History of the Roumanians
Prehistory
Daces
See also: Daces
Daces, for the Roumanians of today, represent the same image as the Gaulois for the French: they occupied the same geographical space at two thousand years of interval, were overcome and subjected by the same enemy, Rome, divided the same figures symbolic systems of the proud chief who resists until the end (Vercingétorix and Décébale); as the French speak about our ancestors, the Gallic , the Roumanians could tell to our ancestors, Daces …
Daces (for the Latin authors) or Gètes (for the Greek authors) was of septendrionaux Thraces. Illyres, Thraces, Scythians, Phrygiens were Indo-European Iranian languages. The first mention of Gètes is made by Hérodote in: in the south of the Danube, a tribal confederation of the Gètes was demolished by the Persian emperor Darius Large the during its countryside against the Scythes.
First century BC is regarded as the géto-dace and golden age of thrace civilization, with the Odrysse kingdoms (in the south of the Danube) and of Burebista (in the north of the Danube). First king of the confederation Dace, Burebista reached the throne towards and reigned until in. The political and religious capital of the new State, Sarmizegetusa , was in the mounts of Orăştie, in Grădiştea de Munte. The religion of Daces (divided in three classes: polists or druids, comates or knights, and the tarabostes or farmers) was dominated by Gabeleisos, architect of the universe and Master of the rates/rhythms, whose prophet was a polist influenced by Pythagoriciens: Zalmoxès. Large circular calendars and sometimes of the human sacrifices were the marks of this religion.
Second half of this century saw being born a centralized State dace, thanks to several kings, of which most known is also the last: Décébale (87 - 106 apr. J. - C.).
This capacity worried Rome, and its new emperor Trajan (98 - 117 apr. J. - C.) decided to attack Décébale and to subject it. It could reach however that point only at the end of two bloody wars, reported on the low-reliefs of the Colonne Trajane. This monument of Roman art, which rises in the Forum of Trajan to Rome, is an impressive chronicle of the wars daces.
For the first war dace (101 - 102 apr. J. - C.), Trajan engages about half of the Roman army. After two years of hard combat, it occupies the territory. Daces are committed to provide men to the Roman army and shaving their fortifications, but are not held to with it.
The second war dace (105 - 106 apr. J. - C.) started with an attack of the Romans, during the summer of year 105, and ended in the suicide of Décébale and the installation of the control of Rome on two thirds of the current territory of Romania (Dacia Felix), by leaving north to Daces free (Costoboces and Carpiens: the latter left their name to the Carpates mounts).
This occupation lasted 165 years until the withdrawal of the army and the provincial (in Latin: provincial in the historians Eutrope and Flavius Vopiscus) in the south of the Danube in 271 apr. J. - C., withdrawal decided by the Aurélien emperor and caused by the pressure of the German migrants come from North, the Goths. The province of Dacia is transferred to the south from the Danube (Dacia ripensis and Dacia mediterranea).
It is this short and not very major Roman occupation (against six centuries in the south of the Danube) and the mention of the provincial withdrawal of these which nourish the polemic on the question of the Origine of the Rumanian people, polemic whose real issue is the legitimacy of the fastening of Transylvania in Romania.
Byzantine period
See also: Thraco-Romans
In 330, the emperor of Rome Constantin Ier takes the party to establish a new capital with the borders of Europe and of Asia, on the site of an old named Greek colony Byzance, and gives him the name of Nova Roma , the Rome News, but it will be called rather Constantinople. During following centuries, Constantinople and Roman empire of the East (known as " byzantin") the Empire and the Roman influence in the Eastern half of the possessions of Rome maintain, while the Western half is replaced by " Kingdoms barbares" (Suèves, Vandals, Visigoths, Francs, Burgondes, Ostrogoths, Lombards).
The Empire, whose official name is " Romania" , is from now on Christian. But remains a rule of law (Justinien Code). The Emperors (Basileus), nonhereditary (even if there were dynasties) reign " by the will of the Senate and the Romain" People; (and not by the grace of God): on ground they are not the " représentants" but " esclaves" of God. This Christianity of the first millenium does not know nor single direction (there are 5 " papes" or Patriarchs: Jerusalem, Rome, Constantinople, Antioche and Alexandria), neither celibacy of the priests, nor " purgatoire" , and the Holy Spirit comes only from God, not of Christ, which implies that God can save any human, Christian heart or not, and that any heart is crowned: it is not of which not question of converting anyone by force, and there is neither enquiry, nor military expansion. After the " schisme" from Rome, the 4 other Patriarchs remain faithful to this theology and this initial canon law: it is l'" Orthodoxie".
In Balkans, under the Roman Empire of the East, the Jirecek line (thus named at the 19th century) separates the Greeks in the South, of the Romans ( Romani ) in North, and the country of the Novels (cf E. Beautiful of Loménie, Naissance of the Rumanian nation , p. 36), is also the Romania .
