Republica Socialistă România¹ Socialist Republic of Romania
← 1947 – 1989 →
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem Zdrobite cătuşe (1947 - 1953) Te slăvim Românie (1953 - 1968) Trei Culori (1968-1989)
Capital	Bucharest
Language(s)	Romanian
Government	Socialist republic
Head of State
- 1947–1965	Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej
- 1965-1989	Nicolae Ceauşescu
Legislature	Marea Adunare Naţionalǎ
Historical era	Cold War
- Monarchy abolished	December 30, 1947
- Fall of Ceauşescu	December 22, 1989
Currency	Romanian Leu
¹ Until 1965 the official name was Republica Populară Romînă (Romanian People's Republic).

Communist Romania refers to the period of the history of Romania when its government was dominated by the Romanian Communist Party. During this period the country was consecutively known as Romanian People's Republic (Romanian: Republica Populară Romînă) and Socialist Republic of Romania (Republica Socialistă România). From 1859 to 1877, Romania evolved from a personal union of two vassal principalities (Moldavia and Wallachia) under a single prince to a full-fledged independent kingdom with a Hohenzollern monarchy. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Axis Powers Flag of Romania Categories: Flag images ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Romania. ... Motto (each main institution has its own motto) Anthem DeÅŸteaptă-te, române! Romania() – on the European continent() – in the European Union() [] Capital (and largest city) Bucharest (BucureÅŸti) Official languages Romanian1 Government Republic  -  President Traian Băsescu (suspended by the Parliament until impeachment vote), Nicolae Văcăroiu... Image File history File links Romania_flag_1947-1989. ... Image File history File links RPR_(1952). ... The national flag of Romania is a vertical tricolor of blue, yellow and red. ... Coat of Arms of Romania The Coat of Arms of Romania consists of an eagle holding a cross in its beak and a sceptre and a sword in its claws. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is evoking and eulogizing the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nations government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... Zdrobite cătuÅŸe (Broken handcuffs) was the national anthem of the Peoples Republic of Romania between 1948 and 1953. ... Te slăvim Românie (We glorify you, Romania) was the national anthem of the Peoples Republic of Romania between 1953 and 1977. ... Trei culori (Three colours) was the national anthem of Romania prior to the anti-communist Romanian revolution of 1989, between 1977 and 1989. ... This article is about a city that serves as a center of government and politics. ... Status Capital of Romania Mayor Adriean Videanu, since 2005 Area 238 km² Population (2005) 1,924,959[1] Density 8,088 inh/km² Geographical coordinates Web site http://www. ... Socialist state is the term used in official documents of some countries to describe their political system. ... This is a list of Presidents of Romania: Note: The official function of President of Romania did not exist until March 1974. ... Gheorghiu-Dej (center) and CeauÅŸescu (left) Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej (November 8, 1901, Bârlad - March 19, 1965, Bucharest) was the Communist leader of Romania from 1948 until his death in 1965. ... Nicolae CeauÅŸescu (IPA , in English, normally (and erroneously) ) (January 26, 1918 - December 25, 1989) was the leader of Communist Romania from 1965 until shortly before his execution. ... A legislature is a type of deliberative assembly with the power to adopt laws. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... December 30 is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 1 day remaining. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... Nicolae CeauÅŸescu (IPA , in English, normally (and erroneously) ) (January 26, 1918 - December 25, 1989) was the leader of Communist Romania from 1965 until shortly before his execution. ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Moldovan currency, see Moldovan leu. ... This article provides only a brief outline of each period of the History of Romania; details are presented in separate articles (see the links in the box and below). ... PCR hammer and sickle symbol The Romanian Communist Party (Romanian: Partidul Comunist Român, PCR) was a Communist political party in Romania. ...

After World War II, the Soviet Union pressed for inclusion of Romania's formerly illegal Communist Party in the post-war government, while non-communist political leaders were steadily eliminated from political life. King Michael abdicated under pressure and went into exile in December 1947, and the Romanian People's Republic was declared. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... King Michael and Queen Anne King Michael (Romanian Mihai) of Romania (born October 25, 1921) was the son of King Carol II and reigned from July 20, 1927 to June 8, 1930, and again from September 6, 1940 until December 30, 1947. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ...

During the early years, Romania's scarce resources after WWII were drained by the "SovRom" agreements: mixed Soviet-Romanian companies established in the aftermath of World War II to mask the looting of Romania by the Soviet Union, in addition to excessive war reparations paid to the USSR. Also a large number of people (estimates vary from 137 [3] to tens of thousands ^[1]) were imprisoned for political, economical or other reasons. There were a large number of abuses, deaths and incidents of torture against a large range of people, but mainly political opponents ^[2]. The SovRoms were a series of agreements put into place in Romania following its Communist takeover post-WWII, until 1956 when they were dissolved. ...

In the early 1960s, Romania's communist government began to assert some independence from the Soviet Union. Nicolae Ceauşescu became head of the Communist Party in 1965 and head of state in 1967. Ceauşescu's denunciation of the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia and a brief relaxation in internal repression helped give him a positive image both at home and in the West. Rapid economic growth fueled by foreign credits gradually gave way to austerity and political repression that led to the fall of the communist regime in December 1989. The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... Nicolae CeauÅŸescu (IPA , in English, normally (and erroneously) ) (January 26, 1918 - December 25, 1989) was the leader of Communist Romania from 1965 until shortly before his execution. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday. ...

Rise of the Communists

Part of a series on the History of Romania
Prehistory
Dacia
Roman Dacia
The Dark Ages
The Middle Ages
Early Modern Times
National awakening and    Regulamentul Organic
Kingdom of Romania
Greater Romania
World War II
Communist Romania
Romanian Revolution
Romania since 1989 This box: view • talk • edit

