Overall view of Room 10: The communist assault on Maramureş

The march of the peasants from Borșa, Ieud and other communes in Maramureș (15,000 participants) in January 1945 foiled the plans of giving up Maramureș to Soviet Ukraine, forcing the (Soviet) Allied Control Council to allow the return of Maramureș to Romania, together with the other parts of Transylvania.

Photo: A failed Sovietization. Detail from Room 10: The communist assault on Maramureş

Ilie Lazăr was the most important politician in Maramureș, a true tribune, compared by American journalist Reuben H. Markham to the fathers of the American revolution.

Photo: Ilie Lazăr, detention photo. Detail from Room 10 – The communist assault on Maramureş

“Through long experience and due to much ingenuity, [Ilie Lazăr] knew how to captivate a peasant crowd. He had been born in that vicinity in a village home, and that fact created a bond of fraternity and solidarity. In addition, he was handsome, vivacious, romantic-appearing. (…) he had a stock of wholesome jokes and knew many favourite songs. Likewise, he had a very simple way of seeming to carry on a conversation with the crowd so that his hearers felt they were sitting around a table with him (…) talking as equals with a famous hero”.

Reuben H. Markham, Rumania under the Soviet yoke, Boston, Meador Pub. Co., 1949, p. 553-554

Photo: Ilie Lazăr speaking at an electoral rally. Detail from Room 10: The communist assault on Maramureş

Through the destruction of the three traditional Romanian parties:
The National Peasants’ Party,
The National Liberal Party,
The Social-Democratic Party,
the Communists went from a multi-party democratic regime to the dictatorship of the single party, the state Party.

Overall view of Room 11: The destruction of political parties

The frame-up of Tămădău was staged in 1947: a group of leaders of the Peasants’ Party were arrested as they intended to leave the country, in order to continue their resistance in exile.

Photo: “The Tămădău frame-up”. Detail from Room 11: The destruction of political parties

The National Peasants’ Party was outlawed by the Communists, and the entire party leadership was framed in a high treason trial, where the most serious charges included that of having pursued relationships with the Anglo-Americans in the Allied Control Council.

Photo: Iuliu Maniu during the trial. Detail from Room 11: The destruction of political parties

The leaders of the National Peasants’ Party were seen by the Communists as their main enemies. The dissolution of the party did not only mean outlawing it, but even physically exterminating those considered to be “enemies of the people”, in fact, great personalities of inter-war Romania. Few survived the years spent in prison.

Ion Mihalache (1882-1963), President of the National Peasants’ Party, sentenced to life in a high security prison, for “the crime of high treason” . He died in the Râmnicu-Sărat Prison on 5 February 1963.

Ghiţă Pop (1883-1967), Secretary-General of the National Peasants’ Party, MP and minister, sentenced to 10 years in a high security prison. After detention, in 1957, he is assigned forced domicile in Bărăgan.

Mihai Popovici (1877-1969), minister, brought to Sighet in 1950, he is only released on 5 July 1955, without having ever stood trial.

Detail from Room 11: The destruction of political parties

Ion Hudiţă (1896-1982), historian, leader in the National Peasants’ Party, arrested in october 1947 and sentenced for “intensive activity against the working class”. Released in 1955 and once again arrested in february 1961, under the charge of “conspiracy against social order”.

Victor Rădulescu-Pogoneanu (1910-1962), diplomat, sentenced to 25 years in a maximum security prison, for “solicitation to the crime of treason by lack of faith”. He died in Văcăreşti penitentiary’s hospital, on 10 March 1962.

Corneliu Coposu (1914-1995), Deputy Secretary-General of the National Peasants’ Party, arrested on 14 July 1947. Only in 1955, after 7 years of detention, he was sentenced to 15 years of hard labour. In July 1962 he was sent with forced domicile to Bărăgan, until 1964.

Detail from Room 11: The destruction of political parties

The destruction of the National Liberal Party

After the outlawing of the National Liberal Party, Liberals also tacitly ended their activity. Although there never was any official document issued by the authorities, The National Liberal Party – Brătianu disappeared from the political scene. His newspaper, “Liberalul”, ran until November 1947.