Around the Carpates follow one another various migrating people thorough by the climate changes of Ve, VIe and 7th centuries: at the 8th century, a new state is set up on bottom the Danube, as well in north as in the south of the river. It is the " Bulgaria danubienne" (there is another of them on the Volga). In the beginning, the Bulgarian ones are Turkish-speaking riders, like Avars before them; the populations of their Kingdom are of the Albanians, Serb, Slavons and the Romans . Soon the Bulgarian ones adopt Slavon like usual and official language; exarques the Cyrille and Méthode invent to them, starting from the Greek, a new alphabet (known as " cyrillique") and Danubian Bulgaria becomes Christian Tzarat. In this kingdom, the Romance , mentioned as of 586 in a Byzantine chronicle, live the circumference of the mountains rather, whereas the plains are with Slavic majority and the coasts: Greek. As from the 7th century the Romans appear in the documents under their Germanic name of Valaques. Slavon will remain their official language (liturgical and diplomatic until the 17th century.
The chronicles of Procope, at the 5th century, mention in the south of the Danube of the named places Sceptecasas (“seven houses”), Purgulatu (“broad course”), Loupofontana (“fontaine of the wolf”) and Gemellomountes (“twin mountains”). To that one can add the innumerable toponyms, still visible on all the Geological Survey maps of XIXe and 20th centuries, of the type: Campolongo, Codru, Cojeni, Custura, Florina, Montana, Monterosh, Petrossa, Romania Planina, Rionegro, Taurli, Valashka, Vlahina, Vlahitsa, Vlashina, Vlasia, Vlasic… which in addition to current Romania and Moldavie, strew also Bosnia, Dalmatie, Serbia, Macedonia, Greece of current north and Bulgaria.
What the Rumanian historians call " Vatra straromâna" (the Rumanian ancestral hearth) is a vast zone with horse on all low-Danube, which exceeds the borders of the state-nations current and where the Romans lived mingled with other people, of which the Slavic ones.
The Valaques are present at the north and the south of the low-Danube, by scattered groups (that the historians name " Romanies populaires" , and that the chronicles name " Valachies" , in Valacheia Greek, German Walchengaue, Vlachföldek Magyar, Slavic Vlashiny or Volokhiny). From 971 to 1020, Basileus Basile II the " Voulgarochtone" (killer the Bulgarian ones) destroyed the Kingdom of Bulgaria in the south of the Danube: many Slavons and Valaques take refuge then near their compatriots living in the north of the Danube, and are placed under the protection of the Kingdom of Hungary (see following chapter). But it remains about it enough in the south of the Danube, so that into 1186 the Valaques of Bulgaria found, with the dynasties Deleanu, Caloianu and Asen, a Wallachian Kingdom ( Regnum Valachorum in the documents of time, but that the Bulgarian historians name it " second Empire bulgare"). This Regnum Valachorum extends from current Albania to the Black Sea and Pinde to the southernmost carpates: it lasts 60 years. It will be replaced, in the south of the Danube, by Tzarats Bulgarian of Ohrid, Vidin and Trnovo, and in the north of the Danube by vassal Wallachian banats of Hungary: Severin, Litovoi, Arges, Muscel. As from this moment (1256) the destiny of the Valaques will be played north of the Danube exclusively, while in the south they are the Slavic ones and the Turks who will dominate.
Hungarian period
The Hungarians are a whole of 7 tribes especially (Magyars) which arrive, coming from the current Ukraine, in 895 and settle at the 10th century on the means-Danube. Of the beginning, they only think of plundering the occident (their campaigns bring them in Germany, France and Italy), but after the defeat of Lechfeld in Bavaria (955) they sédentarisent and assimilate the Germanic and Slavic local populations (Slovak, Sloveniens of Voïvodats de Pribina and Kozel, Slavons of the east).
The Hungarians take again the Germanic terms oulas for Latin of the west, and oulah for the latinophones of the East (Walach) used by the autochtones
In Transylvania, in Hungarian Erdély (Roum.Ardeal), the Hungarian conquest of XIe-XIIe centuries is done in dispersed order: armed conflicts in marriages and alliances, the chiefs Magyars such Ahtum or Tuhutum gradually seize the power in the duchies (canesats or knezats) bulgaro-Wallachian, the Benedictines of the abbey of Morisena (today Cenad) complain that these Magyars adopt the language, manners and the faith of the " Wallachian schismatiques". Some Canesats keep their autonomy: they are Vlachfölds of North (Maramures) and of the South (Haţeg, Făgăraş…); others (Crasna, Lăpuş, Năsăud, Gurghiu, Vlăhiţa, Buzău, Bârsa, Cibin, Montana, Zărand…) are integrated either into Comitats set up by the Crown, or with the strongholds given to the German-speaking Saxons colonists (Bârsa is even stronghold of the Teutoniques Knights of 1211 to 1225), or still with the strongholds Székelys (" Sicules": Székelys are tribes magyarophones, arrived with Attila, installed in the east of the country). Finally Transylvania is organized in autonomous Voévodat, share of the Kingdom of Hungary.
