoMach a it would somehow be an opportunity of entra Remunin ios world which they ought of as being fe and jot. The EeeziNwcrnmea, on ie conta, Kaew that if Soviet Rossa ad allowed (Goadine peace reais to go tiscug, i ovasbecaose she was now assured har ahe could ue tem fr diplomatic and pollcal purposes. These could than'nupplemet the miliary and economic advantages which the Sovit eehoe Wl dorved fom the sxmizice since the end ofthe war. ft ‘tne hat worked in Rosie's favour could be seco fom the history ofthe ngonare ofthe tress. At the Potsdam Conference in Fly meee gust 586 i bad been te American delegation tht ad raised the we dow of a more roped conclusion of the eaten and had wasted oo thet ‘Tgene preparation bythe Cosnel of Foreign Ministers. Although relions TESULE Ge centers powers and Russa were by that tine tease precisely PExnuse of tie Eaitn Europenn and German controversis, it might ail EESE'Shen hoped thet quick setlemeat ofthe peace weates would bave Bee eer economic presse, But aveady at the Foreign, Ministes Ceztecence ot September 1545, although he situation ia Eastere Europe sod SESSIVs Romanta and Bulgaria bad become the min cause of discord ees one mapect ofthe growing conflict beween te wartime Allis. ier te Par Costrcace met de th weal, 2 ely 29,1946 the wre yedscsously deeorated, Toe whole question of lations berwen TRSOUE Union aud the west war at stake and the suai in Eastern uvope had become simply a sector on » wodd-wide fat ‘TRANSITION 0 COMMUNIST TOTALITARIANISM as ‘tweaty-ove nations pstcipated in the Pars Conference. They were: the United Sates, France, Gret Belai Soviet Russia, and Chinn as Inembers ofthe aewly-enlarged Council of Foreign Ministers and Australi, Belgium, Byslo-Rustis, Bran, Canads, Eiopla, Greece, Tada, Norway, Now Zealand, the Netherlands, Poland, Coecosiovakia, the Ukraine, the ‘Union of Sout aie, and Yopoiavia as couaties which bad contibated ‘most toward the war agaist Hie, "The Romanian delegation was led by G.Tatarescu, VicePremir and Foreign Minister, Patcanuy stil Minster of Juste, was a menbet, The ‘clogaton contained surraag amber of diplomat ad exoomlc experts (Ofte od sepie, Ths teleed the woefllck of experts i the pty at {hat tine ut atthe same time the composiin af he clegaton bad been ‘cefuly selected by the Groza goveromeat fo ty 16 convince the western ‘icgation and governments ha there vs a certain comity in Romanian, Adplomatisaffnis aod thatthe delegation was ot simply a mouthpiece of Moscow. Duing the meetings 0 tfoenal delegation of Romanian exiles tras active inthe cordor of the Palais de Laxembourg. They mised some {pecil points aad dribvted various memoranda, which were necessary a8 ‘Seomntan goveamental delegation could pt fight fore iret ofthe ‘county on any pint which went against the Rusin nterets. Not oa the ‘Rommaian cues, but the American dlegroa too bel, aguas the view of the official Romanian delegation, thatthe “eparations pad to the Soviet ‘Union far excended the sum specified fo the Weuty and sckaowedged by the Romusiaa goverome. “The project ofthe ucay with Romania was fist dscssed on August 13, when Tarescu presented te Seerations of is government. The Wart eas put ford by an Massy on Romani’ bebaf ip which be recaled Romani constant endship aod loyalty towards Czechoslovaki, = well, ‘the areal pr playe bythe Romasian oops i the fal liberation of is country fom Hie, ade siking impeesion, ‘Wea on. Ocibor 10 the Romacian teaty was discussed for the second time, the Danubian question of lies awvignioa caused 2 sharp ‘ference of opinion berveea the Anglo-American and Sovet-Yugoslay ‘elegatons. Ths seemed to be the most difical obstacle inthe way of ‘oaclading the ety. The mater, boweves, was postponed. The Couoel of426 ROMANIA: A HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE lasers refered it again ais New York meting in November, wien Mlnste f gat « Deodbe Confrence sould be aranged wx montis afer ‘ees Mio athe peace treats to discuss te problem separately, This aa oe railing ok fom the egoions the a