I Must Betray You (24 page)

“When justice cannot shape memory,
remembering the past can be a form of justice.”

—Ana Blandiana

I Must Betray You
is a work of historical fiction. The Ceauşescu dictatorship and the extended suffering of over twenty million Romanians, however, is not fiction. It was hauntingly real yet remains unfamiliar to many.

I am indebted to the many incredible writers, poets, historians, scholars, photographers, and journalists who have chronicled the dictatorship and communist period in Romania. I am also indebted to the many people listed in the “Research and Sources” section who shared their stories and knowledge with me. If historical novels stir your interest, I encourage you to pursue the facts, nonfiction, memoirs, and personal testimony available. Those are the real stories—the shoulders—that historical fiction sits upon.

As a child in a Lithuanian American family, I watched Romanian athletes compete in the Olympics. Unlike Lithuania, whose name was removed from maps during the Soviet period, Romania walked under their own flag in the opening ceremony. Their uniforms featured the word
romania
, along with their own national colors. I remember marveling at what I thought was their good fortune. Of course, at the
time, I knew nothing of their suffering. I knew nothing of their history. How many others were unfamiliar with the plight of Romania?

I first explored Romania while on tour for my debut novel. At each turn, the Romanians showed incredible generosity and hospitality. They not only welcomed me warmly, they showed tremendous empathy for the hidden history described in my work as well as those who had experienced it. They focused on others rather than themselves. It was only after repeated requests that stories of their own recent history began to flow and my bald ignorance became fully apparent.

Following World War II, Romania became an allied nation of the Soviet Union. Under Soviet influence, communism took hold and Romania's King Michael was forced to abdicate and leave the country. Nicolae Ceauşescu came to power in the 1960s and ruled until he and his wife, Elena, were executed by firing squad on December 25, 1989.

Though Ceauşescu had only an elementary school education, some have called him a mastermind. Building and maintaining his dynasty was a family affair. It's estimated that at one time over thirty of his family members served in key positions for the regime.

Ceauşescu's criticism of the Kremlin convinced leaders of many countries that he was a maverick, when, in reality, his reign revealed him to be a monster. Ceauşescu understood that in order to rule through tyranny, his first step was isolation. He isolated Romania from the rest of the world and then proceeded to further isolate individual citizens by separating and positioning them against one another.

The Securitate, Ceauşescu's brutal secret police force, served as a repressive tool for the regime. My research interviews revealed episodes of cruelty, punishment, and human rights abuses to Romanians that were indescribably barbaric. In addition to arrests, torture, and murder, the Securitate recruited, intimidated, and commanded an enormous network of civilian informers. Some recruits were pressured and told that informing was a patriotic duty to their homeland. Others were
promised favors or food for their family. The desperation for survival ran so deep that many had no choice. It's estimated that one in every ten citizens provided information.

Although Securitate agents were often identifiable, informers were not. They bridged all ages and demographics—even children. The result was a national atmosphere of fear and suspicion. Romanians were unable to speak freely, and the inability to trust created obstacles for friendships and even family relationships. As the years progressed, the Securitate controlled the population through their own fear.

Fear, suspicion, and the constant threat of listening devices forced Romanians to divide themselves into public and private personalities. Spaces often considered personal, such as a home or even a bathroom, were not private. Under the ever-present threat of observation, behaviors were modified and thoughts were rarely voiced aloud. Instead, they were imprisoned within an internal mental landscape, repressing the psyche and soul of a population.

When I began researching
I Must Betray You
, my thoughts immediately turned to the Romanian children and students living under the Ceauşescu regime—innocent young people who felt deeply and passionately as they were coming of age but were powerless to direct the course of their life. Radio Free Europe and Voice of America provided crucial links to the free world. Books, films, magazines, and music were windows to democracy. Some scholars have stated that VCRs and movies from the West exposed teens to concepts of freedom and loaded the guns that eventually killed Ceauşescu. As with my other novels, it was the desperate plight of the young people that I chose to focus on.

Although most communist regimes in Eastern Europe transitioned without violence, when revolution arrived in Romania, brave citizens faced a hail of bullets and bloodshed. Students took to the streets in Timișoara, Bucharest, and many other cities, armed with
nothing but courage. Hearts defiant and desperate to free their country, young people willingly put themselves in the path of destruction and in some cases, attacked Ceauşescu's weaponry with their bare hands. Their bravery, their heart—it was astounding. They gave their lives for freedom and will forever remain heroes of the revolution.

Communism in Romania did not end with the death of the Ceauşescus. After the execution, a replacement set of communists took over, and for many years, some of the preexisting networks remained supported. Some began to question the legitimacy of the revolution. As such, there was no clear or satisfying “ending” to the period. Things were confusing, questions remained—and still remain. I've tried to reflect that in the epilogue. As a reader, unanswered questions and sadness may feel frustrating, but it's difficult to grasp how frustrating it must feel for those who actually experienced the events.

Unlike other countries who opened their secret police files for review and a path to atonement, Romania's Securitate files remained closed for over fifteen years. It's alleged that during that time, some files were altered or destroyed. Historical lustration—the process of clarifying—is ongoing in Romania.

To further complicate matters, while innocent Romanian citizens grappled with the consequences of the revolution, they unfairly inherited responsibility for the dysfunction caused by the communist leaders. In the early '90s, reports of orphanages and poverty distilled a partial narrative about the country and the time period. But without the context of Ceauşescu's fertility tyranny and the ongoing battle with communism, the outside world wasn't privy to the full story.

Also underrepresented is the experience of Romania's Jewish population. At one time Romania had nearly seven hundred thousand Jewish residents. In 1989 only twenty-three thousand remained. Ceauşescu demanded a per-head payment for Jewish inhabitants to be relocated to Germany, Israel, or other countries. In a nation of nearly
twenty million people, Romania's Jewish population today is approximated at only three thousand.

Ceauşescu betrayed his own country and countless other countries. His particular brand of national communism and his use of the Securitate caused trauma and plural identity, at times forcing Romanians to betray even themselves. In addition, by isolating the country and its people, Ceauşescu robbed the world of access to Romanian culture and history. Recent studies have shown that some believe Transylvania to be a fictional place and are unaware that it's a beautiful, historic region in Romania.

I hope that through reading
I Must Betray You
, readers might be inspired to research the histories of the captive nations, the fall of communism in Europe, and, most relevant to this story, the incredible fortitude and endurance of the Romanian people. Romania joined the European Union in 2007 and continues to make progress. How can we assist that progress?

We can share their story.

History is the gateway to our collective story and the story of humanity. Historical fiction allows us to explore underrepresented stories and illuminate countries on the map. But as an author, I have nothing without readers. Thank you for reading this novel. Please share the history with someone. As I acknowledge in the “Research and Sources” section, there were true witnesses who greatly informed my research but for various reasons requested to remain anonymous. With an adequate buffer of time, perhaps one day we can look upon events with a wide lens of reflection and create a compassionate environment for people to take ownership of their own story.

And finally, to the students and young readers: You are the stewards of history who will carry our fading stories into the future. I am so
honored to work with you and I am so honored to write for you. Please remember that when adversity is drawn out of the shadows and recognized, we ensure that human beings living under oppression—past and present—know they are not forgotten.

Together, we can shine a light in dark corners of the past.

Together, we can give history a voice.

Ruta Sepetys