At the end of my life, I appeal to the young to carefully scrutinize political causes and their “great”philosophers. Question and verify! bittersweet memories

by beno levi table of contents

part i I. INTRODUCTION ...... 0 II. FALTICENI: I’M AN ORPHAN ....00 III BUCHAREST: I AM AN ORPHAN . . 00 IV. BUCHAREST: I HAVE GROWN UP . 00 V. THE ARREST ...... 00 VI. LIFE AT JILAVA ...... 00 Copyright and printing information here. VII. THE EXECUTIONS ...... 00 To come. VIII. COLONEL OPRIS ...... 00 IX. THE REBELLION ...... 00 X. THE TRIAL ...... 00 XI. VACARESTI PRISON ...... 00 XII. SAMI SHARAGA’S STORY .....00 XIII. FREEDOM ...... 00

part ii XIV ARLUS ...... 00 XV POLITICS OF A NEW WORLD ...00 XVI. A JEW WITH RELATIVES ABROAD; BURN HIM! ...... 00 XVII. THE PROLETARIAN MINDSET . . . 00 XVIII. THE BRAINWASHED GENERATION ...... 000

XIX. ARLUS AS THE THERMOMETER OF ROMANIAN SOVIET RELATIONS . . 000 XX. ISRAEL: FREE AT LAST ...... 000 EPILOGUE ...... 000 part i i. introduction

dear reader, I wish you the best, and God bless. Thank you for being patient enough to read my Bittersweet Memories. I was born in Falticeni, a provincial town in northern Romania. A well- known Romanian writer, Sadoveanu used to say that Falticeni is the place where “nothing ever happens.” The majority of the population was Jewish, and many Romanians, in the course of doing business there, learned to speak Yiddish. Between 1930 and 1937, the period when my story begins, the most rivet- ing event that occurred in Falticeni was the death of a circus elephant. So 9 Bittersweet Memories INTRODUCTION as you can see, Falticeni was a “very I wouldn’t go either, and Leibutz did- important place.” It was here that I n’t like to go to school, to put it mildly. graduated elementary school and Just outside town there was a large gymnasium (Romania’s equivalent to field where the shepherds used to high school). To tell you the truth, I bring their sheep to graze. We would wasn’t such a brilliant student. That’s often go there and play with the why nobody built me a statue. Sufficed lambs. That is, until the day my father to say, I was a little boy in a very small happened upon us. He seized us both town, a klein steitl yingola. by the collar and carried us back to school. En route, my father gave me a beating that I will never forget. He later spoke with Nisan about the incident, telling him that a child’s future hinged upon his education. Nisan took what my father had told him to heart. He forbade Leibutz from going to the field, and escorted him every day to class. And so I finish this chapter from my childhood. Falticeni had two Zionist organiza- tions for young people. One was Let’s start from the time I was Hashomer Hatzair (the Young Guard) about seven. Back then I had a friend and the other Bethar; the latter of named Leibutz, the son of Nisan the which I was a member of. I had some butcher. If Leibutz didn’t go to school, “special reasons” to be in this organi- zation: we practiced military exercises, 10 11 Bittersweet Memories INTRODUCTION and, more importantly, the girls were region). Ioina discussed the parents’ very pretty. Every few days we concern with the police chief, whom marched down Falticeni’s main street he addressed as the commissar. He chanting “Down with the red rag” (the responded: “Mr. Ioina, I’m more famil- color of Hashomer Hatzair’s flag). iar with this problem than you are. We Hashomer Hatzair would retaliate by have God to thank that in our city, shouting “Down with the Fascists,” a everything boils down to the kids reference to our military exercises. beating up kids. In other cities, young This reasonably good-natured people are killing each other. I’m too rivalry went on for years until about small for such a big war.” 1934, when many Fascist parties, In the synagogue the rabbi merely inspired by Hitler’s rise to power, said: “In these times there are demon- started to appear. It was around this ic forces acting against Jews. We have time that incidences of Romanian to pray God to give us the power to youths beating up Jewish children resist. It could be worse.” We, the began to happen with ever increasing young people, didn’t agree with this frequency. Within a relatively short futile “solution.” span, these anti-Semitic attacks When summer vacation came, all became an every day occurrence. the Jewish kids got together and Our parents decided to discuss this formed a special organization named problem with the town pub’s owner, “The Black Team.” We knew that the Mr. Ioina Faerstein. Among his cus- only viable answer to our problems tomers were several important people, was to learn how to fight. We read a lot including the police chief, who of novels that summer. “The indulged in a free daily shot of tzuica (a Catacombs of Paris” was far and away type of plumb brandy unique to the our favorite. From it we learned how to 12 13 Bittersweet Memories INTRODUCTION deliver dangerous blows to an oppo- glasses of wine. When our guest want- nent. When school started up again in ed to drink more than four glasses, my the fall, the Romanian boys tried to father told him to be patient until we attack us as before. We answered with: finished the ceremony, and then he “The Black Team is coming!”and beat could drink as much as he wanted. Mr. our would-be assailants to a pulp. Our Popovici respected our ritual, and only parents were pleased to find out we afterwards, when the time came, he could protect ourselves, but also drank hard. There were many other advised us to be quiet about the whole people who thought that politics was- thing, and to only act in defense. The n’t their “first priority.” They had to parents of our enemies noticed the take care of more important matters, change in us as well, and told their like their businesses. children not to fight with Jews any- Let’s talk now about the traditions more. After all, since the majority of of this small patriarchal community. If the town was Jewish, they needed to you wanted to know what time it was, be on good terms with our parents in you didn’t have to wait for the cathe- order to conduct business with them. dral’s clock to mark the hour. It was For instance, Mr. Popovici, our easier to ask Iona if the commissar was landlord, headed a pro-fascist organi- drinking his tzuica. If the barman said zation called the Cuzist Party. Every yes that meant it was eight o’clock in year at Passover he would give me a the morning. If the colonel was pass- new pair of hand-made shoes (he was ing the main street on his way to the a shoemaker). My father would invite regiment on horse back you knew it him over to celebrate the holiday with was nine. In fact, he was only a major, us. He told Mr. Popovici that we but the inhabitants of Falticeni, being observed Passover by drinking four very proud people, called him colonel. 14 15 Bittersweet Memories INTRODUCTION They used to say our town is big was good friends with Mrs. Faerstain, enough to warrant at least having a the pub owner’s wife. My mom’s name colonel in it. And thus the hours were was Bassea but Mrs. Faerstain called marked by the passers-by as they her Betty. Every day at four, the ladies made their way to and from their jobs met either at our house or Mrs. or the pub. Faerstain’s to drink their daily coffee. We also had traditions at home. My My mother used to say to her friend: brother Milutz, my sister Miriam “Wait till I grind the beans, and I’ll (Mitza), my parents, and I all lived make you a very fresh cup.” During together in the same house. Three this time they would gossip about the other sisters, Rutza, Tina, Sofica, were town people. living in Bucharest, along with my Mrs. Faerstain would say:”The den- brother, Abraham. Abraham was a tist’s wife left for Pascani (a small town student at an industrial school, which I 15 miles away) to see her parents.”My too would attend a few years later mom then would answer: “Now the after my parents passed away. dentist will have more time for his I was the youngest in our family mistress, Mrs. Herscovici.” and spent my days cleaning and keep- Other “problems” they would dis- ing house with my mother. I was about cuss were how different neighbors 10 at the time, and my main duty was handled their business. My mother to place my father’s cup of wine on the would say: “You know that Yoor the dinner table at five o’clock sharp. “Christian”had a lot of customers this Since four in the afternoon I would week. I asked him to sew a pair of start to inquire about the time to pants for my son, and he refused on ensure I would be punctual. account of all the coat orders he got My mother had her habits too. She from Risca, Radaseni, Malini, and 16 17 Bittersweet Memories INTRODUCTION other villages.” Because he worked for brothers, Milutz and Abraham, to peasants, he was nicknamed Yoor the calm me down before I agreed to come Christian. My mother asked Mrs. out. Faerstain: ” What do you think of I loved my brothers very much, and him?”to which she answered: “Mr Yoor it was a real holiday for me when they will buy another house.” came home. I even remembered Another time they “discussed” a Abraham’s preferred dishes. My mom newcomer in Falticeni. Mrs. Faerstain used to say to me: “Go to Nisan the asked my mom: “What do you think of butcher, tell him Abraham is here, and doctor Opincaru?” My mother, who that I want to prepare him something had spoken with the doctor a few good to eat. Nisan never asked me times answered: “To tell you the truth I what my mother wanted. He took a have no opinion about him. Ar smekt- sheet of newspaper, put some meat on nisht, ar stinktnisht (He doesn’t smell it, and explained: “This is for roast he doesn’t stink), ni mah, ni bah, ni beef, and this is for stew. Your mother cockledo do”(an onomatopoeias used to knows very well how to cook them.” reinforce the lack of an impression). He added an extra piece of meat, say- One day my sisters wanted to ing: “Take this also; I am coming amuse themselves. They told me they tonight to see Avroom.” would sell me to the Gypsies. There My mother loved Abraham very was a Gypsy camp just outside town. much. She called him Avreimola. Knowing how much they had scared Abraham loved my mom as well. me, they later broke down and told me Every time he came home, he brought they were only joking. I didn’t believe her a present. He was still a student. them, however, and hid under the bed. My mother showed me what she got: a It took the reassurance of both my small bottle of perfume, and a hand- 18 19 Bittersweet Memories INTRODUCTION kerchief. She told me: “I keep the per- me supplementary knowledge of fume as a souvenir, and I will wear the French, physics, and math. He always handkerchief whenever I go to the told me it was very important to have synagogue, for Roshashana. nice, clear handwriting. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to spend as much time with Milutz. He had a job which required him to travel a lot. I didn’t know very much about his activities back then, and I still don’t know today. Around 1938 or 39, we found out that Milutz died in a train accident. This was the official version.The unof- ficial version was that his business partner threw him out of the train. That was a big tragedy in our family. My father was my best friend. He always treated me like an adult, telling me how guilty he felt because of his The thought of losing my father age. He was 60 when I came into this depressed me very much. Every night world. He would often say: I’d carefully sneak into my parent’s “I will not be around when you’ll bedroom to hear them breathe. I knew need me the most. I am trying to teach they were still alive. I’ll never forget you things you can use later in life.”He the discussions we had during our taught Romanian literature at the long walks around “Bancutza.” My town’s gymnasium. He tried to give father talked about what we refer to 20 21 Bittersweet Memories INTRODUCTION today as parapsychology. Back then it was called “spiritism.”He believed the soul was a special form of energy which is immortal. During special “séances,” he claimed to have successfully gotten in touch with many souls. A good medi- um, such as he, was a person with spe- cial qualities, able to emit strong waves of energy thus contacting the souls of selected dead people. In the house of old doctor Weiselberg, he held weekly séances on Thursdays with other believers in “spiritism.” fur coats. He was a decent man and My father, sadly, commented that always good to me. The mystery was he was never able to meet the soul why he was nicknamed “Baruch the of his first wife, Sofica’s, Tina’s monk.” My father explained: Baruch and Abraham’s mother. He loved her had two children, a daughter Sura, very much. But he never forgot to who was 18 years old, and a son, specify that he also loved Bassea, his Iosala. When the boy was 21, he fell in second wife, very much. She was love with a nun from a nearby con- Ruta’s, Mitza’s, Milutz’s mother, as vent. Iosala went to the monastery and well as mine. asked to be accepted as a novice so There was a mysterious situation that he could see his beloved nun within our family. My father’s cousin, more easily. For the family this was a Baruch, was a furrier. He made lots of big misfortune, Iosala was considered 22 23 Bittersweet Memories INTRODUCTION dead, and they observed shiva (The This period of my childhood was a Jewish religion requires family mem- happy one. Of course there would be bers to sit on the ground for 7 days to many other happy times: when I got honor the deceased). married, when I had children of my The story did not end there. The own, and when my grandchildren Abbot of the monastery decided to were born years later. But now let’s go talk with Rabbi Rosen of Falticeni. back to my childhood. Incidentally, the son of this Rabbi I loved it when my sisters and would later become the leader of the Abraham came home for vacation. Romanian Jewish community between Sometimes I got nice presents. I 1949 and 1983. remember other family visits. Once Rabbi Rosen and Iosala’s father my father took Tina to Malini, where held a special meeting in the syna- her fiancée, Izu Zandbang, would stay gogue, and told the congregation: and wait for her. Malini was a big “Iosala doesn’t have to be considered village near Falticeni, and Izu’s par- dead. For the time being he is a novice. ents had a small store there. After a year or two, he will have to decide if he really wanted to be a monk. Should this happen, he would serve God in another way.”After six or eight months Iosala and the girl left the monastery and married. At first Baruch was upset that his son married a goike (a non Jew) but later loved her very much; she was a good girl. And thus the mystery was solved. 24 25 Bittersweet Memories INTRODUCTION

In the summer, when my family got together in Falticeni, my mom and I were the busiest people in the house: cooking, cleaning, and doing the laun- dry. When my mom had to set the table for the extended family, she would send me to her friend, Mrs. Faerstain, to borrow plates, knives, forks and spoons. In our house, great respect was paid to religious tradition. We were people who believed in God, to say the photo caption here? least. My mother was very religious. The inhabitants of Falticeni used to say that my father was a modern Jew, 26 27 Bittersweet Memories INTRODUCTION because he went to the synagogue in a pot with water, oil, lemon, sugar, only Friday evenings and holidays. I and let it bake for several hours.To fig- always accompanied him. On Fridays, ure out when it was done we would my mother and I used to wake up very stick a toothpick in it, and if it came early and switch on the oven to bake out clean, we would turn off the oven challa bread (coilici). Our house, and and let the dish cool off. especially the big kitchen, looked very I forgot to talk about our neighbor, festive. I cleaned up the floor and can- Mr. Godel, the grocer. His store was dles every Friday night after we cele- very well stocked, and he used to say brated the cabalat shabat. When my that his shop was the best in town. As parents had some extra money, my a matter of fact, it was the only one. mom would cook gefilte fish (stuffed Mr. Godel used to go every Friday, fish) for Friday night’s dinner. She early in the morning, to the Siret River would buy a four pound pike, clean it for fishing. My mother didn’t allow me well, then lightly pound it with a to join him because she was afraid I wooden knife, and gently pull the skin might drown. Sometimes I’d go with off it. The skin would be washed with him anyway, and helped him stretch cold water and filled with a mixture the fish net. At three a.m., Mr. Godel prepared from ground fish, onion, and I would finish fishing. All the fish eggs, matzot meal, and lots of dill. In would be put in a big barrel of water. order to fill the skin one had to first The fish was sold alive to the great sat- stitch the end part closed. With a isfaction of the town housewives. wooden spoon we would then stuff it Our family wasn’t rich by any until it almost regained its original measure. My father’s salary was not form. Then, my mother would place it nearly enough to feed a family with

28 29 Bittersweet Memories INTRODUCTION so many children. In the afternoons band finished its concert, the lights he used to tutor students. From would be turned off, and we, “the Ruven the cheese maker, he got paid boys,” started to play. Our preferred cheese instead of money. He also had sport was to scare the teenage lovers a part time job at a small timber facto- who were making out in the bushes. ry, and from there he got firewood. Once we had a very funny idea. We With these efforts we managed to get had stolen a skull from the natural sci- by. During the summer, life was a little ence lab. We hung it with some string, more difficult since there were no stu- and put a small candlelight inside. We dents to tutor. climbed a big tree in the park over a One important person in the town bench. A little bit later a boy and girl was the “water man.” At that time sat down and started passionately Falticeni did not have indoor plumb- kissing. We slowly lowered the head ing. The “water man” brought water a toward them. In the beginning they few times a day. He took the water noticed nothing; they were too busy from the nearby river and brought it to with the “other things.” When they Falticeni.You could hear him shouting: finally saw the skull, they screamed “Women, wives; the water is here,”and and ran off.The girl was the governor’s housewives came with myriad con- daughter; a local big shot. Scared, we tainers to buy it. quickly ran to the lab to return the In our town was a very nice public skull. garden, not especially large or beauti- The next day, the commissar came ful, but with lots of old, tall trees. The to Ioina the pub owner and drank a lot military brass band gave concerts of tzuica, of course without paying. He there every Saturday night. When the was very nervous, and told Ioina that

30 31 Bittersweet Memories INTRODUCTION the governor had called him during my father passed away. One night, the night, and ordered him to find the when I checked my parents’ bedroom, culprits. I saw my father breathing very heavi- The commissar wanted to talk with ly. Immediately I ran to call doctor the governor’s daughter, but her Opincaru. Five minutes after he father wouldn’t allow it, saying she arrived my father was dead. The doc- was terribly stressed.There was a little tor declared an aneurism as the cause investigation but nothing was ever of death. discovered. Only one man, the teacher My mother, who was obviously of natural science, suspected, that the traumatized, was taken to Mrs. students from the school were the per- Faerstain, who took care of her. I was petrators since he found bits of candle left alone with my father. I looked at wax inside the skull. Over a glass of him and wept. About ten o’clock that wine the teacher told his friends what evening the commissar came and said: he discovered, and it was a big amuse- “Ioina told me that Mr. Levi passed ment. This occurrence was a sensa- away.Your family in Bucharest must be tional event in our town, second only informed. Come with me to the post to the elephant’s death. Ioina used to office.”He brought a policeman to stay say after this incident that he thanked in our house until I returned. God the governor had only one Almost everyone in town came to daughter. One more such episode the funeral. I realized how loved and might bankrupt him, because the esteemed my father was. The night commissar drank a lot of tzuica when before he passed away, two former he was nervous, and never paid. students visited him. They had Everything was ok until 1937, when become successful businessmen in the