When King Michael (Mihai) supported by the main political parties overthrew Ion Antonescu in August 1944, breaking Romania away from the Axis and bringing it over to the Allied side, Michael could do nothing to erase the memory of his country's recent active participation in the German invasion of the Soviet Union. Although Romanian forces fought heroically under Soviet command, driving through Northern Transylvania into Hungary proper, and on into Czechoslovakia, Austria and Germany, the Soviets still treated Romania as conquered territory, under the pretext that Romanian authorities were unable to ensure order in the newly-liberated territories, and that clashes between Romanian and Hungarian nationalists had erupted. Image File history File links Flag_of_Romania. ... This article provides only a brief outline of each period of the History of Romania; details are presented in separate articles (see the links in the box and below). ... Prehistoric Romania is the period in the human occupation (including early hominins) of the geographical area encompassing present-day Romania, which extended through prehistory, and ended when the first written records appeared. ... Dacia, in ancient geography the land of the Daci, named by the ancient Greeks Getae, was a large district of Southeastern Europe, bounded on the north by the Carpathians, on the south by the Danube, on the west by the Tisa, on the east by the Tyras or Nistru, now... The provinces of the Roman Empire in 120, with Dacia highlighted. ... This article (also known as Romania in the Dark Ages) treats the history of Romania and of the Romanian people, and refers to the time period roughly from the 5th century to the 10th century, that is between the Hunnic invasion, to the last phase of the Age of Migrations. ... // Main article: Romania in the Dark Ages The Dark Ages in what is now Romania ended around the 11th century, following the period in which the Romanian lands had been part of the First Bulgarian Empire (802-1018). ... It has been suggested that Byzantium after Byzantium be merged into this article or section. ... During the period of Austro-Hungarian rule in Transylvania and Ottoman suzerainty over Wallachia and Moldavia, most Romanians were in the situation of being second-class citizens (or even non-citizens) in their own country. ... The National Assembly of Wallachia in 1837 Regulamentul Organic (Romanian name, translated as Organic Statute or Organic Regulation; French: Règlement Organique, Russian: Oрганический регламент, Organichesky reglament)[1] was a quasi-constitutional organic law enforced in 1831–1832 by the Imperial Russian authorities in Moldavia and Wallachia (the two Danubian Principalities... From 1859 to 1877, Romania evolved from a personal union of two vassal principalities (Moldavia and Wallachia) under a single prince to a full-fledged independent kingdom with a Hohenzollern monarchy. ... Anthem: Trăiască Regele Capital Bucharest Language(s) Romanian Government Constitutional monarchy Head of State  - 1918 - 1927 Ferdinand I of Romania  - 1927 - 1930 - 1930 - 1940 - 1940 - 1947 Michael I of Romania Carol II of Romania Michael I of Romania Legislature Adunarea DeputaÅ£ilor and Senatul Historical era Interbellum Years  - Kingdom... In June of 1941, after a brief period of nominal neutrality under King Carol, Romania joined the Axis Powers. ... Combatants Communist Romania Ad hoc local Romanian militias, demoralized romanian army forces Commanders Nicolae CeauÅŸescu Various independent militia leaders, discontented Communist party members Casualties 1,104 deaths The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a week-long series of riots and fighting in late December of 1989 that overthrew the... 1989 marked the Fall of Communism in Eastern Europe. ... Office Prime Minister, Conducător of Romania Term of office from September 4, 1940 until August 23, 1944 Profession Soldier, politician Political party none, formally allied with the Iron Guard Spouse Rasela Mendel Date of birth June 15, 1882 Place of birth PiteÅŸti, Romania Date of death June 1... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Look up ally in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Combatants Germany, Romania, Finland, Italy, Hungary, Slovakia Soviet Union Commanders Adolf Hitler, Ion Antonescu, C.G.E. Mannerheim, Benito Mussolini, Miklós Horthy, Jozef Tiso Joseph Stalin Strength ~3. ... Map of Romania with Transylvania in yellow Transylvania (Romanian: or ; Hungarian: ; German: ; Serbian: / Transilvanija or / Erdelj) is a historical region in central and western Romania. ...

The Yalta Conference had granted the Soviet Union a predominant interest in Romania, the Paris Peace Treaties failed to acknowledge Romania as a co-belligerent, and the Red Army was sitting on Romanian soil. The Communists played only a minor role in Michael's wartime government, headed by General Nicolae Rădescu, but this would change in March 1945, when Dr. Petru Groza of the Ploughmen's Front, a party closely associated with the Communists, became prime minister. Although his government was broad, including members of most major prewar parties except the Iron Guard, the Communists held the key ministries. The Big Three at the Yalta Conference, Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin. ... This page is about the partial formal conclusion of World War II. For other Paris peace treaties see article Treaty of Paris. ... Co-belligerence is a term for waging of war together - against a common enemy. ... Red Army flag The Workers and Peasants Red Army (Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия, Raboche-Krestyanskaya Krasnaya Armiya; RKKA or usually simply the Red Army) were the armed forces first organized by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War in 1918 and that in 1922 became the army of the Soviet Union. ... Nicolae Rădescu (1874 - 1953) was a Romanian army officer and political figure. ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday. ... Petru Groza, (December 7, 1884 - January 7, 1958), nicknamed The Red Bourgeois by his political adversaries, was a leading political figure in interwar Romania who eventually became Premier of the states coalition government from 1945 to 1952. ... The Ploughmens Front (Romanian: Frontul Plugarilor) was a Romanian left-wing agrarian-inspired political organisation of ploughmen, founded at Deva in 1933 and led by Petru Groza. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

The king was not happy with the direction of this government, but when he attempted to force Groza's resignation by refusing to sign any legislation (a move known as "the royal strike"), Groza simply chose to enact laws without bothering to obtain Michael's signature. On November 8, 1945, an anti-communist demonstration in front of the Royal Palace in Bucharest was met with force, resulting in numerous arrests, injuries, and an undetermined number of deaths.^{[citation needed]} November 8 is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 53 days remaining. ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday. ...

Despite the king's disapproval, the first Groza government brought land reform and women's suffrage. However, it also brought the beginnings of Soviet domination of Romania. In the elections of November 9, 1946, Communist received 80% of the votes, although opposition parties claimed electoral fraud. After winning the elections, the Communists worked to eliminate the role of the centrist parties; notably, the National Peasant Party was accused of espionage after it became clear in 1947 that their leaders were meeting secretly with US officials. A show trial of their leadership was then arranged, and they were put in jail. Other parties were forced to "merge" with the Communists. Results for the BPD and UPM per county, according to the Romanian Communist Party report cited by Petre Ţurlea. ... November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 52 days remaining. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... The National Peasants Party (PNT, Partidul Naţional Ţărănesc) was a political party in Romania, formed in 1926 by the fusion of the National Romanian Party from Transylvania and the Peasants Party. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ...

In 1946–7, hundreds of participants in the pro-Axis regime were executed as "war criminals." Antonescu himself was executed June 1, 1946. By 1948, most non-Communist politicians were either executed, in exile or in prison. 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ...

By 1947, Romania oremained the only monarchy from the Eastern Bloc. On December 30, 1947, the Communists forced King Michael to abdicate. The Communists declared a People's Republic, formalized with the constitution of April 13, 1948. 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... December 30 is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 1 day remaining. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... Look up abdication in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up peoples republic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... April 13 is the 103rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (104th in leap years). ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ...

The new constitution forbade and punished any association which had "fascist or anti-democratic nature". It also granted the freedom of press, speech and assembly, but only "for those who work".

The Communist government also disbanded the Romanian Greek-Catholic Uniate Church, declaring its merge with the Romanian Orthodox Church. The Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic (in Romanian: Biserica Română Unită cu Roma, Greco-Catolică) is a Catholic Church of the Eastern Rite. ... The Romanian Orthodox Church (Biserica Ortodoxă Română in Romanian) is one of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches. ...

Early years of the communist state

The early years of Communist rule in Romania were marked by repeated changes of course and by numerous arrests and imprisonments, as factions contended for dominance. The country's resources were also drained by the Soviet's SovRom agreements, which facilitated shipping of Romanian goods to the Soviet Union at nominal prices. In all ministries, there were Soviet "advisers", who reported directly to Moscow and held the real decision-making powers. All walks of life were infiltrated by agents and informers of the secret police. The SovRoms were a series of agreements put into place in Romania following its Communist takeover post-WWII, until 1956 when they were dissolved. ...

