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

from Romanian and foreign archives were published that enhanced <strong>the</strong> understanding <strong>the</strong> events <strong>of</strong>
June/July 1940. Equally important were <strong>the</strong> revelations <strong>of</strong> published memoirs, which proliferated in <strong>the</strong>
post-1989 period.
Despite <strong>the</strong> richness <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> research on Bessarabia, Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Bukovina, and <strong>the</strong> Herţa county,
relations between ethnic Romanians and ethnic minorities (notably Jews) for <strong>the</strong> June-August 1940
period remains under-researched. If before 1989 <strong>the</strong> topic was not approached due to <strong>the</strong> ban issued by
<strong>the</strong> communist regime, during <strong>the</strong> post-communist transition it remained on <strong>the</strong> backburner despite <strong>the</strong>
repeal <strong>of</strong> all <strong>of</strong>ficial bans. Only Israeli scholars <strong>of</strong> Romanian origin addressed this topic. Possible causes
for <strong>the</strong> hesitation <strong>of</strong> Romanian researchers to approach this topic may include limited access to archives
and, especially, <strong>the</strong> reluctance to deal with a painful and uncomfortable past that contradicted a self-image
forged during <strong>the</strong> years <strong>of</strong> communist rule. More recently, however, as Romania began to integrate into
European and Euro-Atlantic security and political structures (namely NATO, EU), Romanian
historiography has become more interested in this subject as well as <strong>the</strong> broader issue <strong>of</strong> Romanian
participation in <strong>the</strong> Holocaust—a taboo for many decades. Gradually, <strong>the</strong> topic began to be approached in
scholarly conferences, doctoral dissertations, books and scholarly articles, media broadcasts. The
following chapter examines <strong>the</strong> withdrawal <strong>of</strong> Romanian civil administration and troops from Bessarabia
and its impact on relations between ethnic Romanians and <strong>the</strong> local Jewish population. It uses evidence
from Romania’s National Archives, <strong>the</strong> Romanian Military Archives, and <strong>the</strong> Archives <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ministry <strong>of</strong>
Foreign Affairs. Fur<strong>the</strong>r research in former Soviet archives is needed.
The Internal and External Circumstances <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Annexation <strong>of</strong> Bessarabia and Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Bukovina
The <strong>International</strong> Context: Soviet-German Relations, 1939-1940
The annexation <strong>of</strong> Bessarabia, Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Bukovina and <strong>the</strong> county <strong>of</strong> Herţa was a direct result <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
radical changes in <strong>the</strong> balance <strong>of</strong> power at <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 1930s. These changes determined that central
and sou<strong>the</strong>astern Europe would remain at <strong>the</strong> disposal <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> two totalitarian powers, Germany and
USSR. On August 23, 1939, Germany and <strong>the</strong> Soviet Union concluded a non-aggression treaty, <strong>the</strong>
“Ribbentrop-Molotov Treaty/Pact”. The Soviets demanded <strong>the</strong> addition <strong>of</strong> a secret protocol in which <strong>the</strong>
two powers divided up spheres <strong>of</strong> influence: central and sou<strong>the</strong>astern Europe—an area stretching between
Baltic and Black Seas—as well as Finland, Estonia and Letonia were assigned to <strong>the</strong> Soviet sphere;
Lithuania and <strong>the</strong> town <strong>of</strong> Vilna were assigned to <strong>the</strong> German sphere <strong>of</strong> influence. Germany and <strong>the</strong>
Soviet Union <strong>the</strong>n divided Poland, roughly following <strong>the</strong> line <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Narev, Vistula, and San rivers. In
sou<strong>the</strong>astern Europe, with Germany declaring “complete disinterest for <strong>the</strong>se regions,” <strong>the</strong> Soviets
claimed Bessarabia. Here it is worth nothing that <strong>the</strong> German version <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pact referred to Romanian
“regions” to be ceded to <strong>the</strong> Soviet Union, whereas <strong>the</strong> Soviet version named only Bessarabia. The
Soviets would subsequently use <strong>the</strong> German version in June 1940 and make additional requests for
Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Bukovina and <strong>the</strong> Herta County.
The Ribbentrop-Molotov Treaty constituted <strong>the</strong> prelude to <strong>the</strong> Second World War, which began on
September 1, 1939, with <strong>the</strong> attack <strong>of</strong> Germany on Poland. On September 28, 1939, during a visit to
Moscow by Joachim von Ribbentrop, German Minister <strong>of</strong> External Affairs, a treaty <strong>of</strong> friendship and
border recognition was concluded between Germany and <strong>the</strong> Soviet Union, yet no changes were made in
this treaty to <strong>the</strong> initial agreement on sou<strong>the</strong>astern Europe. During <strong>the</strong> following period, Germany and <strong>the</strong>
Soviet Union took steps to enforce <strong>the</strong>ir agreements on <strong>the</strong> respective spheres <strong>of</strong> influence. Moscow
moved to impose “mutual assistance treaties” (i.e. terms <strong>of</strong> occupation) on Estonia (September 28, 1939),
Letonia (October 5, 1939) and Lithuania (October 11, 1939), which allowed <strong>the</strong> Soviet government to
send 85,000 troops to those countries. In contrast with <strong>the</strong> two Baltic States, Finland opposed Soviet