Memory and Ideology in the Prison Memoirs of Romanian Communism
Memory and Ideology in the Prison Memoirs of Romanian Communism

Summary/Abstract: This study explores the ideological and rhetorical differences between two types of memoirs written by individuals imprisoned under Romania’s communist regime. Most of these memoirs focus on documenting, from a personal standpoint, the shared experience of suffering in communist prisons, with an emphasis on exposing the injustices of the regime and preserving the dignity of those who endured repression. In contrast, memoirs by former members of the Legionary Movement are a unique case; they depict suffering through a spiritual and mystical lens, framing it as a form of martyrdom. These texts often recast the prison experience as a religious act, elevating it beyond mere physical suffering and aligning it with core tenets of Legionary ideology. This study contrasts these two memorial approaches, emphasizing the risk of ideological distortion in portraying historical trauma. While the first type of memoirs aims for reconciliation and understanding, the latter mythologizes suffering to reinforce extremist ideologies, thereby shaping contemporary political and cultural narratives in Romania.

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