The Suicide of Europe Michel Sturdza 1968 419pgs POL

8/22/2019 The Suicide of Europe Michel Sturdza 1968 419pgs POL

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THESUICIDE OFEUROPE


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BOOKS BY PRINCE MICHEL STURDZA

T h e S u i c i d e o f E u r o p e

L a R o u m a i n e P e u t - e l l e C o m b a t t r e s u r D e u x F r o n t s ?

Avec 1'Armee Rouma ine

C r i s e E c o n i m i q u e e t R e f o r m e M o n e t a i r e

C z e c h o - S o v i e t P r o t e c t o r a t e o r I n d e p e n d e n t R u m a n i a n K i n g d o m ?

L a B e t e s a n s N o m

Katang a : E l O c c i d e n t e a l S e r v i c i o d e l C o m m u n i s m o

O p e n L e t t e r t o T h e i r E x c e l l e n c i e s

W o r l d G o v e r n m e n t a n d I n t e r n a t i o n a l A s s a s s i n a t i o n

And You Tomorrow (To be p ubli shed )

I n t r o d u c t i o n t o a P a r a b i o l o g y ( T o b e p u b l i s h e d )


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THESUICIDE OF

EUROPEMEMOIRS OF PRINCE MICHEL STURDZA,

FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER OF RUMANIA

WESTERN ISLANDSPUBLISHERSBOSTON LON ANGELES


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COPYRIGHT 1968 BY MICHEL STURDZA

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WESTERN ISLANDS

395 CONCORD AVENUE

BELMONT, MASSACHUSETTS 02178

D i r e c t q u o t a t i o n s t a k e n f r o m t h e f o l l o w i n g s o u r c e s h a v e b e e n r e p r i n t e d

i n t h i s b o o k w i t h w r i t t e n p e r m i s s i o n o f t h e r e s p e c t i v e p u b l i s h e r s :

F . J . P . V e a le , Advance t o Barbaris m (C . C . Nelson Publish ing Company,

A p p l e t o n , W i s c o n s i n , 1 9 5 3 )

Hans Rogger a nd Eugene Weber, eds . , The Europea n Righ t, a Hist oric al

P r of i l e ( U n i v e r si t y o f C a l i f o r n ia P r e s s , B e r k e le y , 1 9 6 5 )

W i n s t o n C h u r c h i l l , The Hinge of Fate (Hought on Mifflin Compan y, New

Y o r k , 1 9 5 0 )

Winston Churchi ll, Tr i u m p h a n d T r a g e d y (Houghton Mifflin Company,

New York, 1953)

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOG CARD NUMBER : 68-58294

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA


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" W h e t h e r y o u l i k e i t o r n o t , h i s t o r y i s o n

o u r s i d e . W e w i l l b u r y y o u . "

NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV

Mos cow, Novem be r 16, 1956


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Tabl e of Cont ent s

I n t r o d u c t i o nxA n a l y t i c a l C h r o n o l o g yxxi

PART ONE

v i i

PRELUDE

I T h e P a s t i n U sII E a r l y P o s t s a n d W o r l d W a r I2

I II T h e B e a s t a n d I t s F r i e n d s7IV T h e E u r o p e a n R i g h t a n d P r o f e s s o r W e b e r ' s S p e c i a l

Assignment5V

PART TWOTITULESCU, THE ENEMY'S AGENT

R i g a a n d t h e P a c t s o f N o n a g g r e s s i o n5VI T i t u l e s c u t o t h e R e s c u e2VII A Stra nge Railw ay Agre emen t8V I I I T h e M u r d e r i n M a r s e i l l e s a n d t h e P u r l o i n e d T e l e g r a m . . 64IX

PART THREEKING CAROL THE MURDERER

T i t u l e s c u a n d t h e M i l i t a r y A l l i a n c e s w i t h S o v i e t

R u s s i a1X Prel ude to War0XI H e r o e s , S c o u n d r e l s , a n d F o o l s0 0XII F r o m P a l m S u n d a y t o C r u c i f i x i o n0 8XIII V i s i t t o L o n d o n a n d C o d r e a n u ' s A s s a s s i n a t i o n -

The Two Grynszp ans1 6XIV C o d r e a n u ' s S u p p r e s s i o n a n d H i t l e r ' s P o l i c y2 1XV The Phony Guarante es2 7XVI T h e F i r s t B e t r a y a l o f P o l a n d3 4


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v i i i / C o n t e n t s

X V I I D a n g e r o f P e a c e - M a s s a c r e o f t h e L e g i o n a r i e s4 5X V I I I T h e P a n i c k y T y r a n t50X I X T h e A r b i t r a t i o n o f V i e n n a a n d t h e L e g i o n a r y

M o v e m e n t57PART FOUR

ANTONESCU, THE INSANE LEADER

XX A Tor tu re d Man6 7X X I Bl o o d s h e d i n T r a n s y l v a n i a , V i s i t t o R o m e -

T h e T w o F o r u m s7 5X X I I V i s i t t o B e r l i n - F o u r A r e T h r e e8 3

X X I II T r e a s o n b y M i s i n f o r m a t i o n - P a s t a n d P r e s e n t8 8X X I V M o r e A b o u t T r u t h a n d D i r e c t e d I n f o r m a t i o n96X X V A n o t h e r N i g h t i n J i l a v a0 0XXVI H o w W e P a r t e d0 7X X V I I A n t o n e s c u ' s P u t s c h11

X X V I I I F o o l e d A g a i n1 7X X IX T o o L a t e , G e n t l e m e n !2 5

PART FIVE

MICHAEL : THE PUPPET KING

X X X F a l s e h o o d , T h e S c o u n d r e l s ' W e a p o nXXI R o v i n g i n F o r e i g n P a r t sX X I I T h e B e t r a y e d A r m yX X I I I P o s t h u m o u s T r i u m p hX X I V W h e n O n l y H o n o r C o u l d S t i l l B e S a v e dX X V H u n g a r i a n I n t e r m e z z oX X V I T h e E n d a n d A f t e r312 392 4 42 502 562 6 52 6 8P o s t S c r i p t u m7 9A p p e n d i x

D i p l o m a t i c P a p e r s o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s a n d

R u m a n i a ' s C a p i t u l a t i o n 2 8 9

A S e l e c t e d B i b l i o g r a p h y0 1I n d e x o f P e r s o n s05G e n e r a l I n d e x2 5


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I n t r o d u c t i o n

B u t w h o d a r e s c a l l t h e c h i l d b y i t s r i g h t n a m e ?

T h e f e w w h o k n o w i n g s o m e t h i n g a b o u t i t

W e r e f o o l i s h e n o u g h n o t t o g u a r d i t i n t h e i r h e a r t s ,

T h o s e w h o h a v e s h o w n t h e p e o p l e t h e i r f e e l i n g a n d t h e i r t h o u g h t s

H a v e b e e n s i n c e a l w a y s c r u c i f i e d o r b u r n e d a t t h e s t a k e .

GOETHE-Fau st I

T h i s b o o k i s n o t a h i s t o r y o f E u r o p e n o r o f R u m a n i a n o r e v e n o f t h e

Legion of the Archangel Michael, but rather the memoirs of on e

man who has been a witness and a participant in the events which,

f o r h u n d r e d s o f m i l l i o n s o f p e o p l e , h a v e t u r n e d a c e n t u r y s o f u l l o f

p r o m i s e i n t o a n e t e r n i t y o f s u f f e r i n g a n d s l a v e r y . F r o m t h e f i r s t d a y s

of the Russian Revolutio n, this ma n underst ood the t e r r i b l e d a n g e r

which th e Soviet regime represe nted not only for his own count ry

b u t a l s o f o r E u r o p e a n d t h e e n t i r e w o r l d . F r o m t h a t t i m e , h i s p o l i t i c a l

t h i n k i n g a n d a c t i v i t i e s w e r e u n s w e r v i n g l y d i r e c t e d b y a g r o w i n g c o n -

s c i o u s n e s s o f t h i s d a n g e r a n d b y t h e n e c e s s i t y , t o w h i c h c i r c u m s t a n c e s

m a d e h i m p a r t i c u l a r l y o b l i g a t e d , t o i n f o r m o r t o f i g h t t h o s e i n h i s

n a t i o n w h o w e r e , o r p r e t e n d e d t o b e , b l i n d t o t h e m a g n i t u d e a n d t h e

i m m i n e n c e o f t h i s p e r i l .

Prin ce Michel Sturdza, a for mer Foreign Minis ter of Rumani a,

served in the diplomatic corps of his country f o r t w e n t y - f i v e y e a r s

w i t h o u t a n y i n t e r r u p t i o n o t h e r t h a n f o r h i s t o u r o f d u t y d u r i n g W o r l d

W a r I , i n w h i c h h e f o u g h t f i r s t i n a s q u a d r o n o f m o u n t e d a r t i l l e r y a n d

t h e n a s c h i e f o f a n a r m o r e d c a r s e c t i o n , a n d f o r a p e r i o d o f s e r v i c e a s

p r e f e c t i n T r a n s y l v a n i a . D u r i n g h i s c a r e e r , h e h e l d p o s t s in Durazzo

( A l b a n i a ) , A t h e n s , B e r n , B u d a p e s t , V i e n n a , W a s h i n g t o n ( a s C o u n c i l l o r

and th en Charge d 'Affaires o f the Rumanian Legation ) ; h e a c t e d a s

E n v o y E x t r a o r d i n a r y a n d a s M i n i s t e r P l e n i p o t e n t i a r y i n R i g a , R e v a l ,

Helsin ki, and Copenh agen . His time abroad was interrupted s e v e r a l

t i m e s b y p e r i o d s o f s e r v i c e i n t h e F o r e i g n O f f i c e i n B u c h a r e s t .

A s a r e s u l t o f v i o l e n t c o n f l i c t w i t h K i n g C a r o l I I a n d h i s G o v e r n -

m e n t , c o n c e r n i n g R u m a n i a ' s i n t e r n a l a n d f o r e i g n p o l i c y , P r i n c e S t u r d z a

w a s f o r c e d t o l e a v e t h e d i p l o m a t i c s e r v i c e f o r a s h o r t t i m e a f t e r t h e

i x


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x / I n t r o d u c t i o n

o u t b r e a k o f W o r l d W a r I I . I n 1 9 4 0 h e w a s a p p o i n t e d a s F o r e i g n M i n -

i s t e r i n t h e f i r s t c a b i n e t f o l l o w i n g t h e a b d i c a t i o n o f K i n g C a r o l . I n

1 9 4 5 h e b e l o n g e d , a g a i n a s F o r e i g n M i n i s t e r , t o t h e R u m a n i a n G o v e r n -

m e n t i n E x i l e , w h i c h r e f u s e d t o r e c o g n i z e t h e c a p i t u l a t i o n o f K i n g

M i c h a e l t o S o v i e t R u s s i a . S i n c e t h a t t i m e h e h a s c o n t i n u e d h i s f i gh t

a g a i n st t h e i r r e c o n c i l a b l e e n e m y o f h i s m o t h e r l a n d a n d o f W e s t e r n

C i v i l i z a t i o n .