ries, Dut led red iccoun Brigade Conecace and its sobaequentcrering of the 1 cersance with common wises: The Romanias peace ey Datacaysigocd on Feoraty 10,1947, a formal meeting in Paes Peete abe weay we oa estas sila fo ose with Tay, Foland, Hesoury td Bolgiria which were discussed aod signed during the ca ee Jer the signees made their own eiiacions, oot Ivays aC toe he lnstance, was aet down ate preamble that Romania 20k SErUGI ei he wagnnst Cermany” ea bas Bees sen, in pte of aa et pomania bd tufted bevit lose inthe wat apse Geman Gunes han any oter countey—aper fom Soviet Rusia, Orca WaatAes ge United Sutcreod beaver by fa than those of ly, te Bai, et ccs eal the later co-belligerent county But refed that tle wo Romacia coder pcos wee solved in an orginal way. Thus it was dated in Ane it Ronni oars woul emia towe of January 1, 1941, fn atl notion of the border wit Hangary, which Ail 2 stated was Wee Shuoes os bd bee on anny 1, 1908. The same ale oo eee ey eegenaly te prowson aedy rien into th armistice com, re ck Secued the Vienna Award of Angst 20, 940 e ull and dane need ie sneneat byte Bxtsh goverament—otich athe Te Shine lamas award, was slose x war against Germany ad Taly—10 dime ential changes mae wor duress would tbe recognized ee send ofthe war, When fhe Uied States fer came ato the wat, Ae Depenment co sly 27, 182 produced smi satemen, aad 1 Sante ft espose fo Roan’ ieaton of withing mn te eri aya, Lose was tnt NortrnTrasyivana of te ruor pact Trig erenoted to hr Th was actually put nto fect trough the wy is nner asennn onthe ptf te Apes delegation, For ea out tat by comparstively modest changes i te pe wit okays Pst could be worked out which would Be more cram ete Hungarian The Romasian Selegaton argued ts poi, “TRANSITION TO COMMUNIST TOTALITARLANSHL aan sessing hat would lo imply ogg hat wes perp by Her {So Moola be height of dominion of Earp, and inspired By thie doce ofthe New Orde, cold have produced oa aig sn seal fics, Butte ony ly Ine fact that when cae to te Ros omacia one cob by he Sov ltmatom, ped td supported y'Naa‘Cenaey and fi aly, nt only Soviet fn but avo the int koa pn fe aon ed fnuty 1, 181 Tis ele ofthe Romasian delegation wes arated EE dts tom a eo! coe map wich Roma sted Itvotder show the Renan chrccr of Tesyvans thse. lst Frovinss ad bon carey expunged lst someone be reminded of the Romanian chaceier ofthe greser pat of Bessarabia, gow the Moldavian SSR "The political cause contalaed im Article 3 wa, wo all lates and spss ew nce tones al natn si Slat the nw goveameat of Romania would aot te ts powers f iia persetutce sad adminisativeictminatin. pledged Romaaia take all, The necenry spe to ems to lls cgeas, wibout distinction, the fll ttjoyment of human ighe sod feodsmental freedoms, ieluiagfeedom of ‘Spinton, af the pres and of tfortaton, of worship and af public meetings ‘Ths, ken io conjuction with he clowes dealing withthe ight ofthe hee powers to supervise the aplication ofthe treaty (Avices 37 aad 38), led fil wee the commini ter fll upon the people, to the ineffectual Pesto Ap 1 made ye oem of GB “The miltarycautes ofthe peace teaty lied the Romasian armed forces tothe following tambes for ground forces, 120,00 me, including the font guar for at-nitraf fence, 15,00, fr the navy, 5,000 mee tnd 15000 fons and forte ai force, 81000 mea and 150 aia, of which nly 100 were to be. combat planes. ‘The clauses. ls0 probbited. the postestog, manufac, o experisieating with atomic bombs, mises, of ‘obmarnes. ut again, in 1950-51, when he Saliist policy of exmameat ‘hes oppled at top speed in the whole of Eater Europe, it was aedy Knows tat Romatia ha overstepped these Lis. On Ferny #, 1953 the8 OMANA: A MISTORIC PERSPECTIVE iish Foreign Offic eximaed Romanian fore t 250,000 men, xcasive lib scanty foress. ‘Asoc mary pois, wich was potty very sigan was cua hn caer fa heading Wits ofthe Aled Feet” (Ace 18 (eerihinpeovison alle armed foes of he Alien, clang hose 2 eee mast be wibarwn fom Romania net dys afer he cee a come ate foc, wih the exception of such Sov aed force se