Dumitru Bordeianu, the confessor who fell into reeducation, but was not defeated

As far as I was able to observe during this period, those whose faith in God did not disappear from their souls kept their humanity in their souls and stopped doing evil when they were no longer obliged to do so.

I remember a student from Iași, Bordeianu Dumitru, who, when the beatings began in the cell where I was, was on the side of the re-educated. He had been through this hell before he was brought to us. His beatings were completely different from those of the others. Since even those who were to be beaten had to watch each other, he was caught simulating the beating and was betrayed to the head of the committee.

He was taken to the centre of the room and beaten for almost half an hour. Then his shirt was taken off and he was stripped down to his knees and made to turn around so that the whole room could see what he looked like. From his shoulders to his knees he was all bruised and black. I was horrified at how a man could be killed for the simple reason that he could not and would not be the killer of another man. I didn’t realise it, but I think most of us looked the same. They beat him terribly and then presented him to everyone, both to frighten us and especially to frighten those in the camp who were in charge of the beatings, to make them afraid and easier to manoeuvre.

The result was to be felt later. And yet, as soon as the pressure was off, Dumitru Bordeianu became the same man he used to be, and it was a pleasure to meet and discuss with him.

(Neculai Popa – Descent into hell. The Pitești phenomenon)