T h e s e m e m o i r s c e n t e r a r o u n d t h r e e b a s i c d r a m a s , a l l o f t h e m i n t e r -

r e l a t e d a n d a l l , f o r t h e m o s t p a r t , u n k n o wn t o t h e W e s t e r n r e a d e r :

t h e r o l e o f p a c t s o f m i l i t a r y a l l i a n c e b e t w e e n F r a n c e , C z e c h o - S l o v a k i a

a n d S o v i e t R u s s i a i n b r i n g i n g o n W o r l d W a r I I , t h e a t t e m p t s o f

G e r m a n y t o a v o i d a W e s t e r n w a r , a n d t h e s t o r y o f t h e L e g i o n o f t h e

A r c h a n ge l M i c h a e l . P r i n c e S t u r d z a m a i n ta i n s t h a t R u m a ni a w a s t h e

p i v o t a l p o i n t i n t h e e v e n t s l e a d i n g t o t h e w a r . S o b e c a u s e R u m a n i a

p l a y s s u c h a n i m p o r t a n t p a r t i n t h i s b o o k , i t i s w i s e t o b r i e f l y r e v i e w

h e r h i s t o r y .

T h e r e a d e r s h o u l d r e m e m b e r t h a t t h e R u m a n i a n s d o n o t c o n s i d e r

t h e i r n a t i o n a B a l k a n c o u n t r y , b u t r a t h e r a D a n u b i a n s t a t e , l i k e

A u s t r i a a n d H u n g a r y , a n d w i t h r o o t s d e e p i n W e s t e r n C i v i l i z a t i o n .

T h e R u m a n i a n s a r e n o t S l a v s ; h i s t o r i c a l l y , a n d i n a l a r g e p a r t e t h n i -

c a l l y , t h e R u m a n i a n p e o p l e a r e t h e h e i r s o f t h e D a c i a n s . T h e a n c i e n t

k i n g d o m o f D a c i a c o v e r e d a n d w e n t b e y o n d t h e a r e a o f t h e R u m a n i a o f

1 9 3 9 ; i t s p o p u l a t i o n , w h i c h w a s a n o f f s h o o t o f t h e T h r a c i a n r a c e ,

a p p e a r s t o h a v e d e v e l o p e d i t s o w n p a r t i c u l a r c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s f r o m y e a r s

o f i s o l a t i o n i n t h e v a l l e y s o f T r a n s y l v a n i a w h e n c e s e t t l e r s a n d w a r r i o r s

s p r e a d e a s t t o t h e D n i e s t e r a n d w e s t t o t h e v i c i n i t y o f w h a t i s n o w

V i e n n a , c o v e r i n g t h e a r e a w h i c h w a s t o b e c o m e D a c i a .

T h e D a c i a n v i l l a g e s ( d a v a e , m e a n i n g a c o n f e d e r a t i o n o f v i l l a ge s ,

m a y b e t h e o r i g i n o f D a c i a ) w e r e f o r g e d i n t o a r e a l p o w e r a n d a n a c t u a l

e m p i r e u n d e r t h e ki n g s h i p o f Bu r e b i s t a . T h i s e x p a n s i o n , c o m b i n e d

w i t h h e r g e o g r a p h i c a l p o s i t i o n , s o o n b r o u g h t D a c i a i n t o c o n f l i c t w i t h

Rom e . A f t e r y e a r s o f w a r a n d h o s t i l i t i e s , t h e D a c i a n s , l e d b y D e c e b a l u s ,

w e r e d e f e a t e d i n 1 0 5 A . D . b y t h e R o m a n E m p e r o r T r a j a n . T h e D a c i a n

p r i s o n e r s s c u l p t u r e d o n t h e c o l u m n r a i s e d b y T r a j a n t o c o m m e m o r a t e

h i s v i c t o r y a r e , i n t h e i r p h y s i c a l t y p e , t h e i r c l o t h e s , a n d t h e i r f o o t - w e a r ,

i d e n t i c a l w i t h t h e R u m a n i a n p e a s a n t s o f t h e p r e s e n t c e n t u r y . D e f e a t

b r o u g h t R o m a n g a r r i s o n s , R o m a n c o l o n i s t s , a n d t h e L a t i n l a n g u a g e ;

t h i s o c c u p a t i o n w e n t d e e p e n o u g h i n i t s p e n e t r a t i o n o f D a c i a t o r e s u l t

i n L a t i n b e c o m i n g t h e b a s i c e l e m e n t i n w h a t h a s d e v e l o p e d i n t o t h e

R u m a n i a n l a n g u a g e .

W i t h t h e w i t h d r a w a l o f t h e R o m a n l e g i o n s i n 2 7 1 A . D . b y t h e

E m p e r o r A u r e l i a n , R u m a n i a w a s l e f t u n d e f e n d e d a n d o p e n t o a l l


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a t t a c k s . Wave a f t e r wave of barbarians passed through the country .

A l l t r a c e o f c o l o n i a l r u l e w o u l d h a v e b e e n o b l i t e r a t e d , a s h a p p e n e d i n

B u l g a r i a , e x c e p t t h a t t h e w e a l t h o f t h e c o u n t r y w a s n o t g r e a t e n o u g h o r

c o n c e n t r a t e d e n o u g h t o e n c o u r a g e t h e m a r a u d e r s t o s e t t l e d o w n , a n d ,

s e c o n d l y , t h e i n h a b i t a n t s w i t h d r e w i n t o t h e m o u n t a i n v a l l e y s , p a r -

t i c u l a r l y t h o s e o f T r a n s y l v a n i a . We do not know w hen this mig ration

t o s h e l t e r b e g a n , h o w l o n g i t l a s t e d , o r a t w h a t c o s t i t w a s u n d e r t a k e n .

B u t l a t e i n t h e T h i r t e e n t h C e n t u r y t h e p r o c e s s w a s r e v e r s e d a s a p a r t

o f t h e R u m a n i a n n o b i l i t y , w i t h t h e i r f o l l o w e r s , l e f t T r a n s y l v a n i a and

m i g r a t e d e a s t w a r d t o f o u n d w h a t w e r e t o b e c o m e t h e p r i n c i p a l i t i e s o f

Moldavia and Walachia . T h e s e t w o s e p a r a t e s t a t e s w e r e f o r m e d b y t h e

merger of t he Rumanians from Transylvania with i ndigenous Ruman-

i a n s e t t l e m e n t s .

F r o m t h e v e r y b e g i n n i n g , t h e W a l a c h i a n s u n d e r t h e B a s s a r a b d y n a s t y

and the Moldavians under the Mushats had to s t r u g g l e c o n s t a n t l y

against attempted encroachments by t h e i r n e i g h b o r s . Hu n g a r y ha d

a l r e a d y o c c u p i e d m u c h o f T r a n s y l v a n i a , a n d c o n t i n u a l l y s t r o v e t o c o n -

quer more and more Rumanian territory . T h e T a r t a r s r a i d e d , a n d e v e n

l a u n c h e d f u l l s c a l e i n v a s i o n s a g a i n s t , t h e p r i n c i p a l i t i e s u n t i l t h e v e r y

end of the Sixteenth Century . Poland maintained p r e t e n s i o n s o v e r

northern Moldavia . An d f in a ll y t ow a rd s t h e e n d of t h e Fo u rt e en t h

C e n t u r y , t h e T u r k s b e g a n t h e i r r a i d s w h i c h w o u l d s t e a d i l y g r o w i n s i z e

a n d f e r o c i t y . T h u s t h e R u m a n i a n s w e r e p e r p e t u a l l y a t w a r , o f t e n w i t h

b o t h C h r i s t i a n s a n d M o s l e m s a t t h e s a m e t i m e .

T h e i n d e p e n d e n c e o f W a l a c h i a w a s o r i g i n a l l y s e c u r e d b y t h e v i c t o r y

o f I v a n c o ( ? - 1 3 3 0 ) o v e r K i n g C h a r l e s R o b e r t o f H u n g a r y ; t h e W a l a c h -

ian position was strengthened by V l a d i s l a v B a s s a r a b ' s ( 1 3 6 0 - 1 3 7 4 )

d e f e a t o f a n a t t a c k b y C h a r l e s R o b e r t ' s s o n , King Louis t he Great .

Mircea the Old ( 1386-1418) of Walach ia wa s pr esen t wit h h i s l i g h t

c a v a l r y a t t h e b a t t l e o f N i c o p o l i s i n 1 3 9 6 . He urge d th e French and

G e r m a n l e a d e r s o f t h i s W e s t e r n C r u s a d e a g a i n s t t h e T u r k s t o l e t h i m

s t r i k e t h e f i r s t b l o w . B u t t h e h e a v i l y a r m o r e d c r u s a d e r s i n s i s t e d o n t h e

h o n o r o f m a k i n g t h e f i r s t c h a r g e , t h e c h a r g e f a i l e d , and their army

w a s l o s t . Mircea pulled h is troops back over the Danube ; t h e S u l t a n

pursued and t he two armies joined in comba t at Rovine, where the

\ 1 T a l a c h i a n s c u t t h e T u r k s t o p i e c e s a n d f o r c e d t h e m a c r o s s t h e D a n u b e ,

w h i c h t h e T u r k s d i d n o t r e c r o s s f o r h a l f a c e n t u r y .

However the Turks were checked only temp orarily . F o r i n t h e f a c e

o f t h e s w e l l i n g wa v e o f M o s l e m p o w e r , t h e h o s t i l i t i e s a m o n g t h e C h r i s -

t i a n p r i n c e s c o n t i n u e d t o r a g e , a t r a g i c p r e f i g u r a t i o n o f t h e s i t u a t i o n i n

Europe before and d uring World War II. Towards the end of the

F i f t e e n t h C e n t u r y , t h e t w o p r i n c i p a l i t i e s w e r e p r e s s e d o n a l l s i d e s , b y

t h e H u n g a r i a n s , t h e P o l e s , t h e T a r t a r s , a n d t h e T u r k s . Walachia w as


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def ende d b y Vlad the Impal er ( 1455-1462 and 1476-1477) ; M o l d a v i a ,

b y S t e f a n t h e G r e a t ( 1 4 5 7 - 1 5 0 4 ) . Vl ad e ar ne d hi s ni ck na me f r om t h e

p a r t i c u l a r m a n n e r i n w h i c h h e d e a l t w i t h T u r k i s h p r i s o n e r s . H e s u c -

c e s s f u l l y r e p e l l e d t h e T u r k s , b u t f e l l i n b a t t l e w i t h M a t t h i a s C o r v i n u s ,

Kin g o f Hun g a r y a n d the so n o f a Wa la c h i a n nobleman . S t e f a n

d e v o t e d h i s w h o l e r e i g n t o a n a t t e m p t t o r a l l y t h e W e s t a g a i n s t t h e

T u r k i s h t h r e a t . H e i n f l i c t e d a c r u s h i n g d e f e a t u p o n t h e T u r k s i n 1 4 7 5

at Rahova, and h e repel led t hem at Skeia in 1 476 . However neit her

Hungary nor Poland would g ive him the s olid support needed for an

attack on the Ottoman Empire . I n f a c t h e w a s f o r c e d i n t o w a r w i t h

e a c h c o u n t r y a n d d e f e a t e d e a c h a r m y i n t u r n . O n h i s d e a t h b e d , b e l i e v -

ing it h opeless to obtain united acti on from Christendo m, Stefan

a d v i s e d h i s s o n t o c o m e t o a n u n d e r s t a n d i n g w i t h t h e T u r k s s o a s t o

b e a b l e t o r e s i s t H u n g a r y a n d P o l a n d .

