Actions of Repression Directed Towards the Democracy Movement: December 1989 in Timişoara
Actions of Repression Directed Towards the Democracy Movement: December 1989 in Timişoara

Summary/Abstract: This study aims at accurately presenting the structure that directed the repression of the manifestations for democracy in December 1989, while detailing the actions that took place at that time. The repressive actions occurred under the coordination of a team. They were conducted directly from Bucharest, first through the agency of party and local administration institutions, alongside units from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and of the Ministry of National Defense. Later, officials in control of the Communist Party, the Army, the Militia (as the police was called during the communist regime), the Prosecutor’s Office, and the Securitate (the secret or intelligence service within the communist system) were also sent to Timişoara. On 17 December, around 4.30 pm, there was a shootout, and many people were killed and others were wounded. The repression forces occupied the city and made sure that the traces of the revolt were erased. The medical evidence was largely destroyed. Likewise, the authorities refused to engage in dialogue with the revolutionaries, as their only attempt in that respect occurred on 20 December 1989. Under such circumstances, the communist regime in Romania continued the repression until 22 December, at 12 am, when demonstrators toppled Nicolae Ceauşescu from his position of power.

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