Romanian Holocaust Research Institute enrich debate

David Dahan

EJP
09/Aug/2005 16:30

The Romanian government this week announced the creation of a new
Holocaust Research Institute which could open as soon as September
2005.

Its mission will be to “clarify the truth on the Holocaust based on
scientific research and to focus on the spiritual heritage of the
Jewish community in Romania.”

Among the thirty people working on the project, fifteen are experts in
Holocaust history. The project will be financed by the Romanian
government up to 200,000 euros.

“A scientific council and an honour committee gathering prominent
international Holocaust experts will be created as consultative
branches ofthe research institute,” a spokesman for the institute
said.

International Commission on Holocaust Studies

The International Commission on Holocaust Studies in Romania was
created in October 2003, following the statements of former president
Ion Iliescu, minimizing the consequences of the Holocaust.

Directed by the Peace Nobel prize winner Elie Wiesel, the
commissionâ=80=99s aims to reveal “historical facts” regarding the
Holocaust in Romania in order toend all the controversies around the
subject.

According to the last commission report published in November 2004,
270,000 Romanian and Ukrainian Jews died in the Romanian administrated
territories during the war. The report added that 25,000 gypsies were
deported of whom half perished.

Urge to Inform Romanian on Holocaust History

Alexandru Florian from the Institute for Social and Democratic Studies
in Romania and member of the commission told EJP he hoped the new
institute will be operational as soon as this Autumn.

He also said that he was looking forward to October 9th, the Romanian
day of remembrance of the Holocaust, when the government will announce
an international contest for the creation of a monument commemorating
the Holocaust.

Florian noted an improvement in Romania Holocaust recognition since
the government statement in 2003 recognizing the Antonescu government
responsability in the in the deportation of Romanian Jews.

“Last autumn we broadcasted a documentary on national television
channels acknowledging the responsibility of Romania in the
Holocaust,” Florian said, adding that “this kind of initiative really
enriched the debate in Romania regarding the Holocaust.”

When asked if Romania experienced political pressures in order to
recognize it’s country responsibility in the Holocaust, comparable to
the pressures exerted on Turkey for the Armenian genocide of 1915
Florian answered: “Of course the government experienced some
international pressures and political pressures coming from within and
from Israel, the European Union or the United States, especially after
the choking statements of former president Iliescu in 2003.”

“Nevertheless, said Florian, `the government’s goal in the creation of
the institute, is not purely political, in order to integrate the
European Union, but the government has the honorable and sincere
objective to finally say the truth on the country’s role in the
deportation of the Jews during World War II.”

Florian stressed to EJP that he “hoped that the institute will be of
great importance in the education of youngsters and elders regarding
World War IIand the Holocaust.”