GUVERNUL PATRIARHULUI MIRON CRISTEA ŞI POLITICA LUI FAŢĂ DE EVREI. ATITUDINEA MARII BRITANII
GOVERNING OF PATRIARCH MIRON CRISTEA AND HIS POLICY TOWARDS JEWS. ATTITUDE OF GREAT BRITAIN

Summary/Abstract: After a short existance of the national-christian governing presided by Octavian Goga, on 10 February 1938 king Carol II ended the democratic experiment from Romania, by instauration of the regime of royal dictatorship. President of the Ministers’ Council was named leader of the Orthodox Romanian Church, patriarch Miron Cristea. The new government had an eclectic composition, with no more than seven former heads of government, two of them being also party leaders. Ministers were personalities whose political views were of centre-right, who answered the demand of king by the wish of reestablishing order within the country, yet they were also guided by opportunistic reasons. Even if during his governing, Miron Cristea did not adopt laws against Jewish population, somehow attempting to attenuate antisemitic violence generated during Goga-Cuza governing, worths being mentioned the fact that he preserved all antisemitic legislation that he inherited from previous government. As such, based on decree-law no 169, from 22 January 1938, Romanian citizenship was withdrawn to an important number of Jews. Persistent existence in Romania of a „Jewish issue” wished to be clear evidence that the new governamental formula is nothing less nationalist than the Legionary Movement, this policy towards Jews being cinically used to conciliate the numerous sympathisers of the Romanian extreme right. London officials were deeply interested in the existent situation from Romania, as Great Britain was a power granted by the Protection Treaty of Minorities from 1919, diplomatic act signed also by Romania through its representatives sent to Paris, during the peace conference that followed the First World War. The existent situation in the country from southeastern Europe about the issue of national minorities defied flagrantly provisions of the document concluded in France, fact which determined that fears the British to be more than justified. As such, in the House of Commons opposition members made interpellations referring attitude of British diplomacy towards faith of Jews from Romania, especially being asked what valid actions were taken on this line. Difficulties that the Jews from Romania confronted with in 1938 had important consequences, one of them being that it was questioned the official visit that king Carol II wished to make in the Great Britain. Government’s policy towards minorities was determined to a great extent by rapport that Romania had with the great powers from Occident. Romanian officials were aware that promoting hostile policy towards Jewish population led to Romania’s approaching Germany, but at the same time, Bucharest government took into consideration also establishing close relations with Great Britain and France, countries which were deeply interested in respecting minorities’ rights.

• Details
• Contents