32 33 Bittersweet Memories United States. My father was deeply ii. moved that his former students remembered him. Dr. Opincaru said, falticeni: the strong emotion could have caused his death. Both my childhood and this i’m an orphan chapter end with the death of my father.

with my father’s passing I was set adrift. I didn’t know what to do, nor did I have any idea what my future would now hold. My mom got sicker and sicker. At Rutza’s behest, she decided to leave for Bucharest to con- sult a specialist. She started to sell off our belongings in order to pay for the trip. Rutza came to take my mother, but decided I should stay in Falticeni until I finished school. For three weeks I stayed with my mom’s uncle, “Uncle Itzic” (Uncle Isaac) who had owned a glassware store, until he went bank- rupt. He was a religious man, and I was well treated there. He told me,“In our house there is one rule. In the morning you must pray, only then will 34 35 Bittersweet Memories FALTICENI: I’M AN ORPHAN your aunt give you breakfast.” I told careful not to ever tarnish it.” Now, him I must go to the synagogue to say when I take inventory of my life, I Kaddish for my father. (Kaddish is the think I never dishonored it. prayer to honor the memory of the After the celebration, Mr. Kerner, deceased.) Uncle Isaac asked me if I the rabbi’s assistant, brought the had my Barmitzva yet. I explained that honey cake, and Mr. Faerstein, the it was postponed because of my tzuica. This way we celebrated an father’s death. He let me go to the syn- important event in my life. Shortly agogue, and said he would talk to the after this event, we all moved to rabbi about arranging the ceremony. Bucharest living in Rutza’s place. The next time I went to the syna- gogue, I found a lot of people. They all knew that the son of teacher Levi would become Barmitzva. The rabbi celebrated the morning service, and then called on me to read the Thora (Bible). He was pleased with the way I read it. After that I said Kaddish for my father. When the celebration was finished, the rabbi explained to the audience the meaning of Barmitzva. Then he addressed me: “Benjamin Ben Moshe. You are not a child any more. Take care of your mother. Never for- get, that you wear the name of your family. Levi is a great Jewish name. Be 36 37 BUCHAREST: I’M AN ORPHAN iii became my second mother. She took very good care of me. When she bucharest: brought me to school, she placed my belongings in a cabinet, and told me: i’m an orphan ”On Saturdays and Sundays, come and stay with us.” i was very depressed and confused. I had no idea what to do with myself. My mother, Rutza, and her husband Joseph, tried to encourage and com- fort me. Finally they found a solution. I was to be registered in the same industrial school which my brother Abraham attended.The director of the school was an engineer named Ringelstein, who was one of my father’s former students. He exempted me from tuition. Because I had already graduated the gymnasium in Falticeni, I attended I was shy back then, and I didn’t the school for only three years instead talk to anyone. My dorm mates didn’t of four. My life as a student in bother with me. But on the first and Bucharest marked the beginning of a second night, I was “the center of whole new chapter in my life. Rutza attention.” Exhausted from an emo- 38 39 Bittersweet Memories BUCHAREST: I’M AN ORPHAN tional day, I went to bed early. As soon friends. One was a boy named Iuzia, as I fell asleep, two of my roommates who was from Basarabia. He was very rolled up my mattress, and took it to smart and capable, and we became the shower room. (I was fast asleep good friends. In 1940, when Russians inside.) The next morning, children entered Basarabia, he went home to taking their showers made fun of me, his family. I wasn’t to see him again laughing and dousing me with water. until 1946, when the Russian army The dorm supervisor couldn’t identify occupied Romania. Another friend of the culprits. mine, Shary, is now in the United I was sure that they would plan a States. I met him once years later in repeat performance the following the States. night. Little did they know that I was a former member of the “Black Team”; fully armed with the knowledge of all the novels I had read. I was prepared this time. I hid under the bed,“armed” with a piece of wood. I arranged the bed as if somebody was sleeping in it. About nine o’clock that night, two boys approached. I got out and started beating them with the plank. Then I pushed them to the showers and hosed them down. Now the boys were The industrial gymnasium, called terrified of me, and I was never the “Hammer,” was an ORT touched after that. (Organization for Trades and In time I managed to make some Agriculture Education) sponsored 40 41 Bittersweet Memories BUCHAREST: I’M AN ORPHAN school. It was also a center for the growing number of Nazis were pop- communist movement. Some of my ping up everywhere. I was amazed schoolmates passed out clandestine that our manifestoes didn’t scare them brochures.To tell you the truth I didn’t away. But it seems the Germans understand a most of them. weren’t afraid of our slogans, and they One of the more interesting pieces continued to come until the entire was the “Communist Manifesto,” by country was occupied. Marx and Engels. I asked the boy who Some of the young guys and many gave it to me, if Marx was still alive, pretty girls were Zionists.Two of them, and was it possible for me to talk to Betty and Malca, were my good him. He laughed, and told me that friends. Sometimes we went together Marx had lived 100 years ago. to hand out manifestoes. They would Years later, I read many Marxist- later (1942) die on the way to Palestine, Leninist classics, and believed their on a boat called the Struma. That ship teachings to be almost holy.This belief was sunk by a German torpedo. About would gradually crumble as I came to 700 people perished. I loved those girls understand that many of those very much, and because of this crimi- “Marxist-communist principles” had nal act, I was never to see them again. no scientific value whatsoever. They In 1938, my mother died, as did were rejected by both practice and his- Milutz (as I mentioned earlier). tory. Whenever I say Kaddish for my mom, My illegal activities consisted of I also say it for my father and Milutz. I passing out manifestoes with slogans often asked myself why those I loved like “Down with the Fascist Germans.” kept disappearing. By that time my During these times the Nazi propa- father, my mother and Milutz were all ganda was infecting Romania, and a gone. I never got an answer. 42 43 Bittersweet Memories No one ever asked me whether I iv. was happy or sad. Life simply went on, bad and rough as it was. After all, it bucharest: was the eve of a world war. i have grown up

in 1939, I finished school and began job hunting. During the summer, one dorm was left open for graduates who had no place to go. As an orphan I had the right to stay there. The school administration took work orders, and we worked in the shops, in order to make ends meet. In those days food was cheap. I still remember the fresh salami, crusty, dark bread, and a special yogurt made from sheep’s milk. With the little money we earned we could afford to eat in a few inexpensive restaurants, where the wine and bread were free. In July or August, Mr. Ringelstein found a position for me at a nearby factory, taking care of time cards. The 44 45 Bittersweet Memories BUCHAREST: I HAVE GROWN UP American director was a friend of Paul Niculescu-Mizil, a future com- Ringelstein’s, and his reference munist leader. By the way, while in helped me get the job. The factory was power, comrade Paul Niculescu-Mizil a branch of the famous Ford Motor would declare that his father was a Company, which assembled cars and member of the illegal Communist trucks. It was a good job, and well pay- Party, in order to secure a very good ing. I remember how proud I was pension for him. when I brought my first paycheck But let’s return to our story. home. I gave it all to my sister, Rutza. Joseph guessed that I was involved Joseph, my brother in law, took me to with the communist movement since I the department store on Queen was often coming late home. He told Elizabeth Boulevard, and bought a lot me: “I know you are not coming from of clothes for me. I never looked more a date. You were spreading mani- dapper than I did back then. festoes for the Communist Party. I am Joseph worked as an accountant for talking to you like a brother. In fact one of the Aushnit’s enterprises. you are our little brother. What you do Aushnit was a great capitalist, and the is very dangerous. You can lose your owner of half of Romania’s metal life, and endanger the entire family.” industry. Joseph was involved in poli- A few weeks later, Joseph men- tics as well. He was in the leadership tioned that the Social Democrat Party of the Social Democrat Party, an offi- had a secret meeting with representa- cially tolerated organization. The tives of many progressive parties, Social Democrats used to hold their including the Communist Party, in meetings in a pub well stocked with order to establish an “Anti-Fascist food and wine. It so happened that the Front.” All future activities were to be owner of this pub was the father of dispatched from this common anti- 46 47 Bittersweet Memories BUCHAREST: I HAVE GROWN UP fascist front henceforth. As a result, were winding down. King Carol II was the spreading of manifestoes was for- forced to abdicate. The National bidden “to avoid risking people’s Legionary State is proclaimed, led by a lives.” coalition government between the That was fine in theory, but what of Iron Guard, a nationalistic, fiercely my obligation to save the country from anti-Semitic party, and General Mihail the Nazis? A few days later, I had a Antonescu. meeting with my party contact, who After seizing the power, the was sad and deeply lost in thought. He Legionary government issued racial told me that from now on we would laws, and introduced forced labor. only meet once in a while. I wondered Jewish actors, singers and musicians about the reasons for this change. His were fired from the Opera, theaters, answer was short and brusque: “Our and Philharmonic Orchestra. Many discipline requires an acceptance of were, subsequently hired at the this situation without comment.” Yiddish theater, Barasheum. Jewish From that day forward, I almost workers were fired from factories. never saw him, and in 1947 I met him They were exemplary workers, and at Gradina cu Cai (The Horses Garden), the production started to decline once the place where people applied for they left. Other racial regulations were emigration. established like the law of Now back to our story. It was 1940, “Romanization.” Legionary Commis- and ugly events were taking place. I do sars were placed in every Jewish store, not intend to outline the entire history company, and factory to enforce the of this period to you, but rather men- law. tion a few key moments. Ten years of All Jewish students were expelled unparalleled prosperity for Romania from Universities. In high schools, 48 49 Bittersweet Memories BUCHAREST: I HAVE GROWN UP board the ship with hopes of finding a safer place to live. But no country would grant them visas, and after a long time at sea, all three ships were lost. A small number of those people (thirty to fifty) were saved by a group of Turkish fishermen who were kind enough to lead them to Palestine, hid- ing them from both German and English troops. Some of these facts are first hand accounts published by the Israeli press. Jewish kids were so persecuted that As I mentioned earlier, the most of them had to transfer to the Legionaries introduced a policy of only Jewish high in Romania, Cultura. forced labor. I got an order to present The Legionaries launched a slogan: myself to one of these forced labor “Dirty Jews to Palestine.” Rumor had posts. This presented a very serious it, and I still do not know today how dilemma for me. Working there meant much of this is true, that in order to that I couldn’t go to my regular job. escape, some Romanian Jews pur- That meant no income. chased, at an exorbitant price, three One of the American directors old ships. The funds came from rich came to the rescue and switched me to American Jews who wanted to help the night shift. During the day I did their brothers in Romania. Young and forced labor: railroad work in the sum- old, single people and whole families mer, and street cleaning in the winter. lined up for days in a row, waiting to At night I went to my job in the facto- 50 51 Bittersweet Memories ry. Luckily, the work load was light at v. night, so I could sleep a few hours.The foreman let me sleep. He knew I had the arrest to go in the morning to forced labor. Most people from the factory, espe- cially the older ones, were very sym- pathetic to my circumstance. They always brought me bread and whatev- er food they could afford. the morning of November the 13th Once, I was sent to clean snow from 1940, my boss came and nervously told the streets alongside very “distin- me: “Freshen up, take off the uniform, guished” company. With me were and go to the office where two com- Jewish singers who had been fired missars are waiting for you. Be very from the Opera. They sang arias from careful about what the hell you are operas from dawn to dusk. Their ren- doing.” dering of Aida was truly magnificent. These commissars told me that I People came out from their houses to was accused of having connections listen. Afterwards they brought us tea with the Communist movement, and I and rolls. had to accompany them to the police department. On our way we stopped at Ruta, where I lived, in order to search the house. They found some books by Victor Hugo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) and Balzac. The com- missar asked me if I had read these books, and I admitted to him that I 52 53 Bittersweet Memories THE ARREST had. The policeman could not restrain set free the following day. Back then, I himself. “You read these books, but had no idea what he was talking you still joined up with the commu- about. Later, I would learn that he was nists?!” After completing the search a specialized type of thief who stole we headed to the police department. bedclothes from windows, where Upon our arrival, two agents “wel- housekeepers would hang them to air. comed” me. Instead of asking me The following days were the most questions, they began to beat me until damned days of my life. Different peo- I lost consciousness. When I finally ple interrogated me, all of them want- came to, I found myself locked up in ing the right answer to this question: an underground cell with a man What was I doing the morning of whose identity I will never know. He November the 8th at the Obor market? sprinkled some water on me, and gave When I would tell them that I had me a piece of bread. He told me: “You never been to that market, they would can sleep peacefully. Nobody will beat me to a pulp. Apparently, I wasn’t bother us until tomorrow. They’ve telling them what they wanted to hear. already done the ‘shut-up’.” I didn’t After a week or so, a new commis- understand. I said to him: “We are sar, who was a little smarter than the already imprisoned, what more do others, came in to interrogate me. He they need to do to shut us up?” He started off like everyone else, asking laughed, and explained that this was me about the morning of the 8th. I told prison lingo which meant the guards him exactly what I had told all my had conducted the evening head interrogators: I’ve never been to Obor count and locked our cells for the market, and I didn’t understand why it night. He told me that he was a “good would be so important even if I had. morning shutz,” and that he would be He asked what my activities as a 54 55 Bittersweet Memories Communist sympathizer had been. I vi. told him that I had nothing to do with the Communists, and that I only life at jilava spread manifestoes against the ger- man occupants. Other beatings followed, but these were the last of them, and less severe. They put me, along with four others, in a van bound for Jilava prison.This was jilava prison was partially subter- the place where we would stay to ranean. A series of forts had been built await our trials. around the capital during World War I. One of those forts, Jilava, was later transformed into a prison. It was just outside Bucharest. When we entered our prison cell, an old inmate welcomed us. Nea Stanciu (Uncle Stanciu), as he was called, told us: “Take off all your clothes, and put them in this paper bag. Everything has to go to the stove. We must take sanitary measures, oth- erwise we will be damned, and I don’t want the lice to eat us.”We washed our bodies over the same trough that we were to use to relieve ourselves, and put on some prison clothes. He gave 56 57 Bittersweet Memories LIFE AT JILAVA us some food, and, after eating, we until all the demonstrators showed. told him about the things we had been While they were busy arresting the through. I could hardly move; the bru- ringleaders, everyone else ran away. talities I had endured during the pre- Only five or six people were detained. ceding weeks left me a wreck. He The Ministry of Domestic Affairs, and assured me that I would be escorted to other important personalities from the the infirmary the next day. I asked him Iron Guard, criticized the police for what happened at the Obor market, their blundering. As a result, anyone and why did the officers keep asking who had had the slightest contact with me about it. Nea Stanciu and the other the Communist movement were later inmates in the room, wanted to know picked up and arrested under the pre- what had I admitted to the Police. Of text of belonging to the Obor insurrec- course, I admitted nothing, since I had tion.This way they could come up with never been to Obor market. a larger number of arrests. Nineteen Nea Stanciu explained the follow- people were taken in, myself included. ing: in September 1940, when the Iron Nea Stanciu explained that the brutal Guard obtained political power, the treatment I received was for not Communist Party decided to organize admitting to being at Obor’s protest, a protest at the Obor market. It and thus ruining the police’s statistics. seemed that the organizers made A week after my arrival to Jilava a some serious mistakes, so the police, guard called on me: “Follow me. You having informants in the area, quickly are wanted at the clerk’s office.”There, took countermeasures. They wanted Ruta and Josef (my sister and my the demonstration to fail, and to round brother in law) were waiting with a up the participants. Neither the police lawyer they had hired to represent my nor the army had the patience to wait case. He took the case of two or three 58 59 Bittersweet Memories LIFE AT JILAVA others who had been charged for the I answered that my sister sent me same reason. Poor Ruta, seeing me sometimes to Amzei market to do the scarred and wounded, started to cry. I grocery shopping. “So you didn’t told her that a doctor was tending to know what happened at the Obor,” he my injuries, and that I was on the concluded.The lawyer told me that his mend. defense strategy would be to postpone The entire conversation was wit- the trial for as long as possible. The nessed by the chief commandant of Iron Guard wanted to amend the law, the prison, Colonel Opris. I will go into in order to sentence us to death. Our more detail about him. He asked the lawyer, however, told us that their lawyer if he saw my file, because he chances of success were very slim, knew that minors received different especially since most of us were under treatment, even at the police station. I age. Our lawyer kept postponing the was eighteen then, and you weren’t trial, hoping for a change in the politi- considered an adult until you were cal climate. He said this was a typical twenty-one. My lawyer said that my maneuver in all political cases. file consisted of nothing special Ruta, Josef and Mitza visited me besides the usual accusations, and while I was incarcerated, bringing me that I had repeatedly denied having news from outside, nutritious food been at Obor market. The colonel (which was in short supply) and cloth- politely asked why I didn’t simply ing. Every visit strengthened my faith, admit that I was there. I told him that I and gave me the power to resist.There had no idea what had happened there, is no way for me to adequately convey and didn’t understand what could I be how thankful I was for their efforts. accused of. The colonel asked me if I God bless them and keep their soul ever bought fruits and vegetables. in peace. 60 61 Bittersweet Memories LIFE AT JILAVA The trial took place in August and to save the bones. This wasn’t so diffi- September of 1942 (I had been arrest- cult, because most of the time we ed in 1940). During the time of my received bones instead of meat. Two “preventive custody”as they called it, I convicts, who were accused of being “lived” at Jilava with other innocents Russian spies, taught us how to make who stood accused. There were about useful things and even figurines out of twenty-five people in my room. After the bones. We also were able to fash- waking up in the morning, we cleaned ion some very primitive tools with the our room, made our beds, swept, and remnants. This was one of the few dusted, so by the time our coffee (a activities permitted at Jilava, and the tasteless, black sludge) and black Russians often offered their creations bread arrived, everything was in per- to Colonel Opris as a gift. His favorite fect order. piece was an ashtray with an image of The morning meal was completed Hitler swallowing the Earth scribed with some food received from rela- into it. He liked it very much, but tives, and was followed by a little warned us to stay away from political workout that we, the youngsters (four- jokes. We also would use our bread to teenpeople), used to do. After eating, make chess figures. Our “professor” the “air time” came, when we spent was an old sailor named Cernov, who two hours outside in the prison yard. participated in the revolt on the Besides relaxing, we used this time to Russian vessel Potemkin. We called empty the trough in the cesspool, him Mos (old man) Cernov.This revolt which was located in one corner of the took place in 1905 or 1904, in Russia. At yard. After coming back inside we the end of the revolt, the ship pulled in would prepare for lunch. Whenever to Constanta in an effort to escape we had meat, it was an important issue czarist retaliation. King Ferdinand, 62 63 Bittersweet Memories LIFE AT JILAVA who ruled over Romania back then, so we eagerly read them finding out offered the sailors refugee status. He about the important events taking returned the ship to Russia, but place outside.The prison rules prohib- offered the crew a chance for a new ited any books or newspapers. After a life in Romania long while we finally were given a Mos Cernov, a tall and thin guy in Bible, but that was it. his sixties, was convicted in 1938 for sympathizing with the communist movement. On special occasions, especially on Sundays, he wore his sailor hat, which he was somehow able to keep in good condition. After dinner, the shut-up ritual took place with a lot of fanfare. The convicts had to form two straight lines. After they were counted, a report was given by the head of the room to the prison guards, detailing their activities during the day.The routine was always the same. Any deviation from the usual had a reason, and it occurred very rarely. On visiting days, we were always very busy once the shut-up had taken place. The food we were brought was wrapped in newspapers,

