The Holocaust in Romania: The Destruction of Jews and Roma under the Antonescu Regime, 1940-1944

After the Holocaust, Romania allowed 370,000 Jews to leave for Palestine and Israel, in what became the longest and most expensive ransom arrangement in recent times. Radu Ioanid's book explores this secret history, uncovering the mechanisms that made it successful, the shadowy figures responsible, and the physical destruction of Romanias Jewish and Roma communities. It also considers the forced labor of the Jews, persecution by the Protestant churches, and the decision-making process of the Antonescu government.

Format: Hardback
Length: 664 pages
Publication date: 20 April 2022
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

After the Holocaust, the 370,000 Jews of Romania who survived became a significant source of immigration for the newly established state of Israel. Almost all of them left their homeland to settle in Palestine and Israel. Romania's decision to allow its Jews to leave was primarily driven by practical considerations. Israel paid for their transportation, and Romania sought to gain influence in the Middle East. For Israel, rescuing a community threatened by economic and cultural extinction while also gaining a massive influx of new immigrants was a strategic move.

In this extensively revised edition, Radu Ioanid delves into the secret history of the longest and most expensive ransom arrangement in recent times. This hidden exchange continued until the fall of the Communist regime. Drawing on a wealth of oral testimonies, recently declassified documents from the archives of the Romanian secret police, and newly available material from the government archives of Ukraine, Moldova, Russia, and Germany, Ioanid traces Israel's long and expensive ransom arrangement with Communist Romania. He uncovers the intricate mechanisms that made it successful for decades, the shadowy figures involved, and the secret channels of communication and payment.

The book sheds new light on Romania's pre-fascist and fascist antisemitic legislation and its implementation. Ioanid explores in greater detail the physical destruction of Romania's Jewish and Roma communities, including the pogroms of Bucharest and Iasi, as well as the deportations and massacres from Bessarabia, Bukovina, and Transnistria. New chapters consider the forced labor of the Jews, persecution by the Protestant churches, and the decision-making process of the Antonescu government in its treatment of Jews and Roma. As suspenseful as a Cold-War thriller, this book tells the full story of the complex and often tragic relationship between Israel and Romania during the Cold War.

Weight: 989g
Dimension: 239 x 160 x 42 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781538138083
Edition number: Second Edition