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»Er sah mich so elend, krank, mit einem geschwollenen Bauch«

Romulus Ciurariu | »Er sah mich so elend, krank, mit einem geschwollenen Bauch« | self-evidence | Kingdom of Romania | Jan. 12, 1943 | voi_00021

Rights held by: Romulus Ciurariu | Provided by: National Archives of Romania (Bucharest/Romania) | Archived under: Fond Inspectorate General of the Gendarmerie / Dossier 130/1942 / P. 89 / Orig. / MS.

12 January 1943, Maciova

Transcript

Today, 21 January 1943, in the commune of Maciova
We, Gendarmerie Sergeant Major Iova Boru, judicial police officer at the Căvăran Gendarmerie Station of the Severin Gendarmerie Legion.
We note in this protocol that today, on the date shown above, while carrying out our duties in the commune of Maciova, Colonia Ţiganilor (Roma Colony), we found the Rom Romulus Ciurariu, who was evacuated to Transnistria in the autumn of 1942 but fled from there and returned to his home in the commune of Maciova, Colonia Ţiganilor.
In order to establish how he fled from there, we invited him to the Office of the Mayor of the Commune of Maciova and questioned him in front of the witnesses present. He explained the following:
1) My name is Ciurariu Romulus, I am a Rom, aged 18, of the Orthodox faith, labourer, resident in the commune of Maciova, Colonia Ţiganilor, Severin County, single, no assets, illiterate, declare:
In the fall of 1942, I was evacuated, together with other Roma
, to Transnistria, where we were taken to the commune of Kovalivka [from 1941 to 1944: Covalevca]. We were sent there to live in houses and stables, split up by region of origin in the country, meaning those from Banat on the one side and those from Transylvania somewhere else.
No one gave us work and no one provided for us, we all lived how we could and many of us died.
One day, a sub-lieutenant came to us and registered us based on categories: Romanians, ‘Gypsies’, which of us had a family and who is at the front or invalid. He said that he would send us home. Shortly after some of them set off, the few of us who knew one another got together and went after them, because no one was guarding us.
I left there on a regional train bound for Odessa, but the train wasn’t replaced there and I continued until I arrived in Bucharest. On the train, I was asked by a conductor for the ticket, which I didn’t have. Nonetheless, he allowed me to enter the country, because he saw that I was so miserable, sick, with a swollen belly.
However, because I didn’t have any documents, I was caught by the police in Bucharest and taken to the police prefecture until I wrote a postcard to my father, he got me the papers and brought them to me. And I managed to get released and travelled with my father on a regular train ticket.
This is the statement I deliver, certify, after having been read its content, and sign by fingerprint, as I am illiterate.

  • Romulus Ciurariu

As a result, I have completed the present minutes, which will be handed to the Severin Gendarmeire Legion, Lugoj, to be taken into legal consideration.

/ Chief of the [Gendarmerie] Station Căvăran,
Jd. S. Maj. [signed] I. Boru
Witness assistant [signed] Barbura Andronie