In 1948 the earlier agrarian reform was reversed, replaced by a move toward collective farm. This resulted in forced "collectivization", since wealthier peasants generally did not want to give up their land voluntarily, and had to be "convinced" by beatings, intimidation, arrests and deportations. 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... Collective farming is an organizational unit in agriculture in which peasants are not paid wages, but rather receive a share of the farms net output. ...

On June 11, 1948, all banks and large businesses were nationalized. June 11 is the 162nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (163rd in leap years), with 203 days remaining. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ...

In the communist leadership, there appear to have been three important factions, all of them Stalinist, differentiated more by their respective personal histories than by any deep political or philosophical differences: Stalinism is a brand of political theory, and the political and economic system implemented by Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union. ...

1. The "Muscovites," notably Ana Pauker and Vasile Luca, had spent the war in Moscow.
2. The "Prison Communists," notably Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej, had been imprisoned during the war.
3. The somewhat less firmly Stalinist "Secretariat Communists," notably Lucreţiu Pătrăşcanu had made it through the Antonescu years by hiding within Romania and had participated in the broad governments immediately after King Michael's 1944 coup.

Ultimately, with Stalin's backing, and probably due in part to the anti-Semitic policies of late Stalinism (Pauker was Jewish), Gheorghiu-Dej and the "Prison Communists" won out. Pauker was purged from the party (along with 192,000 other party members); Pătrăşcanu was executed after a show trial. Ana Pauker (born Hannah Rabinsohn; Yiddish: ×—× ×” רבינסון; February 13, 1893 – June 14, 1960) was a Romanian communist leader and served as the countrys foreign minister in the late 1940s and early 1950s. ... Vasile Luca (born Luka László) was a Szekler leading member of the Romanian Communist Party. ... Gheorghiu-Dej (center) and CeauÅŸescu (left) Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej (November 8, 1901, Bârlad - March 19, 1965, Bucharest) was the Communist leader of Romania from 1948 until his death in 1965. ... LucreÅ£iu Pătrăşcanu, (November 4, 1900, Bacău–April 17, 1954) was a leading member of the Communist Party of Romania, a lawyer, sociologist and economist. ... In June of 1941, after a brief period of nominal neutrality under King Carol, Romania joined the Axis Powers. ... “Stalin” redirects here. ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination... The term show trial serves most commonly to label a type of public trial in which the judicial authorities have already determined the guilt of the accused: the actual trial has as its only goal to present the accusation and the verdict to the public as an impressive example and...

The Gheorghiu-Dej era

Gheorghiu-Dej, a firm Stalinist, was not pleased with the reforms in Nikita Khrushchev's Soviet Union after Stalin's death in 1953. He also blanched at Comecon's goal of turning Romania into the "breadbasket" of the East Bloc, pursuing a program of the development of heavy industry. He also closed Romania's largest labor camps, abandoned the Danube–Black Sea Canal project, halted rationing, and hiked workers' wages. Gheorghiu-Dej (center) and CeauÅŸescu (left) Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej (November 8, 1901, Bârlad - March 19, 1965, Bucharest) was the Communist leader of Romania from 1948 until his death in 1965. ... Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (Russian: , Nikita Sergeevič Chruščiov; IPA: , in English, , or , occasionally ); surname more accurately romanized as Khrushchyov; April 17 [O.S. April 5] 1894[1]–September 11, 1971) was the leader of the Soviet Union after the death of Joseph Stalin. ... 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... A Soviet poster reading COMECON: Unity of Goals, Unity of Action The Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON / Comecon / CMEA / CEMA), 1949 – 1991, was an economic organization of communist states and a kind of Eastern Bloc equivalent to—but more inclusive than—the European Economic Community. ...

This, combined with continuing resentment that historically Romanian lands remained part of the Soviet Union, in the form of the Moldavian SSR, inevitably led Romania under Gheorghiu-Dej on a relatively independent and nationalist route. State motto: Пролетарь дин тоате цэриле, униць-вэ! Official language None. ...

Gheorghiu-Dej identified with Stalinism, and the more liberal Soviet regime threatened to undermine his authority. In an effort to reinforce his position, Gheorghiu-Dej pledged cooperation with any state, regardless of political-economic system, as long as it recognized international equality and did not interfere in other nations' domestic affairs. This policy led to a tightening of Romania's bonds with China, which also advocated national self-determination. Joseph Stalin Stalinism is the political and economic system named after Joseph Stalin, who implemented it in the Soviet Union. ...

In 1954 Gheorghiu-Dej resigned as the party's general secretary but retained the premiership; a four-member collective secretariat, including Nicolae Ceauşescu, controlled the party for a year before Gheorghiu-Dej again took up the reins. Despite its new policy of international cooperation, Romania joined the Warsaw Treaty Organization (Warsaw Pact) in 1955, which entailed subordinating and integrating a portion of its military into the Soviet military machine. Romania later refused to allow Warsaw Pact maneuvers on its soil and limited its participation in military maneuvers elsewhere within the alliance. 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nicolae CeauÅŸescu (IPA , in English, normally (and erroneously) ) (January 26, 1918 - December 25, 1989) was the leader of Communist Romania from 1965 until shortly before his execution. ... Unofficial Seal of the Warsaw Pact Distinguish from the Warsaw Convention, which is an agreement about airlines financial liability and the Treaty of Warsaw (1970) between West Germany and the Peoples Republic of Poland. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 1956 the Soviet premier, Nikita Khrushchev, denounced Stalin in a secret speech before the Twentieth Congress of the CPSU. Gheorghiu-Dej and the leadership of the Romanian Workers' Party (Partidul Muncitoresc Român, PMR) were fully braced to weather de-Stalinization. Gheorghiu-Dej made Pauker, Luca and Georgescu scapegoats for the Romanian communists' past excesses and claimed that the Romanian party had purged its Stalinist elements even before Stalin had died. 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (Russian: , Nikita Sergeevič Chruščiov; IPA: , in English, , or , occasionally ); surname more accurately romanized as Khrushchyov; April 17 [O.S. April 5] 1894[1]–September 11, 1971) was the leader of the Soviet Union after the death of Joseph Stalin. ... “Stalin” redirects here. ... The Secret Speech is the common name of a speech given on February 25, 1956 by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev denouncing the actions of Josef Stalin. ... The Communist Party of the Soviet Union ( Russian: Коммунисти́ческая Па́ртия Сове́тского Сою́за = &#1050... The Romanian Communist Party (Romanian: Partidul Comunist Român) was a Communist political party in Romania until 1989. ...