After Stefan's death, the Turkish advance became a virtual ava-

l a n c h e . M i c h a e l t h e V a l i a n t ( 1 5 9 3 - 1 6 0 1 ) o f W a l a c h i a w a s a b l e t o s t o p

the Turkish progress and even to invade the Ottoman Empire . Y e t h e

w a s f o r c e d t o h a l t h i s a t t a c k i n o r d e r t o r e p e l a r a i d a g a i n s t W a l a c h i a

by the troo ps of Sigismun d Batho ry, King of Polan d and Prince of

T r a n s y l v a n i a . B u t b e f o r e M i c h a e l ' s d e a t h a t t h e h a n d s o f a s s a s s i n s s e n t

b y h i s a l l y , t h e I m p e r i a l C o m m i s s i o n e r , G e n e r a l G e o r g e B a s t a , h e s u c -

c e e d e d i n e f f e c t i n g a b r i e f u n i f i c a t i o n of Walach ia, Mold avia, and

T r a n s y l v a n i a u n d e r o n e c r o w n , t h u s r e a l i z i n g f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e , s i n c e

t h e f a l l o f t h e D a c i a n E m p i r e , t h e u n i t y o f t h e R u m a n i a n n a t i o n .

T h e c e n t u r i e s o f f r a t r i c i d a l w a r s h a d t a k e n t h e i r t o l l . Hungary suf-

f e r e d a t e r r i b l e d e f e a t a t M o h a c s ( A u g u s t 3 0 , 1 5 2 6 ) ; Buda was s acked

and burned, and all of Hungary except a fringe of its w estern and

northern borders pas sed under Turkish domination and remained s o

u n t i l 1 6 8 6 . I n 1 5 2 9 S u l e i m a n w a s a b l e t o m a r c h t o t h e v e r y g a t e s o f

Vienna . Poland's excursions in the s outh a g a i n s t C h r i s t i a n p r i n c e s

b e g a n a f a t a l w e a k e n i n g i n h e r m i l i t a r y p o w e r w h i c h w a s l a t e r o n e o f

t h e c a u s e s o f t h e l o s s o f h e r i n d e p e n d e n c e . By the same token the

R u m a n i a n p r i n c i p a l i t i e s s u f f e r e d a d e s t r u c t i o n o f t h e i r f o r c e s o f r e s i s t -

a n c e a n d , d u r i n g d e s p e r a t e b a t t l e s , a d e c i m a t i o n o f t h e b e s t o f t h e i r

r u l i n g c l a s s e s . A f t e r t h e d e f e a t a t t h e P r u t R i v e r , 1 7 1 1 , t h e T u r k s r e -

p l a c e d t h e n a t i v e r u l e r s o f t h e p r i n c i p a l i t i e s w i t h prince s of Greek

o r i g i n . S o m e o f t h e s e w e r e a l s o , b y m a t e r n a l d e s c e n t , o f Ru m a n i a n

b l o o d a n d s t r o v e t o s a t i s f y t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t s o f t h e i r p e o p l e . S u c h

were the Mavrocordatos who descended by feminine line from the

e x t i n c t M u s h a t d y n a s t y , o t h e r s w e r e c o m p l e t e l y f o r e i g n ; a l l w e r e c h o s e n

a n d i m p o s e d b y t h e T u r k s .

I n 1 8 2 7 t h e n a t i v e r u l e r s w e r e r e s t o r e d , w i t h G r e g o r y G h y k a P r i n c e

of Walachia and John Alexander Sturdza Prince of Moldavi a. The


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p r i n c i p a l i t i e s w e r e u n i t e d , i n 1 8 5 9 , u n d e r P r i n c e A l e x a n d e r J o h n C u z a ,

thus forming th e basis of the modern Rumanian nation . A f t e r t h e

a b d i c a t i o n o f C u z a , C h a r l e s o f H o h e n z o l l e r n - S i g m a r i n g e n w a s e l e c t e d

P r i n c e. I n 1 8 7 7 a f t e r a v i c t o r i o u s w a r , R u m a n i a p r o c l a i m e d h e r s e p a r a -

tion from the Turkish empi re, and she became an indepen dent stat e

b y t h e T r e a t y o f B e r l i n . B u t t h e s a m e t r e a t y r o b b e d h e r o f h e r e a s t e r n

province of Bessarabia which was ascribed to her Russian ally . I n

1881 Rumania w as dec lared a kingd om wit h Prince Charles becoming

K i n g C a r o l I , a n d f i v e y e a r s l a t e r s h e b e c a m e a c o n s t i t u t i o n a l m o n a r c h y

w i t h a b i c a m e r a l l e g i s l a t u r e .

D e s p i t e c e n t u r i e s o f w a r s a n d o f f o r e i g n d o m i n a t i o n , t h e R u m a n i a n

p r i n c i p a l i t i e s w e r e f a r f r o m b e i n g p r i m i t i v e o r b a c k w a r d . Over t he

many years, the Rumanians had developed a deeprooted a n d v i t a l

n a t i o n a l c u l t u r e . The years betw een 1827 and 1914 brought t he gre at

f l o w e r i n g o f t h i s c u l t u r e a n d o f t h e n a t i o n i t s e l f , e v e n t h o u g h f u l l u n i f i -

c a t i o n o f t h e R u m a n i a n p e o p l e w a s n o t a c h i e v e d u n t i l 1 9 1 9 . The upp er

c l a s s e s p r a c t i s e d a l l t h e r e f i n e m e n t s o f t h i s m o s t g r a c i o u s e r a , a n d t h e i r

education in Western Europe permitted them to combine th e b e s t o f

Rumanian cult ure with the b est of France and Germany . From t he

p r o s p e r i n g v i l l a g e s , a v i g o r o u s m i d d l e c l a s s (a class which had not

e x i s t e d i n R u m a n i a ' s s o c i a l s t r u c t u r e until then) was arising and

expanding throughout the country and was striving t o i n c r e a s e t h e

i n t e l l e c t u a l l e v e l a n d t h e e c o n o m i c a n d i n d u s t r i a l r e s o u r c e s o f t h e

c o u n t r y . T h e p e a s a n t r y , s a t i s f i e d b y t h e f i r s t a g r a r i a n r e f o r m, l i v e d i n

p a t r i a r c h a l r e l a t i o n w i t h t h e b o y a r d s , t h e g r e a t l a n d o w n e r s w h o b y

t h i s r e f o r m h a d y i e l d e d a b o u t o n e - t h i r d o f t h e i r e s t a t e s t o t h e i r t e n a n t s .

Edu c a ti o n was c o m p ul s o r y a n d wa s fr e e fr o m pri m a ry sc h oo l t h r o ug h

h i g h s c h o o l u p t o , a n d i n c l u d i n g , t h e l a s t y e a r o f d o c t o r a l s t u d i e s

a t t h e u n i v e r s i t i e s . B e c a u s e o f t h e t w o c h a r i t a b l e f o u n d a t i o n s , B r a n -

coveneasa and Sanct Spiridon, which w ere profusely endow ed through

t h e c e n t u r i e s b y t h e n o b i l i t y ; t h e n u m e r o u s p u b l i c h o s p i t a l s a n d c l i n i c s

b e l o n g i n g t o t h e f o u n d a t i o n s a n d t o t h e s t a t e ; a n d t h e c o r p s o f s t a t e -

p a i d d o c t o r s ; n o o n e i n R u m a n i a w a s d e p r i v e d o f m e d i c a l o r s u r g i c a l

c a r e f o r w a n t o f m o n e y . The Rumanian principalities were among the

f i r s t n a t i o n s t o s u p p r e s s t h e d e a t h p e n a l t y , d o i n g s o a s e a r l y a s 1 8 5 9 .

S u c h w a s t h e s t a t e o f a f f a i r s i n R u m a n i a a t t h e o u t b r e a k o f W o r l d

War I. Rumania suffered terribly d uring the war, b u t wh e n pe a c e

f i n a l l y c a m e , i t b r o u g h t t h e r e a l i z a t i o n o f t h e c e n t u r i e s o l d d r e a m o f

the union of all Rumanians under one crown . B u c o v i n a , w h i c h h a d

b e e n s e i z e d b y A u s t r i a i n 1 7 7 3 , a n d B e s s a r a b i a , w h i c h h a d b e e n g r a b b e d

b y R u s s i a i n t h r e e s t e p s f r o m 1 8 1 2 t o 1 8 7 8 , w e r e r e s t o r e d t o t h e m o t h e r -

l a n d . B u t m o s t i m p o r t a n t , T r a n s y l v a n i a , w h i c h t h e R u m a n i a n s c o n s i d -

e r e d t h e c r a d l e o f t h e i r n a t i o n , w a s r e u n i t e d w i t h t h e r e s t o f t h e c o u n t r y .


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However the war brought great changes in Rumania as it did in all

E u r o p e a n c o u n t r i e s a n d i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s . T h e o l d o r d e r w a s d e a d ;

a new Order now emerged with ever-increasing power . The new order

o f t h i n g s w a s f e l t a t o n c e i n R u m a n i a : t h e A g r a r i a n R e f o r m o f 1 9 1 8 -

1 9 2 0 p a s s e d i n t o t h e h a n d s o f t h e p e a s a n t s n i n e t y - t w o p e r c e n t o f a l l

R u m a n i a ' s a r a b l e l a n d , b u t i t s f r a u d u l e n t a p p l i c a t i o n r u i n e d b o t h t h e

large and medium landowners . The destruction of t he landowning

c l a s s e l i m i n a t e d t h e C o n s e r v a t i v e P a r t y w h i c h h a d b e e n t h e t r a d i t i o n a l

f a c t o r o f s t a b i l i t y , o f w i s e p r o g r e s s i v e a d v a n c e , a n d o f i n t e g r i t y a n d

r e c t i t u d e i n R u m a n i a ' s p u b l i c l i f e .

W o r l d W a r I w a s n o t , a s g e n e r a l l y b e l i e v e d , t h e r e s u l t o f o n l y t h e

n a t u r a l i n t e r p l a y o f t h e a m b i t i o n s o f t h e G r e a t P o w e r s a n d o f g r o w i n g

n a t i o n a l i s m . G e n e r a l i t i e s a n d a b s t r a c t i o n s a r e n o t s u f f i c i e n t t o c a u s e

wars ; w a r s a r e b r o u g h t o n b y t h e a c t i o n s o f m e n , a n d i n t h e c a s e o f

W o r l d W a r I ( a n d a s w e s h a l l s e e w i t h W o r l d W a r I I , a l s o ) t h e s e a c -

t i o n s w e r e d e l i b e r a t e l y c a l c u l a t e d t o b r i n g o n w a r w i t h a l l i t s m i s e r y

a n d s u f f e r i n g . The purpose of those who brough t on the war was two-

f o l d : first, the war by its own momentum would open h uge cracks in

the foundat ion of Western Civilization by dest roying the sound est

v a l u e s a n d m o s t s t a b l e i n s t i t u t i o n s i n o u r c i v i l i z a t i o n . S e c o n d , t h e

peace conferences following the war would be used to intens ify the

u p h e a v a l a n d t o p r o v i d e t h e f o u n d a t i o n o f a w o r l d - w i d e e m p i r e , t o b e

b u i l t f i r s t o n t h e r u i n s o f a l l E u r o p e a n e m p i r e s a n d o f t h e c i v i l i z a t i o n

t h e y h a d s p r e a d o v e r t h e e n t i r e g l o b e , a n d l a t e r o n t h e r u i n s o f t h e

U n i t e d S t a t e s . W h o w e r e t h e s e m e n , a n d w h a t w a s t h e i r g o a l ?