The population of Transylvania was always multi-ethnic (toponymy proves it) and often varied. At the time of the campaigns of the Byzantine emperor Basile II in the south of the Danube (971-1020), a certain number of Slavons and Roumanians (" Wallachian ") driven out their hearths, came to settle in Transylvania, Bulgarian Tzarat, that Basile II destroyed, was indeed populated especially of Slavons (ancestors of Bulgarian current) and of " Wallachian " (ancestors of the Roumanians and Aroumains current). Devastated by the Mongols in 1241, Transylvania is especially repopulated Slavic Wallachians and the Saxon ones, whose privileges are renewed. The first can elect their count, who depends directly on the king; the seconds appoint their judges. In German Transylvania says " Siebenbürgen" who means " Seven citadelles": they are the Saxons strongholds. (blazon)
The Wallachian ones is integrated in the nobility of Ispans Magyars (case of the Corvin family which will give Voévode to Transylvania: Iancu de Hunedoara says Jean Hunyadi, and a king in Hungary: Matei Corvin says Matthias Corvin). L'" Unio Trium nationum" from 1437 (attests like nations the Magyars, the Saxon ones and Székelys)
To try émanciper, part of the Roumanians of Transylvania will adopt Catholicism in 1698: it is the birth of the church gréco-catholic. But it will be necessary to await the integration of Transylvania in Austria and the influence of the " Lumières" (expressed inter alia by the " Supplex Libellus Valachorum" from 1784, translated in the " Mercury of France" and very near to the Declarations to American independence and the human rights and the citizen Frenchwoman)
Period voévodale
One should not confuse Woïwodies Polish and their Woïwodes, which are provinces and their governors, with Voévodats Rumanian and their Voévodes, which are principalities and their princes. The term is however of origin Slavic in both cases (see Voïvode). Orthodoxe Rumanian aristocracy left Transylvania (" descălecarea": the " descent of the montagne") formed Voévodats of Moldavie in the east of Carpates, and of Valachie in the south of Carpates. The Wallachian campaigns of Voévodes and Moldavians against the Tatars carried out them until the Black Sea, where the trade gênois of the 14th century allows them émanciper of the supervisions Hungarian woman, which weighed on Canesats former. Among these Canesats (Knezats), Curtea de Argeş is figure in a diploma of the Knights of Midsummer's Day of 1247; other historical sources mention a still vassal Hongro-Valachie north-Danubian of the Hungarians, and the name of its prince, large Voévode and lord Besserem-Bem , named thereafter Basarab I the Founder ( Basarab Intemeitorul ), who is at the origin of the name of " Bessarabia " ; according to Petre Năsturel, Besserem-Bem would be a Turkish deformation of Bessarion-Round of applause, Ban meaning " Duc" in Magyar (but according to Mihnea Berindei, this name vindrait of Besar-ATA: " father sévère" in Turkish). The Valachie émancipe in 1330 with the battle of Posada, the Moldavie in 1359 with the battle of Baia, while with the mouths of the Danube, Dobrogée or Dobroudja (Schythia Minor) will be independent of 1341 to 1402 before belonging to Valachie.
But hardly these States they were formed at the 14th century that the Othoman arrive by the south, where they encircled Constantinople and conquered the Bulgarian Tzarats last (1396). Moldavie and Valachie will have to agree to pay tribute with the sultans to safeguard their autonomy. It will have to also yield to the Turks Dobrogée (1421) and the Moldavian littoral (1484): the Othomans make Black Sea a " lake turc" and drive out Génois of it.
However vassalage towards the Ottoman Empire does not make a Valachie and a Moldavie of the Turkish provinces, as show it wrongly the near total of the Western historical works. The two Principalities remain Christian states equipped with their own laws, assemblies, Voévodes, ambassadors, armies, policies (and many times they will lead a contrary policy to the Ottoman Empire). At the 15th century the Voévode S Etienne III Large the ( Ştefan concealment Pond ) in Moldavie and Vlad III Empaleur ( Vlad Ţepeş ) in Valachie will overcome the Ottoman Empire on several occasions.
But the catch of Constantinople in 1453 insulates both more Voévodats, which consequently will seek supports on the side of the Poland and Russia. In 1526, Transylvania in its turn becomes vassal " Sublimates Door " Othoman, who has just conquered Hungary. Between the 16th century and the 19th century, the principalities of Transylvania, Moldavie and Valachie will waver unceasingly between the rival Ottoman Empire and powers of this one. Towards 1600, the Voévode of Valachie Michel I the Brave man ( Mihai Viteazul ) invades with the army of Croatian mercenaries of Baba Novac, the three Voévodats, Michel being assassinated by his clean allied.
The latinophones of the Empire are called Roum/man by Turkish in particular in Roumelia (Romania).