64 65 THE EXECUTIONS vii. executions in Room 23. The oldest must have been around eighteen years the executions old. Most of them were from Basarabia, and we got along quite well.They asked permission to stop by our room for a last visit. When they arrived, we offered them some candies we had received occasionally, we had to miss out on from our relatives. They sang a “air time.” When that happened, we Russian song, and Mos Cernov put on would listen by the door for move- his sailor hat, blessing them in ments coming from inside Room 23, Russian. There were tears in his eyes. the “room of death.” The people sen- He kissed them on the forehead, and tenced to death were taken out for they kissed his hand while kneeling. their last walk to the firing squad. The guards also had tears, although Many times these people asked to pay they tried to hide them. After we us a last visit to say farewell. hugged the girls, they went away, and Executions were always delayed, never came back. We were beside our- sometimes for many months, and selves. We did not move or talk, until often the condemned would form finally we heard the gunfire echoing tight friendships with the other con- through the yard. Nea Stanciu, forget- victs. It was extremely sad to be the ting that he was a communist leader, last friends for these people to see made a cross and said: “God bless before they faced the firing squad. them and may they rest in peace.”The I remember one time, when ten two Russians “forgot” about the com- very young girls were waiting for their munist ideology, and also prayed for 66 67 Bittersweet Memories the girls. A half-century has passed viii. since that day, and I still cannot forget how these girls, along with thousands colonel opris of other people, died for an ideal which turned out to be the most terri- ble farce of the twentieth century.

colonel Opris was a distinguished officer. He graduated the French mili- tary school at Saint-Cyr, a prestigious Academy rich in tradition. Until the Iron Guard took over, Colonel Opris worked at the Ministry of Defense. Having a French education, he was adamantly anti-Nazi. When the Iron Guard came to power, he was taken from the Ministry, and sent to Jilava as chief commander. The Colonel was a decent person. He did everything he could within the limits of the prison regulations to improve our lives. Here is an example. The Iron Guards, who had representatives working in the prison, wanted to murder us. They arranged for us to perform work in 68 69 Bittersweet Memories COLONEL OPRIS a nearby forest. Their plan was to formed a plan to punish him. One simulate an escape attempt so that night, Dumitrescu was caught by a they could shoot us. Colonel Opris got group of inmates. He was brought in a wind of these plans, and reminded hidden place in the prison yard and his Iron Guard subordinates that badly beaten. They threw him in the every convict had to be in chains cesspool where he wasn’t fished out when leaving the prison. Failure until the next day. Colonel Opris made to adhere to this policy would be pun- several inquiries to find out who was ishable by court martial. He reduced responsible for the attack, but it the number of guards accompanying seemed that nobody could be identi- us to six, took away their machine fied. Dumitrescu was ultimately sta- guns, and replaced them with pistols. tioned elsewhere because his life was Before leaving, he advised us to in danger here. Later on, I had the behave well, and not to attempt an chance to meet the captain again in escape. We worked in the woods that 1945 or ‘46, when he worked at military day, chained up for our own protec- headquarters in Bucharest. I, along tion.The thought of escape didn’t even with fifty other former convicts from tempt us. Jilava, filed a report with the com- The Iron Guard’s plot was foiled. mander in Bucharest about the inhu- The story spread quickly throughout mane treatment we received at the the prison. Everyone knew that hands of this individual. He was later Captain Dumitrescu of the Iron Guard removed from his post, and sent had planned the massacre. He was a somewhere out of sight. merciless man who wanted to replace Colonel Opris often came to our Colonel Opris. As word carried room where we would have lengthy throughout Jalava prison, the convicts discussions about many topics, includ- 70 71 Bittersweet Memories COLONEL OPRIS ing the fact that he did not subscribe were Mihail Mozurov and Nicky to communist politics. Being a democ- Stefanescu, former chiefs of the King’s rat, he said that every person deserves Secret Service (SSI). Back in 1938, the the right to have an opinion. He told two had ordered the execution of us to respect the prison rules in order Corneliu Zelea Codreanu (the infa- to be treated right by the guards. Nea mous leader of the Iron Guard), and Stanciu thanked Colonel Opris for twelve other legionary leaders. Their saving our lives, and promised him room was not monitored by normal that we wouldn’t cause any trouble. prison staff, but by Iron Guard’s men. It was November 27, 1940 when we On the morning of November 26, had again the chance to benefit from 1940, we were taken to the Court Colonel Opris’ kindness. Martial in Bucharest to face additional Let me describe to you how the charges. We came back at noon. As I cells were configured in order to help walked down the hallway, I noticed you better understand the events the night soldier standing in front of which took place. We, ‘the commu- our door. He was a nice guy, and we nists” and “the Russian spies,” were in had become friends of sorts. “We are room number 22. Room 23, as you on alert—” he whispered.“These guys know, was the “death room.” There . . .” he pointed towards the Iron were six prisoners locked up in there, Guards standing in front of Room 21, awaiting execution. I will talk about “. . . are ready to do something.”Before this later. In Room 21 there were about the evening’s shut-up, Colonel Opris sixty ex-dignitaries of King Carol II’s visited our room twice, asking us to be regime.They were arrested by the Iron quiet and disciplined since the entire Guard in September 1940 after the prison was under alert. He advised us ousting of the monarch. Among them to switch off the light as early as possi- 72 73 Bittersweet Memories COLONEL OPRIS ble (the rule was nine o’clock). He in the evening when we received the assured us that everything was under first reports from the watchers. The control, and that we had nothing to hallway, which was usually very worry about. We prepared everything bright, was now dark. In front of our we needed for the night while there door, a machine gun was positioned was still some natural light coming in on a tripod, and our soldier friend, through a large window. along with another soldier, was sitting Our dinner was brought in very nearby. The Iron Guard legionaries, early, at five p.m. We were given a cold which were guarding Room 21, were meal: some bacon, canned meat, and expected to attack. Nobody talked; not black bread. Those who brought the a word was said by the prisoners. We meal in mentioned that this also moved silently in our cell, and were counted as tomorrow’s breakfast, and very tense during this standoff, not they left us an extra bucket of water. knowing what would happen. After a Usually we carried our own water, but while, some of my cellmates had taken this day we were banned from leaving apart the beds in order to use the our room. We ate in silence, and boards and beams as weapons. They refrained from doing anything noisy. said that if the attackers came in, we We set up shifts for each of us to take should be able to defend ourselves. turns acting as a sentinel. We would Around ten o’clock we heard loud each spend about an hour near the movements in the hallway. The two window, followed by a second one guards from Room 21 now had rein- at the little hole on the door, from forcements; their comrades. They which we could see what was going on started to sing a Legionary song, in the hallway. Hurray for the Guard and Captain, and at It wasn’t until around seven o’clock the same time used the machine gun 74 75 Bittersweet Memories COLONEL OPRIS to blast Room 21’s door, until it finally Codreanu had been exhumed at broke down. They killed everyone Tancabesti (a forest about forty kilo- inside. We were terrified; our hearts meters away). As I mentioned before, throbbed, and our pieces of wood Codreanu had been killed by King offered little comfort. After clearing Carol’s administration on November Room 21, they headed to Room 22.The 29th, 1938. The hordes of Legionnaires soldiers who guarded us told them: working there were unable to contain “Back off. We’re guarding these peo- themselves at the sight of the “mortal ple. They are our responsibility. If you remains of their great leader and the don’t leave, we will shoot.”They even other martyrs,” and executed all sixty- fired a warning shot into the air. four of King Carol II’s ex-dignitaries Realizing that the soldiers were seri- imprisoned at Jilava. ous, the Iron Guard members backed Colonel Opris allowed us to go out off. They sang a couple of other songs to “get some air.”When we came back, of theirs, and then left. the door of Room 21 was open. A team of soldiers came after mid- Because nobody was in the hallway, night. They took out the dead bodies, we had time to explore the room. We and wiped the blood from the room. found a notebook under a mattress. We heard machine guns shooting all Every night, after shut-up, we gath- through the night, but it was distant. ered round and read it. It was the jour- The gunfire came from the nearby for- nal of Mozurov. It contained stories est and out by Jilava-Bucharest high- about the amorous lives of several way. high society women, as well as a The next morning, Colonel Opris detailed description of the murder of came and told us that a few days ago, the Legionnaire leaders in 1938. the remains of Corneliu Zelea 76 77 THE REBELLION ix. and ordered him to prepare the prison cells for the Iron Guards who would the rebellion be arrested after the rebellion was quashed. After order was restored, relatives were permitted to visit. Rutza, Josef, and Mitza (who came as well this time), told us about the hell that Bucharest had been through. We were let’s return to the terrible events astonished to learn that hundreds of which took place in the winter of 1941. Jews had been hung up on meat hooks The Legionary rebellion of January 21 in Bucharest’s slaughterhouse. The raged for three terrible days across terror had been unbearable, and peo- Romania. Colonel Opris doubled the ple didn’t know where to hide. Rutza, number guards on duty to protect the her husband Joseph and their baby inmates against the Legionnaires. On stayed with a neighbor who held a the last night of the rebellion, Colonel high position in government. Opris and his staff clashed with Iron Guard troops, who brought Jewish people to the nearby forest for execu- tion. His troops intervened, saving as many lives as they could. Throughout the melee he was in constant contact with the government, led by General Antonescu. The General commended colonel Opris for his brave actions, 78 Bittersweet Memories THE REBELLION During this horrendous time, many Romanians took great risks in order to help those in danger. For example, Dr. Burghelea, the director of Panduri hospital, admitted about two hundred Jews under the pretense of illness.The Legionnaires came to the hospital to look for victims. Professor Burghelea threw them out saying he would not permit anybody to disturb the sick. Little by little, we were able to learn about the Iron Guard’s rebellion and what it meant. Hitler, who planned to attack the Soviet Union, needed a sta- ble Romania. In order to achieve this goal, he gave Antonescu full power to squash the legionaries, who had been a constant source of turmoil. With Hitler’s support, Antonescu ordered the annihilation of the Legionnaires, who fought back tenaciously. Hundreds of them were killed, and they were ultimately defeated. Some of the survivors, ironically, would later become pillars of the Romanian Communist Party. Others were smug- 80 81 Bittersweet Memories THE REBELLION gled by German troops out of the ex-Iron Guardists had accused him country. of brutality. When I heard this I Internally, order had been restored. was stunned. I contacted a lot of peo- The war against the Russians, howev- ple who were held in Jilava between er, was just beginning. General 1940 and 1944. All of them testified Antonescu ordered the Army to “. . . that Opris was an extraordinary man, cross the Prut, and liberate our ances- who always ran the prison in a fair and tral territories (Moldova) from Russian just manner. I sent their numerous oppression.” declarations to a high dignitary of the After the rebellion, the captured Ministry of Interior, who handled the legionaries started to flow into Jilava. case personally. After three weeks, Except for prince Cantacuzino and Colonel Opris came to my workplace some medical doctors, these indivi- and thanked me for my help and sup- duals belonged to the lowest rank. port. He retired as a general in the Because of the overwhelming number active reserve of the Army. He of Iron Guard cases, our trial was post- received a medal and became a con- poned two more times by the Martial sultant with the Ministry of Defense. Court. Many years later, around 1946, Colonel Opris would come to see me at my workplace. I had lost contact with him in 1942, when I was trans- ferred to another prison. As a civilian he didn’t look good. His hair had turned white, and he looked haggard. He told me that he was in trouble; the 82 83 THE TRIAL x. initial investigations into our partici- pation at the Obor protest had seem- the trial ingly lost its importance once the trial had begun. After all, the Obor incident was a movement against the Iron Guard. After the Iron Guard rebellion in 1941, they were defeated and their reputation destroyed. As a result, the our trial started in August of 1942. Attorney General charged us only The lawyers told us that the Iron with agitation against the state securi- Guard never succeeded in changing ty. This accusation was vague, and not the laws. Since we were being judged sustained by any proof. I didn’t really according to the 1938 laws, we would understand these accusations, and I not be sentenced to death. They also denied them whenever I was given the told us that since the country was at chance to speak. The lawyers under- war, we would probably not have to scored the fact that state security was- serve our entire sentences. n’t at issue here because the majority The trial took place in a student’s of our group had been under age at theatre on Calea Plevnei. The theater the time of their arrest. They expected had a very big hall, and relatives were a light verdict, especially because evi- permitted to witness the proceedings. dence couldn’t be substantiated. The defense had four or five lawyers, I can recall the moment the jury headed by Ion Maurer, who would came back with their verdict. They later become president of the entered the room and sat down. Just Minister’s Council under commu- then, the chief magistrate, Colonel nism. It was interesting to see how the Suceveanu, took a phone call. He 84 85 Bittersweet Memories received instructions from the xi. Minister’s Council to toughen whatev- er verdict was given by the jury. The vacaresti minors received ten years at a correc- tional prison, which was supposed to prison be easier than the usual one. The adults were given twenty years. They put us in chains, and we headed back to Jilava. A lot of soldiers and convicts we were told to prepare for our trans- who worked with us in the locksmith’s fer to Vacaresti prison. This was the room were eager to hear what the ver- place where we were to serve out the dict was, and they were shocked at its remainder of our sentence. Anyone harshness. We told them that it was a who had to serve a lengthy term had relief to escape from death, and we to pass through Vacaresti. Because of were grateful to God that our lives had this fact the prison was called been spared. “Vacaresti drive-thru.” We arrived at Vacaresti on a Sunday at noon. We had to wait in the prison yard to be counted and assigned cells. In the yard there was a little chapel for the Sunday sermon. We were not reli- gious, but because we wanted the time to pass by faster, we decided to have a look. After an hour some communist convicts came by. I can’t remember what their names were, but they 86 87 Bittersweet Memories VACARESTI PRISON wanted to see what was happening. was basically an apartment. It had a Accompanying them was a well little room, the bosses’ place, a very dressed man wearing city clothes. He large room containing beds stacked on was a courteous, happy and very top of each other three high, and a big polite man who showed respect to room used as a kitchen. Most of us everyone. I thought he was some kind slept in the room with the elevated of big shot from the prison, and I even beds (except those who snored). They told him so. He was very much slept in the little room, which had amused, and told me: “I am Sami twelve beds in it. Under each bed were Sharaga. If you didn’t hear about me wooden chests which were used to yet, you will. I will help you. store our personal belongings. We About an hour later, guards confis- each received a chest of our own and cated all the food we had with us and assigned beds (on the third level, of took us to the bathroom. Our clothes course). Luckily, each apartment came were washed and dried while we furnished with a toilet with running showered. We went back to the yard water; this luxury made our life much and from there were sent to Rom 45, easier. the communists’ chamber. They told At around six o’clock, when we us that as it was Sunday we would not were ready to have a conversation receive any food, but there was a store with the bosses about our situation, a near the gates where we could have guard opened the door. Two other bought something to eat. The problem guards carrying baskets followed him, was that we were out of money, so our and to our surprise food was brought only option was to starve, and wait for in. The first guard said: “Mister the next day. Saragha heard that you were not on Room 45, the communists’ room, the list for today’s meal, so he sent you 88 89 Bittersweet Memories VACARESTI PRISON something to eat.” He had sent us would later become big shots under bread with fried meat and enough communist rule. fruits for everybody. While we ate we Once or twice a month Sami found out many things about this arranged an outside meeting with his mysterious man. lawyer, usually in Bucharest. The Sami Saragha was a famous bank guards loved to escort him, because he robber between 1933 and 1942, and he wasn’t exactly stingy during these was fluent in French, German, and trips. He filled their pockets with Italian. He spoke all these languages money in exchange for privacy. A because he and his friends robbed place and time would be set, he would banks all over Europe. The bosses meet with his lawyer, and everybody from Room 45 considered Sami a very would mind their own business.These good friend of the communists since were the first facts I found out about he had saved the life of their leader, Sami. As time passed by we became Gheorghe Gheorghiu Dej. Having a very good friends. lot of money, Sami was able to buy The convicts from Room 45 worked himself many privileges. The prison’s in various prison workshops. There management was beholden to him, so were shops for all trades: locksmiths, he had a private cell nicely furnished mechanics, carpenters, tailors, and the and carpeted, with a maid. He had like. A list was made regarding the absolute control of his cell, which was new prisoners’ trades, and they were never locked by anyone else but him. disbursed to different workshops. I He was a very useful connection for was a lathe operator, but they kept me the bosses in room number 45. They in the office as a kind of administrator. corresponded with the communists on To my dismay, there was only one the outside via Sami. These people lathe, and the man who operated it 90 91 Bittersweet Memories VACARESTI PRISON had been there for years. So, I started chemicals necessary to disinfect the my career as a room administrator. I place (I had previous experience from assigned cleaning teams for the large Jilava). There, we regularly received room.The cleaning had to be complet- creolin for the toilets and petroleum ed before the guards came in for the for the floors, but here the guard morning count.This was carried out in stared at me. He considered it a good the first room, where convicts lined up idea though, and was ready to apply it in two rows and recited their names to the entire prison. He told me: ”Let’s and number. The breakfast, coffee and go to the storage room and check out a quarter piece of bread, was followed what we have.”On our way to the stor- by work until five o’clock. age room we entered his office. He My assignment was to stay in the gave me an identification badge which room, hold the keys, and keep the door allowed me to move freely about the locked at all times. I also had to take prison. In the storage room they gave care of the bosses’ room. It was me creolin and something non-flam- my duty to serve them, and even in mable for the floor. He took me to the the prison they ruled like kings. After big shower room and the laundry to I got out, and the communists establish a working schedule for our regained power, I had the chance to room. The bath’s chief was a convicted again feel what it meant to be a ser- murderer easily recognizable by his vant for these guys. black-red uniform. He seemed a nice Around ten o’clock the first morn- guy even though he had six murders ing, a guard came into the room to on his account. He let me come to take inspect my work. He looked every- a shower or do laundry anytime, espe- where, and found everything in good cially in the mornings when nobody form. I asked him for the tools and was there. 92 93 Bittersweet Memories I put creolin in the toilets, and xii. cleaned the floor. I finished quickly, and decided to spend some time out- sami sharaga’s side.There, in the yard, I met Sami. We talked for a long while, and before story separating he told me that he enjoyed chatting with me. He hoped to talk with me more later. The guard sent me to the kitchen about a week later, Sami invited me for lunch. This was where I had my to his cell. As I said before, it was a meal. (The others ate in their respec- very elegant room. He offered me all tive workshops.) When the bosses sorts of gorgeous food, some of them I returned at the end of the day, they saw for the first time. A short but well were very impressed with the disin- built athletic guy was in Sami’s room fected toilets, and the nice floor. as well. His name was Iancu Broitman, and he introduced himself as a good friend and partner of Sami, a burglar too. Sami, it turned out, was even able to invite his friends to the prison when he wanted to chat with them. He claimed that the prison was a safe place, where nobody could spy on them. This was crucial, because they were talking about high figure accounts that had to be liquidated: a couple of million lei from the robbery 94 95 Bittersweet Memories SAMI SHARAGA’S STORY of the National Bank of Romania, “special” arrangement. He had his some German marks, and a consider- own cell, his food was brought in from able quantity of English sterling. a nearby restaurant, and he had unre- Sami politely inquired if he was stricted access to all parts of the facili- boring me. I told him that I felt like I ty. He paid a lot of money for these was part of some wild adventure, and privileges. that I was having a great time. Once, while he was taking a walk Once Broitman left, Sami told me in Doftana’s yard, he noticed a group that from 1933 to 1937 his friend had of four to five legionnaires, who been an international burglar. One were planning to murder Gheorghiu time he broke into a bank in Milan, Dej (the leader of the railroad workers another time he did it in Paris. He too during the strike in 1933 and future was able to speak French, German, Romanian president). Without hesita- and Italian. tion, Sami took out his knife and Sharaga saw himself as a kind of struck them, warning that if they Robin Hood, taking money from the attempted such actions, they would be rich and giving it to poor. He was killed. against the anti-Semites, but he wasn’t When Sami was tried in 1937, he a Communist. In 1936, the police was acquitted for lack of proof. Very caught him trying to rob the National satisfied with the outcome, Sami stat- Bank, in Bucharest. Being considered a ed that the trial cost him a lot of very dangerous person, he was jailed money, but at least he was in good, in a high security prison called legal standing. Doftana, where the inmates were com- A couple of months prior to my munists, legionnaires, and Russians meeting him, Sami and Broitman both spies.There, like here, Sami had a very received a deportation order because 96 97 Bittersweet Memories SAMI SHARAGA’S STORY they were Jewish. They had to go to a the ground with achy necks.They were camp in Transnistria, a territory inhab- stripped of their uniforms, and their ited by Romanians over the Nistru guns were taken away. Sami and River. These camps were very poorly Broitman took the uniforms with all organized, and the soldiers on duty the necessary papers about this group. had no idea who the arrested people They asked the people to be calm, and were. It so happened that they were patient, so they can try to lead them put in a camp controlled and guarded back to Romania to their families.They by Germans. marched for two weeks, day and night, After a week, the Germans decided occasionally resting and hiding in dif- that the prisoners must go to a camp ferent houses. In a relatively short guarded by Romanian soldiers. There time, they reached the outskirts of were thirty to thirty-five people, most Bucharest. of them elderly or women, who had to Sami and Iancu Broitman had be transferred to the Romanian camp, enough money to pay for everyone’s which was about twenty kilomenters food and train fare, so those who lived away.They sent the group on their way in the countryside were able to get escorted by two German soldiers who home. I was very impressed with the were about forty to fifty years old. In story, it felt magical, but they talked order to save time they decided to fol- about it as a common event. I told low a shortcut through a deserted them that such things only happen in area. Sami whispered to Broitman: fairy tales. Broitman wanted to con- “Why don’t we get rid of these soldiers vince me that this was real. He showed and escape?” As soon as Broitman me an ID for a different name, an alias nodded his head in approval, the he used in Bucharest. Three or four Germans were off their horses and on months after their escape, in June or 98 99 Bittersweet Memories July 1944, he was arrested again for a xiii. different reason. Another famous rob- ber, Florica Florescu, was arrested freedom with him. I was spellbound by Sami’s story. I remembered the novels I read, and expressed my admiration for them. Our friendship became even stronger. at that time, the Romanian authori- ties started to deport Jewish political prisoners to Transnistria. Step by step, news came to us. The Germans, who were chased by the Russians, shot everybody in the Transistrian camps. Our families tried to do everything to prevent our deportation.They contact- ed every possible person to make sure that we were left alone. Josef, my brother in law, was able to mobilize the relatives of prisoners and fight for us. In the summer of 1944, the Russians defeated the Germans and entered Romania. The Antonescu gov- ernment collapsed, and the power in Romania was taken by the demo- 100 101 Bittersweet Memories FREEDOM cratic parties, the Communist Party Our bosses asked the tailors to open included. King Mihai decreed that their workshop in order to repair our prisoners who fought against fascism civilian clothes. The guard allowed were to be freed. them to take our clothes out of storage, At two o’clock in the morning on and they started to work. The writers the 25th of August, 1944, a guard woke were ready too, and somehow Sami us up and gave us the news. He asked got into that group. He was smart us to stay calm, and not to take indi- enough to obtain leadership, so he vidual actions. The bosses had a meet- made documents for himself and his ing with us, and said that we were on friends, as well. Everything was done Gh. Gh. Dej’s side, and that the only quickly, and the prisoners received authority we were to accept was that their documents. As soon as the tailors of the Communist Party. Later, Sami came back with our clothes, we left for explained that within the Romanian our homes. Communist Party there was dissent, It was strange to walk on the streets and when the Russians entered without having somebody following Romania, the group lead by us. We had no money, not even for a Gheorghiu Dej would prevail. Later, I tram, so I walked ten kilometers all the found out how Gheorghiu Dej had way home. I don’t have to describe my prevailed, but more about that later. family’s happiness. I spent many days At four o’clock, the chief command- telling them my stories, and talking er of all the prisons came, accompa- about the times I had been through. nied by the chief of Vacaresti, and told I tried to contact some people with us what we already knew. They asked whom I served time in the prison, for people with nice handwriting to because I wanted to find a better job. quickly make out liberation forms. The bosses were all nasty to me, and 102 103 Bittersweet Memories FREEDOM would have been too hard for them to get accommodated to life there, and Sami had two little children. Because they refused to join the rest of the group, and because of previous unfin- ished business, Florica Florescu arranged Broitman’s murder. At that time, a lot of thieves and criminals had the chance to escape prison, especially during the bom- bardments. There were gangs attack- ing stores from dawn to dusk. This asked that I not disturb them any- crime spree went on unchecked until more.They said they would contact me the Police organized a special brigade when I was needed. against them. Ironically, the chief of After a couple of days I went back this unit was an ex-criminal named to the factory, where I received three Alimanescu. He organized a lot of months salary. (I had been in prison riots, and killed hundreds of thieves. for four years.) I was put on the night- Alimanescu was Florica Florescu’s shift again, just as before. I saw Sami friend and he had Iancu Broitman once a week. He had a lot of com- killed during a riot. plaints because of his accomplices. Sami wanted to get revenge. He Florica Florescu wanted to go to couldn’t catch Florica Florescu, America with all the guys, because it because he had already left the coun- seemed an “open field.” But Sami and try. Because Sami had no other choice, Broitman didn’t speak English. It he had to be content with the death of 104 105 Bittersweet Memories Alimanescu, who was shot during an ambush. In 1945 Sami came to me with the idea of changing my night job for a better one. He was able to recommend me to a new association that was recently established: the Association of Romanian-Russian Friendship— part ii ARLUS. I promptly accepted the posi- tion, and I will tell you what type of job it was.