T h e y w e r e a n d a r e a t i g h t l y k n i t c l i q u e o f c o n s p i r a t o r s w h o , w i t h

r a r e e x c e p t i o n s , h a v e b e e n a n d a r e m a d e u p o f , a n d r e c r u i t e d f r o m , t h e

v e r y t o p f i n a n c i a l , e c o n o m i c , e d u c a t i o n a l , a n d p o l i t i c a l l e v e l s o f e a c h

country in which they operate . T h e u l t i m a t e g o a l o f t h i s c o n s p i r a c y

i s t h e a b s o l u t e d o m i n a t i o n o f t h e e n t i r e w o r l d t o b e a c c o m p l i s h e d b y

t h e d e s t r u c t i o n o f c i v i l i z a t i o n t h r o u g h t h e m e r g i n g o f a l l n a t i o n a l i t i e s

and races into one people under one government ; t h e a b o l i t i o n o f a l l

p r i v a t e p r o p e r t y ; t h e d e s t r u c t i o n o f a l l r e l i g i o n ; a n d t h e a b r o g a t i o n o f

a l l m o r a l i t y . T h e i m m e d i a t e g o a l o f e a c h g e n e r a t i o n o f t h e s e c o n s p i r -

a t o r s w a s t h e r e w a r d , p o w e r a n d w e a l t h a n d f a m e , w h i c h t h e y r e c e i v e d

b y a d v a n c i n g t h e f i n a l g o a l . T h e m a k e u p a n d p u r p o s e o f t h e c o n s p i r a c y

w e r e e x p l i c i t l y d e f i n e d b y i t s f o u n d e r , A d a m W e i s h a u p t , a n d e m b o d i e d

i n h i s o r g a n i z a t i o n , t h e O r d e r o f I l l u m i n a t i , f o u n d e d M a y 1 , 1 7 7 6 . The

I l l u m i n a t i w a s s t r o n g e n o u g h b y 1 7 8 9 t o p l a y a m a j o r r o l e i n p l a n n i n g

and precip itating the French Revolution, and members of the Order

held power in France for about six years . A f t e r 1 7 9 5 t h e I l l u m i n a t i


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went complet ely underground, and the secret of t h e i r e x i s t e n c e b e -

c a m e t h e f u n d a m e n t a l l a w o f t h e O r d e r .

B u t d e s p i t e t h e s t r i c t s e c r e c y t h e C o n s p i r a c y m a i n t a i n e d , w e d o h a v e

a c o n s i d e r a b l e a m o u n t o f i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t i t s a c t i v i t i e s b e t w e e n 1 7 9 5

and 1917 when i ts pr incip le arm, Commun ism, erup ted in Russia . Ac h i e f a g e n t o f t h e I l l u m i n a t i , J o s e p h F o u c h 6 , w a s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r p l a c -

ing a me mber of t he Order, Jean Baptiste Bernadott e, on the t h r o n e

of Sweden . I t w a s a n a g e n c y o r a l l y o f t h e C o n s p i r a c y , t h e L e a g u e o f

Just Men, which hired Karl Marx to write the Commun ist Manife sto .

This group, which was renamed the League of Communists, was a

m a j o r f a c t o r i n b r i n g i n g a b o u t u p r i s i n g s t h r o u g h o u t E u r o p e i n 1 8 4 8 .

T h e C o n s p i r a c y p l a y e d a m o r e i m p o r t a n t r o l e i n o r g a n i z i n g t h e I t a l i a n

R e v o l u t i o n , d i r e c t e d b y t h e A m e r i c a n A l b e r t P i k e , a n d a l s o , a p p a r e n t l y ,

t h e J u a r e z i s t a R e v o l u t i o n i n M e x i c o i n t h e 1 8 6 0 ' s . B o t h t h e a s s a s s i n a -

tion of Czar Alexande r II and t he Haymarket Riot in Chica go were

t h e w o r k o f r e l a t e d a g e n c i e s o f t h e C o n s p i r a c y . I n f a c t t h r o u g h o u t t h e

last half of the Nineteenth Century, the Order of Illuminati used

C o m m u n i s t s , s o c i a l i s t s, a n a r c h i s t s , a n d n u m e r o u s o t h e r gr o u p s a n d

s u b s i d i a r i e s t o a d v a n c e i t s g o a l s a n d s o l i d i f y i t s p o s i t i o n i n n e a r l y

e v e r y n a t i o n .

B y 19 1 4 t h e c o n s p i r a t o r s , a l t h o u g h s t i l l c o m p a r a t i v e l y f e w , h a d s u f -

f i c i e n t p o w e r a n d i n f l u e n c e t o p r e c i p i t a t e W o r l d W a r I . A t t h i s p o i n t

i t w a s n o t n e c e s s a r y f o r t h e O r d e r t o b e a b l e t o c o n t r o l e v e r y a c t i o n i n

t h e w a r . T h e w a r i t s e l f , b y i t s v e r y n a t u r e , s e r v e d m a n y p u r p o s e s o f t h e

c o n s p i r a t o r s . T h e y o n l y n e e d e d t o d i r e c t i t t o t h e d e s i r e d c o n c l u s i o n ,

w h i c h t h e y h a d t h e a b i l i t y t o d o ; a n d w h e n t h i s o c c u r r e d w i t h t h e a r -

m i s t i c e , t h e y h e l d t h e c o n t r o l o f t h e p e a c e c o n f e r e n c e s . The war h ad so

w e a k e n e d R u s s i a t h a t L e n i n , T r o t s k y a n d t h e i r b a n d o f v i c i o u s c r i m i -

n a l s , f i n a n c e d a n d d i r e c t e d b y a s s o c i a t e s t h r o u g h o u t Europe and in

t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , w e r e a b l e t o s e i z e p o w e r , r e p l a c i n g t h e t r u l y p r o g r e s -

s i v e g o v e r n m e n t o f N i c h o l a s I I w i t h r e a c t i o n a r y B o l s h e v i s m . T h e p e a c e

conference opened th e way for the communization of Europe, and the

L e a g u e o f N a t i o n s , t o w h i c h i t g a v e b i r t h , w a s m e a n t t o f u r t h e r t h e

g o a l s o f t h e C o n s p i r a c y t h r o u g h t h e a c t i v i t i e s o f i t s c l i q u e o f " i l l u m i -

nated" or Fabian diplomats . ( A l t h o u g h t h e r e f u s a l o f A m e r i c a t o j o i n

t h e L e a g u e r u i n e d i t s p l a n n e d e f f e c t i v e n e s s , t h e L e a g u e s t i l l s e r v e d

m a n y u s e f u l p u r p o s e s , n o t t h e l e a s t b e i n g a s a f o r e r u n n e r o f t h e U n i t e d

N a t i o n s . )

T h e s e m e m o i r s s h o w t h e w o r k i n g o f t h e e n t i r e , l o n g - d e v e l o p i n g C o n -

s p i r a c y , w h i c h h a s b e e n , a n d i s , t h e b a s i s o f m a n y s e p a r a t e p l o t s a n d

p l a n s b e i n g c a r r i e d o u t i n e v e r y c o u n t r y . I n t h i s b o o k t h e r e a d e r w i l l

f i n d t h e n a m e s o f m a n y o f t h o s e w h o , f o r w h a t e v e r r e a s o n , h a v e c a r r i e d


15/418

x v i / In t r o d u c t i o n

t h e t h r e a d o f a c o n s p i r a c y , w h i c h h a s r u n t h r o u g h a l l h u m a n a f f a i r s

f r o m t h e t i m e o f t h e F r e n c h R e v o l u t i o n t o t h e p r e s e n t , a n d w h o h a v e

helped to nurture and spread Communism-the biggest and most im-

p o r t a n t a g e n c y o f t h e I l l u m i n a t i - t h r o u g h o u t t h e g l o b e . Men suc h as

Leon Blum , Edw ard Mand el House , Edua rd Benes , Woodro w Wilso n,

Jean Bart hou , David Lloyd Georg e, Winston Chur chi ll, Anth ony

Eden, Nico lae Titu lescu, Carol II, Paul Reynaud, Georges Mande l,

Edouard Daladier, and Joseph Paul-Boncour w ere not members of the

C o m m u n i s t P a r t y , y e t t h e y s e r v e d ( m a n y o f t h e m k n o w i n g l y , w e b e l i e v e )

C o m m u n i s t p u r p o s e s f a r b e t t e r t h a n c o u l d h a v e a c t u a l m e m b e r s o f t h e

Com m u n i s t P a r t y . We belie ve that Prince Sturdza's memo irs offer

c o n c l u s i v e e v i d e n c e t h a t t h i s d e e p r o o t e d , c e n t r a l l y c o n t r o l l e d a n d d i -

r e c t e d C o n s p i r a c y , w o r k i n g f o r t h e d e s t r u c t i o n o f W e s t e r n C i v i l i z a t i o n ,

p r e c i p i t a t e d W o r l d W a r I I . T h e m e m b e r s o f t h e O r d e r a n d i t s n u m e r o u s

d u p e s a n d a l l i e s h a d n o t t h e l e a s t c o n c e r n f o r t h e w e l f a r e o f t h e c o u n -

t r i e s t h e y r u l e d o r w e r e a p p o i n t e d t o s e r v e ; t i m e a n d a g a i n t h e y s a c r i f i c e d

t h e i n t e r e s t s o f t h e i r o w n n a t i o n t o a c t i o n s w h i c h d i r e c t l y a i d e d C o m -

m u n i s m . From th e end of World War I, thes e men ha ve not m erely

t a k e n a d v a n t a g e o f e v e r y o p p o r t u n i t y t o f o s t e r t h e i r p l a n s , b u t r a t h e r

t h e y h a v e e v e n c r e a t e d t h e n e c e s s a r y e v e n t s o n w h i c h t o b u i l d t h e i r

f u r t h e r a d v a n c e . T h i s b o o k s h o w s h o w t h i s s t r a t e g y w a s f u l f i l l e d i n

regar d to World War II and it s out come . These memoirs s how how

men of state worked feverishly to push Western Civilization to the

brink-and over . T h e y f i r s t s t r o v e t o c r e a t e , n u r t u r e , a n d f i r m l y e s -

tablish the Communist beast in Russia ; n e x t t h e y i n t r o d u c e d i t i n t o

t h e s y s t e m o f E u r o p e a n a l l i a n c e s ; f i n a l l y , t h e y g u a r a n t e e d p o l i t i c a l l y

a n d m i l i t a r i l y t h a t o n l y S o v i e t R u s s i a w o u l d b e t h e v i c t o r a n d b e n e f i -

c i a r y i n t h e w a r t h e y b r o u g h t d o w n u p o n t h e w o r l d .

The appea rance of Communis m in Russia , the trea sonous ac tions of

so many men of state, and Communist ag itation and inf iltrat ion in

every country and of every organ of society brought forth in each

c o u n t r y o f E u r o p e n a t i o n a l i s t o p p o s i t i o n t o t h i s I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o n s p i r -

a c y . T h e s e o p p o s i t i o n g r o u p s v a r i e d a s g r e a t l y i n t h e i r v a l u e , t e n a c i t y ,

a n d e f f e c t i v e n e s s a s d i d t h e r e a c t i o n o f t h e C o n s p i r a c y t o t h e i r e m e r g -

e n c e . The Communists organized an international "crusade" in their

a t t e m p t t o c r u s h S p a i n ' s r e v o l t a g a i n s t t h e i r d o m i n a t i o n . T h e y a r r a n g e d

for the ass assinat ion of King Alexande r of Yugosl avia in order to

e l i m i n a t e h i s o p p o s i t i o n t o w h a t w a s i n f a c t t h e s u r r e n d e r o f E u r o p e t o

Co m m u n i s m . T h e y i n f i l t r a t e d N a t i o n a l S o c i a l i s m a n d F a s c i s m . They

u s e d t h e m o s t v i c i o u s a n d r u t h l e s s m e a n s t o d e s t r o y t h e n a t i o n a l r e v i v a l

in Rumania whi ch was embodied in the Legionary Movement, a group

w h i c h m i g h t h a v e , a n d a l m o s t d i d , t h w a r t a m a j o r p a r t o f t h e p l o t t o

s t a r t W o r l d W a r I I .