In October 1956, Poland's communist leaders refused to succumb to Soviet military threats to intervene in domestic political affairs and install a more obedient politburo. A few weeks later, the communist party in Hungary virtually disintegrated during a popular revolution. Poland's defiance and Hungary's popular uprising inspired Romanian students and workers to demonstrate in university and industrial towns calling for liberty, better living conditions, and an end to Soviet domination. Fearing the Hungarian uprising might incite his nation's own Hungarian population to revolt, Gheorghiu-Dej advocated swift Soviet intervention, and the Soviet Union reinforced its military presence in Romania, particularly along the Hungarian border. Although Romania's unrest proved fragmentary and controllable, Hungary's was not, so in November Moscow mounted a bloody invasion of Hungary. Politburo is short for Political Bureau. ... Location Position of Moscow in Europe Government Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Geographical characteristics Area  - City 1,081 km² Population  - City (2007)    - Density 10,469,000   9684. ...

After the Revolution of 1956, Gheorghiu-Dej worked closely with Hungary's new leader, János Kádár. Although Romania initially took in Imre Nagy, the exiled former Hungarian premier, it returned him to Budapest for trial and execution. In turn, Kádár renounced Hungary's claims to Transylvania and denounced Hungarians there who had supported the revolution as chauvinists, nationalists, and irredentists. János Kádár János Kádár, né Giovanni Csermanek (his Italian first name was due to the laws of Fiume, his father denied paternity and refused to support his mother Borbála[1]) (May 26, 1912–July 6, 1989), was the communist leader of Hungary from... Imre Nagy. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Map of Romania with Transylvania in yellow Transylvania (Romanian: or ; Hungarian: ; German: ; Serbian: / Transilvanija or / Erdelj) is a historical region in central and western Romania. ... irredentism is position advocating annexation of territories administered by another state on the grounds of common ethnicity and/or prior historical possession, actual or alleged. ...

In Transylvania, for their part, the Romanian authorities merged Hungarian and Romanian universities at Cluj and consolidated middle schools. Map of Romania showing Cluj_Napoca Cluj_Napoca (Hungarian: Kolozsvár, German: Klausenburg, Latin: Claudiopolis), the seat of Cluj county, is one of the most important academic, cultural and industrial centers in Romania. ...

Romania's government also took measures to allay domestic discontent by reducing investments in heavy industry, boosting output of consumer goods, decentralizing economic management, hiking wages and incentives, and instituting elements of worker management. The authorities eliminated compulsory deliveries for private farmers but reaccelerated the collectivization program in the mid-1950s, albeit less brutally than earlier. The government declared collectivization complete in 1962, when collective and state farms controlled 77% of the arable land. This does not cite its references or sources. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... In geography, arable land is a form of agricultural land use, meaning land that can be (and is) used for growing crops. ...

Despite Gheorghiu-Dej's claim that he had purged the Romanian party of Stalinists, he remained susceptible to attack for his obvious complicity in the party's activities from 1944 to 1953. At a plenary PMR meeting in March 1956, Miron Constantinescu and Iosif Chişinevschi, both Politburo members and deputy premiers, criticized Gheorghiu-Dej. Constantinescu, who advocated a Khrushchev-style liberalization, posed a particular threat to Gheorghiu-Dej because he enjoyed good connections with the Moscow leadership. The PMR purged Constantinescu and Chişinevschi in 1957, denouncing both as Stalinists and charging them with complicity with Pauker. Afterwards, Gheorghiu-Dej faced no serious challenge to his leadership. Ceauşescu replaced Constantinescu as head of PMR cadres. 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Miron Constantinescu (December 13, 1917-1974) was a Romanian communist politician, a leading member of the Romanian Communist Party (PCR, known as PMR for a period of his lifetime), as well as a Marxist sociologist, historian, academic, and journalist. ... Iosif ChiÅŸinevschi (1905–1963), born Iosif Roitman, was a leading ideologue of the Romanian Communist Party (PCR) from 1944 to 1957, serving as head of its Agitprop Department from 1948 to 1952 and in charge of propaganda and culture from 1952 to 1955. ... Politburo is short for Political Bureau. ...

Gheorghiu-Dej never reached a truly mutually acceptable accommodation with Hungary over Transylvania. (The same could be said of all leaders of the two nations as long as they have had identities as nations.) Gheorghiu-Dej took a two-pronged approach to the problem, arresting the leaders of the Hungarian People's Alliance, but establishing an autonomous Hungarian region in the Székely land. This erected an ultimately meaningless façade of concern for minority rights. Map of Romania with Transylvania in yellow Transylvania (Romanian: or ; Hungarian: ; German: ; Serbian: / Transilvanija or / Erdelj) is a historical region in central and western Romania. ... map of Hungarian Autonomous Province map of Hungarian Autonomous Province Hungarian Autonomous Province was autonomous region in the Romanian Peoples Republic between 1952 and 1968. ... The Székely or Szeklers (Hungarian: , Romanian: , German: ) ( sék-ei in pronunciation ) are a Hungarian ethnic group mostly living in Transylvania in Romania, with a significant population also living in Vojvodina, Serbia. ...

Most Romanian Jews initially favored Communism, in reaction to the anti-Semitism of the Fascists. However, by the 1950s, most were disappointed with the increasing discrimination of the Party and the limitations for emigration to Israel. Aliyah (Hebrew: עלייה, ascent or going up) is a term widely used to mean Jewish immigration to the Land of Israel (and since its establishment in 1948, the State of Israel). ...

Persecution, the labor camp system and anti-communist resistance

Main articles: Romanian anti-communist resistance movement, Bărăgan deportations, and Piteşti prison

Harsh persecutions of any real or imagined enemies of the communist regime started with the Soviet occupation in 1945. The Soviet army behaved as an occupation force (although theoretically it was an ally against Nazi Germany), and could arrest virtually anyone at will, for perceived "fascist" or "anti-Soviet" activities. The occupation period was marked by frequent rapes, looting and brutality against the civilian population.^{[citation needed]} Map of Romania with main armed resistance areas marked as red points The armed resistance against the communist regime in Romania lasted between 1948 and the early 1960s. ... The Bărăgan deportations were a large-scale action of penal transportation, undertaken during the 1950s by the Romanian Communist regime. ... The Piteşti prison (Romanian: Închisoarea Piteşti) was a penal facility in Piteşti, Romania, best remembered for the brainwashing experiment carried out by Communist authorities in 1949-1952 (also known as Experimentul Piteşti - the Piteşti Experiment or Fenomenul Piteşti - the Piteşti Phenomenon). The latter...

Shortly after Soviet occupation, ethnic Germans (who were Romanian citizens and had been living as a community in Romania for 800 years) were deported to the Donbas coal mines. Despite the King's protest, who pointed out that this was against international law, an estimated 70,000 men and women were forced to leave their homes, starting in January 1945, before the war had even ended. They were loaded in cattle cars and put to work in the Soviet mines for up to 10 years as "reparations", where about one in five died from disease, accidents and malnutrition.

Once the communist regime became more entrenched, the number of arrests went up. All strata of society were involved, but particularly targeted were the pre-war elites, such as intellectuals, clerics, teachers, former politicians (even if they had left-leaning views) and anybody who could potentially form the nucleus of anti-communist resistance.