106 xiv. arlus

in any case, I was better paid there than I was at the factory. Meanwhile, Sami became a mental giant, of sorts. Everyone knew he was Gheorghe Dej’s “savior,”and had a certain meas- ure of influence. It’s interesting to note that Sami was kept hidden by Dej, and only used for special purposes, as we will soon discover. After I started this job I met my future wife, who worked as a clerk in the same place. At the time I was a mere projectionist with the cinematic caravan; not nearly as “high up the ladder”as she. One day Sami told me,“Be careful, Russians are big rascals.” He knew them from the Commission of Arm- 109 Bittersweet Memories ARLUS istice, where he worked under Dej’s Iordan, Professor Petre Costanti- orders. Only later did I fully under- nescu—Iasi, the writer Panait Istrate, stand what Sami had meant by that. were part of this association. Everyone Perhaps it would have been worse if in “Friends of the USSR” were either my position was one of more conse- communists or communist sympathiz- quence with the Association of ers. They had to attract many intellec- Relationship with USSR (ARLUS). My tuals of authority and renown, whose whole tenure there I never rose above contributions were to present a beau- the status of common worker. I was a tiful image of the USSR, as well as peon, and knew it. praise the “historical achievements” of To better understand the afore- this great country on any occasion. mentioned, let’s go back to 1934–35. In In that period, Nazi Germany those days the USSR started an became increasingly powerful. The intense propaganda campaign glorify- fascist movement in Italy gained ing its “historical achievements,” momentum under Mussolini’s leader- peaceful aims, etc.They invited promi- ship. The only voice of opposition nent figures from around the globe to came from the USSR. Sadly, this only visit the Motherland. Several people lasted until 1940, when Russia signed from both Europe and the New World a non-aggression pact with Hitler, formed fraternity organizations with crushing the hopes of all democratic the USSR. Those groups attracted countries. As you know, Germany artists, writers and scientists. broke the pact and attacked the USSR, In Romania, this organization was but in 1935 no one could have known affectionately referred to as “Friends what types of monstrosities were to of the USSR.” Intellectuals such as come five years later. Professor C.I. Parhon, linguist Iorgu Several renowned French intellec- 110 111 Bittersweet Memories ARLUS tuals such as Romain Roland and nibal were nothing in comparison. Andre Gide visited the USSR. This epithet, like many others, was Although they weren’t communists, used until Jukov, the true Soviet leader they did feel sentimental about the during World War II, published his Soviet Dream, but soon saw the lies memoirs in 1955–56. The Russians that were the foundation of the were preparing to annex Romania into Russian propaganda campaign. The the Soviet Empire. The same fate was Soviets obtained the exact opposite destined for all other Russian-occu- result of what they were aiming pied territories. But let’s see what for. Andre Gide, one of the greatest Romania did. writers of the period, wrote J’ai vu l’ As I stated earlier, there were many Union Sovietique, where he exposed all famous people associated with these lies. ARLUS. They pulled Scarlat In 1944, when Russia occupied Calimachi, a noble of Greek origin, Romania, many events occurred that from relative obscurity. His democrat- changed the lives of thousands. One of ic attitude earned him the name “Red the first organizations created in Prince.” His wife, Dida Calimachi, an Romania after the occupation was artist at the National Theater in ARLUS. Its president was Professor Bucharest, joined ARLUS as well. Parhon. The entire Romanian intelli- Another person of noble birth, gentsia joined this group. The Lascar Catargiu, was recruited (or Russians needed someone to sing the coerced, as some believe) by ARLUS. praises of the “Soviet Liberators who Catargiu owned a magnificent palace would save the world from the fascist’s on Calea Victoriei. I offer these details wrath,” “Josef Stalin, the greatest because the building became famous leader of all time,” Caesar and Han- as a meeting place for Russian and 112 113 Bittersweet Memories ARLUS Romanian intellectuals of that time. In they were made to sit down and “chat” 1944–45, Lascar Catargiu was already with a Soviet Captain named Volturin. an elderly man, and did not have the He was a refined man, and fluent in strength to oppose ARLUS and the Romanian. It appears that both he and Russians, who confiscated his palace. the cultural attaché in Bucharest All they gave him was a tiny apart- supervised the main activities of ment on the grounds of his palace, and ARLUS. These young students had a small stipend to live on. Catargi distinguished themselves as apt Palace became “the hunting grounds” pupils, especially in technology, soci- of intellectuals with power and pres- ology, and economics. tige. Several “hunters” worked to None of them were students of recruit others to join them in their medicine. At that time, all things mission to promote Russia. Soviet were “the best in the world.” The Soviets considered sending Soviet medicine, however, never was Romanians to study in USSR an objec- able to earn that distinction. tive of paramount importance. Let’s Regardless of their specialty, all the talk a bit about the first groups of stu- students were trained as KGB spies.To dents who left for Russia around ensure the new acolytes would fulfill 1946–47. their tasks upon returning home, ARLUS’s role was to pass certain Russia actively encouraged the single student’s names on to the Ministry of members of the group to intermarry Education, who would secure the nec- with young Soviets who were also essary documents required for send- active KGB members. ing them abroad. It’s interesting to Those young Russian women note that after the candidates were whose husbands moved up the party verified by the Ministry of Education, ranks and government offices back in 114 115 Bittersweet Memories ARLUS Romania were under orders as well. of them worked at the PR department, They barely knew enough Romanian maintaining ties with various to get by, but managed nevertheless to Friendship Associations, who in turn control their husbands in order to ful- reached out to other Socialist coun- fill their tasks from KGB. Some of the tries. However, not all of them could husbands couldn’t tolerate the remain in these positions, because arrangement, and divorced. Later, they lacked the basic skills necessary those defiant men were demoted to for the job (i.e. letter writing). Those inferior positions. who couldn’t stay were sent to the The young wives who had a more House of Romanian-Soviet friendship, precise specialty such as law or eco- with the vague task of “lending a nomics found work within the various hand.” Soviet-Romanian organizations, and Their real mission was to initiate within the protocol department of sev- relationships with key people in facto- eral ministries. However, some of ries, offices, and other institutions in these gems had no education beyond order to deliver information to the the school of life. KGB. Additionally, these women often Many of these women had trysts met with retirees from Basarabia with young dandies, men with myriad who spoke Russian very well. It was qualities; a mastery of Russian not funny to watch these men twist their being among them. A groundswell of mustaches to look as handsome as scandals ensued. The Soviet embassy possible whenever they met to chat in Bucharest decided to put these with the ladies. Some of the more women in charge of ARLUS. gallant men offered the women Around 1948–49 ARLUS’s new sunflower seeds. Whenever the Soviet “reinforcements”took the helm. Many delegates visited the house, the 116 117 Bittersweet Memories ARLUS women, casually referred to as “the to attend those performances. Of flying squadron,” would accompany course, the invitations were handed them on shopping excursions to spe- out by ARLUS. In winter, large groups cialty stores, where rare goods were of elderly went to the shows. They readily available to good comrades at were not interested in the movies or fire sale prices. conferences, but rather the fact that Looking back, the “hunting the officer’s club was heated, a luxury grounds”extended far beyond Catargi which was not available to them at Palace. Many other institutions, home. In 1946, Soviet headquarters including the media, were created to decided to give the building to serve the Soviets and their propagan- ARLUS, which renamed the cinema da machine. The House of the House of Romanian-Soviet friend- Romanian—Soviet friendship was ship. So the Russians gave Romania a among these. Before 1940, there was a present—a cinema that was theirs in luxury cinema, night club, and fancy the first place. We’ll revisit Russian restaurant where the house now sat. generosity later on. After 1940, that cinema, and all the auxillary businesses that sprouted around it, was requisitioned by the Germans. After the Soviets came to Bucharest, they transformed the cinema into the Soviet officer’s club. In the main theater, they showed Russian films, held conferences, and staged plays. The Romanian citizenry was invited 118 119 Bittersweet Memories ARLUS Of course, a festive hand-over cere- Siberia, where they served four years, mony was in order. All the Romanian until a Russian commission finally and Soviet bigwigs were in atten- sent them home. dance. General Susaikov, the com- Stofel was lucky to meet a guy who mander of occupation troops in used to work with him at Comintern, Romania, read Stalin’s decree that the leading organization of all the “Fantasio” cinema was to be trans- world’s communist organizations. It formed into the House of Romanian- was headquartered in Moscow, and Soviet Friendship. Immediately after, Stalin was the General Secretary. It he spoke about the Soviet Army’s role was previously known as Communist as “liberator,”not invader.The congen- International, founded in 1919 and ial and inspired words spoken by dissolved in 1943. Only in this way Susaikov made no mention of the bru- could Stofel get out of detention after tal actions of the military police, four years. (Stofel was a neighbor of which, under his orders, arrested and mine and told me this story in person.) deported to Siberia scores of people accused of being enemies of the USSR and German sympathizers. Judicial process was thrown out the window. I know of a case where an important activist and underground militant of the Communist Party was arrested, as was his family, simply because his name was Stofel. Regardless of Communist Party intervention, the family was nevertheless sent to 120 121 POLITICS OF A NEW WORLD xv. knew her grieved her passing. May she rest in peace. politics of a From 1959 to 1978, right before I left Romania, we used to visit each other new world every Sunday morning and sift through current events over coffee. Those Sundays became ritual. Even years later, I still look back fondly to another ARLUS institution was a those times. “Dear Alexandru, may publishing house and bookstore God help you rest in peace.” called Russian Book. Let’s go back to “The Russian I’d like to tell you about Alexandru, Book.” Scores of Soviet works were a guy who used to work there. Later he edited there, in a relatively short peri- became the manager of “Decorativa” od of time. They also published origi- Enterprises, where he put on exposi- nal pieces, for example the famous tions. I remember the day he intro- economist Mitita Constantinescu’s The duced me to Lote, and asked my opin- USSR Continent. This book emphasizes ion of her. Needless to say Lote was a the economic potential of the USSR delightful woman who made a lovely and the massive wealth of resources of wife for him. I heard from Alexandru’s Siberia. The book, published in 1956, sister Simona that she passed away. was very well received by the Soviets. When I spoke with my son about Based on it the Russians declared that this sad event, he told me Lote they didn’t need anything from the simply couldn’t go on without countries they “liberated.” Beneath Alexandru, who had died one or two those “noble” declarations, the most years before she did. Everyone who egregious theft of Romania took place. 122 123 Bittersweet Memories POLITICS OF A NEW WORLD They took all they could: uranium, and not her relatives. Later, he was gold, live stock, cow hides, oil. It’s ordered to fire another famous actor, impossible to list every trespass here. George Vraca, because he had been The Russians even out-pillaged the Queen Maria’s lover years prior.Vraca Turks. They built a railway to Moscow never hid that fact, and said that and ran trains full of goods to Russia Queen Maria had loved the man, and around the clock. not the actor. Cocea refused to fire him Party zealots: generic designation as well. The party comrades drew very given by the Romanian Communist odd conclusions from these actions. Party (PCR) to those they trusted. New They recruited people who “didn’t talk faces showed up in the ministries and much” for different positions. You can institutions. At the National Theater in compare these situations with those Bucharest, a new manager, N.D. Cocea that happened during General was appointed. He was well known as Antonescu’s rule. There were some a democrat and combative journalist. popular slogans bandied about during He had a very courageous attitude this time: “Prison awaits those who during the fascist occupation. Cocea speak out.” In reality, this punishment was a very smart person: he hired his was lenient by Communist standards. daughters, Dina and Tanti, both They wouldn’t hesitate to kill thou- actresses to work in the theater. The sands, if they suspected those people party asked him to fire a very talented were spreading dissent. actress named Marieta Sadova, under A new hiring policy started to the guise that she had relatives who appear; employ only those who would belonged to the Iron Guard. He obey without comment. There was a refused to do so, saying that Marieta joke that there were special tele- was the one employed by the theater, phones which only came with a ear- 124 125 Bittersweet Memories POLITICS OF A NEW WORLD piece, because the mouthpiece wasn’t Communists at the leadership level. In necessary. August 1944, Dej and his group took In fact, this was Stalin’s method. control of the Party. The former First The former underground members of Secretary called Foris, confirmed by the Romanian Communist Party were Comintern and approved by Stalin, used to speaking freely to their superi- was killed by Dej’s people.The Soviets ors. Now, that freedom had all but were powerless to do anything about vanished. it. The Comintern was indifferent to Earlier, I wrote about Russia’s Dej, who was known to them only as plundering of Romania, and their the organizer and leader of a strike at efforts to annex it into the Russian Grivita CFR. He was only known by Empire. the railway workers.Their cultural and At the leadership level of the political knowledge was practically Communist Party and other circles, non existent. there were voices raised against Dej’s biggest competition was Russia’s politics towards Romania. Lucretiu Patrascanu. Patrascanu was a One of the party leaders called famous lawyer. His father, D. D. Lucretiu Patrascanu spoke publicly on Patrascanu, was known as a writer the subject. In 1946, Patrascanu deliv- with democratic tendencies. Lucretiu ered a speech to a group of students in was sent on behalf of the Communists Cluj, saying that he was a “Romanian to negotiate with the king of Romania, first and foremost, and a Communist as well as with other political parties. second.”That speech fit Gheorghe Dej Dej was considered a minor player like a glove. back then. Between 1940 and 1944, there was a After Patrascanu’s speech in Cluj, lot of infighting among the Romanian he was arrested at Dej’s behest. He 126 127 Bittersweet Memories POLITICS OF A NEW WORLD was placed under house arrest at 16th, 1954, Moldoveanu took Patras- Poiana Tapului, and finally sent to canu from his cell under the pretext of Jilava Prison. He remained incarcerat- taking a stroll, and shot him in the ed until 1954, when he finally stood back of the head. [I.M. Pacepa—the trial before a special court. Accused of Kremlin’s Inheritance] being anti-Soviet, a nationalist, and a This sad story clearly illustrates Nazi agent, Patrascanu was convicted how the Communist leaders and their of sedition and executed on April 19th acolytes put Socialist Humanism into of the same year. practice. In 1968, Patrascanu’s record was Patrascanu’s absolution was expunged postmortem. Shortly after approved by Romania’s new leader, his conviction was overturned, a clerk Nicolae Ceausescu. He wanted to from the Ministry of External Affairs demonstrate to the Romanian people named Iosif Moldoveanu killed his how fair he was. Ceausescu had noth- family and then himself. A letter writ- ing to lose by reviewing the trial. After ten by Moldoveanu was later found all Patrascanu was dead, as was Dej. where he attempted to explain his Ceausescu showed a lot of courage by actions. In it he explained that Dej was criticizing his predecessor. afraid that Patrascanu would expose Let’s return to Gheorge Dej. After the farce of a trial that condemned he rid himself of his main adversary, him. When he was arrested, Dej looked to eliminate other threats. Moldoveanu worked for the Securi- With no faith in Dej, Stalin sent tatea, Romania’s version of the KGB. two overseers, Ana Pauker and He interrogated, tortured, and ulti- Vasile Luca, who “happened” to mately forced Patrascanu to confess have other dealings in Romania too. his “crimes.” On the night of April They arrived in Romania right after 128 129 Bittersweet Memories POLITICS OF A NEW WORLD the Russian troops did. among the numerous hunters whom Lavrenti Pavlovici Beria, Stalin’s we’ve already spoken of. Around KGB chief, sent his “specialists” as 1952–54 there was a plenary session of well. He also organized the local the Central Committee of the Securitatea to give him the power to Romanian Communist Party, where kill whomever he wished. Ana Pauker, Vasile Luca, and Iosif General Pacepa grandly disclosed Kisinevki, were exposed as right wing everything the Russians did in this extremists. They were expelled from respect. Apparently, the Russians were the Party. It’s interesting to note that in a hurry to send their specialists to neither Stalin nor Beria reacted in any Romania, even before the Soviet Army way to this, leaving their cronies to arrived on the scene. I recall a certain Dej’s whim.The plenary session didn’t Soviet captain named Volturin who take any action against the right-wing hobnobbed with ARLUS, especially at elements from the Romanian Catargi Palace; the meeting point of Communist Party (former legionaries), Bucharest’s best and brightest, includ- because this would have meant the ing Mihail Sadoveanu, Mitita demise of the Party. Constantinescu, Professor Nicolau, and Dr. Milcu (Professor Parhon’s son- in-law). He, along with the cultural attaché in Bucharest, could