Posted on 03/20/2026 5:56:45 PM PDT by DoodleBob
…. In Timisoara, a small protest against the eviction of a dissident Hungarian pastor from his church-owned flat quickly escalated into a huge anti-government demonstration. Ceaușescu allowed the police, the armed forces and the Securitate to open fire on the crowds and many men, women and children were killed or injured.
When dissenting voices began to be heard across the country about the Timisoara massacre and who was ultimately to blame for it, Ceaușescu …held an open-air meeting in Bucharest three days after the massacre, blaming anti-Romanian troublemakers for the uprising. The crowd was having none of it, and what was meant to be a pro-Ceaușescu rally soon turned into an anti-Ceaușescu demonstration as the crowd began to boo and shout abuse at the stunned dictator. Realising he was in very real danger of being lynched, Ceaușescu ducked into a nearby government building as Bucharest exploded into riots.
….
The dictator’s previously loyal armed forces turned on him, now siding with the protesters. With no hope of regaining control, and with an angry mob encircling the Romanian parliament, Ceaușescu and his wife Elena made a dramatic rooftop escape by helicopter. However, after the Romanian army threatened to take the helicopter down with a surface-to-air missile, the couple were forced to land and they were quickly taken into custody. A show trial was hastily arranged for the following day - the 25th of December.
…
The soldiers who had been drafted in to carry out the death sentence didn’t waste any time. Nicolae and Elsa were marched outside straight after their sentences were handed down. As Ceaușescu sang The Internationale and Elsa shrieked and swore at the assembled firing squad, the soldiers opened fire, peppering the couple with bullets from their automatic weapons. The couple slumped to the ground.
(Excerpt) Read more at history.co.uk ...
Fidel Castro?
Isn’t Assad (Syria) and wife still safe in Russia?
Fidel Castro, and Assad. I agree. Thanks for filling in the blanks. FR at its best!
Pacepa died of old age possibly with Covid 19.
There was Bokassa I, first and last emporer of the Central African Empire, formerly the Central African Republic, restored after Bokassa was overthrown by French troops.
He left, came back, was tried for cannibalism among other offenses, was released and died in retirement in Bangui.
By writing the article, the author displayed profound ignorance.
The leaders of Iran are already dead and thus can not be stood against a wall and shot
Then there’s no need for ground troops.
Excellent.
My wife and I spent a few days in Bucharest two years back. For some reason we were really drawn to the city and nation despite its being somewhat impoverished.
We walked by one side of Ceaușescu‘s immense palace, but had no idea of the destruction of the city’s historic neighborhoods covered in the article. There was one small cobblestone historic district where we enjoyed a nice lunch in the unusually hot summer weather that year.
Yes, yes, think I did know that at one point.
I seem to remember Jay Nordlinger (or someone like him) writing about how much the Albanians loved the US. Don’t remember when that might have been!
I do remember my dad, who worked for NYC child welfare back in the day, and who would never pander to prejudice. He’d tell a lot of stories, and then you’d ask him: what kind of people where they? But they were never what you’d expected!
I once asked him, who are the worst people? And he said, without hesitation, the Albanians, because they bring their blood feuds over here.
Communist becoming good communists.
👍
Still makes me smile…
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