|
 News of the Institute and Lasallian Family
Rome, January 25, 1999 |
Brother Tiberiu Rata
 News was received recently of the death at 74 years of age of Brother Tiberiu, a Romanian Brother who was imprisoned and put to forced labour by the Communist government after 1958. His harrowing account of the fate of the other Romanian Brothers and of his own personal sufferings was published in the Institute Bulletin No.235 in September 1991 and is presented here. Brother Tiberiu had worked hard throughout 1998 to organise and celebrate the 100 years of permanent presence of the Brothers in Romania. He has had the consolation of seeing young Romanian Brothers and a group of postulants which offers promise of a continuing Lasallian presence.
In Romania - A Long Night that Lasted 42 Years
My way of the cross began on August 2nd 1948. It was the last day of our annual retreat.
The Directors of the three Catholic schools run by the Brothers in Bucarest were summoned to appear by the Romanian communist authorities who were in power. They were informed that the communist government intended to nationalise private (free) schools. The Brothers were told to hand over the keys of the schools immediately. Within an hour we found ourselves thrown out into the street. We had been allowed to take only our personal effects like linen, shoes, etc. All the rest-library books, beds, cupboards, etc.-had to be left in the school.
We were told also that we could not live as a community and that we would be employed as teachers. If this did not materialise we would have to survive as best we might.
The authorities decreed we had to live in a small flat on the second floor of the Roman Catholic bishop's house.
This decree applied only to religious who worked in schools. The Jesuits and Franciscans, who were priests, were not included, but they had to abandon their religious habit and they went into the parishes.
Only the Brothers of the Christian Schools were affected by this decree. The two Brothers' communities merged into one under the leadership of the Director and auxiliary Visitor, Brother Bonifazius Sattmann. There were about 20 of us. Each of us had to indicate his agreement or disagreement in writing. At 24, I was one of the youngest. I had taught for only three years at St. Joseph's school. I did not hesitate a moment as to what I should do. I realised that my place had to be among the Brothers and with them. Also I was convinced that the situation would not last a long time. There were two Brothers younger than myself. Unfortunately, both left later for various reasons. Subsequently they regretted their decision, even though our life was not easy.
By applying pressure and making promises, the communist authorities tried to make us abandon religious life. They failed.
Brother Boniface (Bonifazius) was bursar and superior at a difficult time. His trust in Providence impressed us all and gave us courage. None of us was either faint-hearted or cowed, even if this was not always easy. He was the father, the leader and everybody's friend despite his deafness. He prayed a lot precisely because he was deaf. After the grace of God, it was to him that we owed our community life. He was the superior that Providence had prepared for us and given us for those troubled times.
It was not long before the first difficulties arose. Our meager resources were exhausted. To survive, the Brothers had to give private lessons. The parents wanted this. This was my work for 5 years. It was a new form of apostolate. Through these private lessons we continued to exercise a religious influence. It was more important than ever.
Soon we began to teach catechism in the parishes. For two years we encountered no problems. It was the calm before the storm.
The first storm broke out in 1950. Five Brothers were arrested. Two of them who had worked in the Nunciature were tried in court and sent to prison for 16 years. The two others were condemned without a proper trial to two years' hard labour.
For safety's sake, some of the Brothers were lodged with former students. There followed a period of calm: the great Moloch was sated with his offerings...
After the Helsinki Conference, it looked as if the clouds would clear up. The Brothers returned to their flat and restarted their catechism classes in 5 parishes where every Sunday some 300 Catholics would gather. This was not to the liking of the communist authorities. They would say to their colleagues: "You can't manage to organise communist youth meetings, and yet this handful of religious teachers fills its hall every Sunday". Former students and friends warned the Brothers that trouble was brewing. Brother Boniface remained calm and continued to inspire his Brothers to be faithful and trust in God.
For two years we had taught religion surrounded by spies. We knew who they were and they knew who we were. They were waiting for orders to act. The orders arrived on August 21st 1958: four Brothers were arrested and with them three former students who had recruited other students. After three months of investigation, painful interrogation and even torture, the sentences were handed down on December 17th 1958: 90 years in prison. The two older Brothers were each given 20 years, the three others 15 years each, and the two youngest each got 10 years.