The existing prisons were filled with political prisoners, and a new system of forced labor camps and prisons was created, modeled after the Soviet Gulag. A futile project to dig the Danube-Black Sea Canal served as a pretext for the erection of several labor camps, where numerous people died. Some of the most notorious prisons included Sighet, Gherla, Piteşti and Aiud, and forced labor camps were set up at lead mines and in the Danube Delta as well. The Danube-Black Sea Canal is a canal in Romania which runs from Cernavodă on the Danube to Agigea (southern arm) and Năvodari (northern arm) on the Black Sea. ... Sighet, also spelled Sighetul MarmaÅ£iei (Hungarian: Máramarossziget, Ruthenian: Sihota), formely Sighet, is a city in MaramureÅŸ county near Iza river, in Romania. ... County Cluj County Status Municipality Mayor Ovidiu Ioan Drăgan, since 2004 Area 36. ... County ArgeÅŸ County Status County capital Mayor Tudor Pendiuc, Social Democratic Party, since 1992 Population (2002) 168,458 171,498 - National Institute of statistics, July 1, 2004 Geographical coordinates Web site http://www. ... Aiud (-Romanian; Hungarian: Nagyenyed; German: Straßburg am Mieresch) is a large town located in Alba county, Transylvania, Romania. ... Danube Delta - Landsat satellite photo (2000) The Danube Delta (Delta Dunării in Romanian), split between Tulcea County of Romania and Odessa Oblast of Ukraine, is the largest and best preserved of European deltas, with an area of 3446 km², after the Volga Delta. ...

The prison in Piteşti was the epicenter of a particularly vicious communist "experiment" during this era (see Piteşti prison). It involved both psychological and physical torture, resulting in the total breakdown of the individual. The ultimate aim was to force prisoners to "confess" to imaginary crimes or "denounce" themselves and others, therefore prolonging their prison sentences. This "experiment" resulted in numerous suicides inside the prison and was ultimately stopped. County ArgeÅŸ County Status County capital Mayor Tudor Pendiuc, Social Democratic Party, since 1992 Population (2002) 168,458 171,498 - National Institute of statistics, July 1, 2004 Geographical coordinates Web site http://www. ... The PiteÅŸti prison (Romanian: ÃŽnchisoarea PiteÅŸti) was a penal facility in PiteÅŸti, Romania, best remembered for the brainwashing experiment carried out by Communist authorities in 1949-1952 (also known as Experimentul PiteÅŸti - the PiteÅŸti Experiment or Fenomenul PiteÅŸti - the PiteÅŸti Phenomenon). The latter...

The stalinist measures of the Communist government included deportation of peasants from the Banat (south-east Transylvania, at the border with Yugoslavia), started on June 18, 1951. About 45,000 people were given two hours to collect their belongings, loaded up in cattle cars under armed guard, and were then forcibly "resettled" in barren spots on the eastern plains (Bărăgan). This was meant as an intimidation tactic to force the remaining peasants to join collective farms. Most deportees lived in the Bărăgan for 5 years (until 1956), but some remained there permanently. Location of Banat in Europe Map of the Banat region with largest cities shown The Banat (Romanian: Banat, Serbian: Банат or Banat, Hungarian: Bánát or Bánság, German: Banat, Slovak: Banát, Bulgarian: Банат) is a geographical and historical region of Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the... The Baragan Plain is a plain in south-central Romania. ...

Anti-communist resistance also had an organized form, and many people opposing the regime took up arms and formed partisan groups, comprising 10-40 people. There were attacks on police posts and sabotage. Some of the famous partisans were Elisabeta Rizea from Nucşoara and Gheorghe Arsenescu. Despite a large number of secret police (Securitate) and army troops massed against them, armed resistance in the mountains continued until the early 1960s, and one of the best known partisan leaders was not captured until 1974. Elisabeta Rizea (1912-6 October 2003) was a Romanian anti-communist partisan in the FăgăraÅŸ Mountains of Northern Wallachia. ... The Securitate (Romanian for Security; official full name Departamentul Securităţii Statului, State Security Department), was the secret police force of Communist Romania. ...

Another form of anti-communist resistance, non-violent this time, was the student movement of 1956. In reaction to the anti-communist revolt in Hungary, echoes were felt all over the Eastern bloc. Protests took place in some university centers resulting in numerous arrests and expulsions. The most organized student movement was in Timişoara, where 300 were arrested.^{[citation needed]} In Bucharest and Cluj, organized groups were set up which tried to make common cause with the anti-communist movement in Hungary and coordinate activity. The authorities' reaction was immediate - students were arrested or suspended from their courses, some teachers were dismissed, and new associations were set up to supervise student activities. // The events in Poland which led to the elimination of that countrys Stalinist leadership and the rise to power of WÅ‚adysÅ‚aw GomuÅ‚ka on 19 October 1956 provoked unrest among university students in Eastern bloc countries. ... County TimiÅŸ County Status County Capital Mayor Gheorghe Ciuhandu, Christian-Democratic Peoples Party, since 1996 Area 130,5 km² Population (2002) 325,997 Density 2,345 inh/km² Geographical coordinates Web site http://www. ...

The Ceauşescu regime

The Coat of Arms of The Socialist Republic of Romania (1965–89)

Gheorghiu-Dej died in 1965 in unclear circumstances (his death apparently occurred when he was in Moscow for medical treatment) and, after the inevitable power struggle, was succeeded by the previously obscure Nicolae Ceauşescu. Where Gheorghiu-Dej had hewed to a Stalinist line while the Soviet Union was in a reformist period, Ceauşescu initially appeared to be a reformist, precisely as the Soviet Union was headed into its neo-Stalinist era under Leonid Brezhnev. Image File history File links Stema_Republicii_Socialiste_Romania. ... Anthem Zdrobite cătuÅŸe (1947 - 1953) Te slăvim Românie (1953 - 1968) Trei Culori (1968-1989) Capital Bucharest Language(s) Romanian Government Socialist republic Head of State  - 1947–1965 Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej  - 1965-1989 Nicolae CeauÅŸescu Legislature Marea Adunare NaÅ£ionalÇŽ Historical era Cold War  - Monarchy abolished... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... Nicolae CeauÅŸescu (IPA , in English, normally (and erroneously) ) (January 26, 1918 - December 25, 1989) was the leader of Communist Romania from 1965 until shortly before his execution. ... Neo-Stalinism is a term used to describe historical revisionism in favor of Stalinism and/or Joseph Stalin. ... Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev Russian: ; January 1, 1907 [O.S. December 19, 1906] – November 10, 1982) was the effective ruler of the Soviet Union from 1964 to 1982, at first in partnership with others. ...

In 1965 the name of the country was changed to Republica Socialistă România (The Socialist Republic of Romania) — RSR — and PMR was renamed once again to Partidul Communist Român — The Romanian Communist Party (PCR).

