Final Report of the International Commission on the - Minority Rights ...

After coming to power, <strong>the</strong> Iron Guard considered for <strong>the</strong> first time adopting a racial policy toward
Roma. The Legion journal, Cuvântul, published an article on January 18, 1941 (a few days before <strong>the</strong> Iron
Guard rebellion), that stressed <strong>the</strong> „priority <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Gypsy issue” on <strong>the</strong> government agenda and suggested
that appropriate legislation be passed to make marriages between Romanians and Roma illegal and to
gradually isolate <strong>the</strong> Roma into some kind <strong>of</strong> ghetto. Yet, during <strong>the</strong> time <strong>the</strong> Legion was in power, <strong>the</strong>y
adopted no specific anti-Roma measures.
Even though <strong>the</strong> Roma had never before been an issue in <strong>the</strong> Romanian social sciences, some
researchers — some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m from among <strong>the</strong> best — began to approach what <strong>the</strong>y called “<strong>the</strong> Gypsy
problem” during <strong>the</strong> War. One such study, published in 1944, proposed ei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>ir concentration in an
isolated area <strong>of</strong> Romania, <strong>the</strong>ir deportation to Transnistria, or <strong>the</strong>ir sterilization. Despite <strong>the</strong>ir marginal
status, <strong>the</strong> racist opinions expressed in Romanian society during <strong>the</strong> 1930s and 1940s did play a certain
role in <strong>the</strong> preparations for Antonescu’s policies toward Jews and Roma. Yet it must be stressed that,
unlike in <strong>the</strong> case <strong>of</strong> Jews, this policy was not rooted in <strong>the</strong> Romanian past, but ra<strong>the</strong>r in new political
realities resulting from Marshal Antonescu's entry into <strong>the</strong> political arena. The best evidence is that <strong>the</strong>
Romanian population, notably peasants, opposed <strong>the</strong> deportations <strong>of</strong> Roma to Transnistria.
The deportation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Roma to Transnistria was Antonescu’s personal decision, as he himself would
later admit during his trial in 1946. It is worth noting that none <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> orders concerning <strong>the</strong> Roma bore
Antonescu’s signature and none were published—not in <strong>the</strong> Official Gazette or anywhere else. All were
made verbally by Antonescu to his ministers and carried out by <strong>the</strong> General Inspectorate <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
Gendarmerie. That Antonescu closely monitored <strong>the</strong>ir enforcement suggests that Romania’s wartime
policy toward <strong>the</strong> Roma was his creation.
The idea <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Roma's deportation to Transnistria did not exist at <strong>the</strong> beginning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Antonescu’s
rule. When <strong>the</strong> discussion on taking measures against <strong>the</strong> Roma began—in February 1941—Transnistria
was not considered. At <strong>the</strong> Council <strong>of</strong> Ministers meeting on February 7, 1941, Ion Antonescu requested
<strong>the</strong> removal <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Roma from Bucharest and spoke <strong>of</strong> settling <strong>the</strong>m in compact villages in Bărăgan;
suggested three to four villages to be built for this purpose, each able to accommodate 5,000–6,000
families. Although this idea was not implemented, it is illustrative <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> way in which <strong>the</strong> solution to <strong>the</strong>
Roma “problem” was seen at that time. Only after Romania obtained Transnistria was <strong>the</strong>re <strong>the</strong>
possibility to deport <strong>the</strong> Roma to outside <strong>the</strong> country’s boundaries. By 1942, when measures against <strong>the</strong>
Roma began, <strong>the</strong>re was already <strong>the</strong> precedent <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Jews’ deportation, which had commenced in fall
1941. Antonescu made <strong>the</strong> decision to deport <strong>the</strong> Roma across <strong>the</strong> Dniester in May 1942. By <strong>the</strong> time <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> census <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Roma considered to be “problems” (May 25, 1942), <strong>the</strong>ir fate had already been decided
by <strong>the</strong> Conducator. On May 22, 1942, <strong>the</strong> Presidency <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Council <strong>of</strong> Ministers informed <strong>the</strong> Ministry
<strong>of</strong> Internal Affairs <strong>of</strong> Marshal Antonescu's decision to deport certain categories <strong>of</strong> Roma to Transnistria.
The May 1942 Census <strong>of</strong> Roma Considered to be “Problems”
The “census” conducted by <strong>the</strong> gendarmerie and police all over <strong>the</strong> country on May 25, 1942
(although it had initially been planned for May 31), was ordered by Marshal Antonescu in order to find
<strong>the</strong> Roma who fit <strong>the</strong> category <strong>of</strong> “problem” - Roma. The following were registered, along with <strong>the</strong>ir
families: nomadic Roma; and from <strong>the</strong> sedentary Roma, those with criminal records, recidivists, and
those with no means <strong>of</strong> subsistence and without a definite occupation with which to support <strong>the</strong>mselves.
Forty thousand nine hundred nine individuals were registered on <strong>the</strong>se lists: 9,471 nomadic Roma and
31,438 sedentary Roma. The order <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ministry <strong>of</strong> Internal Affairs <strong>of</strong> May 17, 1942, stated that <strong>the</strong>
Roma on <strong>the</strong> list were to be kept under close surveillance by local authorities and prevented from leaving
<strong>the</strong> county until fur<strong>the</strong>r instruction. The lists — with Roma from both categories recorded by commune,
town, and county, — was sent to <strong>the</strong> General Inspectorate <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Gendarmerie. The subsequent