The cultural-artistic activities in prisons (en)

If in Pitești the aim was to crush the young legionnaires, in Aiud all the former commanders, senators, former legion ministers, and dignitaries—essentially, the elite—were gathered. Among them were Alexandru Ghica, Radu Gyr, Nichifor Crainic (who was not a legionnaire), Pr. Prof. Dumitru Stăniloae, Bartolomeu (Valeriu) Anania, archbishop and playwright of great theological and literary value, and many others whose names could not fit into a single book. In all those years, I never heard a swear word (except casual exclamations), nor did I witness a spiteful look… it was more like a monastery than a prison. True, I saw […]

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Aiud, like any other prison, is a true university. All the arts and sciences are taught with passion: literature, philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, natural sciences, history, foreign languages… The instruction is delivered with such enthusiasm that one could almost believe a prisoner’s release depended on the breadth and depth of the knowledge acquired. Even the composition of a cell seemed to be judged by the quality of the “teachers” within it. In parallel with these studies, creative activity flourished. The most common form of creativity was poetry. Each cell had its “poet,” and sometimes all four members of a cell composed […]

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There was a family-like atmosphere in the cell. We had a varied and well-organized routine. After some changes between our cell and the neighboring one, made by the administration, Father Vasile Hotico—a Greek Catholic priest—joined us. In the mornings, he recited as much of the Holy Mass as possible and then taught us other prayers. Afterward came the mathematics lessons, in which we solved many problems from memory. It turned out that most of us were quite talented mathematicians. But how did we solve them without pencil and paper? We used two methods: The first method involved rubbing a little […]

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Interview with Father Gheorghe Calciu Q: Where did you go after Casimca? A: To Aiud, where I stayed until my release in 1963. Q: Did you remain in Zarcă the entire time? A: Yes. Initially, they took me to my cell. Shortly afterward, we were sent to the self-criticism club. I was glad they did because I still had access to newspapers and books. Otherwise, I paid little attention to what was said and often said almost nothing. There was a man in charge of debunking, and after a few weeks, I believe, he said to me: “Prepare your self-analysis.” […]

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We waited for years, and only the needle could soothe our longing, dispel our despair, ignite our imagination, and bring us the joy of completing a work. If you were fortunate enough to obtain one and managed to keep it, the rest was simple: a piece of cloth, fabric, or silk would be cut from somewhere, and a thread of matching color would be drawn from the fabric of our clothes. If it were possible to gather for an exhibition all that was sewn in prison—items confiscated during searches and those secretly taken out—the variety, beauty, and sheer number of […]

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After 23 August, the prison cells were kept open throughout the day. You could speak freely with whomever you wished and, if you were a Legionnaire, you were allowed to share a cell with anyone you chose. The director encouraged everyone to work. Some of the younger men were taken into the garden to do agricultural labor. The prison owned about eight hectares of land, which the inmates cultivated. The rest worked inside their cells. To our surprise, the cells became vibrant with activity, as everyone sought something to occupy their time. Tools were quickly purchased—or brought from home—and soon […]

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We had also heard about the convent of virgins in Vladimirești. In gratitude for all that God had done for us—saving us from so many dangers—we offered an ark to this holy place, protected by the Mother of God. Grigore Baciu, former Prefect of Alba and a man of enterprise, had obtained permission from the administration to establish a toy workshop and a wicker workshop. It was within this framework that the Ark was built, modeled after the monastery church of Curtea de Argeș. The initiative came from Ion Ianolide, while the project itself was carried out by Nicu Mazăre. […]

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Around 1953, after I had been taken in for questioning in connection with the Țurcanu trial, I was placed in a room with several others. It was not as crowded as it had been during the first period of the Great Terror. [This refers to Jilava Prison, n.n.] I needed something to do—something small, because I couldn’t simply sit idle. There was a method of drawing on glass by first smearing it with soap and then sprinkling a little DDT—the powder used to dust the rooms against bedbugs. Using a straw taken from a mat, I could then sketch figures […]

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Interview with Confessor Nicolae Purcărea: Poetry, Faith, and Spiritual Resistance in Prison Florian Palas: Mr. Purcărea, we have spoken about faith and prayer. Another element that preserved your soul and spirit in prison was poetry. What can you tell us about the significance of poetry during those years? Nicolae Purcărea: For us, prison was a constant struggle to maintain spiritual integrity, to resist despair. To do that, we had to keep our minds active. Many of us began teaching one another various sciences, memorizing poems, and cultivating the intellect despite our confinement. The prison became, in a strange way, an […]

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Dialogue with Father Gheorghe Calciu on the Spiritual Value of Prison Poetry Interviewer: “Tell us about poetry in prisons. How did you perceive it? It is often described as something divine…” Father Gheorghe Calciu: “Absolutely. The presence of poets in prison was a salvation for us. Even when some did not grasp the mystical meaning of the poems, their beauty and aesthetic power were a form of spiritual sustenance, much like any intellectual pursuit. It comforted us.” Interviewer: “So God sent poets there… I was reminded of the saying that Romanians are born poets. In Zahu Pană’s poetry collection, it […]

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In the evening, from the room in the ward where I first stayed, I could hear the mobile phone next door buzzing through the three hundred windows like a vast beehive. The impression was overwhelming. I explained my condition and was brought before a committee of doctors—fellow inmates employed professionally in the prison—who examined my fistula and diagnosed me with tuberculosis of the bones in the sacrococcygeal region. I was placed in a large room with around thirty other TB patients, who received a more substantial diet and a daily ration of hydrazide. It was there that I met Nicolae […]

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The atmosphere during Lent was very different. Much was said about the lives of the saints. Lenten prayers were sung. Nana knew them all. Special preparations were made for Passion Week. In the common wall with the windowless room between our ward and the third ward there was a small iron. It was probably the twin of the dark room, now bricked up. Here Nana Sofica made a small shrine out of twigs stolen from the yards we passed on our way to the showers. Icons were made for it. Nuți, a very talented art student, painted three icons on […]

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