The Year 1968 in the Romanian Nationality Policy
The Year 1968 in the Romanian Nationality Policy

Summary/Abstract: One of the most important milestones of the Nicolae Ceausescu-defined national policy and within it the policy towards ethnic Hungarians was the year 1968. In this year there were events in foreign and domestic policy of such great importance in relation to Romania that they influenced the nationality policy of the Party. The preparation and implementation of the 1968 administrative reform also played an important role in the Party’s nationality policy. On the territory of the historic Szeklerland three counties were created in 1968. The region of Trei Scaune became once again a county under the name of Covasna, while Ciuc, Gheorgheni and Odorhei jointly formed Harghita County, and Mureº Seat was included into Mureº County. During 1965–1968 Ceausescu managed to gain the trust of most of the Transylvanian Hungarian elites. Through the “flexibility” shown when creating the counties, the dialogue with the Hungarian intellectuals and finally through the interest shown during meetings and visits, he managed to gain considerable sympathy. Towards the end of 1968 a new phase of Ceausescu’s political and social transformation policy was implemented. Amidst the intensified foreign and domestic policies, to revive its sluggish mass mobilization the Romanian Comunist Party created a new organization, the Socialist Unity Front (suf). The suf was built on the model of mass organization used by all dictatorships and it clasped Romanian society at all levels. The setting up and operation of the nationality councils were perfectly integrated into the Party’s nationality policy.

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