Go» Approved For Release 2008/07/10 : CIA-RDP80-00810A006100490006-8 INFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION REPORT CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY RUGRE"Ge to ea a he sansa ot Ses STi Wasa humans say aes et =f MaPaTaDafeaNaM Ta 25X41 ‘counter Rumania nePORT sumect Background of Top Level Communist are iste. 11 Maren 1955 25K1 Leaders in Rumania NO.OF PAGES = B. DATE OF INFO. REQURENENT NO, RD. PLACE ACQUIRED REFERENCES 25x1 DATE ACQUIRED. This is UNEVALUATED Information| 'SOURCE EVALUATIONS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT 1S TENTATIVE 25x1 Prior to the outbreak of World War IZ, there were only about 1,000 genuine Communists in Rumania. ‘Today, the Rusenian Comunist Party inéludes nary ersong.vho, because of their soctal backgrounds and political belief: fare not really Conmunists. There are the most diversified factions axong ‘the Conmnist Party. A proninent role is played by the retlroad men who have alvaya beon tha radical clenent of the Runanian workers! novenent. On the other hand, the political infiuerce of the other trade unions has always been anal. Gheorghe GheorghiuDeJ, the representative of the trade union of raiiroad nan therefore plays a doninant role in the county, while the other trade untons have not sont representatives into the top Leadership of the country. ‘The farmere are distrusted as Andividualists iy the orthodox Comunists, Tt therefore appears doubtful thet Petra Groza, the spokesman of the Rutarian farmers end ct present President of the Rimanian Parliomont, will neintein his influential position, Groza 4e not on good terms with influential men 1tke Topif Chistnevechi, Enil. Bodnares and others. Pover in Rumania ts held by a group of men in~ cluding Chistnevechi, Gheorghtu Dej, Gheorghe Apostol and Bodnaras. 2. Toit Chisinevscht has been Vico Prosident of the Runantan Goverment and representative of the Rumanian Communist Party with the Contnforn efnce 1952, He 4s generally called the "eninence grise” of the oountzy and 4e believed to pull all the political strings, although he likes to stay in ‘the background. Chisinevscht was born betieen 1900 and 1905, the son of 2 Jovich tailor in Besearabia. Ho studied literature and philosophy in Iasi and later worked as a journalist in Bucharest for various leftist Rewepapers. Since he vas not e Rumanian citizen and in view of hie socialist leanings, he was forced to leave Bucharest at the end of World War I. He wont to Kishiney where he founded the Volos of Besearabsa, 9 Rumanian newspeper. Chisineyscht hated the Ruianians and was Wa for the day of revenge, After Bessarabia had been annexed by the USSR in 19h, he renained in Kishtnev 4 continued to publish his newspaper with Soviet permission. In iglik, hé returned to Bucharest where at firet he held a minor post as a liaison officer between the Ruxanian pres and the Soviet press office, After the Goninforn vas established, Chisinerscht COeiFoLeD-Le TIAL 28x1 eae Xa Xe ET ae { INFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION REPORT “Approved For Release 2008/07/10 : CIA-RDP80-00810A006100490006-8 #Approved For Release 2008/07/10 : CIA-ROP80-00810A006100490006-8 25x1 28x1 becane the liaison nan for the leadership of the Rumanian Comunist Party. Although he Tensined in the wings, it was generally known anong the Rumanian people that certain things such as censorship pover and passports were controlled ty hin, In 1950, Chisinovschi joined the Rusantan Govern= nent as chief of the Rumanian Security Police. In 1952, he becane Vico President of the Ruzanian Council of Ministers. As atson officer attached to the Coninfors, he trananitted the directives of Moscow to the Runanian Covermont headed by Gheorghin De} and the Communist. Party under Apestol, WelL-inforned Runantans believe that Chisinevscht one day will be the first man of the country. Cheorghix Dej fe not on good tame with Chisinevschi on whon Ded looks down because Chisinevscht was not one of the founders of the Runanian Communist Party. The antipatiy between the ‘two is mutual. Chisinevschi also dislikes Bodnaras, the Rumanian Minister of Wationel Defense, whom he fears because of his great popularity with the Ary. On the other hand, Chisineveehi is on good terms with Hlexandry Woghtoros, a Vice President of the Council of Ministers. Gheorghe Gheorghiu DoJ, the President of the Council of Ministers is sti12 the roat prominent representative of the regine but his position 4e not too secure beoause of hio intinate relations with politicians vho have in the meantine fallen into disgrace. De) was born in Transylvania about 1900. Prior to 1933, he was exployed as a skilled worker with the Runaton State Matiroads. He founded the firet Communist coll in Rumania with Ana Pauker, Bodnaras, Gheorghe Prim, and Apostol. Dej was always under the influence of ina Pauker when he sacrificed only wien the Soviete definitely denanded her renoval fron office, When Frimi was shot ina strike of Runantan