Language:
English
Year of publication:
2012
Titel der Quelle:
Yad Vashem Studies
Angaben zur Quelle:
40,2 (2012) 11-34
Keywords:
Cristea, Miron,
;
Church history 20th century
;
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
;
Antisemitism History 1800-2000
Abstract:
Focuses on the short period when, under King Carol's "royal dictatorship", Cristea served as the Prime Minister. Argues that although he exerted some influence on the political and anti-Jewish stance of the Romanian Orthodox Church and on the country's policies, Cristea was part and parcel of the Church leadership and shared its main attitudes. He held an ambivalent attitude toward the rabidly antisemitic Iron Guard, mainly because of its anti-establishment stance and its violence, while many other hierarchs openly supported it. However, prior to his appointment and during it, he made a number of public antisemitic declarations. In 1937-38 he supported the campaign to strip Jews of their Romanian citizenship, which was launched by the Goga-Cuza government. It was most probably Cristea, not the king, who initiated the "Romanianization" of Jewish property. Indeed, after Cristea's death in March 1939 the campaign slowed down. Cristea's antisemitism had mainly nationalistic and economic motivations rather than ecclesiastical. He held racist views and was against the baptism of Jews. However, the Holy Synod's decision to refuse requests for baptism by Jews who could not prove their Romanian citizenship was strengthened after Cristea's death. Cristea saw the solution of the "Jewish question" in the expulsion of Jews and was opposed to mass murder - but maybe only because the Iron Guard supported the latter solution.
Note:
In English and Hebrew.
URL:
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