Detail from Room 11: The destruction of political parties

“I am writing these lines thinking of my country and of the National Liberal Party, to which, both my family, and myself personally, are so connected; and also for the event that my old age and the forthcoming events would not allow me to personally give my friendly advice to those who will, in the future, be guiding the destinies of the National Liberal Party… After the act of 23 August, when I realised that the international situation would force us to go through a time that would not correspond to our will, we had to take a stance of firm resistance, but without making useless sacrifices. We decided that, while keeping our forces intact, we would be able to wait out for the decisive moment. I am convinced that, after all the hardships that our people is so unjustly suffering, after all the world of suffering our people is suffering today, with patience and good behaviour, there will come a time of freedom, for which we must fight.

My thoughts go gratefully now to all those who have suffered for their principles, for the cause of freedom and national dignity”.

Fragment from Constantin Dinu Brătianu’s political testament,
Bucharest, january 1949

Detail from Room 11: The destruction of political parties

The party leaders were arrested in turn. Between 1957-1960 there is a second large wave of arrests in the Liberals’ ranks. Following set-ups, former dignitaries, recently released from prison, as well as Liberal leaders of local organizations, were arrested.

Constantin (Bebe) Brătianu (1887-1956), Secretary-General of the National Liberal Party. Arrested on 5/6 Mai 1950, he was sent to Sighet. Released from the penitentiary hospital.

Aurelian Bentoiu (1892 – 1962), leader in the National Liberal Party, minister, incarcerated between 1948 and 1956, without receiving a sentence. He is once again arrested in February 1957, sentenced to 25 years in a maximum security prison for “plotting against the social order”. He died in the Jilava penitentiary, on 27 June 1962.

Detail from Room 11: The destruction of political parties

Dumitru Alimănişteanu (1898-1973), leader in the National Liberal Party, minister, arrested on 5/6 May 1950, he was sent to Sighet until 1955. Once again arrested (1959) for “organizing National Liberal Party aid”, he was convicted to 25 years in a maximum security prison.

Radu Portocală (1888-1952), leader in the National Liberal Party, arrested on the night of 5/6 May 1950, he was sent to Sighet, where he also died on 13 April 1952.

Mihail Romniceanu (1891-1960), leader in the National Liberal Party, minister, arrested on 29 April 1948, and subsequently sentenced to 12 years in a maximum security prison, for “the crime of high treason”. He died in the Râmnicu Sărat penitentiary, on 13 February 1960.

Detail from Room 11: The destruction of political parties

The destruction of the Social-Democratic Party

At the Social-Democratic Party Congress of March 1946, the pro-Communist wing, led by Lothar Rădăceanu and Ştefan Voitec, used all their means to impose their point of view. Titel Petrescu was accused of being Maniu’s and Brătianu’s agent. Following the negative vote, Titel Petrescu and his supporters withdrew from the congress, and a new party was set up, the Independent Social-Democratic Party.

Detail from Room 11: The destruction of political parties

In February 1948 the Romanian Workers’ Party is created, by the merger of the Romanian Communist Party (PCR) and the Social-Democratic Party.

Numerous Socialist leaders are arrested. The leaders, starting with Titel Petrescu, were sentenced to long years in jail under the charge of “high treason”. Iosif Jumanca died in 1949 in the Jilava Prison, George Grigorovici in 1950 at Văcăreşti, and Ion Flueraş in 1953 at Gherla. Immediately after his release from prison, Constantin Titel Petrescu died of the serious illnesses he got there.

Detail from Room 11: The destruction of political parties

Overall view of Room 8: The elections of 1946

The elections of November 1946 took place under maximum tension. Both Communists, who dominated the Block of Democratic Parties, and the National Liberal Party and the National Peasants’ Party, who led the opposition, saw these elections as the decisive battle in the fight for or against Communism.

Photo: Campaign adverts used by the Communists in the November 1946 electoral campaign. Detail from Room 8: The elections of 1946

An aggressive administrative system, supported by the Red Army, was mobilized to promote the Block’s candidates and, especially, to prevent the opposition from organizing an efficient campaign.

Photo: Campaign adverts used by the Communists in the November 1946 electoral campaign. Detail from Room 8: The elections of 1946

The double-bottom ballot box used to defraud the elections (reconstruction)

The lateral wall (missing here) would be taken out at the end of the vote. False ballots were placed at the bottom of the box, the real ones remained in the upper part and were not counted. Nevertheless, the double-bottom ballot box was only one of the methods used to defraud the elections, and not the most important one.