ratiroad nen in 1933, Dej becane his successor as president of the trade union of railroad workers. When the Comuntst Party was banned in Runanda, Ded went underground and lived illegally in the country until 1938, He vas then seized by the Rumanian police and renained under arrest tntil his Liberation by the Soviets in 19h. In the first Rumanian goverment coalition, Dei was Minister for Industry and Trade, In 19li6, he attended the peace conference in Paris as the Runantan delegate. ‘After the elections of 1946, Daj becene Minister of Labor and, at the sone tine, deputy secretary general of the Rumanian Gonmunist’ Party under na Pauker, who then was secretary general. Ded ater roplaced Ana Fauker aa secretary general of the Communist Party ‘and also decane president of the Counstl of Kintsters. When he had to give up the post of secretary general of the Conmunist Party, it was Funored that Dej would be Liquidated because of his nationslist leanings. Def'a most dangerous antagonist was Vasile Luca, an ethnic Hungarian from Transylvania who nade efforts to infiltrate the Party apparatus with ethnic Hungartens, This develoment ves disliked Wy Dej who te a pure Runantan. Dej ie believed to be rather lukevarm about the Soviets. Leading officials of Rumnisn trade organizations stated that De) hed ‘opposed the establishnent of the so-called "Sovron corporations! (Joint Soviet-Ruxenian enterprises) fron the very beginning. Dej, a self ‘taught person of great will power, enjoys a certain popularity wong the Runanian people because of his nationalist Leaning: Ls Gheorghe Apostol, at present first secretary of the Rutentan Gonmntst Party, coxes from the trade union movenent. He ig a rather energetic person ani very anbittous and for this resson 4e fecred oy many top level Party functionaries. Se Bnd Bocnaras, Minister of National Defense and a vice prasident of the Council of Hintsters, is believed to rank only after Chisinevsch!. Bodnaras vas born the son of a famer in the northern Bucovina, ie 28x1 “Approved For Release 2008/07/10 : CIA-RDP80-00810A006100490006-8 fApproved For Release 2008/07/10 : CIA-ROP80-00810A006100490006-8 (GoOntieP-T-D-ENaPoTosel, 25x1 3+ 28x1 nother wae Usrainian. Bodnaras becane an elenentary school teacher 1m Bessarabia. As a Communist he went to Bucharest in 1720 and there got in Youch with Peuker, Prima and Gheorghiu Dej. Between 1933 and 1935, he Plotted acainst the lige of King Carol II.” He was arrested and detained in Extson until 1940. After hie release, he went, to Moscow where he attended Sourses at the Sovict Jdlitery Acadeqy. In 19ldi, he returned to Rusanis es fa general of the Red Army. Botween 19ll, ana 1916, he vas chief of the furanian secret police, dodnaras is very popular in the Rumanian Aray be- cause of the reforms decreed ty hin. iis closest assistants and friends ere Generel Ton Ganbrea, Colonel Tudor epianu and Generel Nicolae Fula. Tt Se believed that the strength of this group in conjunction with Dejts authority hae eo far saved Ana Pauker's Life, Bodnares maintains relatively food connections with the Soviets. 6. ana Packer, previously secretary general of the Communist Party and fore Yong tine Rumanian Foreign Winister, has been divested of all powers It fap repeatedly rumored that cha had been executed or that a trial vas to be Ynitieted against her. Pauker's influence on the other Cormunist leaders in the country 48 still so ereat, hovever, that her word nay stil? hove sone woight in the decisions of the Party. Pauker, vho aid not complete her university studies because she bocane active in the Conmnist Party et an carly date, 3 a very intelligent ond fascinating person, She was one of Ghe founders of the Conmmist Party in Runania. Betveen ols and 190, she opened a private benk account An Switzerland for her father and brother. hie ie the grincipel charge preferred against her. Her position was still ore shaken in 1950, whan @ staged trail against Lucretin Patrascana was, Opened. Petrascemuy a lawyer who hed proviously defended Pauker in court fhoceedings, refused to plead guilty. Patrascama broke dorm, hoverer after Ertreninent wath special drugs. In 1952, Pauker was relieved of all posts. fe : 25x1 ‘The sovcalled Hungarian infiltration poses a problen in the Rumanian Gonestie life. The nane of Miungarian infiltration” is used for the mary Sthnie fungerians who cone from Trangylvania and obtain Leading positions Sn the State and Party opparatue, This doveloment is resented by the mass of the Rurardan people and many Corminists. The nost ixportant re~ preventative of € nationalist Rwanian Lino is Deg. It is believed that, te Fumgeriana will gradually be elizinated from leading positions in the public Life of Bwana. Vasile Lue has been one of the victine of this trente ‘The most powerful represeniative of the Hungarian grow is at present ‘Hlexandra Voghdores, a vice president of the Council of idnisters. 28x1 25x1 “Approved For Release 2008/07/10 : ClA-RDP80-00810A006100490006-8