Paper is patient. PROSECUTOR: This situation is known. Stanley double-crossed Richard at the crucial moment. CEAUSESCU: I repeat: I am the president of Romania and the commander in chief of the Romanian army. I ask the court, as the plaintiff, to take note that proof has been furnished for all these points, that the two have committed the offenses mentioned. PROSECUTOR: Please, ask Nicolae and Elena Ceauescu whether they have ever had a mental illness. They will receive a link in their email and it will automatically give them access to a Kindle reader on their smartphone, computer or even as a web-readable document. Then he is treated like a normal citizen. This is our home. . We are all equal. It is as if, in that moment, everyday Romanian's saw the possibility, saw the reality of the weakness of Ceausescus regime. However, there is a difference between real sickness that must be treated and mental insanity which leads to corresponding actions, but which is denied by the person in question. NICOLAE CEAUESCU: Nobody can change the state structures. The next he was a hunted man. The new committee declared its immediate aim was an end to the cult of personality which had developed around the Ceauescu family. The two defendants should also know that they are entitled to a counsel for defense, even if they reject this. I would not call for the death sentence, but it would be incomprehensible for the Romanian people to have to go on suffering this great misery and not to have it ended by sentencing the two Ceauescus to death. You have information about it. The Rise of Ceausescu Nicolae was a member of the communist youth movement. PROSECUTOR: We now have another leading organ. 23 December 1989: Nicolae Ceauescus overthrow follows a week of carnage in which thousands of protesters against his regime were killed in cold blood. They carried out acts that are incompatible with human dignity and social thinking; they acted in a despotic and criminal way; they destroyed the people whose leaders they claimed to be. I will not speak with you provocateurs anymore, and I will not speak with the organizers of the putsch and with the mercenaries. One moment Ceauescu was in total control of Romania, determined to crush his enemies. CEAUSESCU: Nobody can change the state structures. Why do the peasants then buy their bread in Bucharest? We must not allow the slightest impression of illegality to emerge. PROSECUTOR: Whether you have ever had a mental illness. The following is a transcript of the closed trial of Romanian Dictator Nicolae Ceauescu and his wife, Elena, as shown on Romanian and Austrian television. Furnish proof! Teams of doctors with emergency medical supplies were being flown in from Geneva last night. This is a vulgar provocation. NICOLAE CEAUESCU: I will not answer. Finally, I would like to refer once more to the genocide, the numerous killings carried out during the past few days. I have done everything to create a decent and rich life for the people in the country, like in no other country in the world. CEAUSESCU: No one recognizes that. Why did you starve the people? His 1936 mugshot at age 18 still haunts the internet. Ceauescu's speech of 21 August 1968 [English Subtitles] Transcrierea discursului lui Ceauescu: 01:08 Nicolae Ceauescu: Dragi tovari. President Nicolae Ceauescu was overthrown yesterday and became a fugitive in the country he has ruled for 24 years as remnants of his personal troops fought bitter last battles with regular soldiers and demonstrators in the streets of the Romanian capital. PROSECUTOR: We have wonderful programs. Elena and Nicolae Ceauescu must be held fully responsible for this. ELENA CEAUSESCU: I will not answer. And you might perhaps have achieved the understanding of the Romanian people if you had now admitted your guilt. The prosecutor says: The world already knows what has happened here. The prosecutor agrees, but stresses that they lived in them while the people suffered. PROSECUTOR: Please, make a note: Ceausescu does not recognize the new legal structures of power of the country. He also refuses to recognize the new forum. As a result, the prosecutor says: Elena has always been talkative, but otherwise she does not know much. Everybody should be paid according to his performance. NICOLAE CEAUESCU: As a citizen, as a simple citizen, I tell you the following: At no point was there such an upswing, so much construction, so much consolidation in the Romanian provinces. PROSECUTOR: That is to say, as a deputy prime minister you did not know about the genocide? They were even worse than the king, the former king of Romania. Dressed in a black Persian lamb hat with matching coat collar, Ceausesecu, 71, was . Fiction. The prosecutor asks the counsel for the defense to ask Ceauescu whether he knows that he is no longer president of the country, that Elena Ceauescu has also lost all her official state functions and that the government has been dissolved. The collapse of the narrative doesnt happen in a single big step, but through an accumulation of small, personal, often innocuous refusals. Only the front rows supported Ceauescu with cheers and applause, with most of the crowd remaining impassive. NICOLAE CEAUESCU: No, we will not sign. Tell us! PROSECUTOR: Note the following: the defendant refuses to sign this statement. CEAUSESCU: No, no. One of the most decisive moments in the Romanian Revolution of 1989 was Ceausescus December 21st speech (or lack thereof). UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Mr. President, I would like to know something: The accused should tell us who the mercenaries are. We have sacrificed all our lives to the people. About Just a genteel, inoffensive refusal from an old gent. It was one of the most pivotal moments in the Romanian Revolution of 1989. PROSECUTOR: So you know the new forum. We have data concerning both of them. , the former US ambassador to Syria, has effectively accused the Obama administration of abandoning genuinely pro-American rebels in Syria thereby