The Participation of the Legionary Workers in the Bucharest Pogrom
The Participation of the Legionary Workers in the Bucharest Pogrom

Summary/Abstract: Our study aims to review the involvement of the far-right Legionary Movement from workers' centers in Bucharest, in the pogrom of January 21 to 23, 1941, by using archive materials. The increase in size of the Legionary Workers’ Corps (Corpul Muncitoresc Legionar – CML), enjoyed by the Legion from within the workers’ masses in Bucharest, during the months they governed the country, meant that, in the confrontation with the army, which was faithful to Antonescu, Legionary workers were a major part of the rebel forces. Also, the perpetrators of looting and murders that took place during the pogrom that doubled the Rebellion, belonged to the Legionary organizations. The article analyzes the involvement, in the events of January 1941, of legionaries who worked at the Bucharest Tramway Company (Societatea de Tramvaie Bucureşti – STB.), the General Gas and Power Company (Societatea Generală de Gaz şi Electricitate – SGGE), the Communal Plants of Bucharest (Uzinele Comunale Bucureşti – UCB), the "Distribution" (“Distribuția”) Company for the distribution of oil products in Bucharest and the "Dumitru Voina" metallurgical enterprise. Although these were far from being the only centers that had strong Legionary organizations, whose members participated in the Rebellion, their scrutiny can show the organizational dynamics and workers’ involvement strategy used by the Legionary Movement during the time of the National Legionary State, during the Rebellion and the Bucharest pogrom.

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