Note by informer “Arthur” on the effect of the investigation on Nicu Steinhardt (3 April 1973) NETER

Note from informer “Arthur” on the effect of the investigation on Nicu Steinhardt.

121/143/61241 3 April 1973
Top Secret
Spec. No. 1

Note

I have seen Nicu Steinhardt twice in the last two weeks. The first time he came to see me and, not finding me in the morning, returned in the afternoon. The second time I went to see him. Each time he looked very frightened and crushed. He told me that his house had been searched and that an original manuscript about his life in prison and a typewritten copy of it had been taken from him. A manuscript of several hundred pages that he had only entrusted to two or three people to read: “One of them betrayed me”.

The people in the house, the way he looked, were particularly alarmed that he insisted on speaking only to me. “What are they asking you?” I asked him to tell me. “Who typewrote for me, who else I gave it to to read the manuscript, and whether I sent it abroad. I didn’t send it abroad, and I had it typewritten by someone abroad. I clearly messed up with the typewriting. They didn’t believe a word I told them, and they couldn’t. They’re being very nice to me, unlike when they arrested me. If they had behaved like that, they wouldn’t have sentenced me, I wouldn’t have been that stubborn and this manuscript wouldn’t have been born. But I was wrong. I made a terrible mistake. That I wrote the book, that I kept it at home, that I gave it to a few people to read. I’m going to die in prison. I always dreamed and thought that I’d die in prison for my many sins. That was my fate. I begged them not to report me. Anything but that. I can’t. They asked me how I would react if I found out about some action or activity against the state, if I went and told them. I replied that if there was anything that endangered the state, I would go. But if I say that so-and-so swore at so-and-so, that cheese is expensive or something like that – never! I’ll die in prison. Please forgive me for giving it to you to read. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I’m a sinner. If they followed me and saw me come into your house, let’s both say we came to discuss a translation. I’ll translate something for you now and then, I know English better, and you’ll style it for me and I’ll make a buck. I’ve just fixed up my little house and now it’s falling apart. I was cursed to die in prison.”

When I met him at his home, where he had indeed invited me to give me a catalogue for the child and to discuss a translation from English, he was in no better mood: “There are three options for me. Arrest me. Not to arrest me. To torture me until I go mad with the investigations. They accuse me of being an enemy. They want the name of the typist. The typing caused me a lot of trouble. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I somehow suspect who reported me. What should I do? I’m a sinner. I won’t be able to work. They’ll take away my pension. They’ll throw me out of the house. Who knows, maybe they won’t arrest me, but they’ll take my pension and my house. I’ll stay on the street. A bastard. I’m still working, but you know how it is. They told me not to change my concerns, not to change my way of being, not to stop seeing my friends and acquaintances, to live my life as I always have. But I’m sure they’re watching me. They’re watching my phone, my footsteps, my footsteps, my footsteps. We have to see each other very rarely. Maybe they’ll even arrest me on holidays, to punish me for my faith in the Lord. I’ll pray a lot on the holy holidays, maybe the Lord will have mercy on me. I ask for your forgiveness. I ask forgiveness from everyone. No, no, I won’t be an informer. Let them ask me something else, let them punish me differently. I’m listening. I was wrong, I’m listening. But not too much punishment. I only gave it to a few people to read”.

He’s confused and to some extent genuinely shaken.

“Arthur”

The name of ex-convict Nicu Steinhardt is on the radar of the IMB, which has launched the manhunt.

Since “Artur” has informed us of the existence of the manuscript and put us in possession of it, we ask the IMB to take care of the censorship of the informer, while informing them of the state of N. Steinhardt.

Lieutenant Colonel Albescu M.

[Resolution]: It is our duty not to blow the cover of this valuable informer.

(ACNSAS, Information Fund, file no. 207, volume 5, ff. 82-84; document reproduced in Nicu Steinhardt in the Securitate files (1959-1989), edited by Clara Cosmineanu, Nemira Publishing House, Bucharest, 2005, pp. 181-183).