ae Sa nce forte nsntnnace ofthe lines of communication of were Tara wh the Sot zone of occupation Asti’. The s¥e Blas 'wes seed i he Hongarlan We fe iit cases epestd sn o es the genta dsporons ofthe misuceconsenton, but bythe tine of te sgning ofthe pene ety Cet etee outegeouly died ino last two moc respects, These My tae a tl ale of sndrntis and cepecatons tbe paid Dy Teresa Sovet Rasa and the abecgution, ated fo tthe Fosdam rome cy Bani andthe Usted St, of 2a clams upon Cerna 2 tee ya Romain in frou of Sit Rasa, phts which lec Tatas Fae ula boo he Soviet Romie ot companies AoW Sovoma Teepe its ncnssences, the testy oul ie more normal circum stances hve flied is vious pps of bangiag oman back it he ESSER of ations, Bot Eoope war threteoed by 2 permanent ered Romans and Eason Eorpe bad ben taken vee by aot ston eaploling tbe Toon whe wadoobiedly effacing the stl changes imposed Oy Hr preseted defence apt the ering potcy of Roan peas rom May 1947 reports of mass ares of opponents of the régiae began to come in athe Groz government with Soviet support proceeded ‘eee lst he opposition In dune the stack the Peasant Paty ste, ‘Riimtag, ie the arest_on oly 15 of Maniy and Mibsliche, afer finances Pence, Cuando, and otbers of ther soppoters had atempted ceerspecmith Manis sproval—ia a sezely charred wiplane fom the eer Tamadaa, This pesecaton of te Natoal Peasant Paty more oF {ens coicided with tht of the otber peasant parts it the Soviet blo. In “TRANSITION To COMMUNIST TOTALITARIANENE 29 Bulgaria the Agrarian Fear was bought tain Joly 1947. The Small~ holders weve endangered in Hungary fom the August 1947 elecdons, which sept sway ay semblance of legally, and in Poland fom wich Mikola)~ {ay and other lenders ein October 1967-A sychronantion of policy can ‘eal be assumed wit the a of bcabing the suoagest pial existance {othe commanite he peasants ‘The persecution ofthe Peasant Party leaders was accompanied by stack teroe. The aumber of “appearance which cour afer te Beponing (of 1947 can sever be exacly computed, but ls believed that a 1346-47 ome 60,000 people were exerted. The ter fll alike opon ol sad young. bor aaturlly bad a rete port upon the young, a Sec ielsonced ‘hei way of behaviour aod thinking’ wansformed them into set sale, ‘and guatded individuals, Impeaeable oot oa to forelga visas ba also {0 their teacher or parents fiends or foes. The porentage of people sree ‘In Hoagary, Poland, and Romania between 1947 and 1986 was lowest he foe itp of thee under eighteen, Ts was pry becuse this pou, spar ‘fom thou of oten socal origi, had no eimisang record nad party ‘because hs eategory was move vig and beter prepared toe hea, 2d ‘ally escape capture inthe perpetual cat-and-mouse game which they Fphty endersood to be the teaton Gerween the individual and he ‘otltaciaa sate che, a Romsais the National Feast and National Liberal Panes were issotved by dees in August 1947. Tht beadgurers were occupied, tel ‘ewspapers suppresied. The rank aod fle of the Pearant Pay ia the ‘ountysderfered len: remained sated in vlages and bam set ‘bu active. Is oppsiton was appieat Inet ia the social and ecoaomle ‘rugs which the communists were to wage wih tbe Roman peasantry. For'fete lies the main polit difereace betweca the East Earopesa ‘pessais and the Rassan pasate, The former bad bull even if ony for {hor time betveto tbe wars, th oa pla parties and government ‘This fact imbued them with a sense of plitalstoeomy which the Rusia pestans sever ha and with cleat dea oftheir politcal, socal, sod ‘sonomic relations with th ste "The supporters of the Liberal Party, the mide cases, never 50 mumerous, dsolved socially and economically move rapidly tian he0 ROMANIA: & HISTORIC FERSPECTIVE acry, Yet pat of tem wee to survive ia the guise of te formed eehigedan Only te Socal Detocate Pury remained ia existence fo fare! year ut ths war simpy Benue the commanists pede I for he ‘font the sonsle Worker Party wtih they were PDH, "To this syoemate opresnon ters. 00 real foul of cngnin tenia Tete wee my magi pockets formed by gives {Xihe mown In 1980-47 hare was even tome evidence tat hese were thing ue under common same, smenele rege (he Back jet). ‘Rue made up sy ofsestared and moe fensget element fom the ion Gord had hed or ied eer leave he cova wi fe ‘Geman scope ott jos the Communist Party of young ofr pes, siti eran purged or ecompromising of tases aod shooters 25 Stincnt of tc cates of te enncic pares postbed by eae Sheree cecuoos But tess poupe were move defensive than ofesive, See‘ att hopes nan sesve fo cute. Te nearest they ce 0 ecatnghng vas during the wir of 1509 an 1980 when they biped he Pesurts buraceed tn te vlges Agia the auboies a ater oops imo ere seat to enforce collection inthe wages. Together wih “faa “cndsaboteu eset ta, he goverment kad hen 10 prods “Telco ei for ee who ad foot ths a ‘sre eps of Fee Homann sada he bang of 1947 te only neon nas tht ofthe 'plomat who had fst bxome See i 46 cag the Pcs Peas Contetens, Honareds of Romania SS mene of he wear wil cas, were long Roan SEesesely, pe! by invidonl Soviet nd communist officials who RASA) enough, would tensor bem sss omen, Honea, aad ‘Aiba woe western sone of ozupron fa Aus, Toe émigré had ‘ual esr 0 beip the county By joing o Foming natonl move” trent is cals: The acl of Raderce, Visca, and Buzet wast pve te pola! weight wo the els sid the Rng’ real a the Belang Ere"gave a now impulse sich prececopains (2 Qe, 147 ia Mann Mae an een tes ‘were trough tol, Tis trl was designed tobe the great plicl water~ ‘hea for its communist organizer, Yet dureg teal, wale that of Pethov “TRANSITON TO COMMLRIST TOTALITARIANISM 1 in Sofia, only two of Mans’ co~defendats made forged allegations against, tim. Nor were these allegutons poltcal reastions. Ths was not a0 incidental fare inthis pariclar communist tal in Romaala. Altgeter, inn otber Easter European county have the communists bees less ager 1o stage educative tal, in the sense that the accusutons ofthe prose ‘cuore and more paricalarly the coufessoas ofthe sccused could be akeol Tessas to the people. This Kid of reheated show aid ot take place Ia Romania. Nove of the main commonist leaders who wee purged io ‘Romania—Fors, Patascany, Koffls, Ana Paukec, Vasile Luca, Teobat ‘Cisievaci, or Micon Constantinesco—has bee ted ia publ Tris probable that ffom 1946 to 1956 the Romanian communists ghtly ‘oessed that‘ ideological or even pchological mbdeter of tbe sel ‘oafesed anticommunist ciminel could produce eter anger ox aroaty ‘mong tbe muss of the people, who opposed s sli ron of inference {AT Kins of waiations on communist hemes. in the Maaiy--Mibalache tal the Communist Party did vot even speak dicey through public prosenitor, does, fr example it ‘people's cour’ The court was’ miliary eae, thus perpetuating the ‘method of polital repesion which had been ‘sed by Carol and by ‘Aotonescs sod. agaist which We Netioosl Peasant Party bad alway Dltesed. Coloae! Peeves, the Predeot of this court had boon te Prosecutor in the wal of Ana Pouker in 1936 and hod presided, under ‘Antonescu, i val la Bsstabis snd Taner A farther irony wae that {Ge Minister of Justice was Patracan, who ad done more han suvone eee toll the supporto Iwere ad intlceval ofthe National estat Paty forthe dfeace of the Communit inthe miliary tals before tbe wa Patascano hd also boca Mani’s colleague ia the preperation of the armistice and in the fist post-war goveameat 'Nopolital dialogue was thos posible betweea the tibunal and the sccuset, Oa the contary, the Ui sulted a srange canity of mening as ‘eter side hid elias ot opisions, Unlike Crdnal Mindseeny, fot Instance, wo conessed sed later zeuacted and who wat ander obvious ‘ysl and moral sain, Manis raed clearly and calmly bis own views {nd acknowledged bis own actos. So dal but Wo ofthe other scused.2 ROMANIA: A HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE “The prosecution cacgd tht there were tree concent “igs! Indice ote sme tal a8 plotig oper npn the secu of he Ste One was tht of be detec pares, or rab of the Nationa onan Pac, camatcl tented by a es than wo of eades tod fumes