Detail from Room 8: The elections of 1946

The official election results showed an overwhelming victory of the Block, which claimed to have won 70 per cent of the votes and 347 places in the new Assembly, as compared to  33 of the Liberal and Peasants’ Parties and the 34 of the other parties which were not part of the Block.

Detail from Room 8: The elections of 1946

Oral records and archive documents show, however, that the actual result had been the exact opposite: 70% in favour of the opposition.

Detail from Room 8: The elections of 1946

Overall view of Room 20: Communism versus monarchy

The final years of the reign of King Michael I were marked by the de facto occupation of the country by the Soviet Army.

Photo: King Michael and Queen Mother Elena alongside the representatives of the Allied Control Council. Detail from Room 20: Communism versus monarchy

The Communists managed to remove him on 30 December 1947, even if the King had been one of the architects of the end of the war, receiving decorations both from the Russians, and from the Americans.

Detail from Room 20: Communism versus monarchy

Image of the triumphant return of 26 April 1992, when a million Romanians waited for King Michael in Bucharest

Detail from Room 20: Communism versus monarchy

All the state institutions were recreated according to the USSR template: justice, security, army, education, academy, the religious affairs.

Overall view of Room 19: Year 1948 – The Sovietization of Romania

On 11 June, the nationalization of the main means of production was decreed (nearly 2,000 units, from iron and steel factories to thimble-making and shoe polish manufacturing workshops).

Detail from Room 19: Year 1948 – The Sovietization of Romania

The year 1948 witnessed the creation of “the single party of the working class”, through the absorption of the “Mensheviks” (Social-Democrats) by the “Bolsheviks” (Communists).

Detail from Room 19: Year 1948 – The Sovietization of Romania

The Army, Police, Gendarmerie, and Justice, had been deemed apolitical institutions until the start of World War II. Employees were not allowed to enter politics, to be elected or even vote.

Detail from Room 21: The communization of the Army, Police, Justice

Detail from Room 21: The communization of the Army, Police, Justice

Feeling the threat, many officers of the Romanian Army took refuge in the mountains, leading partisan groups. They led or trained military and civilian groups, which withstood for years the Securitate troops’ assault, preserving until the end their independence and military honour.

In this image, Major Nicolae Dabija, initiator of an anti-Communist resistance group in the Apuseni Mountains. He was sentenced to death and executed, together with other six members of his resistance group, on 28 October 1949, in Sibiu. His death was officially recorded and transmitted to his family only 14 years later.

Detail from Room 21: The communization of the Army, Police, Justice

“After we found out he had died – in fact he did not die, he was exterminated, and in a very brutal manner – we received this package with the things he had had when he went to prison. It was a bundle the size of a large pillow, made of grey army blanket, and tied with very think string, and at the end where the knot was, there were two lead seals. You could see through it, you could see a sole and something that looked like a pan or a pot… There was this fur coat that he was wearing when he was arrested, and which he seemed to have worn for quite a few years… And besides that, there were these unimaginable things… Those soles I could see through the outside of the package belonged to torn and tattered boots, held together with strings or wire… shirts or socks that were patched with fragments of other clothing, in turn patched with other patches, with string, with… unbelievable…”

Fragment of the interview with Răsvan Cernat, grandson of gen. Cernat, made in 2008 by Romulus Rusan and Virginia Ion, the Archive of Oral History of the Sighet Memorial, interview no. 2600

Photo: Clothing of Royal Commissioner Constantin Cernat. Detail of Room 21: The communization of the Army, Police, Justice

The same operation of infiltrating Soviet agents and, at the same time, of purging and arresting the existing professional body, led to the gradual and complete communization of the police, gendarmerie, secrete services and magistrature.

Detail from Room 21: The communization of the Army, Police, Justice

Between 1949 and 1960, over half a million young people of “unhealthy social origins” did their military service (2-3 years) within labour task forces, as they were not allowed to handle guns.

Similar harsh working conditions were imposed on conscript soldiers, during the 70s and 80s: to build the Danube–Black Sea Canal, the Transfăgărăşan (a strategic road between Muntenia and Transylvania), the House of the People in Bucharest, but also at harvesting agricultural products, remedying the effects of disasters (earthquake, floods).

Detail from Room 21: The communization of the Army, Police, Justice