The failure of the seat of Vienna by the Turks in 1683 mark the beginning of the backward flow of the Ottoman Empire. Between 1685 and 1690, Habsbourg conquer the Hungary and Transylvania. In 1718, the Austrians conquer the Banat, populated by Roumanians, of Hungarian and Serbes. They annex the Bucovine in 1775, left Northern Moldavie. To ensure their capacity, Habsbourg catholics start in these new areas of their empire a systematic policy of colonization Valaques, Slaves, German) and Ukrainian gréco-catholics in Bucovine, Souabes in Banat… To this Germanic colonization an important Jewish immigration coming from Polish in the past territories is added. These demographic upheavals are accompanied by an economic development and intellectual differential, which benefits the newcomers
Between tsar and sultan
Transformed into true European power by Pierre Large the, the Russia between also in the play geostrategic whose Black Sea and mouths of the Danube are the stake. Voévode de Moldavie Dimitrie Cantemir ( Dimitrie Cantemir ), plays the Russian chart and loses: the Othoman , scalded by the fluctuating policy of the Rumanian principalities, impose on the place princely families autochtones, Byzantine aristocrats (sometimes downward imperial families), who reside in the Greek district S of Constantinople, Phanar. These Voévodes, also called " Hospodars" , are the " Phanariotes ". At the 18th century the Rumanian farming community (serf) was exploited to the extreme, and of many jacqueries burst. Some of Phanariotes, kneaded spirit of the Lights, will try to cure it: Constantin Mavrocordat abolishes serfdom in 1749. Others open schools and hospital, or modernize the legislation. However, historiography " militante" sees in them only foreign exploiteurs…
After a new war in 1806, Russia obtains Ottoman Empire, by, the part of the Moldavie located between the Dniestr and the Prut, named Bessarabia since then (before, Bessarabia was only the Moldavian littoral, called by the Turks Boudjak). The Russian influence goes, consequently to tell that of the Turks without Balkans. A secret society, l'" Hétairie" , constitutes itself in Odessa around prince Ypsilanti: it groups many revolutionists of any origine, social class and religion, and its goal is to substitute for the autocratic Ottoman Empire, a " Republic hétairique" multinational and multiconfessionnelle.
A first Révolte is tried in 1821: in Valachie, Tudor Vladimirescu briefly drives out Voévode of its throne. But, instead of proclaiming the Republic, it tries to sit down on the throne and finishes carried out by its " brothers hétairistes". A new convention between Russians and Turks is established in 1826. The revolution fails in Romania, and will lead at the end of eight years of bloody war on the independence of decreased and monarchical Greece, and to the establishment of a Russian protectorate in Moldavie and Valachie (mode Kisseleff, " Payment organique"). The hetairic idea lived: the revolutionists are divided into movement rival nationalists (Turkish, Greek, Bulgarian, Serb, Albanian, Rumanian) who fight separately, each one for its own reforms, its own independence.
In 1848, Rumanian revolutionists (Nicolae Bălcescu, Avram Iancu…) again try to proclaim the Republic in Valachie, Moldavie and Transyvanie (at the same time as in the majority of the European capitals), but hard repressed by the Othoman and the Russian , their movement fails again.
In 1853, Russia invades once again Moldavie and Valachie. Supported this time by the France and the the United Kingdom, the Ottoman Empire enters in war against Russia, and the Franco-British forces take Sébastopol in 1855. Obliges the Russians to make Bessarabia southernmost (Boudjak) in Moldavie, and the Delta of the the Danube, with the Ottoman Empire.
Birth of Romania
Following the failure of the revolutions and in front of these invasions with repetition, the reformers of Valachie and Moldavie, educated in France near the same humanistic circles as Emile Olivier, Elysium Recluse and Edgar Quinet, decide to form a durable political union, and the two assemblies choose in 1859 the same candidate to lead their country, a military career, Alexandre Jean Cuza ( Alexandru Ioan Cuza ). This one carries out the union of the two principalities, under the name of " Principality of Roumanie" , Rrôms of serfdom releases, secularizes the ecclesiastical goods and makes compulsory primary school education.
But an indigenous prince does not have a sufficient international support to make hear the voice of a small country to the crossroads of the empires of the Habsbourgs, Russian and Othoman . The Rumanian political community then seeks a candidate related to the large houses reigning in Europe and their choice turns to the German princes of the family of the Hohenzollern - Sigmaringen. Thus, Charles I of Romania ( Carol ) is proclaimed in May 1866 prince-reigning on the principality of Romania, in which a mode of constitutional monarchy is installed.
In 1867, fearing the Rumanian irredentism, the emperor François-Joseph de Habsbourg institutes in his states Austro-Hungarian monarchy, removing of a feature the autonomy of Transylvania where the Roumanians had started with émanciper, and attaching this old Voévodat to Hungary. A policy of forced magyarisation follows, drawing up against the monarchy of Habsbourg the majority of the Roumanians.
On its side Romania always works towards its end: émanciper completely of the Ottoman Empire. When Russia enters again in war against the Othoman , following massacres in Bulgaria, Romania lines up at the sides of the Russian . The military countryside is victorious and the independence of the country is finally recognized with the Congrès of Berlin in 1878, at the same time as that of the Bulgaria. Bulgaria and Romania released themselves from the Othomans at the same time, and used the European Union at the same time… Following this war, Romania loses again the Boudjak but acquert two thirds of Dobrogée (Dobroudja, Dobrogea), Bulgaria receiving a third. Carol is crowned king of the new kingdom of Romania in May 1881.