Mists and a followers had coped. wih two Armen {Seigenc ofc fo oganize osuecton sad wt vp Ameria at tases in Rowan, The seood ag was that ofthe teste bow Visoiany, ‘Burl, Cina, sn Gn od gan donc he ew Remain neat ston, fad tt up organs of exes with cen fend {Entored by "Viony when. Foreign Seer, bad asked foegn| foerancats ad into, fr bp bd were touch wth he leaders of {EC ional Psst Pury The ting” wes that ofthe bells cil Services epesuted la tw tial by xml poop of Younger cer Siplomats beaded by Vics Radulls-Pogocena. The Foreign Offer STH in Romana Nad iways ad the reputation of a elie cops, tad “honed the topwron by ie mothnesr fd efieny with whic ad ‘Sipe tn lng tad ni inthe nogoutoas withthe Alcs ad the ab Gout ari. Thin group wes tebe a2 ng ot Pots which bad ‘Minne eaons wih fone leaders now sod, wih Maa 30d tie leno of the domoceai pres, apd withthe representatives of he ‘Ati aad Bevin goverment ‘Several of the stand n price Mais and Pogonsans, te alleged teas ef te two “ners gr defended themselves wih pet fre, The ‘Ste fal bck apna aad api on on singe poi the legally of he ‘Stow er he ep f the testicuons which he goverament hed imposed fon the wm polical ster of the cout. Thus: bad Manis ‘Rtneacd or eco belped his colleague lathe projected Hight oad? Yes Be'fosway? Beene’ be hough at sce Hes oppoiion tad egal Clidcam were peveted st howe the cai of he Romanian people should ‘Steed byte western democracies il esponsible for he station fae ‘Suny: Wy id bent goto? Because he tooght his place was with he role Did be then intend to sant Fah agaist tbe goverment i te Ehumiy7? He woud cone sa Mab doe te gening of fee elections Sensi poli bry he eran of elsaary human righ BY what ‘Ecos? By evry mca open to bm Da och means ncode otiog wi [TRANSITON 10 COMMUNIST TOTALITARANSM. 3 the representatives of foreign powers, he allegedly did during his ‘ometttons and cootacts with American and Brit oficial? The teply ‘ar that discussing the otreaonal and internal station with diplomatic Teptesentatves wat one ofthe tual dtr of «statesman in any cOUDty. "Hud be maintained contacts with he Foreign Secretaries go sroad 8 exiles? ‘Yes, they Informed him of thet wefl activites and he advised them, whenever posible. Did he use unlnfal chanel of secret cotespondence Through the oficial ofthe Foreign Office accused wth him? Yes, was ‘eceacy fo do so a8 the normal postal hunoels were closed. ‘Dig Pogooeanu recognize tat he had been in Touch with tats road? Yes, Pogosean recognized ha, but wasted to explain that they ‘were aot tao bt pao svtom be sited fom he dock. Why Bad Be ‘ot gooe too? Because he tought that his heal might have made biz 2 burden to them (Fogooeans was cipled a a result of an eatly attack of ‘cleross ofthe spine) and aio Decree wagted men eter qualified han be, a for instance Vislan, to go abroad ad fight for the county. “This was the Kind of dnlogue of which te tal was manly composed. "ka gen Gal ere sl oe epi of Maan make a of Pogoseant. ‘Manis and Milache wee sentence to Me ipesoament, te others to hard lout aa solitary coafigement for tems ranging from ie to five Years: Mani left he cout a composed and courmaat st Be had been al BS {ie aad throughout tbe wa. He was seventy-out. This was the last tie Be ‘was ever ton in bic In October 1956 i was sonounce tt be bad ded [a prison In 1952 Oaly very scaty and unelable reports had reached the ‘ulide world dring he five yeas fn which be sllegealy sil ed. But all, ‘ad in common the descpion of hm se being supremely sero, suength= coed by deep religious faith and concloosess of shariog tbe suffering (ofthe people be had served so tatly. ‘Te iatodution of sate ter was sn socompanie by an economic bankrupty which ad been apposchng since 1948 lathe sumer of 1947 fzonomic chaos had reached 8 ecle tmprecedented in the history of the ‘Romaaioa Kingdom. Thre was bung: and die need Ia any ates. Om shroad, especialy fom the United States, food shipments were aiviag434 ROMANIA: A HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE Taflation which had alreny