be seen at ARLUS almost daily. This captain, along with a beautiful journalist named Lelia Rudascu, was in charge of recruiting several intellectuals to sing the praises of Russia. They were 130 131 A JEW WITH RELATIVES ABROAD xvi. Many Jews tried to immigrate to America or Israel. There were thou- a jew with sands of requests submitted, so the Party leadership decided to profit relatives abroad: from this. They asked the intellectuals to return the money that the state had burn him! spent on their education. Enormous amounts were requested, far more than could ever be paid. The Party thousands of members of the now leaders had another idea; they would defunct Iron Guard joined the bill Israel for each person who wished Communist Party, and their tradition of to immigrate there. They set prices as anti-Semitism followed suit. The if these people were any other type of Communists embraced this behavior commodity. warmly, and the party quickly acquired The Romanian government was a decidedly right wing bent. paid five thousand dollars for an intel- Consequently, the Jews in Romania lectual, and three thousand dollars for were either fired from their jobs or all others. Later, Germany yielded demoted to the most menial positions to the same demands as Israel possible. They kept just a few of them was forced to do, in order to retrieve around to serve as tokens for Western their people. In this way, the benefit. Those people had their names Communist Party started their own changed, but nothing could mask their slave trade under the veneer of Jewry. They became the worst anti- Marxist-Leninism. Considering the Semites, trading their identities for fact that over three hundred thousand employment. Jews immigrated to Israel in less than 132 133 Bittersweet Memories A JEW WITH RELATIVES ABROAD twenty years, one can only imagine name. I told him that I wouldn’t what a profitable industry this was for change my name. If my name was the state. good enough when I fought the Nazis, Many Jews who didn’t leave it was good enough now. (including my wife and me, who Changing my name would mean decided to stay until the children com- turning my back on my father’s mem- pleted their schooling) changed their ory, a man who was very kind and just. names in order to conceal their identi- “I don’t miss the Nazis, so if I don’t get ties. In many work places, the Jewish to see them, that’s fine with me. If I employees were required to change have to leave ARLUS on account of their names. The Jewish names proba- this, then I’ll leave, and go where my bly grated on the ears of the former feet take me.” Iron Guard, who were now powerful They didn’t fire me (no one else Party members. knew my particular trade), but they It was around 1960–65 when one of labeled me “Nationalist Jew with rela- my bosses from ARLUS took me in to tives abroad.” his office, and told me “We’d like to Labeling was already a common send you to Democratic Germany as method in post WWII Romania. There part of a delegation, but you have a were different epithets; “personal very Jewish name, and there are still enemy of comrade Stalin and the ex-Nazi’s there.” I decided to tempt Soviet Union” was by far the most fate and respond,“Smilovici would be grave. With such a title, you could kiss better, perhaps?” Needless to say he your freedom and life farewell. How was angry, and told me he didn’t have many were killed because they bore time for jokes. If I wanted to leave, I this label? would have to assume a Romanian A new method to convince the 134 135 Bittersweet Memories A JEW WITH RELATIVES ABROAD masses was to rule by fear. While Dina Cocea. Elvira Godeanu was mar- walking the streets, you would look ried to a famous architect and devel- over your shoulder to see if you were oper named Sigmund Prager. being watched. The fear was almost Later on, one of my bosses (who corporeal. happened to have a Jewish wife as My title was not as dire. It was a well) used to ask me: “Do you think code which told others: do not support the anti-Semites consider my wife, or employ this person.“Fry the Jew.”In Vichi Svart, a Romanian now that she’s this way, the leadership could force married to me?” He blamed Dej for the Jews out, thus enabling them to making divorce and anti-Semitism collect money. fashionable in Romania. “I married Amongst the leadership, a rash of Vichi when times were tough, she was divorces sprang forth. Many had mar- always there for me, and I love her ried with women who were Party for it.” zealots, back when the party was still He also used to say that the “Jews underground. They were mainly with relatives abroad” was a ludicrous women of Jewish extraction; educated misnomer. Romanians have relatives women with a highly polished sense in Romania, The Turks hail from of political savvy. These leaders used Turkey; it only stands to reason that their wives to carry out their own Jews would have roots in Israel. My agendas. Now, these women had boss must have really trusted me in served their purpose. order to confide in me this way, but he Gheorghe Dej brought extramarital knew I was in the same boat. He was a affairs into vogue. He took two lovers, kind yet simple man, old fashioned in both actresses in the National Theater his ways and uneducated. in Bucharest: Elvira Godeanu and As I mentioned previously, all the 136 137 Bittersweet Memories A JEW WITH RELATIVES ABROAD former Iron Guard members found the transition. Mrs.Tesa, who was hav- powerful positions within the ing an affair with her husband’s driv- Communist Party and State. For exam- er, told me all this. More than once I ple, in Bacau, a former rebellion leader came across the two of them while became Prime Secretary of the local they were in mid-throng. Fearful that Communist Party. Many Jews who word would get out, Mrs.Tesa decided survived the rebellion balked at his to “befriend” me, in the hopes she appointment, and needless to say a big could persuade me to keep mum scandal ensued. The Central Party about the whole sordid affair. In Committee launched an investigation exchange for my discretion, she would that ultimately cost this man his job. parcel out tidbits of information from However, he was recommissioned as time to time. the Party Secretary in charge of Within the party, anti-Semitic ten- Organizational Affairs; in other words, dencies spread like fire, the source a de facto promotion. This was seen as emanating from the top. There was a a sweeping victory for the very precise calculation made to Legionnaires. Their mission now was ensure that the various ethnic groups to make the Communist Party, the new were proportionally represented in Iron Guard. the party and state. Jews, however, Another leader of the rebellion was were not counted. For example, when Nicolae Tesa. He was a smart guy, who the leader of a satellite group tallied became the secretary of ARLUS in the up his membership, he would always early 1960’s. He brought all of his state it like this: “Nine Romanians, cronies with him. He shared his salary three Hungarians, and two comrades.” with them in order to offset the reduc- “Comrades”of course, was used to sig- tion in pay they had to shoulder with nify “Jews.”This is how they interpret- 138 139 Bittersweet Memories A JEW WITH RELATIVES ABROAD ed and applied the Party’s ideology children left Romania, he was demot- and principles of international prole- ed immediately. Another case which tariat unity. evolved into a scandal was that of the When Ceausescu spoke, he always Minister of Labor, Petre Lupu (former- brought up the need for Romanian ly Presman). After learning that his Communism to fight for equal rights son had filed to leave, he sent word to for all minorities; Russians, the Ministry of Internal Affairs to Hungarians, and Germans. He then ensure his application would be waved his hand with disdain to indi- denied. Hearing of his father’s treach- cate that there were “others” not ery, the son wrote a letter to Radio specifically mentioned, but worthy of Free Europe. Based on his correspon- inclusion. dence, they started a campaign to A few Jews did maintain positions expose the duplicity and misery of of authority to keep up appearances Romanian Communist politics as it for the Western world to see. They related to minorities, and the dirty were the most rabid anti-Semites of practice of trading Jews for money. In all. They were experts at sniffing out response to the scandal, the Romanian Jews who had attempted to hide by authorities greenlighted the son’s changing their names. Some lost their departure, and demoted the father. prestigious positions after their chil- The anti-Semitism was very con- dren filed to immigrate to Israel. This venient for Party leaders, and contin- happened to the famous Leonte Rautu ued to exist long after Dej’s passing. (formerly Lonea Orenstein), the Dej didn’t benefit from this trade Party’s chief of propaganda, who made with Jews, as his trusted people life miserable for any Jew unfortunate cashed in large sums of money and enough to cross his path. When his secretly deposited it into foreign 140 141 Bittersweet Memories A JEW WITH RELATIVES ABROAD accounts. He asked Sami to investigate Internal Affairs, that a very dangerous the matter. Sami informed Dej that as spy was en route. far as he knew, the majority of these His Swiss contact was happy to dis- secret accounts were managed by two cover that all he had to do was copy major Swiss banks. Sami explained some account numbers, and that noth- to Dej that Swiss accounts are ing had to be stolen. This task was numbered, and therefore it would accomplished very quickly. be difficult to identify who owned His mission completes, a new chal- which account. He could only dig lenge lay on the horizon for Sami: how deeper if he was equipped with the to get home safely. Using a different right cover, one requiring a diplomatic passport, he left Paris for Hungary, passport, twenty thousand dollars, disguised as an old violin teacher. and a train ticket. From there, he crossed into Romania Dej readily agreed to supply Sami disguised as a woman. He arrived in with what he needed, and forwarded Dej’s office, still in costume, much to the request for a diplomatic passport the president’s amusement. His smile to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. As quickly evaporated, however, once he an old operative, Sami had a sixth learned what had happened. Sami sense which could detect danger when handed over the documents, and Dej present. Therefore, he decided to pass promised to punish those who were on Zurich, and headed for Paris. From responsible for placing him in danger. there, he got in touch with his contact On his way home, agents from the person in Switzerland, who informed Ministry of Internal Affairs arrested him that local agents were awaiting him, and held him for three weeks, his arrival in order to arrest him. They until Dej came looking for him. had been informed by the Ministry of Realizing what must have happened, 142 143 Bittersweet Memories A JEW WITH RELATIVES ABROAD Dej ordered the minister, Alexandru agreeing that the only important thing Draghici, to free Sami at once. Based for us, was to care for our children. I on the Swiss documents supplied by told him that as soon as my children Sami, several ministers were arrested. finished school, we would flee the The general who issued Sami’s pass- country. He liked the idea; after all, his port (who, it turned out, was also the children were also of school age. one who told the Swiss authorities At ARLUS in Bucharest there was a about Sami’s mission) was among lady named Dianu, who worked at the them. Cultural Department setting up artis- I saw Sami shortly after this inci- tic programs. She was a lady to the dent occurred. Needless to say, he was core. Well versed in the arts and quite depressed. He told me that he music, she was hardly what one would was in a very dangerous spot; that consider a proletarian. She introduced those he exposed had many antennae, me to her husband, Hubert Dianu, a and a long reach. We concluded, as he very sociable fellow. He never hid the was over sixty anyway, that retirement fact that he was a Jew. When I asked was his best option. For this, he would him where he worked, he responded have to seek Dej’s help. by saying he had a “special”job. Later, There was a period after that when his wife whispered in my ear that he we used to see each other very often worked with Emil Botnaras (one time and reminisce. Prime Minister). One day Hubert said He told me that he, like many oth- to me: “We are Jews. Even here, where ers, had been brainwashed. From it’s hard to be Jewish, we must help the 1940–46 he would have been capable new Jewish state in any way we can. of murder at Dej’s behest. Now, he Israel has gained its independence, believed in nothing. We were both and is waging war against the Arabs. 144 145 Bittersweet Memories A JEW WITH RELATIVES ABROAD We must send guns. Your brother-in- gathering of generals and other law, Felea, works at the Ministry of important people. Draghici informed Metallurgy. Arrange a meeting with us that an armored car from the him; perhaps we can do something National Bank was robbed. Three or together.”And it was done. four police officers were killed during An Israeli representative who mas- the heist, and subsequent investiga- queraded as a Czech (or a man from tions have turned up empty. After lis- some other country like that) ordered tening carefully to the minister, Sami all sorts of armaments from Romania: asked permission to leave and retrieve semi-automatic weapons, machine some documents. He brought back guns, etc. Felea arranged everything, some Italian newspapers that and the minister, Chivu Stoica, described a similar incident that had was thrilled to export Romanian occurred in Milan. In those cases the weaponry, as it wasn’t exactly consid- investigators concluded that the Milan ered top-notch. robbery was an inside job. Even then, when the Communist According to the official accounts. leadership was at its most nationalis- the person who masterminded the tic, the Jews held on to their sense of robbery was a Colonel named Ioanid, self. The anti-Semitism had a binding who was the Director of Judiciary effect on the Jewish community. Committee within the Ministry. Ioanid Around 1962–64 Sami came to me was Jewish. Draghici was one of the with some exciting news: “Hold on to few party leaders who didn’t abandon your chair, I have something amazing his Jewish wife. This Ioanid had a to tell you.” The Minister of Internal brother who was an atomic physicist, Affairs, Draghici, called me into his and professor at the Military Academy office. When I arrived, there was a big in Bucharest. 146 147 Bittersweet Memories A JEW WITH RELATIVES ABROAD This case caused a ripple effect case for the same purposes. Through- within the Communist Party. Many out Romania, Party meetings were arrests were made, the Ioanid broth- held to discuss the matter. ers, their closest relatives, and those One day, I was summoned to the who knew them included. According local Party headquarters, along with to the official transcripts, Colonel the district chief of staff, Spataru. We Ioanid wanted to use about six million were greeted by Iordanescu, the lei (a considerable amount in those regional Secretary, who told us that we days) to help Jews immigrate to Israel. were there to discuss an important Supposedly he had declared that he matter. He wanted us to tell him opposed the Party’s politics, and had everything we knew about Ioanid’s intended to send a message. case. Both of us replied in unison that Gheorghe Dej and other Party lead- we knew nothing of Ioanid or the inci- ers wanted to use this case as evidence dent.The Secretary flew into a rage; he that there was a grand Jewish conspir- demanded to know why we hadn’t acy within Romania. He likened this attended the county meetings that instance to a similar one that occurred were held regarding the matter. in Soviet Russia when the KGB, based We responded that nobody had on the actions of one Jewish doctor, told us about the meetings. He didn’t wrongly arrested hundreds of other believe us, and set about verifying doctors of the same ethnicity, accusing whether or not we were telling the them of sedition. truth. Upon his return, Iordanescu The propaganda spread by the stated that those who failed to inform Soviet Communist Party sparked a us of the meeting would be dealt with. new wave of anti-Semitism across the “Let me fill you in. There is a new country. Dej wanted to use Ioanid’s editor-in-chief named Victor Rusu 148 149 Bittersweet Memories A JEW WITH RELATIVES ABROAD working for Veac Nou magazine, who Subsequent accusations were was a friend of Ioanid’s brother-in- made by the Communist leadership law. We must expel him from the Party against the Jewish community, claim- before he can be arrested.” Spataru ing they had tight relationships with and I glanced at each other, and asked the Ioanid brothers, and that they Iordanescu what role we were to play were sitting on the stolen money to in all of this. He told us that we were to help Jews emigrate. prepare the expulsion documents. Rabbi Rosen, the chief of the Jewish Both of us replied that it wasn’t possi- community, reacted virulently to the ble to prepare such documentation charges, arguing that Israel paid the without having a crime to accuse Rusu Romanian state for each immigrant. of. We added that we could be sanc- Rabbi Rosen successfully countered tioned for filing false papers. these false accusations, and the rash of Iordanescu looked at us and said: “I anti-Semitism lost steam, for a time. see what you mean. Let me prepare The anti-Semitism came back with the documents then. a vengeance during Ceausescu’s When the meeting to expel Rusu reign. In order to fend off the Russian was to be held, I fabricated an “emer- propaganda relating to the “historical gency” business trip, to ensure I Romanian-Russian/Soviet relation- wouldn’t be party to the melee. I met ship,”Ceausescu adopted a policy that Rusu a few days after the meeting. He exacerbated Romanian Nationalism. thanked me, and said: “Neither you He asked historians to draft articles nor Spataru incriminated me nor did and studies about the Roman origins you lie.” He was later hired by the of the Romanian people. He added the Jewish community as editor of their Latin name to various cities (Cluj newspaper. Napoca, Drobeta Turnu Severin). He 150 151 Bittersweet Memories A JEW WITH RELATIVES ABROAD asked archaeologists to excavate new explaining to Ceausescu that he had a sites to provide evidence of the Latin scientific and professional duty to tell origins of the Romanian people. the truth. The most important dig was in The ensuing pressure thrust upon Drobeta Turnu Severin, and managed him was crippling, and after a short by Professor Daicoviciu, a famous while he suffered a heart attack and archaeologist. Here, numerous arti- died. facts that proved the presence of the Alexandru, my friend from Roman legions were found. Decorativa Enterprises was the one Documents, weapons, and religious who told me all these stories. I close relics were among the discoveries. It is this “hard chapter” (hard to live well known that within the Roman through, not recount). The