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Scara Leilor
Cele doua volume intitulate Scara leilor continua periplul memoriei inceput in Maxilarul inferior (Premiul Cititorilor oferit de Observator cultural) cu povestea tatalui autoarei, Gheorghe Uricariu, si reconstructia Europei, asemeni unei reconstructii a unei parti anatomice distruse de un glonte exploziv. Asa cum viata si fata desfigurata a unui tinar ofiter, in timpul bataliei de la Oarba de Mures, are nevoie de peste 39 de interventii chirurgicale, tot asa istoria Romaniei, a Europei si a lumii au nevoie de o complexa reconstructie a memoriei si istoriei, distruse in deceniile comunismului, instalat impotriva vointei popoarelor, dupa impartirea Europei si a zonelor de influenta ce a urmat Conferintei de la Ialta.
Unul din articolele Conferintei de la Ialta va sta la baza marilor deportari care vor smulge milioane de oameni spre a-i duce in Siberia sa munceasca si de cele mai multe ori sa moara, pe considerente de apartenenta la teritorii devenite dupa razboi parte din URSS. Povestea parintilor autoarei are in spate chiar lupta cu acest articol care a generat exodul deportarilor.
Cititorul afla enorm de multe lucruri despre Romania anilor 1941-1947, despre conditiile care au schimbat destinul nostru in urmatoarele decenii, dar si in perioada tranzitiei post-comuniste. Descopera adevaruri incredibile, taine ingropate in corespondenta diplomatica si rapoartele serviciilor secrete. Istoria are o parte vizibila si o parte ascunsa, precum fata lunii, o parte retorica, declarativa si alta reala, tainuita, ascunsa ochilor lumii de marii decidenti care actioneaza subteran, ca si cum ar fi instrumentata de forte oculte.
Doina Uricariu isi construieste amplul excurs memorialistic si documentar urmarind pas cu pas marturiile Regelui Mihai, ale arhivei exilului Majestatii Sale de la Versoix pe care a cercetat-o in noiembrie-decembrie 1990, cu documente diplomatice emise de servicii secrete, documente care pun in lumina lupta anticomunista a Romaniei din prima clipa a ocupatiei sovietice.
O serie de stenograme, asemeni unor piese de teatru, dezvaluie cititorilor lovitura data continuu de Moscova si trimisii ei, care declanseaza ofensiva impotriva democratiei din tara, surparea economiei si fiecarei institutii si minister, subminate prin legea epurarilor, plata despagubirilor de razboi, care incalca tratate, conventii, la care se adauga imixtiunea crasa in alcatuirea si caderea guvernelor, transformarea oricarei negocieri in ultimatum, pulverizarea libertatilor individuale. Aceste stenograme prezinta imixtiunea lui Visinski, Susaikov, Molotov, Vinogradov, Stalin si reducerea Comisiei Aliate de Control la un unic decident, sovieticii.
Personajele din Scara leilor sint Regele Mihai, Regina-mama Elena, Ion si Mihai Antonescu, Lucretiu Patrascanu, Titel Petrescu, Maniu, Bratianu, Tattarascu, Bodnaras, Groza, Mihalache, generalul Sanatescu, generalul Radescu, generalul Nicolae Macici, primul general condamnat la moarte de Tribunalul poporului, care a trait paroxismul trairii executiei oprite prin comutarea pedepsei in ultima clipa.
Doina Uricariu dezvaluie in premiera continutul remarcabil al unei arhive de interes national si european, de la dosarele si bibliorafturile ce prezinta memorii catre rege, precum cel al profesorului Onisifor Ghibu, pina la actiunile intreprinse de Comitetul National Roman in exil si participarea romanilor din exil la demersurile crearii Comunitatii europene si a reunificarii Europei.
in anul in care Majestatea Sa Regele Mihai implineste 90 de ani, apare o carte a carei existenta s-a anuntat inca din 1990, cind Doina Uricariu a facut primul interviu cu regele Mihai, publicat in Romania literara, chiar in 23 august 1990.