sbake te weak Romanian Jeu ow went up in terfyng spas. Tye pou sterling, which atte end of 1945 had been bought fr te already high price of 30,00 ea the summer of 1947 could tals be boubt for fella le Romani in tbe summer of 1987 was more ‘olalscet ofthe panic strvation ad aation in Getmaay and Hngary in 1919 than of any momeat io ber own bistry. "Four main croes ly atthe roto thi, and while each ofthe would have been eanugh to sake the suc of sch a sal couse, tei comm bison proved neni diatous Oe was the aftermath oft war itl. ‘The economy had been severly tried by collaboration withthe Third Reich throughout the wat, although fom 142 onwards Amtonescu had suceeded ln pling» sop to te evernctesing demands ofthe Germans. The wat on the side f the Aller woe poportonstaly fr more expensive in Both men thd movey. No country coud bave uadrtaken two wochsacceasive alr torts without showing serious signs of sin "The second and by far the ost important case was the peesute by Soviet Russia onthe Romatian economy, trough tbe commitments ofthe Tontceagieement andthe plnder taken by te Red Army Gui the Yat ‘2 military elaboration snd the two following years As has beea seen, By the terme. of the arisce apremeat, coafimed by the peace ely, Romania wat t0 pay te USSR (I) toa of $300 milion In goods inthe foum oft iademnity for Soviet lowes by milter operations and occupa thon, @) the cont ofthe Seve! cupation Woops (ugmeated by the po— Toogaton of Sovie anlar cecopatonsfer the exston of bose) ad {Opie testi of ll property taken from Soviet teetory dutng the war. [Sc becsane the val of th fst em ws fed ners ofthe 1844 dol, word prices prevailing i 1938, the ats! cost to Romania was estimated by Mr- Willd Thorp tn September 1946 at about 5D percent above the $800 lion total Thus the 370 milion seady paid by Romani in 1946 Srould have cost approximately $100 milion i ems of caret dolar, 2nd {he $250 milion sil payable would be lable to cost about $350 milion. ‘Thor's estate ofthe cost by September 1946 of maiaainieg occupation {Hoops was abou 8325 lion of testutions approximately $175 milion, ‘of oter takings in goods and services approximately $425 milion, and of ‘Stveral salle tems $25 malion. Thus the total cost tO Romania by 1946 "TRANSITION TO COMMUNIST TOTALETARLANSL 35 smrounted to approximately $1,050 ailloo. This ttl exinded direct war ‘yr Morcovt snc 156 the aus Sov bd ls eee dig toe ‘Sunteys wealth and resource TT tnd cause was the commas delibemte disorganization of ‘odection. ‘These war constr poi ghatin”fom the and of Bay {Sit snl te sping of 190, Thee were wrpend snes in iloges aad cles and resncing of fore snd woah, lavlvng the emer ot technical installations ab inthe cout, of egrcatr machinery: There ‘eas io seousinerscace in worker scien fa cones fod the ‘tcoaton and molestton of hse who essed them. the Mala plat {51946 Gheorghio-Dej nd. Apo cae smd with machine peo 12 ‘ea wp the meting s which he workers vtd forte Nation Pasa Fora this the Coommnit Pry wos eon: Fly, thre ood sccitve droughts ln 1946 ted 1917 song the wor eves expercaced ote " "Wile tthe end of 1938 the ttl monetary clon was 34,9 tito el a June 1544 5a 118 blo tod ov August 1,157 48.451 Lice. Wil in Ang 194 te contofliving index od st 94 (Ange 19390) a Apt 1947 Sed at 440889 and Jay 525.688, The toa iadupal production bad fallen by one=tird from tat of 1944. Ol odsction wat 3.88 milion toons apni 87 mlion 1996, Agar Froction wos les banal that of 1954-38: Budgetary expen in {4Su46 wa epecvely stand ten ner highe fa evens: Any gv ramen in any county wold have be faced ce amen spe Te ‘Groza government sce to be conte with preparing to 89th carey ‘ef, diced aod personaly soperised by Eugen Verge "ine crency reform as cued ut by Vgn ou August 15, 1947, fee hevng log been oped i seu. Te tepid te nite’ public twit tas of ppe-moaey it hd lf pind en bought te se {eel cop of the year contusted al he eran in sock in sop, ‘erashops, ed faces, paying for them inch to sal ly pong + tied o al sae ad pve employees, pig them wht they wee Owed Inte