12 ianuarie 1943, Maciova

Proces Verbal

Astăzi, doisprezece Ianuar[i]e anul una mie nouă sute patruzeci şi trei [în original apare, greşit: doi], în comuna Maciova.
Noi, Jandarm Sergent Major Iova Boru, ofiţer de poliţie judiciară de la Postul Jandarmi Căvăran din Legiunea Jandarmi Severin.
Constatăm prin prezentul proces verbal că azi, data mai sus arătată, cu ocazia serviciului executat în comuna Maciova, Colonia Ţiganilor, am găsit pe ţiganul Romulus Ciurariu, care fusese evacuat în Transnistria în toamna anului 1942, că a fugit de acolo şi s-a reîntors la domiciliul său din comuna Maciova, Colonia Ţiganilor.
Pentru a stabili felul cum numitul a putut să fugă de acolo, l-am invitat la oficiul primăriei comunei Maciova şi, procedând la interogarea lui faţă de martori[i] existenţi, acesta ne declară următoarele:
1) Mă numesc Ciurariu Romulus, ţigan, de ani 18, de religie ortodox, de profesiune muncitor, cu domiciliul în comuna Maciova, Colonia Ţiganilor, Jud. Severin, necăsătorit, avere n-are, carte nu ştie, declară:
În toamna anului 1942 am fost evacuat în Transnistria împreună cu ceilalţi ţigani, acolo ne-au dus într-o comună Covalevca [în original apare, greşit: Gavalioc] şi ne-a dat să stăm acolo toţi prin case şi grajduri, fiind înpărţiţi pe regiuni de origine din ţară, adecă cei din Banat într-o parte, iar cei din Ardeal în altă parte.
Nu ne punea nimeni la lucru şi nici nu ne dedea nimeni de mâncare, toţi trăiau cum puteau, încât foarte mulţi mureau dintre noi.
Într-una din zile a venit la noi un Domn Sub.Lt. care ne-a scris pe categorii: români, ţigani, care dintre noi are familie şi care e pe front sau invalid, spunând că ne trimite acasă şi, după puţin timp când au plecat parte dintre aceştia, ne-am strâns şi noi câţiva care ne cunoşteam şi am plecat după ei, fiindcă acolo nu ne păzea nimeni.
Am plecat de acolo cu un tren personal până la Odesa, dar acolo mi s-a schimbat trenul şi am venit mai departe până am ajuns la Bucureşti. Pe acest tren m-a întrebat un şef de tren de bilet, pe care nu-l aveam, şi totuşi m-a lăsat să vin în ţară, văzându-mă aşa nenorocit, fiindcă eram şi bolnav cu burta umflată.
La Bucureşti însă, fiindcă nu aveam asupra mea nici un act, m-a prins poliţia şi după aceia m-a dus la Prefectura Poliţiei, până eu am scris o carte acasă la tata, de mi-a făcut acte şi mi le-a adus acolo, de am scăpat, şi am venit împreună cu tata, cu bilet de tren în regulă.
Aceasta îmi este declaraţia, pe care o dau, susţin şi semnez propriu prin punere de deget, neştiind carte, după ce mi s-a cetit.

  • Romulus Ciurariu

Drept pentru care am dresat prezentul proces verbal, care se va înainta Legiunei Jand[armi] Severin, Lugoj, spre cele legale.

/ Şeful postului Căvăran,
Jd. S.Maj. ss. I. Boru
Mart[or] Asist[ent] ss. Barbura Andronie

  1. Januar 1943, Maciova

Mitschrift

Heute, 12. Januar, im Jahr 1943, in der Gemeinde Maciova.
Wir, der Sergeant Major der Gendarmerie, Iova Boru, Beamter der Gerichtspolizei an der Gendarmerie-Station Căvăran in der Gendarmerielegion Severin.
Wir notieren in diesem Protokoll, dass wir heute, am oben genannten Datum, während des Dienstes in der Gemeinde Maciova, in der Kolonie Ţiganilor (Roma*-Kolonie), den Rom* Romulus Ciurariu angetroffen haben, der im Herbst 1942 nach Transistrien evakuiert worden war, aber geflohen und in sein Haus in der Gemeinde Maciova, Kolonie Ţiganilor, zurückgekehrt ist.
Um die Umstände seiner Flucht von dort feststellen zu können, luden wir ihn ins Haus des Bürgermeisters der Gemeinde Maciova vor und befragten ihn vor den anwesenden Zeugen. Er erklärte folgendes:
1) Mein Name ist Ciurariu Romulus, Ich bin Rom*, Alter 18, der orthodoxen Religion zugehörig, Arbeiter, wohnhaft in der Gemeinde Maciova, Kolonie Ţiganilor, Landkreis Severin, unverheiratet, kein Vermögen, Analphabet, und erkläre:
Im Herbst 1942 wurde ich gemeinsam mit anderen Roma* nach Transnistrien evakuiert, wo wir in die Gemeinde Kovalivka [von 1941-1944 Covalevca] gebracht wurden. Wir waren hierher geschickt worden, um in Häusern und Ställen zu leben, aufgeteilt nach den Herkunftsregionen im Land, das heißt: die aus dem Banat auf der einen Seite und die aus Transsilvanien anderswo.
Niemand gab uns Arbeit und niemand versorgte uns, jeder lebte wie er konnte und viele von uns starben.
Eines Tages kam ein Herr Unterlieutenant zu uns und erfasste uns auf Grundlage von Kategorien: Rumänen, »Zigeuner«, wer von uns Familie hatte und wer an der Front ist oder Invalide. Er sagte, er würde uns nach Haue schicken. Kurz nachdem mehrere von ihnen aufgebrochen sind, versammelten sich einige von uns, die sich kannten, und gingen ihnen nach, denn wir wurden von niemandem bewacht.
Ich kam von dort mit einem Regionalzug bis nach Odessa, aber der Zug wurde dort nicht umgesetzt und so fuhr ich weiter, bis ich in Bukarest ankam. Im Zug fragte mich ein Zugbegleiter nach einem Ticket, doch ich hatte keines. Dennoch erlaubte er mir, ins Land einzureisen, denn er sah mich so elend, krank, mit einem geschwollenen Bauch.
Da ich keine Dokumente besaß, wurde ich in Bukarest jedoch von der Polizei gefangengenommen und auf die Polizeipräfektur gebracht, bis ich meinem Vater eine Postkarte schrieb, er mir Papiere ausstellte und sie vorbeibrachte. Und es gelang mir, freizukommen. Ich reiste mit meinem Vater mit einem regulären Zugticket.
Diese Aussage mache ich, beglaubige ich, nachdem man mir den Inhalt vorgelesen hat, und unterschreibe sie mit einem Fingerabdruck, da ich Analphabet bin.