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I n t r o d u c t i o n / x v i i

The Legion ary Movement was found ed on Ju ne 24, 1927, unde r th e

n a m e o f t h e L e g i o n o f t h e A r c h a n g e l M i c h a e l , b y o n e o f t h e t r u l y g r e a t

m e n o f o u r e r a . C o r n e l i u C o d r e a n u w a s b o r n o n S e p t e m b e r 1 3 , 1 8 9 9 i n

H u s i , a t o w n i n n o r t h e r n M o l d a v i a , w h e r e h i s f a t h e r w a s a t e a c h e r a t

t h e l o c a l l y c e e . He attended th e famous military scho ol Manastire a

D e a l u l u i a n d t h e I n f a n t r y O f f i c e r ' s s c h o o l . The beginning of what was

t o b e h i s c a r e e r a n d m i s s i o n c a n b e d a t e d f r o m J a n u a r y 1 9 1 8 . A f t e r t h e

Bolshevik takeover in Petrograd, the Russian troops which had been

fighting alongside their Rumanian allies degenerated into no more

t h a n a c o l l e c ti o n o f d r i n k i ng , l o o t i n g, r a p i n g r a b bl e . D u r i n g t h a t f a t ef u l

J a n u a r y , C o d r e a n u o r g a n i z e d a g r o u p o f h i g h s c h o o l s t u d e n t s t o f i g h t

the Russian maraud ers, who were m e n a c i n g t h e M o l d a v i a n c i t y o f I a s i .

S h o r t l y t h e r e a f t e r h e o r g a n i z e d t h e G u a r d o f N a t i o n a l C o n s c i e n c e f r o m

a m o n g t h e s t u d e n t s a n d w o r k e r s o f I a s i .

C o d r e a n u r e a c h e d w h a t c a n b e c o n s i d e r e d a p o i n t o f n o r e t u r n i n h i s

t r a g i c l i f e , a l i f e e n t i r e l y d e d i c a t e d t o t h e b a t t l e f o r t h e m o r a l p u r i t y

a n d t h e w e l f a r e a n d t h e g l o r y o f h i s n a t i o n , i n 1 9 2 2 w h e n h e o r g a n i z e d

t h e A s s o c i a t i o n o f C h r i s t i a n S t u d e n t s . H e a n d t w e n t y - s i x s t u d e n t s t o o k

a p l e d g e o f h o n o r , i n a r e l i g i o u s c e r e m o n y , t o c o n t i n u e f o r t h e r e s t o f

t h e i r l i v e s t h e n a t i o n a l i s t f i g h t - a p l e d g e t o w h i c h m a n y o f t h e m r e -

m a i n e d f a i t h f u l e v e n u n t o t h e i r d e a t h s . I n 1 9 2 3 h e f o u n d e d t h e L e a g u e

of Natio nal Chri st ian Defen se ( LANC, whi ch p oll ed 1 20,000 vot es i n

t h e e l e c t i o n o f 1 9 2 6 ) . When Codrean u ret urned to Rumania in 1 927

a f t e r a p e r i o d o f s t u d y a t G r e n o b l e U n i v e r s i t y , L A N C h a d d i s i n t e g r a t e d

i n t o a c o l l e c t i o n o f f e u d i n g s p l i n t e r g r o u p s . From the b est of th e

earlier l eague, he organi zed the Legion of the Archangel Michael

which ca me to be called the Legionary Movement . In 1930 a group

o f h a r d - c o r e m e m b e r s f o r m e d a n e l i t e s e c t i o n w i t h i n t h e L e g i o n , c a l l e d

the Iron Guard . In time th e Legion came to be known b y the name

o f t h i s e l i t e g r o u p . Althou gh the tw o are almost s ynonymous, the

r e a d e r s h o u l d k e e p i n m i n d t h a t t h e y r e p r e s e n t t w o d i f f e r e n t a s p e c t s

of the Movement .

The purpos e of the Legionary Movement was the defens e of the

e n d a n g e r e d n a t i o n a n d o f a l l t h e s p i r i t u a l a n d h i s t o r i c v a l u e s w h i c h

f o r m e d t h e t e x t u r e o f R u m a n i a ' s n a t i o n a l e x i s t e n c e . In many ways the

Legionary Movement w as unique and s ingularly Rumanian . B u t i t s

p u r i t y o f m o t i v a t i o n , i t s u n y i e l d i n g a d h e r e n c e t o t h e v e r y f u n d a m e n t a l s

o f o u r c i v i l i z a t i o n a n d i t s o n e n e s s w i t h a l l t h e i d e a l s o f C h r i s t e n d o m

g a v e i t a q u a l i t y w h i c h w i l l e n d u r e a s o n e o f t h e g r e a t e x a m p l e s o f

m a n ' s f i g h t a g a i n s t e v i l . T h e L e g i o n w a s n o t a p o l i t i c a l o r g a n i z a t i o n ,

y e t i t s t r o v e t o r e v i v e t h e R u m a n i a n b o d y p o l i t i c . The Legion w as not

a r e l i g i o u s b o d y , y e t C h r i s t i a n b e l i e f a n d C h r i s t i a n p r i n c i p l e s p e r m e a t e d

e v e r y l e v e l a n d e v e r y t e n e t o f t h e M o v e m e n t . Corneliu Codreanu came


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x v i i i / I n t r o d u c t i o n

u p o n t h e s t a g e of Rumanian history when al l that generat ions had

b u i l t a n d ha d c he r i s h e d wa s be i n g i m pe r i l e d by the m o s t v e n a l o f

p o l i t i c i a n s a n d t h e m o s t c o r r u p t o f k i n g s . His answer to the problems

w h i c h f a c e d h i s m o t h e r l a n d w a s t o b r i n g a b o u t a r e b i r t h o f s p i r i t u a l i t y ,

o f s e l f - d e n i a l , a n d o f r e s p o n s i b i l i t y i n t h e s o u l o f e v e r y R u m a n i a n . If

he failed in his g oal, it was not due t o any shortcomings in the sub-

stance of t he Legion, or to any flaw in the nature of the Rumanian

people, but to the incredible persecut ions by the corrupt governments

under King Carol and because of the aid given th ese governments by

t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o n s p i r a c y . T h e s a m e d i a b o l i c f o r c e s w h i c h d e s t r o y e d

the Legion and Rumania are now th reatening th e very existence of

t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s . I f a n o r g a n i z a t i o n c a n b e j u d g e d b y i t s e n e m i e s , t h e

q u a l i t y o f t h e d e t r a c t o r s o f t h e L e g i o n , p a s t a n d p r e s e n t , p l a c e i t h i g h

a m o n g s t t h e c h a m p i o n s o f C h r i s t i a n C i v i l i z a t i o n .

Prince Sturdza joined with t he Legion bec ause he foun d i n i t t h e

l i n k s w i t h t i m e s g o n e b y a n d w i t h t h e e s s e n t i a l h e a d s p r i n g s o f t h e p a s t ,

w h i c h h a d b e e n c o m p l e t e l y l o s t i n h i s c o u n t r y b y t h e e x i s t i n g p o l i t i c a l

e s t a b l i s h m e n t ; because he realized t hat, with the Conservative Party

destroyed, the Legion offered t he only pos sible sa lvation for Rumania .

Prince Sturdza's memoirs portray the Legion far bet ter than w e can do

in this Introductio n, but we woul d still l ike to quote a few pas sages

from Legionary materia l . We do so partly because they form the very

fabric of th e Legionary Movement, but als o because we know that these

high ideals continued to motivate the Legion through all its hist ory .

Furthermore, we believe that th ese principles s till live today in the

hearts of Rumanians, both thos e in exile and th ose enslaved in t heir

o w n h o m e l a n d .

T h e L e g i o n a r y M o v e m e n t i s n o t f o u n d e d e x c l u s i v e l y o n t h e p r i n c i p l e o f

a u t h o r i t y n o r o n t h a t o f l i b e r t y , b u t o n t h e p r i n c i p l e o f l o v e . L o v e c a n n o t

b r e e d t y r a n n y a n d i n j u s t i c e , n o r s a n g u i n a r y r e v o l u t i o n s a n d s o c i a l w a r s .

T h e L e g i o n a r y M o v e m e n t w i l l n e v e r r e s o r t t o c o m p l o t o r a c o u p i n o r d e r

t o w i n . B y t h e v e r y e s s e n c e o f o u r b e l i e f s w e a r e a g a i n s t c o n s p i ra c y . T h i s

w o u l d m e a n v i o l e n c e o f a n o u t w a r d c h a r a c t e r , w h i l e w e e x p e c t v i c t o r y f r o m

a n i n n e r r e a l i z a t i o n o f t h e n a t i o n ' s s o u l .

W e t h i n k i t i s f i t t i n g t o q u o t e t h e b a s i c r u l e s o f t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n .

These ar e contai ned in th e Manual of Legionary Laws, writ ten for t he

u s e o f t h e h e a d o f e a c h L e g i o n a r y g r o u p .

T h e L a w o f D i s c i p l i n e : L e g i o n a r y b e o b e d i e n t ; w i t h o u t d i s c i p l i n e w e

w i l l n o t w i n . F o l l o w y o u r c h i e f f o r b e t t e r o r w o r s e .

The Law o f Work : D o y o u r d a i l y w o r k . W o r k w i t h j o y . L e t t h e r e w a r d

o f y o u r w o r k b e n o t a n y m a t e r i a l p r o f i t , b u t t h e s a t i s f a c t i o n t h a t y o u h a v e


18/418

I n t r o d u c t i o n / x i x

c o n t r i b u t e d s o m e t h i n g t o t h e g l o r y o f t h e L e g i o n a n d t h e g r e a t n e s s o f y o u r

c o u n t r y .

T h e L a w o f S i l e n c e : T a l k l i t t l e . T a l k o n l y w h e n y o u m u s t . Y o u r e l o -

q u e n c e i s i n d e e d s . L e t o t h e r s t a l k ; y o u d o .

T h e L a w o f E d u c a t i o n : Y o u m u s t b e c o m e a n o t h e r m a n . A h e r o .

T h e L a w o f A s s i s t a n c e : H e l p y o u r b r o t h e r i n d i s t r e s s . Do not ab andon

him .

The Law of Honor : F o l l o w o n l y t h e w a y s s h o w n b y h o n o r . F i g h t . N e v e r

b e a c o w a r d . L e a v e t o o t h e r s t h e w a y s o f i n f a m y . B e t t e r f a l l f i g h t i n g t h e

w a y o f h o n o r , t h a n t o c o n q u e r b y i n f a m y .

If the Legionary Movement had b een just anot her political party or

if it had been an eccentric collection of stud ents, it probably woul d

have been left unmolested . B u t i t w a s n e i t h e r . I t w a s a g r a s s r o o t s u p -

rising of the best in Rumania striving to maintain and to perfe ct the

national character and to make Rumania a bastion of Christianity and

anti -Communi sm . Ru m a n i a w a s t o o i m p o r t a n t i n t h e p l a n s o f t h e

C o n s p i r a c y , a n d t h e L e g i o n t o o g r e a t a t h r e a t , f o r t h e c o n s p i r a t o r s t o

p e r m i t i t t o s u r v i v e . Thus they used the most brutal means to crush

the Legion-including the murd er of Codreanu . With the de ath of the

Capta in, as he was ca lled, the Legion was temp oraril y disper sed, its

members either going underground or into exile . Amongst the exiles

who g ather ed in Berlin, a young pr ofess or of lit eratur e, Horia Sima,

s o o n r o s e t o l e a d e r s h i p b y t h e p u r e f o r c e o f h i s p e r s o n a l i t y .