In his early years in power, Ceauşescu was genuinely popular, both at home and abroad. Agricultural goods were abundant, consumer goods began to reappear, there was a cultural thaw, and, most importantly abroad, he spoke out against the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia. While his reputation at home soon paled, he continued to have uncommonly good relations with western governments and with institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank because of his independent political line. Romania under Ceauşescu maintained diplomatic relations with, among others, West Germany, Israel, China, and Albania, all for various reasons on the outs with Moscow. 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday. ... “IMF” redirects here. ... Logo of the World Bank The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD, in Romance languages: BIRD), better known as the World Bank, is an international organization whose original mission was to finance the reconstruction of nations devastated by WWII. Now, its mission has expanded to fight poverty by means...

The period of freedom and apparent prosperity was to be short-lived. Even at the start, reproductive freedom was severely restricted. Wishing to increase the birth rate, in 1966, Ceauşescu promulgated a law restricting abortion and contraception: only women over the age of 40 or who already had at least four children were eligible for either; in 1972 this became women over the age of 45 or who already had at least five children. 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ...

Other abuses of human rights were typical of a Stalinist regime: a massive force of secret police (the "Securitate"), censorship, relocations, but not on the same scale as in the 1950s. The Securitate (Romanian for Security; official full name Departamentul Securităţii Statului, State Security Department), was the secret police force of Communist Romania. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ...

During the Ceauşescu era, there was a secret ongoing "trade" between Romania on one side and Israel and West Germany on the other side, under which Israel and West Germany paid money to Romania to allow Romanian citizens with certified Jewish or Saxon ancestry to emigrate to Israel and West Germany, respectively.

Ceauşescu's Romania continued to pursue Gheorghiu-Dej's policy of industrialization, but still produced few goods of a quality suitable for the world market. Also, after a visit to North Korea, Ceauşescu developed a megalomaniacal vision of completely remaking the country; this became known as systematization. A large portion of the capital, Bucharest, was torn down to make way for the Casa Poporului (now House of Parliament) complex and Centrul Civic (Civic Center), but the December 1989 Revolution left much of the huge complex unfinished, such as a new National Library and the National Museum of History. During the huge demolitions in the 1980s, this area was popularly called "Ceauşima" - a bitter satirical allusion of Ceauşescu and Hiroshima^[3]. Currently it is being redeveloped as a commercial area known as Esplanada. The skyline of many cities became dominated by standardized apartment blocks Beginning in 1974, Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu began a program of systematization, consisting largely of the demolition and reconstruction of existing villages, towns, and cities, in whole or in part, with the stated goal of turning Romania... Status Capital of Romania Mayor Adriean Videanu, since 2005 Area 238 km² Population (2005) 1,924,959[1] Density 8,088 inh/km² Geographical coordinates Web site http://www. ... The Palace of the Parliament (Romanian: Palatul Parlamentului) in Bucharest, Romania is, with a floor area of 350,000 m², second worlds largest building. ... PiaÅ£a Unirii, as seen from above. ... Combatants Communist Romania Ad hoc local Romanian militias, demoralized romanian army forces Commanders Nicolae CeauÅŸescu Various independent militia leaders, discontented Communist party members Casualties 1,104 deaths The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a week-long series of riots and fighting in late December of 1989 that overthrew the... CeauÅŸima (Ceaushima) is a vernacular word construction sarcastically linking CeauÅŸescu to Hiroshima. ... For other uses, see Hiroshima (disambiguation). ...

Prior to the mid-1970s, Bucharest, as most other cities, was developed by expanding the city, especially towards the south, east and west, by building high density dormitory neighbourhoods at the outskirts of the city, some (such as Drumul Taberei) of architectural and urban planning value. Conservation plans were made, especially during the 1960s and early 1970s, but all was halted, after Ceauşescu embarked on what is known as "Mica revoluţie culturală" ("The Small Cultural Revolution"), after visiting North Korea and the People's Republic of China and then delivering a speech known as the July Theses. The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... Pestera Scarisoara ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... The July Theses (Romanian: ) is a name commonly given to a speech delivered by Romanian dictator Nicolae CeauÅŸescu on July 6, 1971 before the Executive Committee of the Romanian Communist Party (PCR). ...

The big earthquake of 1977 shocked Bucharest, many buildings collapsed, and many others were weakened; this was the backdrop that led to a policy of large-scale demolition which affected monuments of historical significance or architectural masterpieces such as the monumental Vǎcǎreşti Monastery (1722), the "Sfânta Vineri" (1645) and "Enei" (1611) Churches, the Cotroceni (1679) and Pantelimon (1750) Monasteries, the art deco "Republic's Stadium" (ANEF Stadium, 1926). Even the Palace of Justice — built by Romania's foremost architect, Ion Mincu, was scheduled for demolition in early 1990, according to the systematisation papers. Yet another tactic was abandoning and neglecting buildings and bringing them into such a state that they would require being torn down. Bucharest - Ienei Church - 1977 The 1977 Bucharest Earthquake occurred on Friday, 4 March 1977, 21:20 local time and was felt throughout the Balkans. ... Asheville City Hall. ... MCMXC redirects here; for the Enigma album, see MCMXC a. ...

Thus, the policy towards the city after the earthquake was not one of reconstruction, but one of demolition and building anew. Post-earthquake estimates commissioned by the office of the city's mayor judged that only 23 buildings were beyond repair, none of them of any historic value.^{[citation needed]} An analysis by the Union of Architects, commissioned in 1990, claims that over 2000 buildings were torn down, with over 77 of very high architectural importance, most of them in good condition. Even Gara de Nord (the city's main train station), listed on the Romanian Architectural Heritage List, was scheduled to be torn down and replaced in early 1992.

Despite all of this, and despite the appalling treatment of HIV-infected orphans, the country continued to have a notably good system of schools and generally good medical care. Also, not every industrialization project was a failure: Ceauşescu left Romania with a reasonably effective system of power generation and transmission, gave Bucharest a functioning subway, and left many cities with an increase in habitable apartment buildings. Species Human immunodeficiency virus 1 Human immunodeficiency virus 2 Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS, a condition in humans in which the immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections). ... Orphans, by Thomas Kennington An orphan (from the Greek ορφανός) is a person (or animal), who has lost both parents, often through death. ... A Bucharest Metro train at Pipera station The Bucharest Metro (Metroul BucureÅŸti in Romanian) is an underground urban railway network that serves the capital of Romania, Bucharest. ...

A queue for cooking oil, Bucharest, late 1980s

A propaganda poster on the streets of Bucharest, 1986. The caption reads "65 years since the creation of the Romanian Communist Party", while in the background it reads "Ceauşescu Era" and "The Party. Ceauşescu. Romania"

In the 1980s, Ceauşescu became simultaneously obsessed with repaying Western loans and with building himself a palace of unprecedented proportions, along with an equally grandiose neighborhood, Centrul Civic, to accompany it. These led to a shortage of available goods for the average Romanian. By 1984, despite high crop yield and food production, food rationing was introduced on a wide scale (the government promoted it as "a means to reduce obesity" and "rational eating"). Bread, milk, butter, cooking oil, sugar, pork, beef, chicken, and in some places even potatoes were rationed in most of Romania by 1989, with rations being made smaller every year (by 1989, a person could legally buy only 10 eggs per month, half to one loaf of bread per day, depending on the place of residence, or 500 grams of any kind of meat^{[citation needed]}). Most of what was available were export rejects, as most of the quality goods were exported, even underpriced, in order to obtain hard currency, either to pay the debt, or to push forward in the ever-growing pursuits of heavy industrialisation. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Propaganda_poster_Ceausescu. ... Image File history File links Propaganda_poster_Ceausescu. ... The 1980s refers to the years of and between 1980 and 1989. ... The Palace of the Parliament (Palatul Parlamentului) in Bucharest, Romania is reputed to be the largest building in Europe at 350,000 m². It is probably the third largest building in the world right after The Pentagon and the Merchandise Mart. ... PiaÅ£a Unirii, as seen from above. ... It has been suggested that Soft currency be merged into this article or section. ...

