The demolition of idols – the final phase
It was no coincidence that the last person Colonel Crăciun gave the floor to that night was Father Stăniloaie.
Those who conceived and carried out the re-education, who knew the psychology of the prisoners well, were aware that if people could be made to renounce their political convictions, their personal pride and, in general, all the vanities of this world, they could not be made to renounce God in the same way. Therefore, a concession has been made to them. Or they were given the illusion that a concession was being made to them, allowing them to keep God, and this was announced to them by the word of the eminent theologian, Father Dumitru Stăniloaie.
The question he raised was the possibility of the coexistence of Christianity and socialism. Although his speech, watered down and almost confused (Father Stăniloaie was not a good speaker and was also shy), did not really satisfy Colonel Crăciun, especially because of the awkwardness at the end of his presentation when he had to make commitments, it had a great impact on the prisoners. It gave them the feeling that by keeping God they could save their souls, and this feeling helped them to get through the vicissitudes of the moment more easily.
That same night, all those who had been prepared for release were released, except for five of those who had performed their self-demonstrations (Father Stăniloaie’s services had been dispensed with), who were kept at the disposal of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs to perform again, this time in front of other spectators.
They were accommodated in a hotel in Aiud and taken by car during the day to visit the surrounding area. Apparently they visited Hunedoara, Cluj, some state farms and some construction sites, “enthusing” about the amazing achievements of the regime.
Exactly one week after the first performance, at night and in the great hall of the club, other prisoners were brought in from the Cellular and the Zarca, who listened with the same stupefaction as those of the first series to the self-demonstrations of the five who were now “free men”.
For this second performance, some prominent personalities from the upper hierarchy of the Legionary Movement were brought in from the Zarca or other parts of Aiud. The statements made by the five that night were attended by Professor Nicolae Petrașcu, Secretary General of the Legionary Movement, lawyer Nistor Chioreanu, Legionary Commander of Ardeal, lawyer Radu Mironovici, Commander of Bunei-Vestiri, and Prince Alexandru Ghica, former Director General of State Security. Of these, only Prince Ghica had been taken to various clubs, being one of the favourite clients of the Christmas irony. As it turned out, the others were appearing in public for the first time.
In addition to the statements they had made on the occasion of their first appearance, the five also gave a detailed account of the regime’s achievements, which they had noted during their visits during the six days they had been at the disposal of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs. And they were probably not very convincing in their plea, because Colonel Crăciun was very dissatisfied with the passivity of the audience, which did not react as he had expected. Some listened with some interest, but none had any reason to be enthusiastic.
Unlike a week ago, when only those who were supposed to speak spoke, this time there were others, especially the re-education leaders, who were enthusiastic about what they had heard outside. One of them, in order to make his presence felt before Christmas, invited Nicolae Petrașcu to give his opinion on what he had heard.
Nicolae Petrașcu, who had been immobilised for a long time by a rebellious polyarticular rheumatism, tried with difficulty to get up to answer the one who had challenged him, but Colonel Crăciun stopped him, saying:
“Never mind Petrașcu, now sit down and listen! You’ll talk too, but you’ll talk when we want you to and how we want you to”.
On this occasion, Colonel Christmas was either taken aback, or he simply wanted to be cynical and realise that those who agree to self-demonstration do not say what they want to say, but what they are asked to say.
***
I have already mentioned the methods used by the educators to make these people surrender: blackmail, threats, promises, hunger, fear, cold and many other means of coercion available to those who thought they were the absolute masters of the fate of those deprived of their freedom. What is more difficult to understand are the psychological mechanisms of these falls. What springs were there in the souls of these men, who had lived heroically and were monuments of dignity and self-sacrifice for the cause they served, that made them accept the abandonment of their principles of life? There are explanations. I shall confine myself here to mentioning one which I consider to be the most important. It should be noted that all these people who were “worked on” intensely to bring them to their knees were no longer young. They were all in their 60s or even over 60. And only when you are young, you are immortal. Only when you are young, you are capable of sublime follies and foolish gestures. But as you grow older, you become more self-centred, even selfish, and your instinct for self-preservation is intensified. In other words, the older you get, the more docile you get. And it turns out that even our idols of the time could not escape this fate.
(Demostene Andronescu – Re-education at Aiud)