In 1940 Sima se cretly re-entered Rumania in order to he lp en d th e

desp otic reg ime of King Carol . S i m a w a s a r r e s t e d a t o n c e , b u t t h e t i d e

of events had so completel y turned against Carol that he immediatel y

freed Sima and placed him and s ome other Legionaries in minor posts

in the Government as a last attempt to save his throne . However t he

Legionaries found it imposs ible to wo rk with th e King, and they re-

s i g n e d a l m o s t a t o n c e . S h o r t l y t h e r e a f t e r t h e y w e r e a b l e t o f o r c e C a r o l ' s

abdication in favor of his son Michael in an almost blood less revolt .

But Carol's last act wa s to appoint General Ion Antonescu, a non-

Legionary and in fact a secret enemy of t he Legion, as President .

Under Antonesc u a Natio nal Legionary Government -which t he Legio n

would n ever control -was formed w ith Horia Sima Vice Presiden t and

P r i n c e M i c h e l S t u r d z a M i n i s t e r o f F o r e i g n A f f a i r s .

When th e Legionary Government came to pow er, Europe w as alrea dy

in the throes of a western war-a war that never should have been .

The German National Socialist State was inf iltra ted b y Communis ts,

some of whom occupied very high positions . Informed peopl e strongly

believe Communist or pro-Communist age nts had aided th e National

Socialists in coming to power on th e theory that they could use Ger-


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m a n y a s a f o i l t o e n a b l e t h e S o v i e t s t o p r o v o k e a w a r i n t h e W e s t ; s u c h

a s t r a t e g y w o u l d t h u s m a k e t h e W e s t e r n p o w e r s a v i r t u a l a l l y o f t h e

C o m m u n i s t s b e f o r e a n y p o s s i b l e G e r m a n o n s l a u g h t a g a i n s t S o v i e t R u s -

s i a . A n d , i n d e e d , w h a t s h o u l d h a v e b e e n a w a r , p e r h a p s e v e n a c r u s a d e ,

a g a i n s t t h e C o m m u n i s t b e a s t , b e c a m e a s u i c i d a l s t r u g g l e b e t w e e n n o n -

Communist countries . B u t P r i n c e S t u r d z a i s c o n v i n c e d , t o g e t h e r w i t h

P r o f e s s o r H . R . T r e v o r - R o p e r a n d s o m a n y o t h e r s t u d e n t s o f t h e o r i g i n s

o f W o r l d W a r I I , t h a t H i t l e r h i m s e l f n e v e r w a n t e d a w a r i n t h e W e s t

a n d t h a t h i s g r e a t g o a l , a s e v e n t s d e m o n s t r a t e , w a s t h e d e s t r u c t i o n o f

t h e S o v i e t U n i o n . Communism was saved and made victorious in great

p a r t b e c a u s e o f t h e C o n s p i r a c y ' s d i p l o m a t i c s u c c e s s e s i n 1 9 3 6 .

After t he as sassi nation in 1934 of King Alexande r o f Y u g o s l a v i a ,

t h e g r e a t e s t o b s t a c l e t o t h e B a r t h o u - T i t u l e s c u - B e n e " s p l a n t o e n c i r c l e

Germany, the b alance of power b etween th e anti-Communists and pro-

Communists was thrown to the Left . The Wester n anti -Commun ist

leaders had supported a quadripartite pact proposed by Mussolini

which wou ld have been a renewal of th e Pact of Locarno and whi ch

w a s , i n r e a l i t y , m e a n t f o r t h e c o m m o n d e f e n s e o f E u r o p e a g a i n s t S o v i e t

R u s s i a . T h e p a c t i n c l u d e d t h e W e s t e r n a l l i e s o f W o r l d W a r I a n d G e r -

m a n y , a n d i t w o u l d h a v e e s t a b l i s h e d a n a n t i - C o m m u n i s t c o r e i n E u r o p e .

B u t a l t h o u g h a l l p a r t i e s s i g n e d i t , t h e t r e a t y n e v e r c a m e i n t o f o r c eb e -

c a u s e i t w a s n o t r a t i f i e d b y t h e F r e n c h P a r l i a m e n t . I t w a s q u i t e a n o t h e r

arrangement which finally triumphed : t h e p a c t o f m i l i t a r y a l l i a n c e

b e t w e e n F r a n c e , C z e c h o - S l o v a k i a , a n d S o v i e t R u s s i a r a t i f i e d i n 1 9 3 6 a n d

t h e m a j o r c a u s e o f t h e d i s a s t e r t o c o m e . I t i n t r o d u c e d R u s s i a i n t o t h e

m a i n s t r e a m o f W e s t e r n d i p l o m a c y , p e r f e c t e d t h e e n c i r c l e m e n t o f G e r -

m a n y , a n d i n s t e a d o f p r o t e c t i n g E u r o p e f r o m t h e S o v i e t s , i t p r o t e c t e d

t h e S o v i e t s f r o m G e r m a n y ' s g r o w i n g m i l i t a r y m i g h t .

B u t t h e p a c t w i t h S o v i e t R u s s i a w a s g o i n g t o b e o f a b s o l u t e l y n o

b e n e f i t t o F r a n c e o r C z e c h o - S l o v a k i a , a n d w o u l d p r o b a b l y n e v e r have

been ratif ied by the French Parliament , unless a route could be

f o u n d t o e n a b l e t h e R e d A r m y t o j o i n i n a n y c o n f l i c t t h a t m i g h t a r i s e

betwe en France or Czecho-Slovakia with Germany . Poland and the

B a l t i c s t a t e s s t u b b o r n l y r e f u s e d t o p e r m i t s u c h p a s s a g e u n d e r a n y p r e -

t e x t . T h u s t h e w o r t h o f t h e p a c t d e p e n d e d e n t i r e l y u p o n t h e R e d A r m y

being able to cross throug h Rumanian territory t o C z e c h o - S l o v a k i a

without any opposition . I t i s P r i n c e S t u r d z a ' s c o n t e n t i o n , which he

b e l i e v e s h e h a s p r o v e n , t h a t i t w a s t h e s e c r e t c o n s e n t g i v e n t o t h i s p a s -

s a g e , o r t h e s e c r e t p r o m i s e t h a t t h i s c o n s e n t w o u l d b e gi v e n whe n

n e e d e d , b y t h e t w o m e n w h o c o n t r o l l e d t h e f o r e i g n p o l i c y o f R u m a n i a

b e t w e e n 1 9 3 3 a n d 1 9 4 0 , T i t u l e s c u a n d K i n g C a r o l , a n d t h e s e r v i l i t y o f

t h e i r s u b o r d i n a t e s , t h a t p e r m i t t e d t h e a d v o c a t e s o f t h e F r a n c o - S o v i e t

a l l i a n c e t o t r i u m p h i n P a r i s o v e r t h o s e o f a n a n t i - C o m m u n i s t f e d e r a -


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I n t r o d u c t i o n / x x i

t i o n . I t i s a l s o h i s c o n t e n t i o n t h a t i t w a s t h e m i l i t a r y p a c t s w i t h t h e

Kremlin which were the primus motor of World War II and of its

c a t a s t r o p h i c c o n s e q u e n c e s . T h u s R u m a n i a p l a y e d a k e y r o l e i n t h e p l a n s

o f t h e C o n s p i r a c y , a n d t h i s e x p l a i n s t h e r e a s o n f o r t h e i n c r e d i b l e p e r s e -

c u t i o n o f t h e L e g i o n a r y M o v e m e n t , w h i c h c o u l d h a v e , a n d w o u l d h a v e ,

s t o p p e d a n y c o o p e r a t i o n w i t h S o v i e t R u s s i a , t h u s r u i n i n g t h e p l a n s o f

t h e C o n s p i r a c y .

T h e e f f e c t s o f t h e F r a n c o - S o v i e t a n d C z e c h o - S o v i e t t r e a t i e s w e r e i m -

m e d i a t e . G e r m a n y w a s s u r r o u n d e d a n d d e s p e r a t e l y n e e d e d t o a d j u s t t h e

b a l a n c e o f p o w e r , a n d s h e n e e d e d t o p r o t e c t h e r s e l f o n h e r w e s t e r n a n d

s o u t h e r n b o r d e r s . T h e r e f o r e s h e r e o c c u p i e d t h e R h i n e l a n d , o n t h e b a s i s

t h a t t h e F r a n c o - S o v i e t a l l i a n c e i n v a l i d a t e d t h e P a c t o f Loca rno . S h e

p r o c l a i m e d t h e A n s c h l u s s w i t h A u s t r i a t o t h e g e n e r a l e n t h u s i a s m o f t h e

p o p u l a t i o n , a n d w h e n s u b m i t t e d f o r a p p r o v a l t o t h e p e o p l e o f G r e a t e r

Germany, it was ap proved by 99 . 0 8 % o f t h e v o t e r s . She demand ed the

return to Greater Germany of the three and a half million Germans,

w h i c h t h e V e r s a i l l e s T r e a t y h a d i n c o r p o r a t e d , a f t e r t h e A u s t r i a n E m p i r e

was dismemb ered, into Czecho-Slovakia . C o n t r a r y t o p o p u l a r b e l i e f ,

s a n i t y w o n o u t f o r a m o m e n t a t M u n i c h , a n d a f t e r y e a r s o f h a r a s s m e n t

a n d t r e a c h e r y o n t h e p a r t o f t h e g o v e r n m e n t i n P r a g u e , w h a t w a s p r o b -

a b l y t h e b e s t p o s s i b l e a r r a n g e m e n t w a s a g r e e d t o b y t h e B i g P o w e r s .

B u t a l l w a s f o r n a u g h t ; t h e c o n s p i r a t o r s p u l l i n g t h e s t r i n g s soon had

the very men who s aved Europe in 1938 dest roy it i n 1939 . Germany

h a d b e e n m a n e u v e r e d i n t o a t r a p , w h i c h w o u l d b e s p r u n g b y t h e h o p e l e s s

P o l i s h p r o b l e m . T h e P o l i s h c r i s i s w a s h o p e l e s s n o t b e c a u s e t h e d i s a g r e e -

ment between Germany and Poland was so gre at (the iss ue involved

w a s c h i e f l y a m a t t e r o f b o r d e r a d j u s t m e n t s ) o r b e c a u s e o f a n a n c i e n t

n a t i o n a l e n m i t y ( G e r m a n y a n d P o l a n d h a d i n r e c e n t y e a r s e n j o y e d e x -

c e l l e n t r e l a t i o n s ) . T h e p r o b l e m w a s m a d e h o p e l e s s b y t h e i n t e r v e n t i o n

o f W e s t e r n d i p l o m a t s , w h o c o n s t a n t l y a d v i s e d a n d t o l d t h e P o l i s h n o t

t o n e g o t i a t e ; and b y Poles such as Marshal 8migly-Rydz, who t hrew

t h e i r c o u n t r y i n t o a w a r s h e c o u l d n o t p o s s i b l y w i n . G e r m a n y w a s f o r c e d

into a war against t he West because the leaders of Western Euro pe

m a d e a l l o t h e r c o u r s e s o f a c t i o n i m p o s s i b l e . G e r m a n y d i d n o t s i g n t h e

n o n - a g g r e s s i o n p a c t w i t h S o v i e t R u s s i a i n o r d e r t o b e f r e e t o c o n q u e r

the West . The pact was an exped ient and nothing mor e . I t s p u r p o s e

w a s t o s e c u r e h e r r e a r p o s i t i o n i n o r d e r t o b e f r e e t o d e s t r o y t h e S o v i e t

Union when th e time came . ( H i t l e r a b h o r r e d t h e i d e a o f a t w o f r o n t

war . I t i s i r o n i c , a n d s i g n i f i c a n t , t h a t h e h a d t o c o n q u e r t h e W e s t i n o r d e r

t o f i g h t t h e E a s t .) When war came England and France did no thing t o

help Poland . P r i n c e S t u r d z a c o n t e n d s t h a t a t n o m o m e n t w e r e t h e s o -

licitudes show n by the Western Powers and the vain g uarantees t h e y

o f f e r e d P o l a n d m o t i v a t e d b y a n y r e a l i n t e n t i o n t o s a v e h e r i n t e g r i t y a n d


21/418

x x i i / In t r o d u c t i o n

her independence . H e i s c o n v i n c e d , o n t h e c o n t r a r y , t h a t a s f a r a s t h e

W e s t e r n s t a t e s m e n w e r e c o n c e r n e d , P o l a n d w a s s a c r i f i c e d e v e n b e f o r e

t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e a r m e d c o n f l i c t .

