History
Between 1969 and 1989 the Dictator Nicolae Ceaucescu and his wife Elena ruled Romania. His lunatic cult of personality and his politics destroyed many areas of life continuously. Rigorous resettling of minorities, gigantic industrialisation projects, destruction of the enviroment, omnipresent police of state security, pursuit of political opposers, destruction of culture and tradition of many religions and a restrictive birth policy, formed the country until 1989.
While the people were fighting against hunger and cold, and many staple foods were rationalised, the second largest building in the world was being built in Bucharest for the Ceaucescus. One million people should be able to stand in front of the building, and cheer for their dictator. The Ceaucescus thought a big dictator needs a big population, and ordered the women to give birth to children. Every method of birth control was prohibited. There were no contraceptives, abortion stood under punishment. Sometimes women were observed for months, to recognize a possible pregnancy.
By these means many children were born, who could not be fed by their parents and so, everywhere in Romania, orphanages were built, which usually weren't more than pure places of custody, and where no-one really cared about the well-being of the children.
Christmas 1989 Ceaucescu was overthrown. Only then did the rest of the world get to see the horrific pictures of the destroyed country and its tortured people.
Since 1990 German volunteers live and work in Cristuru Secuiesc in the second largest orphanage of Romania, in the scope of their one or to year voluntary service with the approximately 550 children. The very same children, who came from here and grew up without parents or love. Székelykeresztúr is the hungarian name of this town. Cristuru Secuiesc in Romanian. However the majority of the population who live here in this region belong to the hungarian minority of Romania, and therefore use the Hungarian name.
Four years ago the orphanage was resolved because of pressure from the EU. Today the children and youths live in the different groups and forms in the city. Even though none of the children has to suffer of hunger, their options for life and development haven't really improved. They belong to the lowest level in the Romanian society, as they come from an orphanage, where also many belong to the Roma. Also their chances of an independent and good life without a supporting family behind them, are very small. This is why the “Romania Initiative Group Bautzen” supports the dispatching of volunteers since 1990 and a solid project in the open youth work in Székelykeresztúr since the founding of the association Fehérlófia in 2003.
Veröffentlicht am 21.11.07 18:04