And their crime? They had taught religion to young people. This is the reason given in the text of sentence M 1252-58. I enclose a copy in French and in Italian.
What was their justification for sentencing people to 10, 15 or 20 years in prison? They. say they belong to supposedly the most humane form of society in the world. How can anybody in his right mind understand their behaviour? And these communists, who condemned people for such "crimes" to the harshest prisons that existed, were not ashamed to put it all down in writing. What is your reaction, you westerners, to such a travesty of justice? And you, communists of the western world, what do you think of your universal brotherhood and justice now? The eastern block alliance!
And so our troubles began again. There were 110 of us in a room measuring 11 metres by 10. There was one window, but it was boarded up with planks nailed down on the outside to prevent the prisoners
from looking out. In one corner, to attract the rats, there were four buckets (there was no lavatory). The buckets were free once or twice a day. No one could stay close to the windows: it was absolutely forbidden. We slept on the bare concrete floor, not that we could lie on our backs since there was not enough room; we had to lie on our sides, pressed together like sardines. Often and most of the time, the most recent arrivals in the room would have to sleep sitting on the buckets that served as lavatories.
Soon, our bodies were one big sore. There was no water. Each person was allowed half a litre of water per day. There was no soap. Here and there some little scraps of soap. No toilet paper. Half an hour exercise in a yard about 30 metres square, wide spaces between persons, so you could not speak to neighbours, or even see them really. No one was allowed to speak. A warder (a policeman) supervised. During the daytime no one was allowed to have a rest in bed, except those who were sick and had the doctor's permission. You were not allowed to give talks, nor listen to them; you could not study foreign languages nor teach them. We did not have the means to write; there was no paper, no pencils, not even a needle. Everything was strictly forbidden. Anyone caught infringing these laws was put into solitary confinement for 3 to 5 days. In the solitary confinement cell, it was forbidden to sit between 5.0 am and 10.0 pm. You were fed only twice a day and you were given only 100 grams of bread and half a litre of salty water.
At this point the reader will perhaps say I am mistaken, or I am exaggerating. Not all, there is no mistake. I recommend he reads Solzhenitsin's book "Gulag Archipelago".
He does not deceive. He does not exaggerate. In his book you will find a complete catalogue of the unimaginable inhuman cruelties inflicted by these people.
After a year of such treatment prisoners were asked if they wanted to work. Of course, all those that were able to move replied in the affirmative. And so, in August 1959, we were loaded into cattle wagons, each having the same lavatory arrangements already mentioned. After two days and a night we set off for an unknown destination. As the wagons were open we were able to see that we were being taken to the region called Grosseinsel du Danube, in the vicinity of Braila. There we had to build an embankment 17 metres high and 35 kilometres long as a barrier against the turbulent waters of the Danube. We were lodged in two huts. There were about 800 of us. Conditions were worse than primitive. The greatest problem was the water. A litre of water to mix with
a sort of coffee, half water half mud, and you had to wait as long as up to 3.0 am to get it.
The consequences were not long in making themselves felt. From the tenth day onwards, August 17th, we suffered from dysentery. It was very dangerous. There was no doctor. I had only ten Talasol tablets. For seven days I could not eat or drink anything. Really nothing. I was dying. I had suffered from it in prison and now I had it for the second time.
It is perhaps difficult to believe that I am saying nothing but the truth. In the space of two weeks I had become a skeleton. It was also the first time that I saw a man die. It made a great impression on me. His condition had not seemed any worse than mine. I, however, had not lost all hope. It was very difficult at the beginning and it continued to be so for a long time. I had to return to work but I was so weak that I could hardly walk. Many people died at this time.
In the month of November I had to return to work on the embankment. We had to build it with picks and shovels. It was very difficult. Often we thought of the Egyptians building the pyramids. Was it as exhausting as this? Let's not exaggerate, some will think...
After two years we were sent out to work in the fields. It was less exhausting. During the course of 1961, we were sent to Luciu Giurgen To drink, we fetched water from the Danube and boiled it. This did not last long. Once again we fell ill. This time it was typhus (typhoid fever). In November I fell ill too. I was singled out to be examined by a commission of civilian doctors. I was in danger of dying and so they moved me to a hospital in Constanta. It was the second time I found myself at death's door. Here we were well cared for. After three weeks, the danger had passed and we were able to return to the camp and take up some other form of work. This was something almost unheard of. On my way back I spent a never-to-be-forgotten Christmas night in a hovel in company with other vermin like myself and hundreds or thousands of mice, all curious to know what I was looking for and why I had come there to disturb their peace and quiet. It was impossible to sleep under such circumstances.
