Image description
The emblem has on its centre the famous hammer and sickle heading up at a 45 degree angle. On both sides we can see two wreaths of wheat. Above we can see the letters PCR (standing for the Romanian Communist Party) and, underneath, a bent ribbon can be seen.
Historical information
Marxist ideas were brought into Romania by PSDMR (The Romanian Social-Democrat Party) whose existence was short. It was not the first time the party suffered such a change.
In 1920, Romania sent a delegation to Soviet Russia in order to find out what were the conditions to adhere to the Third Communist International. Those who took part in the delegation were Gheorghe Cristescu, Eugen Rozvani, Alexandru Dobrogeanu-Gherea, David Fabian, Ion Fluieras and Constantin Popovici. It was certain that those who were sent there were among the most important members of the movement.
In May 1921, during one of its congresses, the Socialist Party was to receive another blow with the news that the Romanian Communist Party was founded [Bibliography 1]. The new party had beenfounded with a majority vote. Its founding was a consequence of the splitting apart of the Bolshevik branch of PSDMR. The party was an affiliate of the Balkan Communist Federation [Bibliography 2]. In 1899 some members of PSDRM joined PNL (National Liberal Party) event which is known as the “betrayal of the generous” [Bibliography 3]. Founded as a consequence of the splitting apart of the Bolshevik branch of PSD and having an affiliation with the Balkan Communist Federation, PCR chooses its first General Secretary, on May 9 1921. He was Gheorghe Cristescu-Plapumaru. Three years after its founding, the Romanian Communist Party is banned by law by the liberal government, following the events that took place at Tatar Bunar [Bibliography 4].
After being declared illegal, the party continued its activity through the Workers and Peasants’ Bloc which took part in the 1926, 1927 and 1928 elections, obtaining only 20.000 of the votes.
The General Secretaries of the party were Gheorghe Cristescu Plăpumaru, Elek Koblos, Vitali Holostenko, Alexander Daniil Ștefanski, Boris Ștefanov, Bela Brainer, Ștefan Foris, Gheorghe-Gheorghiu-Dej, Gheorghe Apostol, Nicolae Ceaușescu.
Bibliography:
- Robert Levy, Gloria și decăderea Anei Pauker, ed. II, Editura Polirom, Iași, 2016, p. 45.
- The Balkan Communist Federation was founded in 1920 with the support of Moscow. The group included all communist parties in South-East Europe, in Marin C. Stănescu, Gheorghe Neacșu, Moscova, Cominternul, filiera comunistă balcanică și România, 1919-1943: studii documentare, Editura Silex, București, 1998, pp.60-61.
- Vladimir Tismăneanu, Stalinism pentru eternitate. O istorie politică a comunismului românesc, ediția a II-a, Editura Humanitas, București, 2014, p. 72.
- Stelian Tănase, Clienții lu’ tanti Varvara: istorii clandestine, București, Editura Humanitas, 2005, p. 80.
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