Last year, in my dad's paperwork, I found this photocopy of a letter to my maternal grandmother, from a friend in Romania. She had presumably given a copy to my dad because of its historical significance: the letter is dated "22 Dec '89 - 22 Jan '90 - one month from the revolution!" It describes her life under the Ceaucescu regime, the things she had never been able to tell; and details its fall.
When I found it, I thought it was an interesting thing, and that I should share it. But I balked, I guess, at publicizing someone else's private letter; it's not so historical that the writer might not still be alive.
Now, It feels not just historically notable, but painfully, critically relevant. It's long, and it's not all politically pertinent - there's a bit about me and my cousins being adorable - but it's an all or nothing kind of read.
"Very few people fought to stop the wrong activity of that criminal Ceaucescu. If every important person in state didn't agree to report only lies concerning the economy (industry and agriculture) Romania would have been the same rich country, worthy of her brave past. Instead of truth it was easier to die thousands of people in order to regain our dignity, to have a better and a new life? For this reason we shall never be forgiven by the next generations. Will this revolution wash the shame?"
I hope you will read it. Thank you, Ela.