The kingdom of Romania of 1881 to 1918
1907 Great country riot of the serves=roumun in Romania, repressed in blood. It begins on February 21st with an incident with a farmer in the village of Flaminzi, department of Botosani, with the cry of “We let us want ground”. The movement gains all the north of Moldavie and strongly takes by place a character anti-semite: farmers are molestés, even killed, of burnt harvests. The jacquerie is finished mid-April, after 10 to 12.000 dead.
One long period of peace and modernization follows. In 1913 Romania engages in Second war Balkan against Bulgaria (what the Bulgarian ones regard as a treason), preventing Bulgaria from carrying out its unit (the Serb ones, indeed, had seized Macedonia bulgarophone) and removing the third third of Dobrogée to him (that the Roumanians named " quadrilatère"), with the population mainly Turkish and Bulgarian. This episode will durably draw up the Bulgarian ones against the Roumanians and will be expensive at the time of the First World War.
In 1914, the Roumanians choose neutrality, but with died of king Carol, his successor, Ferdinand I of Romania ( Ferdinand ) joint with the Alliés, which promise to him Transylvania like price of its rallying.
August 27th 1916, the Rumanian troops penetrate in Transylvania and manage, briefly, to take part of the Austro-Hungarian territory. But, as of on September 15th, with the sending on the face of trained and well armed German troops, with the errors made by the Rumanian army in Dobroudja (disaster of Turtucaïa) and the multiplicity of the faces, the Rumanian army must withdraw, evacuate even Bucharest (December 1916) before succeeding in stabilizing the face in Moldavie (line of Siret) at the beginning of 1917. In 1917, the Rumanian trenches resist Mărăşeşti (the " Verdun roumain") with the attacks austro-German. But the abandonment of the face of the East by the Russian troops after the Russian Revolution, obliges Romania to sign it, and to accept the occupation of part of the country by the central Empires. However, in spite of the defeat, Romania leaves increased this test, because the democratic republic of Moldavie proclaimed in Bessarabia in December 1917, decides in April 1918 to link herself in Romania.
Following the victory of Combined in 1918, the Bucovine and Transylvania also vote their fastening with the Grande Romania, whose population passes suddenly from 8 million to 18 million inhabitants. The unification of the country is recognized (except by the Soviets) with (the Traité Saint-Germain-in-Bush hammer (1919). The new border between Hungary and Romania is traced by a commission of the Agreement, chaired by the French geographer Emmanuel de Martonne. This question of the borders , obviously regarded by Hungary as an unjust result, installs for a long time a dispute with Hungary, which worsens in spring 1919 when the government Hungarian Bolshevik of Budapest tries to take again Transylvania. This government is overcome by the Rumanian army framed by the French officers of the Berthelot mission. Free-Rumanian occupies Budapest the August 6th 1919. Will allot finally Transylvania and the Eastern half of the Banat to Romania, like various territories of Eastern Hungary.
The period of the Inter-war period
Thanks in particular to its production of oil and its beginning of industrialization, Romania knows a very considerable Economic growth (in 1938, the GDP was approximately 100 dollars/inhabitant, above that of Portugal or of Greece and comparable with that of the France, that is to say 270 dollars/inhabitant). It is a parliamentary democracy within the framework of the Constitutional monarchy dominated by the Liberal party and that preserving). Fundamental freedoms are respected there, the Rumanian ones will vote 20 years before the Frenchwomen, and the Land reform makes it possible 1,4 million country families to receive some 6 million hectares of arable lands and causes the disappearance of the class of the land great landowners. The obligatory Enseignement as of seven years becomes free in 1924.
An international recognition follows: (Rumanian Nicolae Titulescu becomes president of the Société of the Nations, equivalent of the general secretary of UNO today), and some Rumanian reaches with a European fame (Constantin Brâncuşi, Paul Celan, Emil Cioran, Henri Coandă, Mircea Eliade, Eugen Ionescu, Elvira Popescu, Emil Racoviţă, Tristan Ţara).
The minorities Magyar, allemande, Jewish, Ukrainian, Russian, Turkish, rrôme or Greek (28% of the total population) have, from now on, the same rights as the Rumanian majority, registered voters in the Constitution of 1923 and the Electoral law of 1926. However, the tensions are numerous, because much of these minorities, privileged before 1918, are losing these privileges, and the complaints near the Company of the Nations multiply at the end of the years 1920.
The Nationalist current anti-semite, under the impulse of Corneliu Zelea Codreanu and sound Movement legionary which will become the Garde of iron, bursts after the revolt coed of the autumn 1922 (the Christian students ask for a numérus clausus limiting the number of Jewish students), and will be in worrying progression in the years 1930. In 1938, to fight against this progression, the king anglophile Charles II obtains an authoritative constitution: it is the " Dictatorship royale". As opposed to what many Western works affirm, it is not a question of a fascistic dictatorship, but antifascist: the police force receives the order to draw at sight on the gatherings Nationaliste S, and Corneliu Zelea Codreanu is stopped, considered and carried out for sedition. Charles II fact of guaranteeing the Rumanian borders by Great Britain and France, and Hitler considers that Romania is for Germany " a State hostile".