sme money Then on Aug 15 fe refcn wa aoounced, sar {sla dscrininntory method odie sna ttt ofthe Sovet Union Fumes ad woes obaied pivieged exchange-rate i et fe135 OMAMIA: A HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE population a matkedly unfavourable one. The new leu was worth 6.60 mg eel and led to the dollar a 150 to ove. Communist nstotions etd PES eaSovet representatives were among the fow to exchaoge ll tet SSuswenladeed, cot of 48300 malin Tei only 27,500 alion were eeged in the te day allowed for hs purpose. The remaiiag 21,000 ‘Sion repeseied, as minimum, the Sove-iype of ‘coaiscaton’ thus ‘persed by the sate “mmen with the other stelites, the economic advantages for Romani ofthe Marshall Pan offer of Jue 5, 1947 were obvious But at: {be rejection of Mastall Aié by tbe Soviet Union onthe grounds that i Toul cote interernce’ by the United Sines inthe feral fais Pike Counce concercdy the utelie cous ad no choles. Of the 22 ‘tien counties invited by the Belsh aod French goverameats © the Stacnall Plo conference which Sepan ia Pats on July 12, eight did not Mend: Fluo, Poland, Coechosiovalia, Hungary, Yogostavia, Reman, ‘govetament bad sows fd inrod s memorandum civczing tbe goveroment ad economic nig But this wan te period in which Soviet ply erytallize i 0 at Mester mou “Tae Groza government bad by sow been in power for more then vo yeas, So tad ws is record abd 29 snanimously discontented were all 2eEGbae ot the poplin tata this pon jut before the wiatex of 19487, ‘pe muy pow and cowie why the Romanian Communist Paty was sil trove despues by us own subject people than were the oer commsist fates of Eastern Enope by thes. ‘by tis time it hod become clear to the leadecs of much stonget and mote deeply toned Enropesa commit pues tt they would soon bave Pec odoreen te meltenance of some ofthe popularity they, unlike he Romanian Communist Party, had won dung the war, a0 tel loyally to ‘Soa Russ, The choice between thee wo pbs wast be made rapidly By these pris The Yugoslav’ Communist acy opted in 1968 fr the break Ratan: he Cezchelovak forthe Break ih freedom and democtcy [Bu he Romanion communist, who bad ao politcal exp, knew wel that TRANSITION TO COMMUNIST TOTALITARLANSM. 47 ey ad come powers wee matled in per by te Sovet amy ‘Ta pat wes Inde the om peal example fe new detioe wich Slaw lntoocig for alt East European cence sd hd ths fo cher or arate om the very St Sach pay, an ot te ‘Yoga co, was coe 0 Sls wet sing" wcle of wot, ditty, commis mate teflon to git pope gow tough milder fi, ag cal atc We te pig ad sr wc tldr aude tarde pope coud be Sects Ee ge cnmenig ve end Sucre on ior wt te moc prt Seedy 146, Gheorghe Dj bad dealt severely with Pavcame's deviations in is report 10 the Cl cin Tel sn tear ofthe ty wee edn pinion hat he ane for consewctne goverment bad aot yr eed. They Sosgh ta he Cone Fay wl Tanaoe-aéminsaton fa hs lthogh toy bl he sn of power, thy al ot hem, depeche meme on foc toma prot vow. They wet, ‘cenedag to tir Sagnon othe uty of power Comoe, hey ecient a ovoltonny party ey sould cote to esermie oe {somal soc of he sn sod oo and squat aad wl power. Giochi De ln cpt no Nace Een, at ceo ssng that eves Rerca were emp pied {of ao for making tn avo ft eon feo! aod weal 1 ‘ew of ie coogeocalistn. Theft a Testa Googe, acer ory setoay, ws Miaka of te lneros hd of conn, gue od Se Stine Hews woe py caabitment ofthe necomny oppression df sctiog e puh for further revolutionary steps. beste peers “foe mow spent of all pole aides was, however, he teat shown bythe to ober pay secret Ana Pakernod Vase {len aswell sty thon ene , whe oo ne Sena, ort ‘ieee at Een oo tei of te Pott 194; wasn geo the mow excoie taka ofthe pay, Thee ver Bogan, Pare, Boul Casnevchy and Dun Cola They obvi rsd fame instr eons Hod bo Impotant sod Moscowisped wag28 ROMANIA: A HISTONC PERSPECTIVE ofthe party wanted to govern aad fl that twas really in poe, ven fa colton cabinet, twas Pour, Loca ad Bodoares who would Bave Ten delepned or even imposed upon the goverment rater thas, for {Sstnace Pascamu