allowing the ascendance of al-Qaeda. This shows how little patriotism there is, how many treasonable offenses were committed. [2], Ceauescu appeared on the balcony of the Central Committee building and began as he had in years past, with a speech laden with the usual "wooden language." Romania's dictator Nicolae Ceausescu's final speech (executed 12/25) More Notable Events on December 21: 1997 Detroit Lions Barry Sanders is 3rd to run for 2,000 yards in a season 1991 U.S. actress Jane Fonda marries CNN-director Ted Turner 1989 Dan Quayle sends out 30,000 Xmas cards with word beacon spelled beakon We want a legal trial. Why did you ruin the country so much: Why did you export everything? The prosecutor wants to find out on which basis the trial can be continued. This gang will be destroyed. Ceausescu sprinkles snow on his wife's head during yet another hunting trip in 1976. It must be cleared up whether Ceausescu wants to, should, must or can answer at all. Diane Dimond writes in Real Clear Politicsabout the low level grumbling that risen to detectable levels since the Bergdahl affair. PROSECUTOR: In all district capitals, which you grandly called municipalities, there is shooting going on. I do not recognize the court. Now the counsel for the defense, who was appointed by the court, asks whether Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu know the aforementioned facts -- that he is no longer president, that she has lost all official functions. They not only deprived the people of heating, electricity and foodstuffs, they also tyrannized the soul of the Romanian people. The prosecutor quotes Ceauescu, Ceauescu's program. And you might perhaps have achieved the understanding of the Romanian people if you had now admitted your guilt. We have ensured an apartment for every citizen through corresponding laws. Centralized regimes may seem to collapse suddenly, yet in reality they have been coming apart for a long time. You need not admit your mistakes, mister. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for The Land of Green Plums, Mller, Herta at the best online prices at eBay! We have data concerning both of them. PROSECUTOR: Please, make a note: Nicolae Ceausescu refuses to cooperate with the court-appointed counsel for the defense. The prosecutor turns to Elena: You have always been wiser and more ready to talk, a scientist. PROSECUTOR: We have always spoken of equality. PROSECUTOR: That is to say, as a deputy prime minister you did not know about the genocide? They used to fetch people from orphans' homes or from abroad whom they trained in special institutions to become murderers of their own people. The workers were augmented by bystanders who were rounded up on Calea Victoriei. He had been falling for a long time, and proved the last to know. CEAUSESCU: I do not recognize you. ELENA CEAUSESCU: Such impudence! He refused to undergo a psychiatric examination. PROSECUTOR: Children cannot even buy plain candy, and you are living in the palaces of the people. Elena says: Look, and that they are calling genocide. What prevents him from doing so? They are shooting at children; they are shooting arbitrarily into the apartments. The bill of indictment contains the following points: Genocide, in accordance with Article 356 of the penal code. In 1947, we assumed power, but under completely different circumstances. In the wake of growing tension over an uprising in Timioara in which thousands were reportedly killed, Ceauescu decided to give a nationally televised speech before a crowd in Palace Square (now known as Revolution Square) in Bucharest. Only a president who is still confirmed in his position can demand to speak at the Grand National Assembly. At the moment the situation is rather uncertain. As a simple citizen, I tell you the following: For the first time I guaranteed that every peasant received 200 kilograms of wheat per person, not per family, and that he is entitled to more. Workers from a Bucharest power plant started chanting "Ti-mi-oa-ra! Eight minutes into the speech, some in the crowd actually began to scream because there was a shooting that occurred in the background. The catastrophic situation of the country is known all over the world. What do you say as a citizen? No one can dissolve the National Assembly. They are shooting at children; they are shooting arbitrarily into the apartments. PROSECUTOR: Who gave the order to shoot in Bucharest, for instance? Last modified on Sun 29 Mar 2020 07.01 EDT President Nicolae Ceauescu was overthrown yesterday and became a fugitive in the country he has ruled for 24 years as remnants of his personal troops. The charges are incorrect, and I will not answer a single question here. I will only speak at the Grand National Assembly. No one wanted to do anything for you anymore. Immediately before them were plainclothes Securitate agents and a row of police militia, who kept the mass of the crowd about thirty meters back from the front of the Central Committee building. Another question . The prosecutor cites all academic titles she had always claimed to have. COUNSEL FOR THE DEFENSE: Even though he -- like her -- committed insane acts, we want to defend them. Therefore, it is a mistake for the two accused to refuse to cooperate with us. PROSECUTOR: And who heads Securitate? The palaces belong to the people. This is a legal trial, and I honor them by defending them. You were the most important aide, the number two in the cabinet, in the government. This is where President Ceausescu gave his final speech in December 1989, before fleeing Bucharest. The great Ceauescu escape attempt came after it had become clear that most of the army had gone over to the people. Did you know that you can purchase some of these books and pamphlets by Richard Fernandez and share them with you friends? Nicolae Ceausescu - Last Speech, Trial and Execution - History Channel (ENG subtitled) ac agencija 258 subscribers Subscribe 743 Save 111K views 3 years ago Notice Age-restricted video (based. ALISON SMALE