In autumn 1962, I was taken back to the well known prison at Gherla. Because of my illness, I had now been a germ carrier for 15 years and was considered to be a source of danger for the civilian inhabitants of this island. No one was concerned about the prisoners even when they fell ill.
At Gherla I worked for two years in a furniture factory, making tables. I was better off materially. Those who fulfilled their "norms" were given a post
card and were able to write home asking for a parcel weighing no more than 5 kilos and containing food and 400 cigarettes. I wrote only once, although I became a good maker of tables.
In spring 1964 we were allowed for the first time in five and a half years to read a book. We were permitted also to read the party newspaper which told of the successes of the people under the leadership of the Romanian communist party. They wanted to prepare us slowly for our liberation which was approaching. I think it was April when they told us we would be freed but not all at the same time. This was the first time they kept their word: the first prisoners were released in April and I had to wait for my turn till August 1st 1964.
As I had had no news of the Brothers for six years I was taken first to my family. They lived relatively close, some 110 kilometres away and 50 kilometres from Bucarest. I had no money and I wanted to know if my mother was still alive, because she was 77 years old and had had a heart attack in spring 1958, and in the autumn of that year I had been sent to prison.
For a long time I had thought she was dead. I was very attached to my mother as she had been largely responsible for my vocation to the Brothers.
My meeting with her was very moving both for her and for me. I cannot bring myself to describe that moment. Even after so many years it would still be diffficult. For a long time she wept in my arms, repeating over and over again "my dear child, my dear child". And I wept with her. Everyone in the house did as we did. We all wept...for joy.
I remained four days at my mother's house. I very much wanted to go back to the Brothers in Bucarest. I was the last one to arrive, all the others were already there. It was a joyful but rather short meeting. We could not remain in Bucarest. We and friends warned the Brothers that trouble was brewing. Brother Boniface remained calm and continued to inspire his Brothers to be faithful and trust in God.
For two years we had taught religion surrounded by spies. We knew who they were and they knew who we were. They were waiting for orders to act. The orders arrived on August 21st 1958: four Brothers were arrested and with them three former students who had recruited other students. After three months of investigation, painful interrogation and even torture, the sentences were handed down on December 17th 1958: 90 years in prison. The two older Brothers were each given 20 years, the three others 15 years each, and the two youngest each got 10 years.
And their crime? They had taught religion to young people. This is the reason given in the text of sentence M 1252-58. I enclose a copy in French and in Italian.
What was their justification for sentencing people to 10, 15 or 20 years in prison? They say they belong to supposedly the most humane form of society in the world. How can anybody in his right mind understand their behaviour? And these communists, who condemned people for such "crimes" to the harshest prisons that existed, were not ashamed to put it all down in writing. What is your reaction, you westerners, to such a travesty of justice? And you, communists of the western world, what do you think of your universal brotherhood and justice now? The eastern block alliance!
And so our troubles began again. There were 110 of us in a room measuring 11 metres by 10. There was one window, but it was boarded up with planks nailed down on the outside to prevent the prisoners
from looking out. In one corner, to attract the rats, there were four buckets (there was no lavatory). The buckets were free once or twice a day. No one could stay close to the windows: it was absolutely forbidden. We slept on the bare concrete floor, not that we could lie on our backs since there was not enough room; we had to lie on our sides, pressed together like sardines. Often and most of the time, the most recent arrivals in the room would have to sleep sitting on the buckets that served as lavatories.
