ISTORICI ÎN PERIOADA REGIMULUI COMUNIST. IOACHIM CRĂCIUN
HISTORIANS DURING THE COMMUNIST PERIOD. IOACHIM CRĂCIUN

Summary/Abstract: This study analyzes several aspects of the impact of the post-1945 political changes and of the totalitarian regime on scientific research. We follow the evolution of one of the promoters of the Romanian bibliographical school, Ioachim Crăciun on the basis of his Secret Police file written between 1946 and 1967. The file contains informative notes produced by several intelligence officers active in the circles frequented by Crăciun and it also includes information given by some of Crăciun’s colleagues and collaborators. The beginning of the Communist regime brought about a crisis for Romanian historiography, as the historical discourse changed to suit Party directives aimed at creating a past for it, and as specialists were debased through psychological and physical terror. Ioachim Crăciun too had to find ways to survive after 1945, just like all his colleagues. His situation was more serious, as the new rulers wanted an “ideological healing” of society and therefore erase all efforts made in the field of bibliography. In spite of these impediments, he pursued his research under the new circumstances as well. At first, Crăciun tried to fit the new requirements, by attending courses of Leninist-Marxist ideology – the only ideology accepted for those who aimed at writing a ‘truthful” history. He even adjusted the bibliography of the historiography course he was teaching according to the Soviet model. Yet his attempts were all in vain, as his past weighed much too heavily, just like the fact that his wife was Alexandru Vaida Voievod’s niece. He was accused that in 1948, while a member of the Social Democrat Party, he had opposed the union between the Socialists and the Communists. He was consequently excluded from the Communist Party in December 1949. He was then immediately expelled from the University and the History Institute from Cluj. With the help of Constantin Daicoviciu, he regained a job at the History Institute. He continued his bibliographical research without publishing anything until 1956. It was not until 1965 that Crăciun really resumed publishing the results of his research. His activity peaked in 1971 with the publication of the first volume of Historical Bibliography of Romania. Unfortunately, 1971 was also the year of his death, which interrupted Crăciun’s efforts in auxiliary sciences pertaining to history, such as bibliography. Although the changing realities had disrupted his research, he had tried to adapt to them without losing his dignity and becoming a collaborator of the Communist regime. The Secret Police had followed his moves, interested by Crăciun’s connections with the historians from Cluj. Yet the researcher tried to avoid all trouble by keeping his distance from his colleagues and by never touching upon delicate matters.

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