The Second world war
See also: Romania during the Second world war
In 1939, Romania transports by ground and sea the overcome Polish army, the Polish government and treasure to Alexandria, territory British, where Polish divisions are reconstituted. The shortly after the collapse of France in June 1940, England remains the only Allié country still in fight. Consequently, the forces of the Axe Rome-Berlin oblige Romania to return Transylvania to Hungary (August 30th, 1940, “Second Arbitration of Vienna”) and it (Dobroudja to the Bulgaria (September 7th, 1940, Traité of Craiova).
In September the Garde of iron carries out a coup d'etat which forces the king Charles II to abdicate and carries to the capacity the " Pétain roumain" : the marshal Ion Antonescu. The throne is allocated to the son of Charles II: Michel Ier, who shares the feelings of his father, but is still minor and preserves only one purely honorary role. Antonescu sets up a mode Nationaliste of extreme right-hand side named the “national State legionary” and Romania joined the Axe Rome-Berlin in November 1940. In 1941, the iron Guard tries to reverse Antonescu, too considered timoré, but the putsch fails and the " Légionnaires" are interned. Antonescu had made adhere tripartite Romania to the pacts and antikomintern. It will institute a policy of pogroms against the Jews and Rrôms, and will involve the Rumanian State in the fight against the enemies of Reich. But the Roumanians in their majority do not share these sights: a division " Vladimirescu" (the " Leclerc" division; Rumanian) is constituted Allié side, and the humanistic ones of the Rumanian Maritime Service will make turn throughout the war the steamers " Transilvania" , " Medeea" and " Dacia" , as well as a dozen smaller ships between Constanza and Istanbul, saving on the whole more than 60.000 paersonnes; a few hundreds perished because of the Soviet torpedes or the refusal of the Turkish authorities to let them unload (drama of the " Struma").
During the Operation Barbarossa, Antonescu, engages the Rumanian army at the side of the Germans, the Hungarians, the Italians and the French of Division " Charlemagne" until Stalingrad. Romania becomes a target for the American bombers of the 15th USAAF, which aim at the oil refinery of Ploesti. Whereas Jews off-set in " Transnistrie" (part of the Ukraine occupied by Romania) die of cold, of hunger and of epidemics, the army on its side records great losses in human lives on the face of the East, where Geneva Convention does not apply and where reign, on the two sides, a total inhumanity (the two enemies are totalitarian modes). The National council of Resistance, secretly formed by the young king Michel I of Romania ( Mihai ) and by the leaders of the old democratic parties, tries to negotiate in Sweden (by the ambassador Frederic Nanu) and in Turkey (by prince Barbu Ştirbei) a change of alliance to the profit of the Western Allies, and asks for a Anglo-American unloading in Balkans. But in spite of Churchill, Roosevelt, by the agreements of Teheran and the Conference of Yalta, had already decided to unload in Italy, and to include Romania in the zone of influence of Stalin. No matter what was going to make the Roumanians, the plays were already made.
In August 1944, National council of Resistance reverses the marshal Ion Antonescu, declares the war with the Axis and engages 550.000 soldiers at the sides of the Allies. The face moves of 700 km towards the west and the south in less than one week. According to the estimates of the Western historians, the entry in war of Romania at the sides of the Allies made it possible to avoid the death of hundreds of Russian thousands of soldiers and accelerated the end of the six months Second world war.
The armistice is signed in September 1944. March 6th, 1945 the Communists, seize the power. In November 1946, of the elections, desired by the the United Kingdom and the United States of America, give, 71% of the voices to the Communists. King Michel sees himself constrained to abdicate and leave the country.
By the treaty of February 10th, 1947, the Russians keep the control of the Bessarabia, of the Bucovine of the North which they share between the Soviet republics of Ukraine and of Moldavie. Hungary must return the Région of Transylvania, but the Bulgaria guard the Dobroudja.
Thus, at the conclusion of the Second world war, Romania sees itself decreased of almost 60.000 km ² (twice Belgium) and to 3 million inhabitants. The country was treated in overcome, whereas it pursued the same policy exactly as its protective France, which, it, is treated as a winner: pro-Allied policy until June 1940, satellite mode of the Axis of September 1940 in August 1944 (with however " Libres" forces; engaged at the sides of Allied), then total engagement against Germany of August 1944 at the end of the war. The agreements of Teheran and Yalta prevented the National council of Resistance from playing the same part as the Gaulliste movement in France. The fate of Romania is only one facet of a more total injustice: so at the time of the First World War there were 12 countries in the Agreement and 11 with the table of the winners (Russia missed due to revolution), at the time of the Second world war there were 11 Alliés countries and only 4 with the table of the winners of which one which, militarily overcome, had voted the full powerss with a satellite mode of the Axis and had fought the Allies during half of the war).
The Republic " populaire"
The " Popular republic " the very same day departure of the king is proclaimed. Remarkable fact, the maquis which had fought against Fascism continue the combat against Communism in the mountains and the delta of the Danube until the death of all their members, at the end of the Fifties. Communism in Romania knows three periods.