  • Romulus Ciurariu

Als Ergebnis habe ich das aktuelle Protokoll geschlossen, das an die Gendarmerielegion Severin, Lugoj, übergeben wird, um rechtlich in Betracht gezogen zu werden.

/ Chef der [Gendarmerie-] Station Căvăran,
Jd. S.Maj. [unterzeichnet] I. Boru
Beistehender Zeuge [unterzeichnet] Barbura Andronie

  1. Januar 1943, Maciova

Hramope

Adives, 12 Januar 1943 berš, ande Maciova komuna.
Amen, e žandarmengo šerutno Oficiro, Iova Boru, krisako policajco ande žandarmerijaki stacija Căvăran ki Severin žandarmerijaki Legija.
Amen lijem adives jekh hramope kotar o protokolo, ko dives so si upre, pala i buti kerdini andi Maciova komuna, Kolonia Ţiganilor (Rromani* Kolonia), amen arakhlam kaj o Rom* Romulus Ciurariu savo sas evakuirimo ande Transnistria ki tomna 1942, numa vov našlas odothar thaj irandaspe khere ande Maciova komuna, Kolonia Ţiganilor. Ciljosa te dikholpe sar šaj odotar našlas, amen akhardam oles ke šerutneski kancelarija ande Maciova komuna thaj phučhlam oles anglal e dikhutne. Vov phendas amenge kodo:

1) Muro anav si Ciurariu Romulus, me sem Rrom*, 18 beršengo, ortodokso religijasa, bućarno, bešav ande Maciova komuna, Kolonia Ţiganilor, Severin Regiono, biprandimo, bizo barvalipe, naj sem educirimo, thaj phenav:

Pe tomna 1942 berš semas evakuirimo ki Transnistria kethanes avere Rromenca*, thaj ingarde amen ko Kovalivka [Covalevca ko 1941-1944] komuna thaj bičhalde samas ande khera thaj barake, thaj ulavde amen pe regionura ando them, so phenel, nesaven bičhalde Banateste pe jekh rig, thaj averen Transylvaniate vaj varekaj avere thaneste.
Khonik na dijas amen buti thaj khonik na dijas amen manro, sako jekh amendar trajilas sar so džanelas thaj bukadar amendar mule.
Jekh dives, jekh telioficiro avilas amende thaj kerdas amen registracija pe kategorije: Romuncura, »Ţigani«, kas amendar si familija, ko si ando maripe, ko si invalido, phendos amenge kaj ka mekhel amen khere te džas. Nesavi vrama pal kodo, nesave gele peske khere thaj nekobor amendar kethanes gelam pali lende, kaj khonik na lelas sama upral amende.
Me gelemtar regionalutne trenosa dži ke Odessa, numa sostar o treno džalas dureder, me ačhilem ando treno thaj reslem ando Bukarest. Ando treno o kondukteri phučhlas ma vaš o tiketo, so naj sas ma, thaj vov mukhlas ma ando treno kana dikhlas kobor sem čorolo, nasvalo, šuvle porresa, thaj gija dijem ando them.
Ando Bukarest, sostar naj sas man dokumentura, astardas ma i policija thaj legarde man ki Policijaki Prefektura kote so hramosardem lil mure dadeske te kerel mure dokumentura thaj te anel olen mande, thaj kada kethanes me dadesa avilem khere regularno trenoske tiketosa.
Kodo si so me phendem thaj mire najesa, sostar či džanav te hramosarav, phendem kaj kodo so vakardem čačipe si.