Tnstsds while the provisional gveromeatal team ws uly mvking ine and clearing the way, the party was sll oncetating oo ‘rong the Goality of power to an end as quickly 1s possible. ‘Barog te Mane tal se cuey apron Tarraca began oo the rounds thatthe Minsty of Foreign Afni and the diplomatic service wee Shetering any opponet of he pine. Tsrescu’ poston woroed fer ‘cielo obs ane 147 nmoandm spy ig Eve tment to Sepember be was compele to dismiss seveal handed of be For~ ‘ge Offi sats and on Nowewbet 7 be aod he oer Liberal abet et SE, Sere removed from her poss, beng replaced by Ana Pauket as Mini~ Slr for Foreign Affairs sod Vasile Lica s Mins of Finnce, wile ‘December Botnars betaine Minis of War. Ana Praker with Gheorghiv~ Dj and Chlsinevecht fad stead te conference bed oa Sepembee 22-25, ‘nth the Cominform was founded Tis eveat marked the low beginning Gr naive co-ordination with he Soviet boc: With Lac, Bodoars, aad Pre nthe govermea, he pty cated on what they thought would belie enalsmeat ofthe cat of he proletariat, “Te formation of he Comino gave the sgpl fra new campaign of commmnistvisence i Westn Europe with he eject of dpe te ‘tonomy ofthe counties which weet benefit rom he Mashall Pan. This Tet pe the se ie mites of he at ht ion ‘fhe Easiern European peopl’ democracies from the eto the cones. A Fhe continuation Gf the Romanian Kngiom wiia the beat of the Soviet evi wast anomaly even lo 1945, The commuaists might pobiey Inngh tthe nachonan barf them was oe mone import facet of the ualy of power” King Michel bal of courte been ciiczed by at ‘Smumunint Remniass fot some time, pecially sioce be fad opened Fara af the tal of Mana snd Mitac and cepted An Pike, Toce aod Bodeatas a bis minster wile tens of thousands of fais were atid nd ile by the common store. Yt the people sil tad ‘TRANSETON TO COMMUNIST TOTALETARLANEN 9 cwatidence fa him. They knew he was dong all hat was left nis power ‘oto, ‘Os November 12 the king weet to Load forthe mariage of Princess ‘Bizabth. He was ruprsd ta the communist poverament made n0 move to pevent hs golag. Te communist govermeat was even more suse, however, whet on December 2), wth te Queen Mother, be reared: Toei ope, according to Groza ia his ast audience hat be ould renounce the fone ad not mitrlized. While abroad he had become engaged 10 ‘Process Ange de Boutbon Pam, but hs had oot weakened bis dtraint= ‘Son to say among his people tothe ead. The problem of Bis mariage had ‘been brutally dealt wit by the commnistgovermeat, which Bua Rated that Romaais coud aot ford i ‘Nie day afer his ret, Gross and Gheorghit-Dej asked the king to come beck fiom bis country reveat at Signa for utgeat reasons. HE ved on December 30 sod recived them in sulince, inthe presence of ‘he Queen Mother. They asked him to absiene. Each opted iferet lise Groza, with his tzu vulgar, made it sound like 2 good bargai, ‘whic he, a hooest broker, was promoting. De evoked with fanaticism the {tue of Romania ofthe people. He also confessed thatthe ng Was 25 ‘Unsetling lnluence” and that while be remained ie Romania “there would always be rouble’ He conjured up the evidence fom the Mani tal which ‘ould be used to make ice tat the king Was pling With the Americans ‘the Brtshs They presented Ben with Yeady-made abdication fora ‘eat which be was fo rgn on the spot. When be refuse, they gve him Balt Sn hour think it over Meanie be lar! tha he palace telephones Bad been cut and tht the palace iuelf was suxounded by comment woops ‘Whoo he returned to the audience room and again refused fo sigh, Grass ‘ned thatthe government would sk "There willbe Bloodshed, cil wat ‘etbps, but the rexpooniblity will be your He signed. On the sane day {he goverement announced the cesta of the Romanian People's Republic sd prepared the dal of « new constitution "Thus ended the rule of» Young man who had twice been king of| Romania ad et, apart from the few mous between August 23, 1944, ‘vn he ld Romain out of te war tad of Nei dominatoos and Match 6, 1945, when he sw i fll ener Soviet domination, he bad gover had the