preceding army, each unit allowed its soldiers to stories were but a few examples of practice their own religion. what Jews in Romania had to endure The artifacts that were found during this period. If you multiplied belonged to the Ninth Judaic Legion. It these instances a thousand fold, you is a fact that in the Roman army, mili- might begin to understand the harsh tary units were separated by national- reality that was the nationalistic and ity (Germans, French, Gaul, etc.). anti-Semitic orientation of the Daicoviciu organized a private Romanian Communist Party. In theo- exhibition, and invited Party leaders to ry,“International Proletariat”ideals, in view the fruits of his labor. Ceausescu practice,“Burn the Jew.” and his wife were very upset to learn about Daicovicius’ Jewish discovery, and asked the professor to change his findings. He refused to alter his work, 152 153 THE PROLETARIAN MINDSET ory who described the role of the pro- xvii. letariat in the socialist revolution. the His father, Heinrich Marx, was a Jew. He abandoned his religion and prolectarian converted to Christianity, believing that would help him better in busi- mindset ness. In my neighborhood, we would call such a character a “poser.” In 1843, Karl Marx married a in Marxist-Leninist theory, a code of German woman of high birth, Jeny conduct called “Proletarian morals” von Wesfalen. The Wesfalen family played a central role. In accordance was one of the most conservative ones with this code, the model socialist had in Germany. to be an honest person with great In many of his writings, Marx integrity, a strong moral compass, detailed his atheistic beliefs, saying educated, and always ready to defend, that “religion is opium for the masses.” with precision, the principles of This was only theory. According to the Marxist-Leninist theory. media, Marx married in the Catholic Let’s see just how “precise” those tradition. His atheism was not principles were, and how much people adhered to. (including their authors) believed in Another classic figure of great them. I believe that the parents of this importance was Vladimir I. Lenin. He theory, the so-called classics, had to be was the leader of the Russian prole- the first to apply and conform to those tariat, and revolutionary socialist. Back principles. Let’s talk about the “Great” when the movement was illegal, Lenin Karl Marx, the founder of the new the- fled Russia for Switzerland and 154 155 Bittersweet Memories THE PROLETARIAN MINDSET France. Naturally, he bankrolled his political interests, all aimed at killing trips with money from the dues paid off his political opposition. He dedi- by thousands of “Ivans,” members of cated his whole life to political manip- the Party. ulation. Pipe’s book provides Professor of Russian History irrefutable evidence that the “Great” Richard Pipes published a book called Lenin killed thousands with his lies The Unknown Lenin. He based his book and perversity. on documents that were declassified But Lenin always found time for the after the fall of the Soviet Empire. In it, odd love affair. One of these dalliances he describes how the “Great Leader of was with a woman named Inessa the Russian Proletariat” used crime Armand, who was not a proletarian and terror to consolidate his power. by any measure. The media wrote In this way, he created a tradition of another affair with Alexandra that was followed to the letter by his Kolontay, who later became a Soviet successors. In reality, Lenin was a man ambassador to a Scandinavian coun- driven by evil, cruelty, deception, and try (I can’t recall which one). vengeance. Apparently, her ambassadorship was In 1922, upon hearing of a priest a direct result of the scheming of revolt in the city of Suhuia, Lenin Nadejda Krupskaia, Lenin’s wife. issued a dictate to the Party: “The more To conclude, those precepts and priests and bourgeoisie you kill, the Proletarian theories were created for better.”Over eight thousand priests in the peons, not the leaders. Sihuia and the outlying areas were Furthermore, the authors concocted assassinated. Massacres in Siberia and another theory called “the fight Urali soon followed. against petite-bourgeoisie egalitarian- Lenin was also involved in several ism.”This theory stated that people are 156 157 Bittersweet Memories THE PROLETARIAN MINDSET not equal.They have to be compensat- pay, and for all other administrative ed according to the quantity and qual- issues. In this unit there was a depart- ity of their work. Let’s see how this ment which supplied the comrades theory was applied. with the finer things in life. Whatever For the Communist leaders and they dreamt about at night became the “comrades” (their acolytes), special “must have”the following day. Female conditions were created. The papers comrades, in particular, dreamt a lot. used to say that a comrade never As I previously mentioned, walks, he strides. A comrade never Gheorghe Dej made it fashionable in speaks, he pronounces. He is not a Romania to take a lover from the art person, but a character. world. Dina Cocea, the famous artist I had a coworker who became the from the National Theater, was one of wife of a “comrade.” She used to brag them. The well known writer, Tudor to us about the various sundries that Arghezi, was quoted: “Dina is a great her husband had, such as imported girl, but she needs a well-hung guy to clothes, electronics, home appliances, keep her happy.” This comment was and spirits. Meanwhile, the average not in reference to her affair with Dej, Romanian at that time had to stand in but another lover named Alexandru lines for hours in order to get the most Filipide, a writer (this tidbit was over- basic necessities, such as meat or heard at Capsa Restaurant, a well yogurt. known hangout for writers, journal- Within the Romanian Communist ists, and artists. The word spread Central Committee, there was a through Bucharest like wildfire). With department called gospodaria de partid. Dej’s help, Dina Cocea was appointed That unit was responsible for manag- to represent Romania at UNESCO. ing the dues that Party members must Silvia Popovici, another actress 158 159 Bittersweet Memories THE PROLETARIAN MINDSET from the National Theater, married the Ghelerter. He developed her acting president of the State Planning skills, and prepared her for the rigors Committee. Yet another actress from of a career in the National Theater. the Municipal Theater in Bucharest After a short period of time, she married a Party Secretary, and thus became one of the best actresses with- became comrade Violeta Andrei. in the theater, as well as Mrs. Immediately after that, she landed Ghelerter. several roles in big productions. One day, Marcela Rusu said to her Stefan and Violeta Andrei obviously husband: “Dear Mony, a vice president wed with Ceausescu’s blessing. of the Board of Ministers has fallen in I wasn’t necessarily a big follower love with me and wishes to marry.You of gossip. All the people from my gen- may find another woman like me, but eration knew these goings-on. I mere- I doubt I’ll ever find another vice pres- ly recount these events to emphasize ident.” By marrying a comrade the way those “saints of Marxist- Marcela became one as well, and was Leninism”made a mockery of the the- privy to all the privileges that come ory by behaving contrary to what they with that distinction. When Marcela’s were proponents for every chance husband married her, he left his they could. As it turned out, Proletariat Russian wife and their three children Morale existed only for the average behind. The two settled in to a lovely, folks, who had to strictly adhere to its beautifully appointed villa. tenets. Marcela Rusu went to Karlovivari At the National Theater there was a (formerly Carlsbad) in Czechoslo- highly talented actress named vakia, a spa where the royal families of Marcela Rusu. She was discovered by Europe used to holiday. She had to a very famous director named Mony spend the holiday alone, because her 160 161 Bittersweet Memories THE PROLETARIAN MINDSET husband was busy. To keep her bore- Radu Beligan and Vasiliu Birlic were dom at bay, she had an affair with a plagued by kibitzers, party lackeys local sportsman. Needless to say, her that became overnight sensations as holiday became much more enjoyable theater critics, who yearned to teach after that. seasoned actors the proper way to do What Marcela didn’t know was that their job. her new husband had sent an agent to At a loss, the two actors appealed to spy on her. Upon her return to the great Romanian actress, Lucia Bucharest, a colonel was waiting for Sturza Bulandra. She was their her at the airport. He handed her instructor and former employer back some official papers and said: “Here when her husband, Tony Bulandra are your divorce papers, and your per- owned the comedy theater. sonal effects are in a van waiting for This great lady of the stage care- you. Now, I will accompany you to fully listened to her former pupils, your new residence. If you have a and then told them “Say what they tell problem with any of this, I’ll accompa- you to say, but act as you are! Take ny you to jail.” their money, my dears.” They learned Marcela, smart woman that she this lesson very well, especially was, understood the gravity of the sit- Beligan, who later became a member uation, signed the papers, and went to of the Communist Party’s Central her new home. She resumed her activ- Committee. ities at the theater, and after a while One of the “keepers” of the prole- married Aurel Baranga, a playright. tarian morale was comrade Elena Since we are discussing the world Ceausescu, who despised those the- of art, let me regale you with another ater actresses. The new wives and tale. As was the case with all actors, lovers were beautiful, young, and cul- 162 163 Bittersweet Memories THE PROLETARIAN MINDSET tivated women. Regardless of her English academia, however, judged social stature, Elena was little more Elena’s research as sub par. Minister than a rube who couldn’t speak prop- Florescu, more than anyone else, had erly. She had, however, a slough of the most to lose as a result of this degrees, her official title being acade- occurrence. He was warned that if mician Dr. Elena Ceausescu, engineer, Elena was ever made to look foolish PhD. She was the chief of the Institute again, the consequences for him for Chemistry Research in Bucharest. would be dire. How she earned those advanced At that time, among average folks, degrees is another story. At that time, Elena had the title of “Dr. Humoris the Minister of Industrial Chemicals Causa” (paraphrase of honnoris causa was a Jew named Mihai Florescu (for- honorary degree). merly Blumenfeld). He earned the Let’s see other ways in which com- right to remain minister by allowing rade Elena Ceausescu tried to main- Elena to take credit for his findings. tain the purity of the proletariat Elena had the audacity to partici- morale. In 1940–41, when the Germans pate at various international summits, occupied Romania, she would often and, via diplomatic ties, she even sleep with the Nazi soldiers. This was earned a honoris causa professorship her way of battling fascism. from London’s University of Several papers wrote about her Chemistry. Incredible! Elena received unusual hobby of watching other com- all these titles on account of her polit- rades and their lovers/wives having ical clout. In the interest of good sex on video. Securitatea was put in British-Romanian relations, Elena was charge of capturing unsuspecting peo- awarded the honorary degree at the ple on tape. prodding of England’s government. Nicolae Ceausescu liked the Marxist 164 165 Bittersweet Memories THE PROLETARIAN MINDSET slogan that religion was the opiate of healthy. In 1917, when he was a tailor the masses. He used it often in his in Botosani, Davidovici joined the speeches to promulgate his atheistic marine unit of the army. He was sta- beliefs to the people. However, when tioned on the Danube, in the small his father died, he threw a spectacular town of Reni. funeral, inviting many priests and When the Russian Revolution other religious figures. exploded, a small faction of the One year I went to temple on Yom Romanian army fraternized with the Kippur. I was later called by Mrs. Bolsheviks. Smil Davidovici was Dalea, the secretary of the local organ- among them. He fought for the ization of the Party, who told me that Bolsheviks during the revolution, and Colonel Badescu, who worked in the distinguished himself as a valiant war- Jewish community in Bucharest, saw rior. He was later appointed as one of me there. She told me that she under- Lenin’s personal bodyguards, and stood why I went, but if I did it again, I remained in this position until Lenin would be expelled from ARLUS.“Quod died. licet Iovis non fexcit bovis.” After Lenin’s death, Davidovici was Before I end this chapter, I want transferred to Comintern, where he to tell you about Smil Davidovici, worked as a liaison and host to the which may shed some light on the Romanian communist delegates. Most hypocrisy of the slogans and moral of the time, the members of the codes of socialism. Romanian Communist Party (which I met Davidovici in 1967, when he was still illegal in Romania at that worked at the Ministry of time) would come to Russia for vari- Agriculture’s garage. He was almost ous conferences by swimming across seventy years old, but still strong and the Nistru river. Smil Davidovici 166 167 Bittersweet Memories THE PROLETARIAN MINDSET would greet the delegates and verify director provided no explanation. their identities with the help of GPU Davidovici worked in the camp until (later, KGB). He would arrange their the summer of 1953. Word had spread accommodation, food, clothing, etc. amongst the prisoners that Stalin had His superiors were very happy with recently died. The commander his work, and he quickly gained a fair received orders to send all the prison- amount of prestige. ers to Moscow.This time they were not In 1937, to everyone’s surprise, blindfolded. Upon their arrival, they GPU agents arrested Davidovici in the were ushered inside the Kremlin. dead of night. The agents knew Smil Once there, they were filled in on very well from the days when he all the news that had transpired dur- worked with them, and warned him ing their years in captivity. They were that they had orders to escort him to a told that the new secretary of the train which was departing for parts Communist Party was a man named unknown. But even they had no idea Nikita Khrushchev. They were what he was being charged with. released at his prompting, and no At the railway station, they blind- longer considered enemies of the folded Davidovici, and put him on the USSR. All of their rights were restored train, where he traveled for two or immediately, and they were asked if three days, until it arrived in a mead- they had any special needs which ow. A large concentration camp had required attention. been set up there, and the train Davidovici asked to be allowed to unloaded hundreds of people. move to Romania, hoping that life None of the prisoners knew where might be better there. When he had they were or why they had been been arrested sixteen years prior, he arrested. When questioned, the camp’s left a wife and five year old daughter 168 169 Bittersweet Memories THE PROLETARIAN MINDSET behind. In the interim period, his wife thing about this to the Ministry of had died, and the little girl was now Religions. If they found out, they twenty-one years old. After their would make my life miserable, and arrival in Romania, Davidovici and his force me into retirement.” daughter managed to build a life Davidovici lived alone in Romania, there, and eventually she married a preparing to leave for Israel. pharmacist and immigrated to Israel. This sad story is a vivid account of I happened to know the pharma- the events that took place in the USSR cist’s father, who was the vicar at between 1936 and ‘38, when Stalin Dionisie Lupu church. We weren’t started the so-called “Cleansing”of the especially close, but always said hello Party. In fact, Stalin’s true aim was to to each other when our paths crossed. rid himself of any political opponents. It’s interesting to note that after I peti- During this mass persecution, thou- tioned to immigrate to Israel, the vicar sands died and hundreds of thou- became noticeably friendlier. It sands more were detained for years, seemed that only after my plans to like Davidovici. leave became known, did the priest It’s not my purpose here to embrace me as one of his own. describe this period of Russian histo- He told me that he had relatives in ry, but rather to evoke a lesser known Israel, and that he could visit them aspect of that time. In such an atmos- and see the holy grave during Easter. phere of suspicion, even an offhand He was happy with the knowledge remark which called into question that his children would have a good someone’s loyalty to the USSR could life in Jerusalem running a pharmacy. get a person arrested or even killed. “Of course,”the priest said to me smil- The Germans capitalized on this ing with complicity, “I didn’t say any- wave of paranoia as well. The chief of 170 171 Bittersweet Memories THE PROLETARIAN MINDSET Germany’s military intelligence porters of Marxist-Leninism (the tanks (Abwehr), Admiral Canaris, forged were great motivators). several documents which showed For all these leaders of the USSR, ranking members of the Red Army and later of the so-called socialist collaborating with the Nazis. When countries, the main aspect of the Stalin received such news, he didn’t repressive function was what they hesitate to arrest those accused. In this used to call “consolidation of the way, the Nazis successfully removed socialist state power.”We’ve seen how many skilled Red Army officers, thus they achieved that task. Under those weakening the Soviet military. (They circumstances, the average people had had designs on the USSR even back to be “educated” in the spirit of then, and in 1941 they attacked.) Marxist-Leninism. The case of General Tukacevski, a What Lucia Sturza Bulandra very reputable Soviet officer, is an advised the actors to do (“Say what excellent example of Nazi cunning. they tell you to say, but act as you Tukacevski developed the Soviet’s are!”) had been generalized so that paratrooper and tank strategy for the people led double lives and had dou- war. The London Institute of Tactical ble consciences. At work and in and Strategic Studies recognized the public, people rallied behind the general’s military brilliance. socialist ideology, but at home, From 1944–47, when the Russian amongst family, everybody was con- army occupied the countries of cerned about their own, quite substan- Eastern Europe, fear was in the air. tial, problems. I can say that this phe- Everywhere the Russian tanks passed nomenon occurred within households by, there was silence. The survivors at every strata of society. were “trustful and enthusiastic” sup- Lots of Soviet delegates came to 172 173 Bittersweet Memories THE PROLETARIAN MINDSET ARLUS during this time. When the She was very friendly with me; relationship between Soviet Russia almost familiar. From the get-go, I and Romania was less than perfect, wondered why. One day, I