Subnostr

The Romanian Revolution, the final and most violent act that marked the fall of communist regimes in Eastern Europe. 🇷🇴

On December 21, 1989, Romanian communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu delivered his final speech before the Romanian people, who were weary of poverty, hunger, and repression under the communist regime. This sparked an uprising that liberated Romania from the tyrannical grip of the red party, culminating in the execution of Nicolae and his wife on Christmas of the same year.

The Romanian flag with the emblem removed became a symbol of the Romanian Revolution, signifying the end of an era of pure repression and poverty in the history of the country.

Bitman 1y ago

The Romanian Revolution began in a context of economic crises and shortages in the communist bloc of Europe. Ceausescu's regime (in power as president of the Romanian Socialist Republic since 1974, and also serving as general secretary of the Communist Party from 1965 to 1989) exported food at a low price while the local population paid dearly for it. Nicolae followed the same strategy as other dictatorships and used the police as a tool of repression to silence radios/TVs, arresting anyone under the pretext of being agents acting on behalf of other governments, infiltrated to undermine the communist cause of the country. He even had his own police force called the "Securitate," one of the most brutal and repressive that ever existed.

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Discussion

Bitman 1y ago

Before continuing with the thread, we need to understand how Ceausescu came to power and what life was like for Romanians before the revolution.

Romania had experienced tumultuous times since 1935. In early 1937, it came under the control of a fascist government, bearing significant resemblance to that of Nazi Germany. King Carol II of Romania dissolved the government a year later due to a failing economy and eventually installed the Orthodox patriarch in power as prime minister.

However, the sudden death of the patriarch and a peasant uprising caused renewed agitation for the Orthodox-rightist organization Iron Guard led by the young and charismatic leader Codreanu.

In June 1940, the Soviet Union invaded two essential Romanian provinces, prompting the king to seek an ally out of fear and apprehension to help protect them and keep the Legionary forces out of power.

On July 5, 1940, despite strong opposition from the population but out of fear of the USSR, Romania allied itself with Nazi Germany, only to be invaded by its ally as part of Hitler's strategy to create a massive eastern front against the Soviet Union. The king abdicated on September 6, leaving the country under the command of Prime Minister Ion Antonescu, who later regained the lost territory from the Soviets, albeit under a puppet state. The Germans utilized Romanian resources as part of the Nazi war effort, taking control of all Romanian oil wells and installations, which led to a severe crisis for the local population as Hitler relinquished the food harvest.