TRUPELE DE SECURITATE ÎN ROMÂNIA „DEMOCRAT-POPULARĂ"
THE SECURITATE TROOPS IN THE “DEMOCRATIC-POPULAR” ROMANIA

Summary/Abstract: The Securitate troops – created following a Soviet model, necessary for far-reaching actions, such as dislocating categories of persons, operations against armed resistance organisations, interventions in case of citizen uprising or for guarding the labour camps – activated from January 23, 1949, with personnel recruited by ideological criteria, to the detriment of professional ones. The “purity of files” – namely the “healthy” social origin and the inexistence of “anti-democratic” political history – represented the basic inclusion criteria for being hired and promoting within this establishment; failing to meet them would entail destitution. The indoctrination measures initiated by the party – i.e., the political-ideological training – could not compensate for the professional shortcomings, just as the difficulties and failures in repressing the resistance organisations in the mountains could not be solved by the various reorganisations of the troops initiated by the management of the MAI [Ministry of Internal Affairs]. Following the actions carried out against the resistance, the leaders of the Securitate troops sought to draft up standards regarding the specific activity of this structure, but the overwhelming ideological mark acted against professional criteria. Their lack of professionalism was apparent during their fights against partisans. Despite their superiority in terms of number, the failures of the Securitate troops were a commonplace.

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