had my the Russians would send high level answer. She took me by the arm, and representatives in order to force the led me to the guest house park, telling Romanian Communists to do likewise. me she needed a word in private. Around 1970, a Russian contingent led First she asked me if I knew any by their Deputy Minister of Culture other language besides my hackneyed paid a visit to Romania. At that time, I Russian. I told her I knew a bit of was in charge of certain administrative French. She smiled wryly, and duties (accommodation, food, sched- answered in perfect French that she uling, etc.) and would often wind up figured I would know more French hanging about where visiting dele- than Russian. I suggested that if she gates were staying. The high level visi- needed to talk in greater depth, I could tors were put up at the Party guest fetch a translator for us. She laughed, houses. There, they had better food and told me that she knew very well and amenities, and they could be how those things worked. “It’s like in watched more easily. Russia, the drivers and translators are The head of the contingent honored always KGB.” So I asked her directly me with a business card, showing that what was it that I could do for her. She in addition to her capacity within the said, “My daughter is to be married party, she was also a doctor of philoso- next month, and I am the Deputy phy. I needn’t mention what area of Minister of Culture. Nevertheless, I philosophy she was specialized in. She want my daughter to have a tradition- was about thirty-five to forty years old, al wedding, according to our religion. beautiful, and used to giving orders. The priest who baptized her lives in a 174 175 Bittersweet Memories THE PROLETARIAN MINDSET kolhoz near Leningrad, and he will what I had. I explained that these can- perform the ceremony. The problem is dles were for the Deputy Minister’s that I can’t find candles for the wed- daughter’s wedding. He eyed each ding.”I interrupted her, and said if she candle carefully, and finally asked me told me how many she needed and of if I could buy four more candles just what size, I would take care of it. When like these, as his niece was getting she realized I was willing to help her married as well. with this “insurmountable” problem, Before her departure, I told the she started to tear up. Deputy Minister what had happened. The following day I came back to When she heard that I bought candles the guest house with four five-foot for the security chief too, she roared wedding candles. I boxed each of them with laughter, and told me,“...you’re separately for easy transport. I a clever one.” She thanked me once explained to her that with her diplo- again, and was on her way. matic passport she should have no Let me tell you another story about problems with Romanian customs Russian delegates. In November 1970, officers, but to be careful with their around the time when countries from Russian counterparts. She told me not Eastern Europe would celebrate the to worry; her husband was the head of Russian Revolution, high level dele- the department. gates from Moscow came for a visit. There’s a funny side note to this The chief of the contingent was a story. When I was bringing the candles member of the Soviet Central to the Deputy Minister, the guest Committee, and Vice President of the house security chief stopped me. He Board of Ministers from Uzbekistan. A asked about my bundles, so I brought few days into their visit, he called me him into her room and showed him over to his table, and told me: “We are 176 177 Bittersweet Memories THE PROLETARIAN MINDSET Uzbeks, which means we are Muslim. to give the delegates whatever food I have accepted all these various titles they wished for. He told me that this in order to protect my people. I don’t would never happen in the USSR. want them to be crushed by the I called the chef, who spoke with Soviets.” I looked at him quizzically, the Uzbeks about the dishes they wondering where he was going with wanted, and everyone was happy. all of this. He continued with, “I like With these stories, I tried to illus- how you work with the drivers, who trate how the “double life” became a are obviously secret agents. You hold reality for people at every level of soci- them at bay, seating them at their own ety. This phenomenon permeated table, stuffing them with food and throughout Romania, as well as every drink, just like we do at home.” other country where the Socialist rev- I still didn’t know what he wanted olution followed after the Soviet tanks of me. I summoned up my courage, rolled through. and asked him what I could do for Marxist-Leninism gave birth to him. He laughed, enchanted with my tyrants and despots wherever it directness. gained footing. And the Soviet tanks Then he told me that Muslims cele- played an important part in promul- brate Ramadan, and that they weren’t gating this ideology. allowed to eat as they wished during The proponents of this theory felt this period. the need to enrich it further, setting I asked him to tell me what his new arguments forth in its favor. Let’s dietary requirements were, and prom- see how this was done in Romania. ised to bring him what he needed. He The most zealous champion of asked me: “Won’t that be difficult to Marxist-Leninism in Romania was do?”I told him that we were instructed none other than “the most beloved son 178 179 Bittersweet Memories THE PROLETARIAN MINDSET of the Romanian people,” Nicolae the highest levels of civilization and Ceasescu. wealth.” Reality showed that average Within the Romanian Communist people barely had food to eat, and Central Committee there was a special were forced to queue for hours on end unit called the Body of Lecturers, a to get even a morsel. I heard that subgroup within the Party’s women had difficulty finding under- Department of Propaganda. Several wear to buy. Apparently, undergar- journalists had been hired by this ments had no place at the “highest lev- body to write on Ceausescu’s behalf, els”of civilization. and create a signature style for him. The Romanian Communist Party This was a relatively easy endeavor, as wanted to brainwash people into he didn’t have any pre-existing style to accepting this theory. Let’s see how get in their way. this was put into practice. As I previ- All of his speeches and interviews ously mentioned, my boss at ARLUS were meticulously compiled and pub- was a very good man, but quite uned- lished as a twenty-five to thirty vol- ucated.To his great misfortune, he was ume magnum opus. Therefore, Ceau- appointed Romania’s ambassador to sescu had secured for himself a place the United States. on the mantle of history as a great con- When the People’s Republic of tributor to Marxist-Leninism. Romania came into being, the employ- By manufacturing endless theories, ees of the Romanian embassy in the these despots tried exhaustively to USA sought asylum. Only the ambas- give a scientific legitimacy to Socialist sador, Professor Mihai Ralea and his society. Let’s take another example: In driver returned home. Good old his myriad speeches, Ceausescu spoke Marin, as he liked to be called, took about “bringing Romania on par with over the ambassadorship during a dif- 180 181 Bittersweet Memories THE PROLETARIAN MINDSET ficult period of history. After all, the embassy. Marin asked him why he was Cold War was in full swing. there, and the American officer didn’t This was the period when the understand a thing. I asked Marin Rosenbergs, who were working on the what language he spoke to the atomic bomb for America, being good American in, and he told me communists, gave manufacturing Romanian, as he didn’t understand secrets to the Russians. All the any other language. And he continues embassies of so-called Socialist coun- to wonder why the American didn’t tries were being watched by the CIA understand him. and other American surveillance Another story that good old Marin organizations. Apparently, it wasn’t told me: One day he took his family to only the Rosenbergs who were a park in D.C. At a certain moment he involved in the atomic scandals; there had a stomachache, and instead of was an entire network. going to the restroom, he looked for Good old Marin used to tell me his some bushes. Little did he know he impressions about the Americans. He was being followed by journalists. said they were very stupid, and won- “Check this out.They had nothing bet- dered how these people were able to ter to do than take a picture of me create such advanced technology in so relieving myself, and publish it in their many different fields. I asked him how papers.” this stupidity manifested itself. He After this diplomatic fiasco, good told me a story. old Marin was sent on home. After a One day, a member of the embassy time, he was appointed ambassador to named Zambeti, who was a colonel in Poland, given his “diplomatic experi- the Securitatea, was followed by a CIA ence in the US.”When in Poland with agent as he entered the Romanian a tour group, I had occasion to visit 182 183 Bittersweet Memories THE PROLETARIAN MINDSET good old Marin at the embassy, where At the beginning of this Socialist I brought him a letter from his wife. era, at the General Confederation of Although I called the embassy Labor, there were many discussions prior to my arrival, the secretary made about bringing women on to the vari- me wait nevertheless because the ous committees. One of the meetings Comrade Ambassador was busy. was lead by a stalwart activist who was Good old Marin heard this conversa- quite famous at that time. Her name tion, and came out of his office, telling was Liuba Chisinevski. Her husband the secretary,“Let him in, he’s our guy. was also a heavy hitter. I might be busy, but it’s not dire.” I Liuba, who had a tendency to ram- entered his office, and what did I see ble, didn’t want to attack the heart of on his desk: three bags of olives and a the issue. To end any discussion, she jar of oil. Noticing my curiosity, Marin addressed the group, and said, with a wanted to explain. “The olives play a pure Russian accent, “Comrades, that very important diplomatic role. How ‘female thing’ will be explored in can you organize a reception without greater depth, at a later date.” them? To serve plum brandy without Let me tell you another story that olives is untenable.” This is how I just crossed my mind. At the Free learned the role of olives in matters of Romania newspaper, there were diplomacy. union elections. There was a directive Indoctrinated with all sorts of given to promote the women. Of Marxist theories, the activists within course, the participants conformed to the Romanian Communist Party had a the order, and elected a woman in the very limited knowledge of ideological union committee. When the meeting and cultural matters. Let’s take an adjourned, the comrade from the example. county concluded: “I’m very happy to 184 185 Bittersweet Memories have a female comrade within this xviii. “organ”-ization. As I said before, it is not my inten- the brainwashed tion to reduce my memoirs to a ham- handed collection of one-liners. I wish generation to emphasize the fact that many peo- ple’s lives depended on those party activists whose capacity for under- standing was very low, but who were let’s see what the brainwashed nevertheless up to date on Marxist looked like, and see why those theory, and its evolution. despots, who called themselves lead- ers, needed them.They needed people to believe in the lies of Marxist Leninism, to ensure they executed all the orders they were given without question. Like the church teaches, “believe without questioning.” This theory was improved upon daily, with the aim of grounding an ideal, which, far from being an ideal, was in fact the greatest joke of the 20th century. Despite the fact that this theory was being constantly improvised, some- times quite poorly, thousands of peo- ple bought into it, and even died for 186 187 Bittersweet Memories THE BRAINWASHED GENERATION this contrived ideal. Let’s give the without question. They used to call example of the USSR. During the war, these guys “people who do not talk before launching an attack, thousands much.” of soldiers cried out “Za Stalina Za Rodina”( for Stalin, for the Homeland). It wasn’t enough to go to war and die for your country. First it was Stalin, then the homeland. Previously I talked about those military units which “broke” the enemy line with their lives. Again, Stalin came before the country. In all the countries in the world, one’s homeland is always a sacred notion. The sacred duty of any coun- The 1945–55 generation of Party try’s citizenry is to defend it with his activists were brainwashed. When the life. If all those who died for this ficti- Party issued policies that legitimized tious ideal could rise once again after anti-Semitism, they were all very wor- Stalin’s death in 1953, and they could ried, not about their individual gaze upon the true face of this bloody futures, but rather the country’s fate, tyrant, I think they would all fall down which was in the hands of a Party with and die again on the spot. such brutal tendencies. In order to fool As I said at the beginning of this themselves, they drew the conclusion chapter, the Party leaders in Romania that “the comrades from leadership were looking to dole out responsibili- didn’t know about those issues.”Those ties to those who would follow orders people didn’t understand, or perhaps 188 189 Bittersweet Memories THE BRAINWASHED GENERATION didn’t want to understand, that the the will of the “medical mafia.” The leadership was the source of these doctors were honored to help these anti-Semitic orientations not ignorant people to retire early. of them. Other people chose a different way As I previously described, many of out of the situation. They would take these activists, especially the Jewish clerical jobs within the Jewish ones, lost their jobs or got demoted. Community Center. Many of them This is a period when most of the would use their positions to facilitate brainwashed woke up to reality. By their immigration to Israel or other then, however, there was little that countries. they could do. Beside the fact that they In conclusion, the “peons,” as I call were very depressed, and bewildered them, paid a huge price in blood. I’m that they had once believed the lies of not talking about those who died dur- the Communist propaganda, they ing the war, but rather those who died were busy a lot of the time looking for during peace time. ways to merely survive. Perhaps what took place during the Some would retire early, claiming construction of the “Danube-Black Sea ill health. It’s interesting to mention Channel”would serve as a good exam- that doctors, especially ones who ple of these peace time atrocities. The worked in hospitals, would be more leaders called this construction site a than compliant, and would provide great achievement of Socialism. In the necessary papers to allow their fact, it was a huge killing machine. patients to retire early. Those who were sent to work on the My friend Sandu, a doctor at the channel had been previously labeled Central Hospital in Bucharest, told me enemies of the people. Their families that the comrades could not overturn were strictly watched, and their living 190 191 Bittersweet Memories THE BRAINWASHED GENERATION conditions were abominable. teenth century in France, on the night The harsh working environment of St. Bartholomew in 1572, the and rampant malaria killed scores of Catholics massacred hundreds upon people. They were quickly replaced by hundreds of Protestants. Many other a never-ending supply of “enemies of religious wars took place in France, the people.” If we add to this the and lasted several years. Often times it deaths that occurred in the prisons was the Catholics that were killed by due to the sadistic regimen that pris- the Protestants. oners were forced to live under, we In America, many native people have a very clear image that in a coun- died at the hands of the federal army, try whose leaders affirmed the theory who in turn were killed en masse by the of the socialist-humanist principles, furious indigenous people. death was in abundance. In Socialist countries, where While we are dealing with this Marxist-Leninism reigned supreme, macabre subject, let’s see some other people hardly ever put up a fight. examples of human tyranny. During There were some attempts to remove the slave system that was implement- the Russian repression; I am referring ed by the Roman Empire, many peo- to the events that took place in ple, especially slaves and Christians, Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia were killed by the thousands. The in 1968. The Russian tanks repressed slaves also killed a lot of Romans. In those movements very quickly. The history, there are many well known Russians gave them also “liberating, cases of slaves revolting. Perhaps the brotherly help” that poor people best example was the mass revolt led would never forget for the rest of their by Spartacus. lives. If you ever have an occasion to In medieval times, during the six- speak with the widows whose hus- 192 193 Bittersweet Memories THE BRAINWASHED GENERATION bands were crushed by the Russian among the leaders. They were afraid tanks, or with the orphans whose par- that the fight for democratic reform ents were killed with “high humanitar- would be taken up by the masses. In ian reasons”the way Russians justified our neighborhood, it was said that this these horrible deaths, they will tell you is a contagious disease. far more than I could possibly squeeze His voice was too loud to be into one chapter. silenced. To get rid of him, he was I’d like to refer here to what, in granted emigration to Germany where 1977, in Romania, they called the he continued his fight for human Goma case. I have no intention of rights. Maybe there were more cases detailing this case, which was covered like this, but I’m not sure. magnificently by Radio Free Europe. Ceausescu and his clique hoped to Paul Goma didn’t have his own regain their silent power, so that they secret agents. Neither did he kill any- could continue to spin their web of one. However, when he exposed his Marxist-Leninist lies in peace. That ideas about the real freedom of speech was his plan. But the reality was far for the masses, about the democratic different. The man proposes, and God rights of the Romanian people, arranges. God, I apologize for wishing Ceausescu and his clique felt very you had arranged it earlier. The threatened. He courageously exposed Romanians had to bear this bloody his beliefs in front of Ceausescu and tyrant for many more years. his acolytes. He attacked the edifice of After Ceausescu and his wife were lies and calumny used by Ceausescu killed, the Romanians had other trou- to subjugate an entire people. bles to contend with. “Pseudo- Goma’s attitude resonated with the Revolutionaries” took the power that Romanian people. This caused fear had in fact belonged to them previous- 194 195 Bittersweet Memories ly. The “actors” (scoundrels who dis- guised themselves as respectable) xix. may have changed, but the play car- arlus as the ried on as before. This is how I saw the sad history of themometer of the brainwashed generation. romanian soviet relations