Unul din articolele Conferintei de la Ialta va sta la baza marilor deportari care vor smulge milioane de oameni spre a-i duce in Siberia sa munceasca si de cele mai multe ori sa moara, pe considerente de apartenenta la teritorii devenite dupa razboi parte din URSS. Povestea parintilor autoarei are in spate chiar lupta cu acest articol care a generat exodul deportarilor.
Cititorul afla enorm de multe lucruri despre Romania anilor 1941-1947, despre conditiile care au schimbat destinul nostru in urmatoarele decenii, dar si in perioada tranzitiei post-comuniste. Descopera adevaruri incredibile, taine ingropate in corespondenta diplomatica si rapoartele serviciilor secrete. Istoria are o parte vizibila si o parte ascunsa, precum fata lunii, o parte retorica, declarativa si alta reala, tainuita, ascunsa ochilor lumii de marii decidenti care actioneaza subteran, ca si cum ar fi instrumentata de forte oculte.
Doina Uricariu isi construieste amplul excurs memorialistic si documentar urmarind pas cu pas marturiile Regelui Mihai, ale arhivei exilului Majestatii Sale de la Versoix pe care a cercetat-o in noiembrie-decembrie 1990, cu documente diplomatice emise de servicii secrete, documente care pun in lumina lupta anticomunista a Romaniei din prima clipa a ocupatiei sovietice.
O serie de stenograme, asemeni unor piese de teatru, dezvaluie cititorilor lovitura data continuu de Moscova si trimisii ei, care declanseaza ofensiva impotriva democratiei din tara, surparea economiei si fiecarei institutii si minister, subminate prin legea epurarilor, plata despagubirilor de razboi, care incalca tratate, conventii, la care se adauga imixtiunea crasa in alcatuirea si caderea guvernelor, transformarea oricarei negocieri in ultimatum, pulverizarea libertatilor individuale. Aceste stenograme prezinta imixtiunea lui Visinski, Susaikov, Molotov, Vinogradov, Stalin si reducerea Comisiei Aliate de Control la un unic decident, sovieticii.
Personajele din Scara leilor sint Regele Mihai, Regina-mama Elena, Ion si Mihai Antonescu, Lucretiu Patrascanu, Titel Petrescu, Maniu, Bratianu, Tattarascu, Bodnaras, Groza, Mihalache, generalul Sanatescu, generalul Radescu, generalul Nicolae Macici, primul general condamnat la moarte de Tribunalul poporului, care a trait paroxismul trairii executiei oprite prin comutarea pedepsei in ultima clipa.
Doina Uricariu dezvaluie in premiera continutul remarcabil al unei arhive de interes national si european, de la dosarele si bibliorafturile ce prezinta memorii catre rege, precum cel al profesorului Onisifor Ghibu, pina la actiunile intreprinse de Comitetul National Roman in exil si participarea romanilor din exil la demersurile crearii Comunitatii europene si a reunificarii Europei.
in anul in care Majestatea Sa Regele Mihai implineste 90 de ani, apare o carte a carei existenta s-a anuntat inca din 1990, cind Doina Uricariu a facut primul interviu cu regele Mihai, publicat in Romania literara, chiar in 23 august 1990.
824 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2011
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March 19, 2012
Scara Leilor (The Stair of the Lions - ie the throwing of eastern Europe and Romania in particular in the jaws of Stalinism and Soviet Communism and the martyrdom similar to the ones of the Christians in the Roman arenas suffered by the educated classes and by anyone opposing the regime or being a convenient scapegoat ) is a book that uses King Mihai's archives, official memoranda, interviews (mostly but not only with the King himself) and the author's personal recollections and journeys to essentially reconstitute what happened during the Stalinist takeover with episodes both from before (during WW2) and after the December 1989 overthrow of the communism.
Done in large part in 1990 and making a case for the heroism of the king and counteracting both the pro-Antonescu propaganda and the communist anti monarchist such, the book works in large part due to the stark facts presented in official documents.