Romanians became accustomed to "tacâmuri de pui" (chicken wings, claws and so on), mixed cooking oil (mostly unrefined, dark, soy oil, of the poorest grade), "Bucureşti Salami" (consisting of soy, bonemeal, offal and pork lard), ersatz coffee (made of corn), oceanic fish and sardines as a meat replacement, and cheese mixed with starch or flour^{[citation needed]}. Even these products were in very scarce supply, with queues whenever such products were available. All quality products, such as Sibiu and Victoria Salami, high- and mid-grade meats, and Dobrudja peaches were designated as "export-only", and were available to Romanians only on the thriving black market. Binomial name Glycine max Soybeans (US) or soya beans (UK) (Glycine max) are a high-protein legume (Family Fabaceae) grown as food for both humans and livestock. ... Bone meal is a mixture of crushed and coarsely ground bones that is used as an organic fertilizer for plants and in animal feed. ... Scrapple sandwich at the Delaware state fair Offal is the entrails and internal organs of a butchered animal. ... Ersatz is a German name (literal meaning: substitute) for products, especially chemical compounds and provisions developed in wartimes when shortage of certain goods was imminent. ... Dobruja or sometimes Dobrudja (Dobrogea in Romanian, Dobrudzha in Bulgarian, Dobruca in Turkish) is the territory between the lower Danube river and the Black Sea, which includes the Danube Delta and the Romanian sea-shore. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into underground economy. ...

By 1985, despite Romania's huge refining capacity, petrol was strictly rationed, with supplies drastically cut, a Sunday curfew was instated, and many buses and taxis converted to methane propulsion (they were mockingly named "bombs"). Electricity was rationed to divert supplies to heavy industry, with a maximum monthly allowed consumption of 20 kWh per family (everything over this limit was heavily taxed), and very frequent blackouts (generally 1–2 hours daily). Streetlights were generally kept off, and television was reduced to a 2 hours each day. 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Methane is a chemical compound with the molecular formula CH4. ... The kilowatt-hour (symbol: kW·h) is a unit for measuring energy. ... The term blackout in peacetime refers to a cessation of electrical energy through electric power transmission systems. ...

Gas and heating were also turned off; people in cities had to turn to natural gas containers ("butelii"), or charcoal stoves, even though they were connected to the gas mains. According to a decree of 1988, all public spaces had to be kept to a temperature of no more than 16 degrees Celsius (about 63 degrees Fahrenheit) in winter (the only institutions exempted were kindergartens and hospitals), with some (such as factories), kept at no more than 14 degrees (about 59 degrees Fahrenheit). All shops were to close no later than 5:30 p.m., in order to preserve electricity. A thriving black market appeared, with Kent cigarettes becoming Romania's second currency (it was illegal and punished with up to ten years imprisonment to own or trade any foreign currency), used to purchase everything, from food to clothes or medicine. Health care dropped substantially, as drugs were no longer imported. Celsius is, or relates to, the Celsius temperature scale (previously known as the centigrade scale). ... Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after the German physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736), who proposed it in 1724. ... KENT outdoor advertising Kent is a brand of cigarettes, first to introduce smoke filters in 1952. ...

Control over society became stricter and stricter, with an East German-style phone bugging system installed, and with Securitate recruiting more agents, extending censorship and keeping tabs and records on a large segment of the population. By 1989, according to CNSAS (the Council for Studies of the Archives of the Former Securitate), one in three Romanians was an informant for the Securitate. Due to this state of affairs, income from tourism dropped substantially, the number of foreign tourists visiting Romania dropping by 75%, with the three main tour operators that organized trips in Romania leaving the country by 1987. GDR redirects here. ... Telephone tapping in the countries of the Eastern Bloc was a widespread method of the total surveillance of the population by the secret police. ... The Securitate (Romanian for Security; official full name Departamentul Securităţii Statului, State Security Department), was the secret police force of Communist Romania. ...

There was also a revival of the effort to build a Danube–Black Sea Canal, which was completed, along side a nationwide canal system and irigation network (some of it completed, most of it still a project, or abandoned) an effort to improve the railway system (with electrification and a modern control system), a nuclear power plant at Cernavodă, a national hydroelectric power system (including the Porţile de Fier power station on the Danube in cooperation with Yugoslavia), a net of oil refineries, a fairly developed oceanic fishing fleet and naval shipyards at Constanţa, a good industrial basis for the chemical and heavy machinery industries, and a rather well-developed foreign policy. The Danube-Black Sea Canal is a canal in Romania which runs from Cernavodă on the Danube to Agigea (southern arm) and Năvodari (northern arm) on the Black Sea. ... The Canal du Midi, Toulouse, France Canals are man-made channels for water. ... Core of a small nuclear reactor used for research. ... County ConstanÅ£a County Status Town Mayor Hansa Gheorghe, National Liberal Party, since 2004 Area 46. ... Hydraulic turbine and electrical generator. ... The Iron Gate (Romanian: PorÅ£ile de Fier, Serbian: Гвоздена врата / Gvozdena vrata, Hungarian: Vaskapu, Turkish: Demirkapi, German: Eisernes Tor, Bulgarian: Железни врата) is a gorge on the Danube River. ... The Danube (ancient Danuvius, Iranian *dānu, meaning river or stream, ancient Greek Istros) is the longest river in the European Union and Europes second longest river. ... Capital Belgrade Language(s) Serbo-Croatian, Serbian, Croatian, Slovenian, Macedonian Government Socialist republic President  - 1945 - 1953 Ivan Ribar  - 1991 Stjepan Mesić Prime Minister  - 1945 - 1963 Josip Broz Tito  - 1989 - 1991 Ante Marković Historical era Cold War  - Proclamation November 29, 1943  - UN membership October 24, 1945  - Constitution February 21, 1974  - Secessions... County ConstanÅ£a Mayor Radu Åžtefan Mazăre Area 124. ...

