Dumitru Iacob

* 1926

  • "As far as I remember, I was arrested around 6 [time of day], then they took me to the Securitate [Secret Police] from Hunedoara town, and… I don’t know for sure, but, after 2-3 hours of sitting… they took me to the Securitate from Deva town by car. There, I stood outside…. I don’t remember exactly, but, I was blindfolded when I left from there and they kept me like this until 6 in the morning. I suffered a great deal, because…. They were calling us one by one…. We stood face to the wall when a warrant officer or a sergeant came and started to ask us: 'What is your name?' I told him my name…. Then he passed forward, or [said]: 'Come with me!' All night as I stood there I heard only cries--screams until 6 in the morning…. It was a night of horrors."

  • "I had the chance to be investigated by the investigator Barna Petru, who has been a colleague of mine. Because of this, I was…. I told him I had nothing to hide, my statements were honest…. And, maybe, grace to this I wasn’t beaten up by them. It was the first and last time when I met with this investigator. Then he handed me over to other investigator.... I guess Staicu was his name--from Sebes.... It wasn’t the case for him to use physical pressure because our sentences had been already given, were established long before…. And for the charge of omission of denunciation, I already gave a statement…. Thus, there were reasons for them to condemn me under the provisions of the article 221."

  • When I got there they took me to the emergency room and made me take all my civilian clothes off. They gave me new ones…. I have been given prison clothes, and in order to mock me, a security guard shouted at me: 'You go in this direction!' It was night and I did not know where and what was in the penitentiary. And, not long after I’ve made 7 to 8 steps.... We had to walk only double-quick…. One shouted: 'Shoot, boys, he wants to escape!' I then realized that I was headed towards exit, and I immediately turned back. At the entry of the Fort Jilava, in the prison were guards both on the left and right, even among a group of.... And each hit us as much as they could with their fists, feet, with whatever was at their hands... until we’ve reached the cell.

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    Bucuresti, 12.06.2012

    (audio)
    délka: 25:46
    nahrávka pořízena v rámci projektu Prison Experiences in Communist Romania
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All night as I sat there, I could only hear cries and screams…. They lasted until 6 in the morning.... Indeed, it was a night of horrors

Dumitru Iacob
Dumitru Iacob
zdroj: Arhiva proprie

Dumitru Iacob was born on the 25th of March, 1926, in Laz, Alba County, Romania. He graduated the Faculty of Equipment and Technology from Brasov. Iacob was an engineer within Steel Enterprise from Hunedoara before he was detained. He was arrested on the 26th of October, 1958, and was sentenced to 5 years of prison under the crime of omission of denunciation. Unfortunately, while he was detained, Iacob‘s wife divorced him because of the pressure exercised by state authorities on her. He was released on the 15th of January, 1963. Thankfully, following his release, Iacob remarried his wife.