While the political dimension is dated as the king now (in 2012) closing on 90 is never going to be accepted as leader of the state and Romania will stay a republic for the foreseeable future and the communist regime is dead and buried though of course what came after was (and is) a very corrupt, 3rd world government - but that is different from the brutality of the communists - both the historical facts and the personal notes of the author are presented very well and make for a very compelling reading, quite dark and depressing in many parts and offer a version of "what happened" that is based on facts and not on lies, propaganda or myths.
So while the reader's opinion of the King, Antonescu, August 23 and of course the martyrdom of Romania that started soon after August 23 etc may vary from what is in the book and games of "what if" are generally futile as history is unique and contingent in large part, I highly recommend it for its extraordinary trove of documents and for the engaging style of the author.
For me the big issue with how August 23 happened and what followed - issue that is addressed in the book only in passing - is that the King as the main driver of the regime change (which i tend to accept in large measure rather than the pro-Antonescu king as puppet side) simply did not foresee/was not able to deal with the ensuing power vacuum. The old guard politicians were also passed by events (no surprise here, as they rolled meekly in front of the womanizer King Carol in 1938, how one would believe they could get the spine to oppose Stalin's devils in any effective way is beyond me).
Maybe things were inevitable, maybe the King and his entourage were too trusting in the Stalinist lies (though why one would be so in 1944 shows naivety at best) and the Red Army was able to occupy the country and impose its will without real opposition. Here the Antonescu defenders have their main point - namely that if the Marshal would have signed the armistice and remained in power (both of course huge ifs) like in Finland, Romania may have been spared full stalinization like Finland was.
Of course Finland did not have the oil fields that provided USSR with free oil for a decade or so and the grain fields that provided USSR with free food for a decade or so as the soviets looted Romania to the max, while the geographical situation was also quite different, so I doubt Antonescu would have fared better in the medium term either, but again history is simply not-repeatable....
Done in large part in 1990 and making a case for the heroism of the king and counteracting both the pro-Antonescu propaganda and the communist anti monarchist such, the book works in large part due to the stark facts presented in official documents.
While the political dimension is dated as the king now (in 2012) closing on 90 is never going to be accepted as leader of the state and Romania will stay a republic for the foreseeable future and the communist regime is dead and buried though of course what came after was (and is) a very corrupt, 3rd world government - but that is different from the brutality of the communists - both the historical facts and the personal notes of the author are presented very well and make for a very compelling reading, quite dark and depressing in many parts and offer a version of "what happened" that is based on facts and not on lies, propaganda or myths.
So while the reader's opinion of the King, Antonescu, August 23 and of course the martyrdom of Romania that started soon after August 23 etc may vary from what is in the book and games of "what if" are generally futile as history is unique and contingent in large part, I highly recommend it for its extraordinary trove of documents and for the engaging style of the author.
For me the big issue with how August 23 happened and what followed - issue that is addressed in the book only in passing - is that the King as the main driver of the regime change (which i tend to accept in large measure rather than the pro-Antonescu king as puppet side) simply did not foresee/was not able to deal with the ensuing power vacuum. The old guard politicians were also passed by events (no surprise here, as they rolled meekly in front of the womanizer King Carol in 1938, how one would believe they could get the spine to oppose Stalin's devils in any effective way is beyond me).
Maybe things were inevitable, maybe the King and his entourage were too trusting in the Stalinist lies (though why one would be so in 1944 shows naivety at best) and the Red Army was able to occupy the country and impose its will without real opposition. Here the Antonescu defenders have their main point - namely that if the Marshal would have signed the armistice and remained in power (both of course huge ifs) like in Finland, Romania may have been spared full stalinization like Finland was.
Of course Finland did not have the oil fields that provided USSR with free oil for a decade or so and the grain fields that provided USSR with free food for a decade or so as the soviets looted Romania to the max, while the geographical situation was also quite different, so I doubt Antonescu would have fared better in the medium term either, but again history is simply not-repeatable....
Displaying 1 of 1 review