at the beginning of this essay, I showed that ARLUS and its satellite institutions were created as powerful propaganda machines to sing the praises of Russia. Around 1945–46, ARLUS was already a strong organiza- tion. Now I’ll take a break in order to talk about a colleague and friend of mine. His name was Brebu, an enthu- siastic and loud person. However, when it came to work, he took his job seriously. Sometimes on our lunch breaks, we used to talk soul to soul. He used every free moment to work on a legal dictionary. I met him in Israel 196 197 Bittersweet Memories ARLUS AS THE THERMOMETER later on, and he treated us like a true the various discussions which took friend. I’ve heard that Brebu passed place in that period and later on. All away. God rest you in peace, my dear this resulted in the poisoning of the friend. Romanian-Soviet relationship. People Let’s go back to our story. Through whispered that “the soup got cold.” the years, ARLUS slowly decreased its This was the time when Ceausescu activities as well as its number of “played the independence game.” employees. Around 1965, there were At his behest, special organizations only five clerks at the headquarters. were created to develop a new image The houses of Romanian-Soviet of himself in front of the Western Friendship were transferred to the countries, in order for the leaders of Cultural Houses of the City. those countries to like him. More and more there were talks Let’s go back to ARLUS, and its about reciprocity, meaning that the existence in the environment that I USSR should have an institution simi- just described. ARLUS reduced its lar to ARLUS. That issue launched activities considerably. There were many vivid discussions which took whispers that ARLUS “shrank in the place between the leaders of Romania wash.” When the issue of reciprocity and the USSR. was addressed, a similar organization In the “Economic Community of was created in the USSR called the the Socialist Countries,” the Russians Soviet-Romanian Friendship Asso- assigned Romania the role of an ciation. Agrarian country.The Romanian lead- The Russians couldn’t be satisfied ers were very offended by this desig- with such an evolution in the two nation. country’s relationship. They respond- It is not necessary to detail here all ed to this dilemma in their own way. 198 199 Bittersweet Memories ARLUS AS THE THERMOMETER When a conference took place at the times: The deputy commander of the Romanian-Soviet Friendship House, Soviet army was asked by an to celebrate a certain writer or scien- American journalist how long do the tist, the entire Russian embassy staff, Russians need to occupy Romania. He led by its ambassador, used to show answered that this wasn’t a problem up. for the Soviets. Smiling, he gave the As they had a habit of not announc- following response. “In case the ing their arrival, we had to urgently Romanians resist, we need twenty- call someone from the Ministry of four hours. In case they don’t, we need External Affairs, someone from the two or three weeks, considering that Party, and some members from there will be meetings and recep- ARLUS management. The last group tions.” of people was easy to find, because This game of independence was most of them were retired. augmented after 1968, when the In this manner, the event rose to events in Czechoslovakia took place. another level, and everything had to Ceausescu’s vehement retort criti- be published in the media. Similarly, cized the Russians, accusing them of the Russians always sent the high level violating Czechoslovakia’s independ- delegates to events, thus holding the ence is well known. After some time, it Romanians to the same level of obliga- was discovered that this “courageous” tion. attitude was manufactured together It’s easy to see that the Russians with the Russians in order to mislead didn’t like this power play.They didn’t the Occident. agree, and could not swallow “their Until the Westerners realized this younger brother’s breaking ranks.” game, Ceausescu had certain econom- There was a joke during those ic advantages (namely, Most Favored 200 201 Bittersweet Memories ARLUS AS THE THERMOMETER Nation status) with Western Europe cuss matters related to the on-goings and the U.S. This game was quickly of the two associations, good old discovered by the Western world. Marin would call someone from the This had repercussions at ARLUS Party to bear witness. as well. Those five clerks were under I remember a very funny story. One the watchful gaze of the secret police. day, a clerk from the Russian embassy Each of us had a “shadow”who accom- came to deliver a letter from the panied us everywhere. One night on Soviet-Romanian Friendship Asso- my way home, I couldn’t contain ciation. Despite the fact my boss had myself any more, and I told my chap- asked several Party members to come erone that I wouldn’t leave the house by, nobody showed up. until the next morning. He answered: Then, good old Marin “mobilizing “Well, in this case, I’ll go home too.” all his diplomatic savvy” went on “the The phones were also tapped, in a offensive.” He invited the embassy’s very special way. If someone were to emissary to the meeting room. The call a clerk from ARLUS, and discuss room was quite big, so, in order to fill neutral matters, everything was okay. it, he invited all five clerks, the chauf- If that person was interested in feur, and the cleaning lady. ARLUS’s activities, however, the con- The embassy’s messenger was a nection was severed permanently. younger man, and he watched with Good old Marin, my boss, was very much surprise as all these prepara- upset about these measures, and he tions were made. His sole task was to used to say: “If they don’t have trust in deliver the list of delegates from the me, all I have left is to leave.” Soviet-Romanian Friendship Asso- Every time someone from the ciation, who were about to visit Russian embassy would drop in to dis- Romania. He deftly fulfilled this task 202 203 Bittersweet Memories ARLUS AS THE THERMOMETER by leaving this list with the secretary. Marin thanked his guest for stopping As I said, my boss went on the by, and concluded the meeting. He offensive and didn’t let the Russian invited the emissary to come by anoth- say a word. When he found out that er day to continue their riveting dis- the embassy’s emissary knew a bit of cussion, but now he had important Romanian, good old Marin showed his business to tend to at the Party’s “mastery” of the language, that I was- Central Committee. In fact, Marin n’t aware of previously. First he started went to the bathroom after that meet- by introducing ARLUS’s clerks, Fanica ing, pleased as punch with his diplo- the driver, and Stela the cleaning lady, matic performance. whose contribution to the Romanian The temperature of the Russian- Soviet friendship was crucial. “She Romanian relationship at that time makes excellent coffee,”Marin told the registered well below freezing. Russian, “and soon, you’re going to Perhaps, this frosty rapport should taste some.” have been more strongly considered a After he introduced everyone, sign of things to come later on in Marin regaled his guest with stories December 1989. Who knows? from his own life. He rattled on about the time he was imprisoned back when the Communist Party was ille- gal, and other such tidbits. And thus, my boss entertained the diplomat with his tales for about two hours. After he completed his mono- logue, for indeed, the poor Russian lad couldn’t get a word in edgewise, 204 205 ISRAEL: FREE AT LAST xx. the myriad “precious orders” handed down from Ceausescu and his clique. israel: All my life I had worked hard. In Romania, nobody seemed to notice or free at last care. It was different in Israel. For a while, I worked at a jewelry factory in Tel Aviv. Brebu helped me find this job. I had to reorganize the warehouse finally, God made it possible for us by implementing the Dewey decimal to escape the vile clutches of Marxist- system. The owner understood imme- Leninism. We were not necessarily diately what I wanted to do, and sup- young when we arrived in Israel; nev- ported me wholeheartedly. He put me ertheless, we had a feeling of elation at in contact with a man who manufac- the fact that we were no longer tured index cards so I could order ashamed of being Jewish once we got what I needed. there. We felt that our dignity and When I finished the job, my boss humanity had been given back to us. thanked me both verbally and mone- There were no special privileges tarily. He also told me he was going to given to us. I took Hebrew classes at thank Brebu for recommending me to Ulpan. Hebrew is quite a difficult lan- him. Unfortunately, we had to move to guage, after struggling through it, the South of Israel, as my wife couldn’t English was a breeze. The working take the weather around Tel Aviv. conditions were not always easy. The owner told me he would give However, I was relieved that I no me all the good references I needed, longer had to work with comrades and if I ever came back to Tel Aviv, from the county who would carry out there would be a job waiting for me. 206 207 Bittersweet Memories ISRAEL: FREE AT LAST My co-workers were also sorry to see used to take the papers home, and me go. pored over them for hours with a We moved to Arad, and I found dictionary. Eventually, I learned them work at a large factory near the Dead by heart. Sea. Everyone there appreciated me, After a month or two, I learned all and tried to help whenever they could. the ins and outs of the job, and my I couldn’t readily leave the warehouse superiors started to appreciate me. where I worked, so they would bring Several times per week, before the me lunch. work day started, five of us would Knowing I was new in town, the gather in my office. All these people warehouse manager would order were named Levi, and they came from extra food so I could bring some home. different parts of the globe: England, While I worked there, I never had to Germany, Iran, Iraq, and Romania. buy meat or dairy products at all. When the factory workers saw us I found another job in the same city together in my office, they used to say later on, thanks to Simona and Fred, the Levi family was having a reunion. her husband. Simona was Alexandru’s A beautiful friendship developed, and sister, and helping us went without we were bonded to each other. saying. In time, we became close Many Romanian Jews worked in friends. that factory, and I got along with them The factory in Arad belonged to a splendidly. When we moved to the construction trust named Solel-Bone. South, I saw my brother-in-law, Orfeu, Here I worked in payroll. At the begin- who told me, “Do you know what ning it was hard, until I learned the Israel’s biggest achievement is? It is factory lingo, and the trust’s instruc- not the fact that in a relatively short tions on how to calculate the salaries. I time it has succeeded to have a pretty 208 209 Bittersweet Memories ISRAEL: FREE AT LAST good standard of living, which doesn’t for Tactical and Strategic Studies pub- compare to the one in Romania, where lished a special report outlining the people stay on endless lines to buy methods employed by the Israeli army necessities.The biggest achievement is during this war.The so-called Socialist that Smil (generic name given to Jews countries broke diplomatic ties with by the anti-Semites) is not afraid of Israel, to punish them for beating the guns. He takes an Israeli machine gun, Arabs. and he mows terrorists down.” Romania didn’t do this. Ceausescu Looking back on Israel’s history maintained his hardlined indepen- since 1948, when the state declared its dent stance. He acted as an intermedi- independence, I realized how right ary to negotiate the return of seized Orfeu was. weaponry back to the Russians for I’d like to discuss two of the most payment. important events in Israel’s history. The Israeli experts noticed that the First, the Six Day War in 1967, and sec- tanks and armored cars made in ond, the war with Lebanon called the Russia were unsuitable for desert war against the terrorists. operation. In that period of time I was It is well known that in 1967 the still in Romania. I had a neighbor who Arab countries formed a coalition with was a colonel working at the Ministry the destruction of Israel as its aim. In a of Armed Forces. He told me that a matter of days, Israeli forces destroyed meeting of the military leaders took the Arab armies, who were well armed place, and Ceausescu himself attend- with the most sophisticated Russian ed. The president told the attendees weaponry at the time. that they have to study very carefully The entire world admired Israel’s the Six Day War, and gave them the success in battle. The London Institute following homework: “How could such 210 211 Bittersweet Memories ISRAEL: FREE AT LAST a small country fight and defeat such our activities intensified. This is powerful and numerous enemies?” because people up to fifty years old In that period of time, I would hear were fighting in the field. people on the street commenting: These people, me included, were not “I didn’t know that Israelis are Jews.” exactly young anymore. Nevertheless, The anti-Semites from Romania and we fulfilled all the given missions with other countries had the opportunity to enthusiasm and devotion. realize that Smil was not afraid of the We all know how events unfolded gun any more. during this war. I’d like to emphasize Another moment from Israel’s his- some of its lesser known aspects. In tory is the war with Lebanon, known Arad, both in the city and factory, as the war against the terrorists. there were many Arab workers. Some In 1979, we were living in Arad, a of them had relatives among the ter- small town in the Iehuda desert. The rorists who were fighting in Lebanon. weather was very dry there, perfect for Of course, they had a means of com- my wife who suffered from asthma. As munication, and could get updates soon as I arrived in Arad, I was from the battlefield. enrolled in the auxiliary army (mismar The Arabs were upset that ezrahi). I patrolled the city and desert Russians, especially Breshnev, let the by night. We successfully arrested ter- terrorists fend for themselves. They rorist gangs on more than one occa- discovered the true face of Russia sion. too late. During the night, we patrolled, The war in Lebanon exposed some during the day we worked. Until the of Russia’s plans in the Middle East. In start of the war, we used to patrol two some specially outfitted tunnels, large or three times a week. During the war, quantities of weapons and sophisticat- 212 213 Bittersweet Memories ISRAEL: FREE AT LAST ed equipment of Russian make were countries couldn’t undermine the found. The Israeli specialists said that people’s faith in God. On the contrary, this Russian cache was far larger than their efforts produced the exact oppo- anything the terrorists would have site results. The people opposed this required. repression with a mute, but very pow- I will never forget the years I spent erful resistance. They would head in Israel. Here, we gained back our toward their places of worship to humanity and national pride, which honor God. were trampled by the so-called I can’t forget the time when the activists from the “Marxist-Leninist atheist propaganda was in “bloom”at school of thought.” I had considered the churches on Boteanu Street, and (and still continue to consider) Israel Dionisie Lupu Street, where a lot of my spiritual country, as Romania is my parishioners would come for the native one. Sunday services. The same thing hap- The roots of my people are in Israel. pened at the Coral temple on Friday Learning Hebrew, I could understand nights and Saturday mornings. the prayers in their religious and It is worth mentioning the way chil- philosophical sense more profoundly. dren reacted to the leader’s attempts The exponents of Marxist-Leninism to estrange them from their religion tried to kill my faith in God, but they and from God. For example, to stop simply couldn’t. As I showed before, I them from attending their various was raised in a family that believes in services at Easter time, a lot of tea par- God. That faith was too deeply ties and other such events were organ- ingrained to be destroyed by others. ized at the school. The children would The Atheist propaganda practiced participate, but then, using obscure by the leaders of so-called Socialist routes, would head for church. I 214 215 Bittersweet Memories remember how they used to advise epilogue each other to be careful, so that the Securitatea agents would not find out. “‘Cause they would report you to the school, call you in for a meeting, and label you an enemy of the state,” they used to say. During this period, I caught a finally, I have reached the end of my glimpse of what old age would be like. story. You may ask me why I wrote It was time to be closer to our kids and these bittersweet memories? I’ve grandchildren. I said it many times, never been a special person with fan- and I might be repeating myself; if tastic tales. In fact, this story describes they were living in Israel, we wouldn’t the life of a worried person who have left this country. fought in any way possible to maintain At the end of 1983 we arrived in the himself, or at least stay afloat. United States to join our children. The This matter has vexed me in recent hospitality of this country surpassed years. I’ve recorded it on tape. I’ve our expectations. We have learned written it for my children and grand- English and I found gainful employ- children. I also address it to the com- ment. Together with my wife have ing generation, who might have the enjoyed being around our children time and patience to read these bitter- and grandchildren. sweet memories. In this story I have written on more than one occasion that the theories of these sinister communist teachings could never be proved. 216 217 Bittersweet Memories EPILOGUE Honest people, with a clean con- This proves that everything I wrote science, will remember these horrible here is true. So-called Marxist teachings as a horrible dream. The Leninism, created tyrants who killed “Great Marx’s” theory concerning millions in the name of an ideal, which the Socialist revolution, and the was nothing more than a farce, as role of proletariat in Eastern Europe Eugen Ionescu used to say. I wonder could not be proved. After seventy why those monsters cannot be years, even “the Great Soviet Union” accused of crimes against humanity. has collapsed. At the end of my life, I appeal to the Gorbachev was talking about young to carefully scrutinize political democracy and freedom, but when causes and their “great”philosophers. the Baltic States asked for their Question and verify! independence, he sent tanks there to And now I saddle up, and ride off “convince” them otherwise. After into the sunset. May God bless you about forty-six years, the regime of the with health and good luck. so-called Socialist countries brought to power with the help of Russian Beno Levi—who loves you tanks, collapsed like a house of cards. As we all know, Ceausescu’s execu- tion was orchestrated by the KGB. So, we see that even in 1989, the events and their resolution, was just like those that took place half a century ago. The neo-Communists and neo- KGB, a group of liars and thieves, took the reins. 218