December 21, 1989. The recent Bergdahl prisoner swap in which five hardened Taliban terrorists were released from prison is rubbing a lot of the military veterans attending D-Day events the wrong way. What may happen of course, is that like a frog slowly being boiled in a pot, the process happens so slowly that people arent aware of it themselves. PROSECUTOR: And who heads Securitate? These two defendants procured the most luxurious foodstuffs and clothes from abroad. You, as a scientist, did you know about it? Elena and Nicolae Ceauescu state: Well, you told us about it. Military base Trgovite - December 25th 1989. You are guilty of these offenses even if you do not want to admit it. Powered by Omeka, Roy Rosenzweig Center for History & New Media. Ceauescu claims that the putsch was organized from abroad. And Elena says: It is incredible what they are inventing, incredible. Getting a shut-off notice from a utility is also sufficient to claim a hardship exemption. As a simple citizen, I tell you the following: For the first time I guaranteed that every peasant received 200 kilograms of wheat per person, not per family, and that he is entitled to more. The details are known. It gave no further details. Defendant, if you had no accounts in Switzerland, will you sign a statement confirming that the money that may be in Switzerland should be transferred to the Romanian state, the State Bank. Here Nicolae Ceausescu steps in and defends her. The balcony where Ceauescu delivered his last speech, taken over by the crowd during the Romanian Revolution of 1989 The speech was typical of most of Ceauescu's speeches over the years. These two defendants have robbed the people, and not even today do they want to talk. This demonstrates their lack of understanding. Decembrie 25 1989 - Garnizoana Tirgoviste. We have ensured an apartment for every citizen through corresponding laws. Quantum: Einstein, Bohr and the Great Debate About the Nature of Reality Who are these fanatics? I will not answer you putschists, Ceausescu says. The people only received 200 grams per day, against an identity card. They are not only accused of offenses committed during the past few days, but of offenses committed during the past 25 years. All the world should know what is going on here. Free elections would be held as soon as possible, and independent media would be established. One in four of the population is believed to have a member. Tax experts say the best it can do is withhold the penalty amount from any tax refund due. A photo of a television screen of Nicolae Ceauescu delivering his last public speech from the balcony of the Romanian Communist Party headquarters, 21 December 1989. PROSECUTOR: Please, ask Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu whether they have ever had a mental illness. Tip Jar or Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the Belmont Club. The following is a transscript of the closed trial of Romanian Dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife, Elena, as shown on Romanian and Austrian television. As hard as it may be to believe, there was a time when . . CEAUSESCU: We had no account in Switzerland. At some point the entire structure of governance becomes a system of workarounds with all real power devolved to the man on the ground. NICOLAE CEAUESCU: No, the people are fighting for freedom and against the new forum. They used to fetch people from orphans' homes or from abroad whom they trained in special institutions to become murderers of their own people. CHIEF PROSECUTOR: Esteemed chairman of the court, today we have to pass a verdict on the defendants Nicolae Ceausescu and Elena Ceausescu who have committed the following offenses: Crimes against the people. PROSECUTOR: We have always spoken of equality. I do not recognize this court. Transcriptul "procesului" Nicolae si Elena Ceausescu. The two defendants should also know that they are entitled to a counsel for defense, even if they reject this. He still considers himself to be the country's president and the commander in chief of the army. He still considers himself to be the country's president and the commander in chief of the army. The crimes against the people grew year by year. Almost none of the uninsured will end up paying the ObamaCare mandate penalty, according to an updated analysis by the Congressional Budget Office, which found that 87% will be able to claim an exemption. It should be stated once and for all that this military court is absolutely legal and that the former positions of the two Ceauescus are no longer valid. Have you understood them? The destruction of buildings and state institutions, undermining of the national economy, in accordance with Articles 165 and 145 of the penal code. [3], From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core, The former headquarters of the Central Committee of the, File:Ceausescu Final Speech - Former Central Committee Building - Bucharest - Romania.jpg, Video of Ceausescus Last Speech, December 1989, Nicolae Ceauescu LAST SPEECH (english subtitles) 1/2, https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Ceauescu%27s_final_speech&oldid=714636674, Articles with Romanian-language external links, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, About Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core. In response, Ceauescu raised his right hand in hopes of silencing the crowd; his stunned expression remains one of the defining moments of the end of Communism in Eastern Europe. First their narratives become so infested with lies they go out of sync with their own administrators on the ground. COUNSEL FOR THE DEFENSE: Even though he like her committed insane acts, we want to defend them. I will not answer any more. What happened? His security guard appears, disappears and, finally, hustles Ceausescu off the balcony. I am talking to you as simple citizens at the least, as simple citizens, and I tell you: I am the president of Romania. They obstructed the normal process of the economy.