  • Romulus Ciurariu

Kodolesa me phanglem kado hramope, so dindo ka ovel ki žandarmengi Legija Severin, Lugoj, čačes te lelpe pe leste sama.

/ Šerutno ande [žandarmerijaki] štacija Căvăran,
Jd. S.Maj. [signo] I. Boru
Asistento pe kodo so dikhlas [signo] Barbura Andronie

Credits

Rights held by: Romulus Ciurariu | Provided by: National Archives of Romania (Bucharest/Romania) | Archived under: Fond Inspectorate General of the Gendarmerie / Dossier 130/1942 / P. 89 / Orig. / MS.

Playlist

Lesung des Selbstzeugnisses von Romulus Ciurariu
2.14 min
voi_00081
Lesung des Selbstzeugnisses von Romulus Ciurariu | Spoken word | Germany | 2018 | voi_00081
EN

Contextualisation

Escape from Transnistria
The young Romulus Ciurariu, resident of Maciova, Colonia Ţiganilor (‘Gypsy Colony’), Severin County, describes his escape from Transnistria, to be more precise, from the village of Kovalivka (from 1941 to 1944: Covalevca) in the Oceacov disctrict, where approximately 1,100 Roma deported from Romania were housed in the autumn of 1942.

Romulus Ciurariu does not mention the typhus epidemic that caused the death of half of the Roma living in Kovalivka between December 1942 and March 1943. He also does not mention that he left Kovalivka together with three women from Maciova, among them his seventeen-year-old girlfriend, who, of her own free will, had gone to Transnistria to be with him. All of them had been deported on 13 September 1942 and had fled from Kovalivka on 23 December.

Returning from Transnistria without a repatriation permit usually led to the fugitive being sent back. This is what happened to the three women, who were deported again (‘re-evacuated’ in the language of the authorities) in April 1943. In July 1943, they escaped once again, were found in their native villages and, in September 1943, were once again ‘re-evacuated’. They managed to survive and returned to the country in spring 1944.

Romulus Ciurariu was able to remain in his home village because he was supported by the local authorities. The original order of the General Inspectorate of the Gendarmerie was to send him back to Transnistria. The town hall and the gendarmerie station in Maciova did all they could do to keep the young man at home. On 21 May 1943, the Severin Gendarmes Legion submitted a report to the Gendarmerie Inspectorate of Timişoara requesting that Romulus Ciurariu be left where he was, arguing that he was working and providing for the family of his brother-in-law, who had been mobilised to serve in the army, and pointing out that his father had been mobilised into an army detachment. The General Inspectorate of the Gendarmerie stood firm initially; but following two new reports, it was ordered that Romulus Ciurariu was ‘to remain where he was and, in the event that he was not recruited, to be returned to Transnistria, to the place he had run away from’. The story of the young Romulus Ciurariu is representative of that of several hundred people among the 25,000 Romanian Roma deported to the banks of the Bug.

Viorel Achim (2017)

Playlist

Lesung des Selbstzeugnisses von Romulus Ciurariu
2.14 min
voi_00081
Lesung des Selbstzeugnisses von Romulus Ciurariu | Spoken word | Germany | 2018 | voi_00081
EN

Details

übersetzer Titel
‘He saw me so miserable, sick, with a swollen belly’
übersetzer Titel
»Dikhlas ma čoroles, nasvales, šuvle porresa «
Production
Jan. 12, 1943
Credits
Production Credits
Object Category
Material
Technique
Object Number
voi_00021

Archive Section

Associated Terms & People

period 1933 - 1945