REMEMBRANCE IN TIME - Index of

Florentin OLTEANU: Aspects as Regards the Transylvanian Saxons’ Deportation … 281
sometimes, the old men in the houses heard at night noises in the yard and if they went
out to protect their wealth and labour, they risked being beaten or crippled by the night
thieves and robbers, even if they were identified, the victims had no courage to denounce
them to the gendarmerie or to divulge them to the public opinion, lest of incurring upon
themselves unwanted revenge. The situation got rather clearer after the 6 th of March 1945.
It got clearer that the new pro-communist government started applying the paragraphs
from the Armistice Convention, beginning the requisition of goods and the seizure of
values, on account of executing the Armistice, from the population. On the background of
this State action, the Transylvanian Saxon stables were voided of cattle in the course of
the months of March and April 1945. Part of the deported persons’ minor children having
remaining deprived of support and care, were brought by the authorities to the Orphanage
from Sibiu, whence they did not return in the village.
The deportation of the German ethnics from Romania in USSR constitutes the first step
on the ladder of the economic, social and moral decline of the regions with mostly
German population. The Transylvanian Saxon villages from our county fall into decay,
the Transylvanian Saxon households come to ruin, the gypsies and the Romanians begin
to migrate towards the cities, and the thefts, violence, administrative disorder, lack of
human respect and immorality changed into general rules and principles of behaviour
during communism 12 .
Note
We mention the following story told by Cristian Raul Vintila 13 , heard in his childhood
“My story is simple. And now it is told by a young person who can only imagine. I was
young and inexperienced, unfortunately.
My story tells of sadness and memories that have shaped my fate and the fate of many
other fellows of my time. We could not influence fate and it was not our fault, why we
had to suffer.
I was actually still a minor. Yes, I was a little innocent girl who had never touched a
man, but should look at the naked body of a dead deportee.
It started in Brasov, Romania where I enjoyed my childhood with my dear family. The
day I was dragged into a truck along with other germane speaking citizen, was my most
disastrous.
I barely could shout to a playmate of my sister: "Tell my family they have taken me."
And I was being dragged.
First a train that was set up for cattle transports, and then with trucks I came into the
mining area of Donets’k. For many years I had to survive in cool barracks with small
food rations, everyday life and work in lignite mines was hard. For everyone it was
dangerous and for me worse. A large heavy sharp rock almost amputated my arm. I've
survived but I've almost lost the fight with tuberculosis.
Many have perished.
12 Remus Cocoş, Note şi amintiri din Făgăraş. În perioada 23.08.1944-15.05.1948 (Notes and
Memories from Făgăraş. During the period 23.08.1944-15.05.1948), in the Archives of the
Foundation «Negru Vodă» Făgăraş, pp. 10-12.
13 German Forum, Braşov, Romania.