Under the aegis of Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej it is initially a " Communism of épuration" who of 1945 to 1953 persecutes hundreds of thousands of hostile peasants to the Collectivisation of the grounds and the requisitions, the Communists such Lucreţiu Pătrăşcanu, Stefan Floris Anna Pauker and Vasile Luca and imprisons former members of the government of Ion Antonescu the fascistic dictator and opposition parties and Rumanian clergy. At the end of this " Communism of épuration" , the Communist party, passed from 1.200 to 90.000 members, and does not meet any more any opposition. Moreover, it has " nationalized the Maffia and the " reduces thus; delinquency with zero. in 1949 the Popular republic of Romania adheres to the Council for Mutual Economic Aid. For this period the Presidents of Romania are Mihail Sadoveanu, Constantin Parhon and Petru Groza.
Always under the aegis of Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej, it is this time a " Communism of consolidation of 1953 to 1965: Joseph Stalin dies on March 5th, 1953. From 1954 to 1955 Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej is replaced with the head of the Rumanian Communist party by Gheorghe Apostol before taking again the head of the Communist party in 1955 this same year the Romania adheres to the Warsaw Pact. One year later in 1956 Nikita Khrouchtchev lance the Destalinization at the time of the XXe congress of the Communist party of the Soviet Union. Gheorghe Gheorghiu Dej then decides to carry out a limited destalinization. From 1963 the Popular republic of Romania establishes diplomatic relations and economic with the the United States which make of Romania a privileged communist Pays.
Under Nicolae Ceauşescu which succeeds Gheorghiu-Dej following the death of the latter in 1965 it will be, a " national-communisme" independent of the USSR, but strictly totalitarian inside. five months after its come to power Ceauşescu make vote a new constitution on August 21st, 1965 which gives rise to the socialist République of Romania. in 1966 Ceausescu makes vote the Décret 770 controlling the abortion in Romania. From 1971 after its return of voyage of China and North Korea. Nicolae Ceausescu founds a Cultural revolution in Romania and a worship of the personality worthy of dirigant North-Korean Kim it-sung develops Securitate shoots much less than at the time of the Stalinist period, but misery, the shortage, the cold and the lack of care kill many citizens. Ceausescu accentuates industrialization with forced march, which causes a enormous Dette external whose refunding implies restrictions of which even ultra-liberal and most antisocial of the experts of the F.M.I do not dare to dream. Moreover, vast the progamme of Systematization inspired of Engels in a style arcitectural qualified of megalomaniac to create the new communist Man which leads to the destruction then with the rebuilding of the Bucharest capital. The famous " Palate of Peuple" , today seat of the Rumanian Parliament, is the second larger building in the world after the Pentagon in the United States: but there will remain unfinished. Also inspired by Engels and Marx, the policy of regrouping of villages which completed to revolt the whole of the population, starting from 1988. Hundreds of Rumanian agricultural villages, major heart of the country, are destroyed and the population is rehoused in apartment buildings in the countryside, where medical, water kitchens and points are collective.
The Communist regime was constant outside by part of the Western opinions, and in particular by many intellectuals; moreover Ceauşescu will go popular to the eyes of the Western democracies while refusing in 1968 to take part in the crushing of the Printemps of Prague by the troops of the Warsaw Pact.
See also: Rumanian Revolution of 1989
Whereas in Moscow Gorbatchev inaugurates the policy of " glasnost" (transparence") and of " perestroïka" (reform), Ceauşescu refuses to follow the movement and clings to a strict communist orthodoxy. In 1986 Gorbatchev goes to Bucharest and on March 17th, 1989 six former high ranking officials of the PC publish an open letter with Ceauşescu to ask him to change policy, but this one refuses. Part of the PC (the will nomenklatura ) then decides more to follow it. A rising bursts in December 1989 with Timişoara: the demonstrators opposed the arbitrary displacement of Protestant Pasteur Hungarian. The December 17th, the police force drew on crowd, but the 21, Ceauşescu is decried for the first time at the time of a speech at the time of a meeting with Bucharest, by these same which were supposed to control crowd. Whereas the demonstrations multiply in several cities, Ceauşescu takes fear, ventilates the plot, makes shoot the general Valise Milea, employs on television the word “brothers” ( fraţilor in Rumanian) instead of “comrades” ( tovarăşi in Rumanian) and on December 22nd, issues the state of siege. But the army refuses to defend it and the troop fraternizes with the population. Escaping, it is stopped shortly after with his wife and is shot on December 25th after a sham trial whose Communists had fixed themselves the procedure.