W i t h t h e f a l l o f P o l a n d , F r a n c e w a s r e l e a s e d f r o m a n y o b l i g a t i o n t o

c o n t i n u e t h e w a r ( w h i c h s h e h a d n o t e v e n f o u g h t ) , a n d s h e c o u l d h a v e

r e a c h e d a s a t i s f a c t o r y s e t t l e m e n t w i t h G e r m a n y . But the s ame l e a d e r s

who had pushed Poland over the brink now threw th eir own nation

i n t o d e f e a t . T h e o n s l a u g h t c a m e o n M a y 1 0 , 1 9 4 0 a n d b y J u n e 1 4 , 1 9 4 0

the war fo r France was o ver . Now Hitler began t o prepare h i s w a r

a g a i n s t R u s s i a ; h e r e f u s e d t o f i r s t e l i m i n a t e E n gl a n d , a n d d i d n o t c o n -

s i d e r t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s a t h r e a t . When Germany i nvaded Russia, s h e

could have wiped Communism off the map . T h a t s h e f a i l e d w a s g r e a t l y

d u e t o C o m m u n i s t i n f l u e n c e s i n t h e g o v e r n m e n t s o f t h e W e s t , a n d a l s o ,

no doubt, to the Communist agents high in her own g overnment . The

f i n a l g r o u n d w o r k f o r t h e d e s t r u c t i o n o f G e r m a n y a n d t h e v i c t o r y o f

Communism was laid app roximately between the s ummer of 1940 and

t h e c l o s e o f 1 9 4 1 . T h e r e w e r e t h r e e m a j o r r e a s o n s f o r G e r m a n y ' s d e f e a t :

I t a l y ' s l o s s o f t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o b e a m e d i a t o r b e t w e e n G e r m a n y a n d

t h e W e s t b e c a u s e o f M u s s o l i n i ' s c o w a r d l y a g g r e s s i o n a g a i n s t F r a n c e , a n d

I t a l y ' s d i s a s t r o u s c a m p a i g n a g a i n s t G r e e c e ; G e r m a n y ' s m i s t r e a t m e n t o f t h e

R u s s i a n p o p u l a ti o n s i n o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r y ; a n d A d m i r a l C a n a r i s ' s t r e a s o n

in conjunction wit h Communist infilt ration of the German Gover n-

m e n t . T h e s e c o n d a n d t h i r d c a u s e s a r e c l o s e l y c o n n e c t e d .

F r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e w a r , t h e G e r m a n G o v e r n m e n t s h o w e d l i t t l e

e a g e r n e s s o r e v e n w i l l i n gn e s s t o c o o p e r a t e w i t h t h e t r u l y n a t i o n a l i s t o r -

g a n i z a t i o n s w h i c h e x i s t e d i n t h e c o u n t r i e s w i t h i n h e r s p h e r e o f i n f l u -

e n c e . T h e s e n a t i o n a l i s t g r o u p s w e r e w i l l i n g t o h e l p G e r m a n y e c o n o m -

i c a l l y i n h e r s t r u g g l e , b u t n o t t o t h e d e t r i m e n t o f t h e i r o w n c o u n t r y ' s

v i t a l n e c e s s i t i e s . Y e t , o n c e t h e y w e r e t h e m i l i t a r y a l l i e s of the Reich

a g a i n s t t h e i r m o n s t r o u s n e i g h b o r , t h e y w o u l d n e v e r h a v e c a p i t u l a t e d t o

t h e R e d A r m y t h e m o m e n t t h e t i d e s e e m e d t o h a v e t u r n e d a g a i n s t G e r -

m a n y , b u t r a t h e r t h e y w o u l d h a v e f o u g h t t o t h e l a s t m a n i n t h e s t r u g g l e

a g a i n s t C o m m u n i s m a n d f o r t h e p r e s e r v a t i o n o f t h e i r n a t i o n a l i n t e g r i t y .

I n r e a l i t y t h e G e r m a n s f o l l o w e d a p o l i c y o f o p p o s i n g t h e n a t i o n a l i s t s ,

a l l e g e d l y i n o r d e r t o a d v a n c e t h e m i l i t a r y a n d i n d u s t r i a l r e s o u r c e s o f

t h e R e i c h . I t i s i m p o s s i b l e t o s t a t e u n e q u i v o c a l l y t h a t t h i s p o l i c y w as

f o r m u l a t e d b y c r y p t o - C o m m u n i s t i n f i l t r a t o r s . H o w e v e r i t d i d r e s u l t i n

the overt hrow of the Legionary Government by General Antones cu

which ultimately brough t the capitul ation of Rumania . I t r u i n e d t h e

a n t i - C o m m u n i s t c a u s e i n Y u g o s l a v i a a n d b r o u g h t o n a n u n n e c e s s a r y w a r

w i t h t h a t n a t i o n , t y i n g d o w n t r o o p s d e s p e r a t e l y n e e d e d o n t h e R u s s i a n

f r o n t . I t r e a c h e d i t s c l i m a x i n t h e i n c r e d i b l y b r u t a l h a n d l i n g o f t h e


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I n t r o d u c t i o n / x x i i i

Ukraine-and in this cas e there are definite indications of Communist

hands at work .

Our knowl edge of th e actual Communist acti vity in the German Gov-

e r n m e n t i s s t i l l q u i t e s k e t c h y . In most cases we cannot be certain of

exactly who the Communist agents were nor where th ey operated . T h i s

i s s o p a r t l y b e c a u s e m a n y , b u t n o t a l l , w e r e n e v e r m e m b e r s o f t h e a c t u a l

Communist Party and because most of the agents were probably in s ec-

o n d e c h e l o n p o s i t i o n s r a t h e r t h a n a t t h e t o p . But what we d o know gives

a h i n t o f w h a t a c t u a l l y e x i s t e d . Prince Sturdza relat es, from his own

exper ience, the st ory of Admira l Wilhelm Canaris, head of t he German

I n t e l l i g e n c e S e r v i c e . Canaris was not subject t o the discipline of the

Commun ist P a r t y b u t r a t h e r t o o k h i s o r d e r s f r o m t h e C o n s p i r a c y ' s s o -

cialist cl ique based in Britain-the Fabians . His network ridd led the

Secret Service and infil trated the Foreign Office and the Wehrmacht .

Two of his con fessed co-workers were Baron Weizsacker, an Undersecre-

tary o f Stat e, and General Hald er, Chief of th e Genera l Staff . The

C a n a r i s c o n s p i r a c y p l a y e d a m a j o r r o l e i n b r i n g i n g a b o u t t h e d e f e a t o f

Germany and the vic tory of Soviet Russi a .

While the Canaris network was supplying Hitler with false informa-

t i o n c o n c e r n i n g t h e R u s s i a n m i l i t a r y s i t u a t i o n , R i c h a r d S o r g e , a S o v i e t

agent and press attache at the German Embassy in Tokyo, was keepin g

Sta l i n i n fo r m e d o f Ger m a n a n d Ja pa n e s e m i li t a r y de v e l o p m e n t s . I n

1939 he sup plied t he date of Germany's pl anned atta ck on Poland ; i n

Apr i l 1941 he a dv i s e d Mo sc o w tha t Ge r m a n y wa s c o n c e n t r a t i n g 150

d i v i s i o n s a t t h e b o r d e r s o f t h e U S S R , a n d h e s u p p l i e d a g e n e r a l s c h e m e

o f t h e m i l i t a r y o p e r a t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g t h e d a t e f o r t h e a t t a c k, J u n e 2 2 ;

and t wo mont hs b efore December 7, 1941, he adv ised Moscow that Japan

w a s p r e p a r i n g f o r a w a r i n t h e P a c i f i c a n d w o u l d n o t a t t a c k t h e S o v i e t

F a r E a s t . Thus th e German attack against the Soviet Union was not a

s u r p r i s e a t a l l , a n d S t a l i n h a d a m p l e t i m e t o p r e p a r e h i s d e f e n s e s . The

Soviet Army was not tak en off guard as is oft en believed . S t a l i n h a d

massed approximately four and a half million men in the western fron-

ti e r a r e a- a m i l l i o n a n d a ha lf m o r e m e n th a n m a de u p the Ge r m a n

a t t a c k f o r c e s , b u t w h o l e R u s s i a n u n i t s s u r r e n d e r e d a l m o s t w i t h o u t f i g h t -

i n g a n d t h u s e n a b l e d o t h e r u n i t s , d i v i s i o n s , a n d c o r p s t o b e s u r r o u n d e d

and captured . I t w a s o n l y a f t e r t h e W e h r m a c h t w a s f o r c e d t o s u b m i t t o

the orders inspired b y Rosenberg to wage a war of extermination th at

t h e r e a l R u s s i a n r e s i s t a n c e b e g a n . A l s o t h e K r e m l i n c o u l d d e p e n d o n i t s

f r i e n d s i n t h e R e i c h f o r i n f o r m a t i o n . T h e f l o w o f i n t e l l i g e n c e d a t a f r o m

various sources continued throughout the war . Soviet agent Alexander

R a d o i n S w i t z e r l a n d w a s a b l e t o a d v i s e M o s c o w o f d e c i s i o n s o f t h e G e r -

man High Command with in forty-eight hours aft er they were made . T h e

sourc e was on t he German General Staff . W a s i t G e n e r a l H a l d e r ?


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xxiv / Intro duct ion

W h o e l s e wa s i nv ol ve d ? M a r t i n B o r m a nn c e r t a i n l y m u st b e c o n s id e re d .

I n f a c t C o r n e l i u s R y a n , a u t h o r o f T h e L o n g e s t D a y and T h e L a s t B a t t l e

r e l a t e s t h a t "some German g e n e r a l s b e l i e v e he was a Russian s p y

t h r o u g h o u t t h e w a r . " ( N e w Y o r k J o u r n a l A m e r i c a n , M a r c h 1 9 , 1 9 6 6 . )

B o r m a n n ' s i n f l u e n c e a n d p o w e r w e r e t r e m e n d o u s a n d m o s t c e r t a i n l y n o t

u s e d i n t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t s of Germa ny . T h i s , o f c o u r s e , c o u l d b e e x -

p l a i n e d b y t h e v i e w t h a t h e w a s e x a c t l y what he appeared to be-a

p o w e r h u n g r y f a n a t i c . B u t i t i s m o s t s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t d o u b t s s t i l l p e r s i s t :

to wh om was Martin Bormann r e a l l y l o y a l ? A n d l e t u s n o t f o r g e t t h a t

men who knew him believed t h a t h e w a s a C o m m u n i s t a g e n t .

