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

Bucharest Prefectura. Almost two thousand Jews, men and women from fifteen to eighty-five years old,
were abusively detained and <strong>the</strong>n taken to <strong>the</strong> Legion’s fourteen torture centers (police stations, <strong>the</strong>
Bucharest Prefectura, <strong>the</strong> Legion headquarters, Codreanu’s farm, <strong>the</strong> Jilava town hall, occupied Jewish
buildings, and <strong>the</strong> Bucharest slaughterhouse). The arrested included wealthy Jews and employees <strong>of</strong>
Jewish public organizations.
The Bucharest slaughterhouse was <strong>the</strong> site <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most atrocious tortures. On <strong>the</strong> last day <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
rebellion, fifteen Jews were driven from <strong>the</strong> Prefectura to <strong>the</strong> slaughterhouse where all <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m were
tortured and/or shot to death. Antonescu appointed a military prosecutor to investigate <strong>the</strong> events. He
reported that he recognized three <strong>of</strong> his acquaintances among <strong>the</strong> “pr<strong>of</strong>essionally tortured” bodies (lawyer
Millo Beiler and <strong>the</strong> Rauch bro<strong>the</strong>rs). He added, “The bodies <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> dead were hanged on <strong>the</strong> hooks used
by slaughterers.” Mihai Antonescu’s secretary confirmed <strong>the</strong> military prosecutor’s description and added
that some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> victims were hooked up while still alive, to allow <strong>the</strong> torturers to “chop up” <strong>the</strong>ir bodies.
Evidence indicates that <strong>the</strong> CML actively participated in <strong>the</strong> pogrom—torturing, executing and
looting. The “Engineer G. Clime” CML headquarters was a particularly frightening torture center. There,
CML teams tortured hundreds and shot dozens <strong>of</strong> men and women. Also, CML people selected ninety
Jews (<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> two hundred who had been tortured in <strong>the</strong> CML torture centers) and drove <strong>the</strong>m in trucks to
<strong>the</strong> Jilava forest. After leaving <strong>the</strong> trucks <strong>the</strong>y were shot from a two-foot distance. Eighty-six naked
bodies were found lying in <strong>the</strong> snow-covered forest, and <strong>the</strong> mouths <strong>of</strong> those with gold teeth were
horribly mutilated. Rabbi Tzwi Gutman, who was shot twice, was among <strong>the</strong> few who did not die in this
massacre. His two sons were killed. In all, 125 Jews were killed during <strong>the</strong> Bucharest pogrom. The
Bucharest pogrom also introduced <strong>the</strong> chapter <strong>of</strong> mass abuse <strong>of</strong> Jewish women, who were sometimes
raped in <strong>the</strong> presence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir families.
In addition to <strong>the</strong> slaughter, <strong>the</strong>re were also severe Legionary attacks on synagogues during <strong>the</strong>
Bucharest pogrom. The assault began in <strong>the</strong> afternoon <strong>of</strong> January 21, climaxed during that evening, and
continued <strong>the</strong> next day. This was a predictable turn <strong>of</strong> events because, since its establishment in 1927,
Iron Guard rallies typically ended in acts <strong>of</strong> vandalism directed against synagogues. The Legionnaires
attacked all synagogues at <strong>the</strong> same time, burning Torah scrolls, pillaging religious objects, money,
furniture and valuables, and vandalizing synagogue interiors. In some instances, <strong>the</strong> Legionnaires began
<strong>the</strong>ir attacks during <strong>the</strong> prayer, which happened at <strong>the</strong> Coral Temple (those who were present at <strong>the</strong> time
were taken to Jilava and killed). In <strong>the</strong> end, <strong>the</strong> perpetrators set <strong>the</strong> synagogue on fire, and two burnt
entirely to <strong>the</strong> ground. One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se was <strong>the</strong> Cahal Grande Synagogue, one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most beautiful in
Europe. When fire brigades—alarmed that <strong>the</strong> fire might reach adjoining buildings—came to put it out,
<strong>the</strong>y were prevented from doing so by <strong>the</strong> Legionnaires overseeing <strong>the</strong> scene. Antonescu’s military
prosecutor who investigated <strong>the</strong> events gave a graphic description <strong>of</strong> what he saw: “The Spanish Temple
seemed like a giant torch that lugubriously lit <strong>the</strong> capital’s sky. The Legionnaires performed a devilish
dance next to <strong>the</strong> fire while singing ‘The Aria <strong>of</strong> Legionnaire Youth’ and some were kicking three naked
women into <strong>the</strong> fire. The wretched victims’ shrieks <strong>of</strong> despair tore through <strong>the</strong> sky.”
<strong>Final</strong>ly, <strong>the</strong> Legionnaires, <strong>the</strong>ir affiliated organizations, and regular mobs all participated in destroying
and pillaging Jewish commercial and private property during <strong>the</strong> pogrom. Some homes were burned
down or completely demolished. In total, 1,274 buildings—commercial and residential—were destroyed.
The Federation <strong>of</strong> Jewish Communities in Romania evaluated <strong>the</strong> damage to be worth 383 million Lei
(<strong>the</strong> sum also includes <strong>the</strong> damage to synagogues). After <strong>the</strong> Legionary rebellion was put down, <strong>the</strong> army
found 200 trucks loaded with jewels and cash.
The Political and Ideological Foundations <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Antonescu Regime,
February-June 1941