On the negative side, the legacy of the period was a bloated heavy industry using archaic production methods, consuming lots of resources, and producing low-value goods (the refining capacity is over ten times what was needed, the steel production capabilities two-and-a-half times, the aluminium production facilities five times). Most of what was produced could not be sold anywhere, and ended up sitting and deteriorating outside the factories where it was made, while light industries were ridiculously undersized (Romanians had to wait 3 years for a washing machine, 2–3 years for a color TV, 5–10 years for a car), and technologically obsolete (Romania, in 1989, produced 1960s cars and 1970s TVs and washing machines). The communication network was, with the exception of the modernisation of the trunk railway lines, left at the 1950s' level. Romania had, in 1989, only a 100 km (68 mile) stretch, of motorway, and even that in a very poor state. Template:Infobox aluminum “Aluminum” redirects here. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ...

The telephone network was one of the least reliable in Europe, with 1930s–1950s manual switching technologies in villages, and early 1960s automatic switching in towns and cities, and based on an under-sized backbone. By 1989, in Romania, there were about 700,000 phone lines, for a population of 23 million.^{[citation needed]} TV broadcasts were limited to two hours daily, mostly propaganda, with most people choosing to watch Bulgarian, Serbian, Hungarian or Russian TV, wherever the signal was sufficiently strong, using illegal antennas or mini satellite dishes. There were almost no computers 8-bit clones of Western home computers being directly shipped to serve as workstations in factories and such. The 1930s (years from 1930–1939) were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known in Europe as the World Depression. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... In the field of telecommunications, a central office houses equipment that is commonly known as simply a switch, which is a piece of equipment that connects phone calls. ... Anthem Serbia() on the European continent() Capital (and largest city) Belgrade Official languages Serbian language 1 Recognised regional languages Hungarian, Croatian, Slovak, Romanian, Rusyn 2 Albanian, English 3 Government Parliamentary republic  -  President Boris Tadić  -  Prime Minister Vojislav KoÅ¡tunica Establishment  -  Formation 8th century   -  Independence c. ... 8-bit refers to the number of bits used in the data bus of a computer. ... Children playing on a Amstrad CPC 464 in the 1980s. ...

Another legacy of this era was pollution, with Ceauşescu's government scoring badly on this count even by the standards of the Eastern European communist states. Examples include Copsa Mica with its infamous Carbon Powder factory (in the 1980s, the whole city could be seen from satellite as covered by a thick black cloud), Hunedoara, or the plan, launched in 1989, to convert the unique Danube Delta — a UNESCO World Heritage site — to plain agricultural fields. Copşa Mică (Hungarian: Kiskapus, German: Kleinkopisch) is a town in Sibiu county, Transylvania, Romania, located north of Sibiu, 33km east of Blaj, and 12km southwest of Mediaş. According to the towns website, its population in 2000 was 5189, down 23% from its population in 1989... The 1980s refers to the years of and between 1980 and 1989. ... An Earth observation satellite, ERS 2 For other uses, see Satellite (disambiguation). ... County Hunedoara County Status Municipality Mayor Nicolae Schiau, Democratic Party, since 2004 Area 97 km² Population (2002) 79,235 Density 816 inh/km² Geographical coordinates , Web site http://www. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Danube Delta - Landsat satellite photo (2000) The Danube Delta (Delta Dunării in Romanian), split between Tulcea County of Romania and Odessa Oblast of Ukraine, is the largest and best preserved of European deltas, with an area of 3446 km², after the Volga Delta. ... UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State...

Downfall

Main article: Romanian Revolution of 1989

Unlike the Soviet Union at the same time, Romania did not develop a large, privileged elite. Outside of Ceauşescu's own relatives, government officials were frequently rotated from one job to another and moved around geographically, to reduce the chance of anyone developing a power base. This prevented the rise of the Gorbachev-era reformist communism found in Hungary or the Soviet Union. Similarly, unlike in Poland, Ceauşescu reacted to strikes entirely through a strategy of further oppression. Romania was nearly the last of the Eastern European communist regimes to fall; its fall was also the most violent up to that time. Although the events of December 1989 are much in dispute, the following is at least a reasonable outline. Combatants Communist Romania Ad hoc local Romanian militias, demoralized romanian army forces Commanders Nicolae CeauÅŸescu Various independent militia leaders, discontented Communist party members Casualties 1,104 deaths The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a week-long series of riots and fighting in late December of 1989 that overthrew the... Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (Russian: ), surname more accurately romanized as Gorbachyov; born March 2, 1931) is a Russian politician. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Protests and riots broke out in Timişoara on December 17 soldiers opened fire on the protesters, killing about 100 people. After cutting short a two-day trip to Iran, Ceauşescu held a televised speech on December 20, in which he condemned the events of Timişoara, considering them an act of foreign intervention in the internal affairs of Romania and an aggression through foreign Secret Services on Romania's sovereignty, and declared National Curfew, convoking a mass meeting in his support in Bucharest for the next day. The uprising of Timişoara became known across the country and in the morning of December 21 protests spread to Sibiu, Bucharest, and elsewhere. On December 21 the meeting at the CC Building in Bucharest turned into chaos and finally into riot, Ceauşescu hiding himself in the CC Building after losing control of his own "supporters". On the morning of the next day, December 22, it was announced that the army general Vasile Milea was dead by suicide; people were besieging the CC Building, while the Securitate did nothing to help Ceauşescu. Ceauşescu soon fled in an helicopter from the rooftop of the CC Building, only to find himself abandoned in Târgovişte, where he was finally formally tried and shot by a kangaroo court on December 25. County TimiÅŸ County Status County Capital Mayor Gheorghe Ciuhandu, Christian-Democratic Peoples Party, since 1996 Area 130,5 km² Population (2002) 325,997 Density 2,345 inh/km² Geographical coordinates Web site http://www. ... December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... December 20 is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... December 21 is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... County Sibiu County Status County capital Mayor Klaus Johannis, from the Democratic Forum of Germans of Romania, since 2000 Area 121 km² Population (2002) 171,535 Density 1,417 inh/km² Geographical coordinates Web site http://www. ... December 21 is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... County DâmboviÅ£a County Status County capital Mayor Iulian Furcoiu, Social Democratic Party, since 2000 Population (2002) 89,429 Geographical coordinates Web site http://www. ... Look up kangaroo court in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 6 days remaining in the year. ...

Controversy over the events of December 1989

For several months after the events of December 1989, it was widely argued that Ion Iliescu and the FSN had merely taken advantage of the chaos to stage a coup. While, ultimately, a great deal did change in Romania, it is still very contentious among Romanians and other observers as to whether this was their intent from the outset, or merely pragmatic playing of the cards they were dealt. It is clear that by December 1989 Ceauşescu's harsh and counterproductive economic and political policies had cost him the support of many government officials and even the most loyal Communist Party cadres, most of whom joined forces with the popular revolution or simply refused to support him. This loss of support from regime officials ultimately set the stage for Ceauşescu's demise. Ion Iliescu (born March 3, 1930) is a Romanian politician. ...

See also

• List of Romanian communists
• Scînteia - The Romanian Communist Party's Newspaper
• The Presidential Commission for the Study of the Communist Dictatorship in Romania

References

External links

• Ceausescu.org, extensive website on Communist Romania.
• MemorialSighet.ro, memorial site to the victims of Communism in Romania, based in one of the former prisons.
• Fascinating escape story from Communist Romania