Manifest crowd in the streets, but the capacity is seized by entreated reforming wing of the will nomenklatura , acquired in Gorbatchev. Of the beginning, this one simply thinks of applying the " perestroïka" in Romania and Ion Iliescu, successor of Ceauşescu, on television states to want to found a " scientific socialism with face humain". But quickly, panic gains entreated thrown into a panic by alarmist reports/ratios making state of assoiffées crowd of revenge against the Communists. They then decide to abolish Communism, to dissolve the PC, and to be posed as defenders of the new democracy, they declare on television that Ceauşescu is escaped, that it has the faithful toupes, and call the army and crowd to defend the revolution by the weapons. During plusiers days, the Roumanians draw above mutually, each group of demonstrators or military unit thinking of defending freedom against henchmen of Ceauşescu. When the string is ventilated, entreated announce that the " sbires" would be in fact of the Libyans lent by Kadhafi. But finally the engagements stop and the execution of Ceauşescu is officially announced; the film of its lawsuit and its execution will be even last on television. Such was the the Rumanian revolution of 1989, made risings of despair but also of political handling which seriously notched the credibility of the new mode as well inside as outside, but preserved the capacity of the will nomenklatura , which was their goal. It cost to the Roumanians approximately 4.000 dead.
The democratic transition
The reappearance of the old traditional parties (PNL liberal, preserving PNTCD ), prohibited by the Communists, does not threaten the capacity of the Face of National Hello founded by Ion Iliescu, which is elected president in May 1990 with 85% of the voices.
Paradoxically, the most spectacular revolution was confined of a mode qualified by its political adversaries of " néo-communiste". It should well be specified that at the end of the time of Ceauşescu, the Rumanian PC had reached nearly 4 million members and the fall of the mode, the essence of the political community remained resulting from the rows of this party and the old important administration, whose civils servant profited from the favors of the mode. Even the leaders of the liberal party were former members of the will nomenklatura .
A demonstration coed is repressed brutally by thousands of minors come to Bucharest to support the president. This one milked of " voyous" the demonstrators and affirms that they want " to sell off the pays" with the ultra-liberal capitalists of the F.M.I. Images of the " minériade" , inter-ethnic confrontations caused in Transylvania by the " large-bras" mode being opposed to Magyar/Rumanian bilingualism asserted by the Hungarians, the war carried out in close Republic of Moldavie by the 14th Russian army, the bursting of Yugoslavia, the persistence of the shortage, deeply worry a population already tested by the years of dictatorship. Presenting itself as a protectionist on all the plans, Ion Iliescu knew to use these fears and was re-elected in 1992 on a program semi-nationalist, semi-Socialist.
But the political struggle gains in intensity, causing a scission inside the FSN, which benefits the young Prime Minister Petre Roman who represents the reforming wing of the will nomenklatura . Obvious result, in November 1996, the Rumanian people chooses alternation and allows the come to power of Emil Constantinescu, professor of university, candidate broad and heteroclite anti-Iliescu coalition, where côtoient themselves of authentic democrats, the ultra-liberal ones who want to finish some with protectionism, and of the reforming néo-Communists.
The difficult transition towards the market economy, the incapacity of the new president to impose his leadership on the coalition on the capacity, crawling corruption and a thankless struggle inside even of the government, cause the anger and the despair of the popular layers, directly touched by poverty. A news " minériade" fail in 1999. However, with the elections of November 2000, Ion Iliescu and its party Social-démocrate (PSD) gain thanks to an electoral juggling act: the former cantors of Ceauşescu, Corneliu Vadim Tudor and Adrian Păunescu, last of Communism to ultra-nationalism, presented themselves against him in scarecrows of extreme-right-hand side, taking with its adversaries the part most despaired of their voters, and fasant it to pass for democrat by contrast. The PSD benefits from the reforms started with the right parties and changes its ideological orientation to become a left party with the image of the British members of the Labor Party; he becomes also member of right of the Party of the European Socialists.
Thus, between 2000 and 2004, one applies an ultra-liberal economic policy (massive privatizations, independence of the Central bank, strong bringing together of NATO and European Union), with a clearly insufficient social component. The Gouvernement Social-démocrate obtains undeniable results (average Economic growth of 5% per annum, reduction of the Inflation, reduction of the budget deficit, first agreement with the the IMF, negotiations successful for adhesion at the EU, adhesion with NATO), but its image remains leaded by innumerable the " affaires" of corruption to an high level, by the non-observance of the rule of law and the contempt of humble inherited the communist time. With the elections of November 2004, the relative majority gained by the PSD is not sufficient to form a government and it is a coalition of four parties of center right which seizes the power.
The new president of Romania east Traian Băsescu, a former captain in the merchant navy, chief of the Democratic party (PD) resulting from the FSN, and combined liberal national Party. It was elected less on its program, that on its outspokenness: it is the first to assume its communist past clearly and to admit officially that the Communism and handling of 1989 were criminal (two million died in 45 years officially listed). The coalition with the capacity endeavors to complete the reforms necessary (setting-up of a Tax rate very low, to 16%, assistance with the concentration of the arable lands, reforms of an apparatus of not very effective justice, fight against “great” corruption, modernization of the social security) but it encounters internal political contradictions and with a strong resistance on behalf of the old men apparatchiks of the will nomenklatura.
The signature in April 2005 of the Treaty of Accession to the European Union is regarded as very a good sign for the happy completion of the democratic transition towards a Rule of law, an market economy less " sauvage" integrated into that of the EU, and perhaps even, with the end, a company of freedom and prosperity.
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