Petre Țuțea, playing with fire without getting burned

One day, all the doors of the cells and large rooms were opened and all the prisoners were set free in the yard, on the pretext of demolishing some sheds and altering some buildings in the prison.

After almost 17 years of isolation, terror and fear, we could all see each other in the yard and communicate without fear.

The Zarca prisoners, however, remained under the harsh regime that had been imposed on this section. They made up – at best – ten per cent of the total number of prisoners.

Colonel Crăciun walked among the inmates, urging them to enjoy the sun and fresh air. He said: The communist regime will prove its humanism with concrete deeds. The communist regime wanted only your good, to cleanse you of the legionary-fascist-bourgeois rot. If you have something to say, you can say it now. You are free to say anything. That’s why we built this tribune in the courtyard. In fact, a sort of stage has been set up in the courtyard.

Who do you think will one day climb onto this platform? PETRE ȚUȚEA himself.

The attention of all the prisoners was drawn to the speaker. He was not a “nobody” or a “know who”, but one of the strengths on which the morale of the thousands of prisoners in Aiud prison was based.

Colonel Crăciun spoke before Petre Țuțea and introduced the topic:

– Now Professor Petre Țuțea will speak to you about what socialism is and what its beneficial consequences are for humanity.

It was the first and last time I heard a real lecture on Marxism. It was objective, without slogans and empty praise, without any hullabaloo against this doctrine.

It was a lesson given by a gifted teacher who knew how to play with fire without getting burned. He knew how to step into the mire without sinking into it. In conclusion he said:

– These are the theories that have been imposed on the country, on which we must reflect and draw conclusions.

After Petre Țuțea had finished his lesson, the prison commander spoke again:

– We are surprised that a legionnaire can know Marxism-Leninism so well. … But don’t think that we think that Petre Țuțea has come over to our side. No! Petre Țuțea is still a “bandit”… We know very well that in the cell with his legionaries he still teaches legionary lessons. He still teaches legionary principles to everyone…

Today he spoke here about Marxism… This doesn’t mean that he has deceived us or that we are so stupid as to give Petre Țuțea a false certificate.

With that, Petre Țuțea left the podium and Colonel Crăciun continued:

– We will soon prove to you how “human” we are and how much we Communists respect all the universally recognised “humanitarian” principles.

If we had wanted to, we could have killed you all, because we had enough power to do so. Since the communist regime is governed only by “humanitarian” principles, we will apply them.

(Octavian Voinea – The Massacre of the Romanian Students, by Gheorghe Andreica)