T h e q u e s t i o n o f a c t u a l l o y a l t y c a n b e r a i s e d a b o u t a n o t h e r s i n i s t e r

c h a r a c t e r h i g h i n t h e N a t i o n a l S o c i a l i s t G o v e r n m e n t , H e i n r i c h Hi m m -

l e r , b u t i n t h i s c a s e a n y d e f i n i t e c o n c l u s i o n i s m o s t d i f f i c u l t t o r e a c h . I t

was unde r Himmler's c o m m a n d t h a t t h e g r e a t a t r o c i t i e s o f t h e Thi rd

Reich were commi tted . Y e t m a n y o f h i s l i e u t e n a n t s f o u n d l i t t l e d i f f i -

c u l t y i n c h a n g i n g u n i f o r m s w h e n t h e R e i c h f e l l . O n e , H e i n r i c h M u l l e r ,

C h i e f o f t h e G e s t a p o , w a s i n c o n t a c t w i t h t h e R u s s i a n S e c r e t S e r v i c e a t

l e a s t a s e a r l y a s 1 9 4 3 . H e e s c a p e d f r o m B e r l i n , a n d s o m e o f h i s c o l -

l e a gu e s b e l i ev e t h a t h e i s n o w i n t h e s e r vi c e o f t h e S o v i e t s e cr e t p o l i c e .

I n f a c t a n a r t i c l e i n D i e S t e r n ( J a n u a r y 1 2 , 1 9 6 4 ) c l a i m e d t h a t M u l l e r

h a d b e e n i d e n t i f i e d a s a c a p t a i n i n t h e A l b a n i a n s e c u r i t y p o l i c e . When

H i m m l e r a b s o r b e d C a n a r i s ' s A b w e h r , t h e f i l e s w e r e f u l l o f t h e p r o o f o f

C a n a ri s ' s t r e as o n a n d o f t h at o f h i s c o ll e ag ue s . Y e t H i m m l e r d i d n o t h i n g

w i t h t h i s i n f o r m a t i o n . W h e n C a n a r i s w a s f i n a l l y e x p o s e d a y e a r l a t e r , i t

w a s t h r o u g h s o u r c e s c o m p l e t e l y s e p a r a t e f r o m H i m m l e r ' s a p p a r a t i . Wew i l l p r o b a b l y n e v e r k n o w t h e r e a l r e a s o n f o r h i s f a il u re to ta ke a c ti o n

i n t h i s c a s e o r f o r h i s m a n y o t h e r a c t i v i t i e s . B u t l e t u s r e c a l l t h a t i t w a s

A l f r e d R o s e n b e r g ' s a d v i c e w h i c h c a u s e d H i t l e r t o t r a n s f o r m t h e w a r o f

l i b e r a t i o n , w h i c h t h e F i i h r e r h a d s o s u c c e s s f u l l y c o m m e n c e d i n R u s s i a ,

i n t o a w a r o f a n n i h i l i a t i o n . A n d i t i s w e l l k n o w n t h a t R o s e n b e r g w a s

Himmler' s man .

I n t h i s l i gh t t h e o u t b u r s t s o f H i t l e r t o t h e e f f e c t t h a t t h e w a r w a s

b e i n g l o s t b y t r e a s o n n o l o n g e r s e e m l i k e t h e r a v i n g s o f a m a d m a n . He

may have become aware t h a t h e h i m s e l f w a s l i t t l e m o r e t h a n a p a w n .

F o r i n h i s c h a r g e s o f t r e a s o n , H i t l e r w a s c o r r e c t : G e r m a n y ' s w a r a g a i n s t

R u s s i a w a s n o t l o s t a t S t a l i n g r a d ; i t w a s l o s t i n B e r l i n .

D e s p i t e t h e c o n s p i r a c y a n d b r u t a l i t y w h i c h w e r e s o r a m p a n t i n t h e

Thir d Reich, many Germans and other E u r o p e a n s s t i l l c o n s i d e r e d t h e

w a r a g a i n s t S o v i e t R u s s i a a c r u s a d e t o s a v e W e s t e r n C i v i l i z a t i o n from

d e s t r u c t i o n b y C o m m u n i s m . T h e m e n w h o f o u g h t a n d d i e d i n t h e s t r u g -

g l e i n t h e E a s t h a v e b e e n c o n d e m n e d , p a r t l y b e c a u s e t h e y l o s t , b u t t h e

s o u n d n e s s o f t h e i r f e a r o f S o v i e t R u s s i a h a s b e e n b o r n e o u t b y h i s t o r y .


24/418

I n t r o d u c t i o n / x x v

The Le gi o n a r y Mo v e m e n t a n d t he Ru m a n i a n pe o p l e s u p p o r t e d Ge r-

m a n y i n t h e w a r , b u t t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t s o f t h e i r c o u n t r y l e f t l i t t l e o t h e r

course even considered from the most pragmatic point of view . C o o p e r -

ation with the West or permanent neutrality was out of the quest ion,

f o r t h e p o l i c i e s a n d c o r r u p t i o n o f T i t u l e s c u a n d C a r o l h a d l e f t R u m a n i a

unable to d efend herself against either Germany or Russia, much less

against both as would have been necessary . Such a policy wo uld have

t u r n e d R u m a n i a , f r o m t h e v e r y f i r s t d a y s o f t h e w a r , i n t o a h u g e b a t t l e -

ground and then into an occupied app endage of one or the other power .

A Soviet alliance would h ave meant absorption b y Russia, or at best,

o c c u p a t i on by Ger m a n y a s a de fe a t e d e n e m y . A Ger m a n a ll i a n c e wa s

the only recours e open to Rumania . B u t i n f o r m i n g t h i s a l l i a n c e t h e

Rumanians were not simpl y bowing to exped iency ; t h e y f i r m l y b e l i e v e d

t h a t t h e i r n a t i o n a l e x i s t e n c e a n d C h r i s t i a n C i v i l i z a t i o n c o u l d o n l y b e

saved by th e destruct ion of Communism in Russia . T h e n a t i o n s o f C e n -

tral Europe chose from the abov e alternative s in varying manners, yet

t h e y a l l f e l l u n d e r t h e h e e l o f t h e S o v i e t U n i o n . P o l a n d f o u g h t t h e j o i n t

attac k of Russia a nd Germany, Czecho-Slovaki a mainta ined a so lidl y

pro-Soviet a lliance, Rumania an d Hungary formed German alli ances,

Bulga ria maintai ned a pro-German neutr alit y, Yugosl avia maint ained

an anti-German neut rality, and Albania committ ed no crime b ut to be

o c c u p i e d b y I t a l y ; b u t a l l e n d e d u n d e r t h e s a m e t y r a n n y .

The most important point which these memoirs make clear is that

World War II was broug ht on and concl uded accord ing to a delib erate

p l a n d e v e l o p e d a n d c a r r i e d o u t b y a c o n s p i r a c y o f a s m a l l , c e n t r a l l y d i -

rected group of men high in the governments of nearly every nation .

That t he Conspiracy intended to del iver all of Eastern Europe to Com-

m u n i s m i s m a d e c l e a r b y i t s a c t i v i t i e s a s t h e w a r c a m e t o a c l o s e .

A f t e r t h e d e b a c l e a t S t a l i n g r a d , t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f a G e r m a n v i c t o r y

in Russia wer e ruined, but the w ar was by no means over . A s t h e G e r -

man and allied armies pulled b ack towards the wes t, they desperately

attempted t o form a line of resistance to the Russian onslaug ht ; o n c e

such a defensive line was formed tw o courses of action would become

a v a i l a b l e . T h e f i r s t o n e , a n d t h e o n e o n w h i c h H i t l e r b a s e d h i s s t r a t e g y ,

w a s t o h o l d a l l p o s s i b l e p o i n t s i n t h e e a s t i n t h e b e l i e f t h a t i t w a s o n l y

a matter of time be fore the United States and Britain wou ld come to

s e e S o v i e t R u s s i a a s t h e i r r e a l e n e m y . Hitler woul d have then sig ned a

separate peace with the West, and with the aid of his new all ies he

would have mounted a g reat counteroffensive which would totally crush

th e Red Army . As lat e as March 1945 German t roop s were o rder ed to

hold, at all cost s, bridgeh eads across t he Oder because th ey would be

needed as launching points for the joint attack . Whether or not the


25/418

x x v i / In t r o d u c t i o n

Allies could h ave even considered such an arrangement is immaterial .

F o r t h e s e c o n d p o s s i b i l i t y p r o v i d e d b y a s t a b i l i z e d l i n e o f d e f e n s e f r o m

the Communist hordes offered to the Western powers an op portunity to

save Eastern Europe even wit hout accepting Germany as an all y . Those

w h o f o u g h t a n d d i e d t o f o r m t h i s l i n e o f d e f e n s e a n d t o p e r m i t , t h e r e b y ,

the penetration of Western armies deep into the East fought and died

in vain . The Western Powers, conforming to th e pre-established plans

o f t h e C o n s p i r a c y , h a d d e c i d e d a s e a r l y a s t h e c o n f e r e n c e s a t Q u e b e c a n d

Teheran to al low the Red Army to advan ce up to Berlin, Prague, and

Vienna and had consented to aband on eleven European countries as prey

fo r the Com m u n is t be h e m o t h . The Western Allies h ad thus refused to

t a k e a d v a n t a g e o f t h i s o p p o r t u n i t y t o s a v e m i l l i o n s o f i n n o c e n t p e o p l e s

f r o m b r u t a l s l a v e r y . I n s t e a d t h e y h a l t e d a t t h e E l b e .

How complete was th e subservience of Washington and London to the

w i s h e s o f t h e C o n s p i r a c y b e c a m e a b s o l u t e l y c l e a r i n F e b r u a r y 1 9 4 5 . H i t -

l e r s e n t a m e s s a g e t o M i h a i l o v i c h , t h e h e r o i c l e a d e r o f t h e C h e t n i k s o f

Y u g o s l av i a , t o b e r e l a y e d t o t h e B r i t i s h . H i t l e r o f f e r e d t o w i t h d r a w a l l

German tro ops fro m the Balkans if th e United States and England

would agree to start occupying the abandoned area within tw enty-four

hours ; after th e West had compl etely occupied the Balkans, Germany

would w ithd raw from Hungary and Czecho-Slovaki a, again on th e con-

d i t i o n t h a t t h e W e s t f i l l t h e v a c u u m . T h e A l l i e s r e f u s e d e v e n t o c o n s i d e r

t h e p r o p o s a l , t e l l i n g M i h a i l o v i c h t o h a v e t h e G e r m a n s m a k e t h e i r o f f e r

t o R u s s i a .

The war ended w ith Germany smash ed and half -occupied by the Sovi-

e t s , w i t h E s t o n i a , L i t h u a n i a , L a t v i a , P o l a n d , C z e c h o - S l o v a k i a , H u n g a r y ,

Rumani a, Bulga ria, Yugos lavi a, and Albania u nder Communis t rul e,

a n d w i t h o n l y S o v i e t R u s s i a v i c t o r i o u s . T h o s e m i l i t a r y o r c i v i l i a n l e a d -

ers who had opposed Communism for so long were executed, imprisoned,

o r f o r c e d i n t o e x i l e . B u t t h e s e m e m o i r s p r o v i d e a s t e r n l e s s o n f o r t h o s e

who today believe that

Documents

The Suicide of Europe Michel Sturdza 1968 419pgs POL