“I was born in a very poor region of Romania, on October 1st 1931
in my grandparents' house on my father's side…
my parents did not yet have a house of their own. I came into the world in a critical historical
period, the period crossed by the world economic crisis in which the whole of humanity entered.
This phenomenon, but also the ignorance and monstrosity of some people led to the arming
of some nations and then to the beginning of the greatest drama of humanity, the Second World War.
A war that left behind over 70 million dead and great destruction of economic objectives
and material goods…. The social, political and economic
situation marked my childhood, which was also so full of problems and shortcomings of all kinds…
Living conditions were very difficult, and I felt them in the first years!
My parents worked hard to survive and raise their children. In the first years of my life,
I grew up in extreme and terrible poverty, without enough food, without clothes and shoes!
I was learning well in school, but I didn't have time to play, because being the eldest of
the 4 brothers in the family I had to constantly help my parents… I did field work, I had to take
care of the animals, and I walked hundreds of meters to the nearest fountain to bring water…
During my childhood I did not benefit from any toy! I rarely get to improvise something
with other children. We made … a kind of imperfect ball out of skins and fabrics
that we rarely played with. Outside of our bubble…
in the world the war had started but my country was neutral ... The situation was difficult,
but…as others in our situation… we got used to it. We didn't know the times would get even harder…
1941! … The only joy of that year was the successful graduation of the 3rd grade
and having more free time in the summer. THE GREAT TROUBLE CANNOT BE FORGOTTEN… It
began on June 22nd, 1941 when Romania entered the war with Germany against the Soviet Union.
That day I was with the cattle to graze on a hill near my village. It was afternoon,
a hot day and the grass smelled nice. Suddenly… from distance, the church bells in
my village started ringing loudly around 4 pm… I didn't understand what was happening then.
As I entered the village… the people began to talk; the old women began to cry and mourn.
The atmosphere changed drastically and I was confused. Then… I found out that Romania had
entered the war and that a general mobilization had been decreed starting with the next day.
People were… very sad because they knew that most young men over 18 would be called to war…
My parents didn't know how to explain to me the situation. "Why do people have to
go to war and die?" I asked… All they told me was: "That's what the government decided! ..."
Later, when I grew up, I found out about the political situation on this side of Europe
and that most of the states that existed between the two powers,
Germany and Soviet Union, suffered greatly. The two great aggressors,
separate, or together, had attacked Finland, wiped out Poland and the Baltic countries
from the world map, divided Czecho-Slovakia and destroyed Yugoslavia. Romania could not escape
untouched and under the threat of invasion they lost territories to both sides. Being cornered,
a new government accepted to entry into the war to reclaim at least the eastern territories.
Soldiers began to come to the village
and incorporate the young people. It was a macabre atmosphere,
sad, full of worries and tears… I saw widowed women from the First World War
who had to send their children to war, without knowing if they would ever see them again…
1942… The life for the people in my country, and for my family has become even more difficult!
Everything that was produced in a country that was already so torn and economically weak was destined
for the war effort. Martial law was applied, and all those who did not submit to the war effort
were quickly judged. Peasants, including my family, needed and were forced to give oxen,
horses, cows… and other goods. There were nights when I didn’t have enough food and couldn’t wait
to fall asleep to not feel the hunger. We had no electricity then, and there was
not even any lamp gas anymore… In the evening we lit the house with a lamp based on lard and fat…
This year, my father was also called to war! in an artillery regiment. I remember that the echelon
passed through our village where it stayed one night and one day with all the war equipment.
The transport to the front was done with horses and carts in most cases
and it was rare to use the railway because the bombings had intensified on them…
So… We separated from my father… who was moving to the front… We were the only ones left, me,
my mother, my younger brothers and my younger sister. I had to work
continuously in the field and to take care of the animals to help my family survive. My
father was forced to fight on the eastern front until 1944, being responsible for logistics,
transporting ammunition and food to the Soldiers. I still had to go to school and I graduated the
5th grade in 1943 ... continuing to study and work ... The days
were long and stressful ... I was constantly thinking about my father, whom I hadn't seen in
over a year, and I was especially wondering if he would come back…
Because I liked to learn in School, my teacher wanted for me to continue my studies.
In the summer, my teacher came to our house to try to get my mother to agree for me
to go to the Military Technical High School in Sibiu, in a city 100 miles away…
These were bad news for my mother, because I was the only help, she had at hand for daily work…
With tears in her eyes, she agreed to let me learn far away ... I wanted to go, but I was sad.
I knew I had to do something with my life, but for that I had to leave my mother alone for a
while ... As painful as it was, I went on my way. Being at that school, In the following year I
remember that the bombing sirens could be heard at night… being afraid of bombing the cities,
all the children were often awakened from sleep and put to sit in the trenches made in the
backyard. Being there I was looking above. The nights were cold, the sky was starry…
I was able to return home on vacation, and in the summer of 1944, I was happy
to receive some very good news! My father returned from the front
safely and unharmed. He was left to come home and after another year the war was over.
Although these were wonderful news, poverty still existed, and for many families, including mine,
the situation has become even more difficult in the years to come. Communism was installed here
with tanks and brute force… and in the years that followed many freedoms and rights were banned.
People were afraid to debate political news, and those in rural areas,
including us, were forced to hand over most of the animals and goods to the state
to be part of the collectivization plan ... I focused on becoming an officer in the
army and I had a good career. I am a retired colonel now. But besides my career, I learned
as much as I could and I became passionate about history. Although most of the textbooks belonged
to state-propaganda and the government at that time did not allow ideas against it, I managed
to read about the past, from hidden old books and other materials sold on the black market.
I'm proud of what I accomplished in my life, even if it was hard! Today's people must learn
from the difficult past and the mistakes of history. This is the only way we can progress…
Just thinking of the sacrifice of some… of how much they suffered, and the fact that
many of us did not have electricity, food or any true form of stability at that time,
just remembering and knowing this… just like that we can appreciate and keep what we have today!
…”