Soon, our bodies were one big sore. There was no water. Each person was allowed half a litre of water per day. There was no soap. Here and there some little scraps of soap. No toilet paper. Half an hour exercise in a yard about 30 metres square, wide spaces between persons, so you could not speak to neighbours, or even see them really. No one was allowed to speak. A warder (a policeman) supervised. During the daytime no one was allowed to have a rest in bed, except those who were sick and had the doctor's permission. You were not allowed to give talks, nor listen to them; you could not study foreign languages nor teach them. We did not have the means to write; there was no paper, no pencils, not even a needle. Everything was strictly forbidden. Anyone caught infringing these laws was put into solitary confinement for 3 to 5 days. In the solitary confinement cell, it was forbidden to sit between 5.0 am and 10.0 pm. You were fed only twice a day and you were given only 100 grams of bread and half a litre of salty water.
At this point the reader will perhaps say I am mistaken, or I am exaggerating. Not all, there is no mistake. I recommend he reads Solzhenitsin's book "Gulag Archipelago".
He does not deceive. He does not exaggerate. In his book you will find a complete catalogue of the unimaginable inhuman cruelties inflicted by these people.
After a year of such treatment prisoners were asked if they wanted to work. Of course, all those that were able to move replied in the affirmative. And so, in August 1959, we were loaded into cattle wagons, each having the same lavatory arrangements already mentioned. After two days and a night we set off for an unknown destination. As the wagons were open we were able to see that we were being taken to the region called Grosseinsel du Danube, in the vicinity of Braila. There we had to build an embankment 17 metres high and 35 kilometres long as a barrier against the turbulent waters of the Danube. We were lodged in two huts. There were about 800 of us. Conditions were worse than primitive. The greatest problem was the water. A litre of water to mix with
With time, our links were strengthened. We met more often, either to celebrate a birthday or mark a feast. In 1970 a little miracle occurred-it was certainly one for me: Brother Tarcisius, who had been in prison for 14 years, obtained a passport (the first one of us to do so), and was able to visit Vienna, Rome and Paris. It was an occasion to remember! The second time he applied he was refused.
The days of anguish were over. Even the supervision became discreet. But we could not teach religion. We could go to church as often and for as long as we wanted. We had daily mass. No one forbade it. It was impossible to take up community life again and wear the religious habit.
The number of Brothers diminished slowly. The Hungarian Brothers of Satu Mare all died at an advanced age. All were over 80. The last one died in 1983.
Brother Tarcisius died suddenly of a heart attack on November 25th 1977. On November 9th he had celebrated his 60th birthday. His death affected us deeply. He had consistently and tirelessly fought communism. Even in prison he had always protested vigorously when prisoners were mistreated.
In 1983, my turn arrived to obtain a passport. It was almost incredible. That same year another Brother also obtained a passport. And so I spent a month with the Brothers in Vienna. In 1987, I was allowed to go abroad again. This time it was much easier as I was a retired person. I went to Rome and was able to be present at the beatification of Brother Arnould. It had always been my dream to see Rome and the Generalate. That dream became a reality a second time in 1989, when I spent six weeks at the International Lasallian Centre in Rome.
The end of 1989 brought us new hope. At Christmas, we were able to hear Christmas carols again and, with permission, watch mass on television. The long night of 42 years of oppression was beginning to fade. The communist system (the government) was overthrown. We could breathe again. And we could sing a Te Deum in our hearts.
We did not dare believe it was all true.
Unfortunately, one year later, we see that the new authorities do not seem to take religious freedom all that seriously. Religious communities are still not recognised, and convents and property have not yet been handed back.
We Brothers, despite our age and our small number, have finally left the night behind.
One Brother teaches in the seminary of Alba Julia, another at that of Iasi. He is following up an aspirant who wants to become a Brother of the Christian Schools.
On the feast of Christ the King, a small community was set up at Oradea, 15 kilometres from the Hungarian border.
Above all, we have been invited to take up our work again in the places where we worked before.
Although we are few in number-six Brothers, two of them ill, and between 67 and 81 years of age -we are optimistic and put our trust in Providence. The 14 canonised and beatified Brothers will help us. The work of St. John Baptist de La Salle in Romania cannot and must not die.
We turn to all the Brothers in the world, and ask them not to forget us and to remember us in their prayers. We will win, but not because of what we do. Our holy Brothers and the 150,000 Brothers of the Christian Schools who over the centuries have worn our habit will be with us. They will help us. We are convinced that God is helping us and when God "is for us, who will be against us?"
Brother Tiberiu |
If you have news notes that you would like us to consider
publishing, please email us: lasallew@lasalle.org |
|
