Podcast Summary: Dennis Deletant, "In Search of Romania"

Podcast: New Books Network
Episode Air Date: December 1, 2025
Host: Roland Clark
Guest: Professor Dennis Deletant
Topic: In Search of Romania (Hurst, 2022)

Main Theme

This episode dives deep into Professor Dennis Deletant’s book, In Search of Romania, a memoir that chronicles his decades-long relationship with Romanian society and politics. Rather than offering a personal autobiography, Deletant focuses on his evolving understanding of Romania through first-hand experiences under communism, his personal connections, and his groundbreaking historical research. The conversation explores formative influences, the peculiarities of state socialism, encounters with dissidents, the opening of the Securitate archives, revelations about the Holocaust in Romania, and reflections on post-communist corruption and hope for the country’s future.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Why a Memoir Focused on Romania?

[03:29–07:44]

• Deletant distinguishes his book as a memoir, not an autobiography, aiming to spotlight the impact Romania had on his professional life rather than narrate his personal backstory.
• Influenced early by history teacher George Rudé, who introduced him to ideas of liberty, “history from below,” and the value of equitable approaches to historical narratives—even before realizing Rudé’s Communist Party affiliations.
  • Quote: “I was very influenced by my contact with George Rudé... He talked about the value of liberty, Wilkes and liberty... his balanced, equitable approach to history.” (Deletant, [04:01])

Early Encounters with Romania

[07:51–11:18]

• Deletant’s curiosity about Romania was piqued by the lack of accessible literature and the region’s reputation for being “best forgotten.”

• Intrigued by how a Latin people adapted to state socialism, he began studying Romanian and first visited in 1965.

  • Quote: “It was curiosity that drove me to choose Romania. Curiosity... how state socialism would impact what was basically a Latin people.” (Deletant, [08:47])
  • Amusing anecdote about encountering flippant or dismissive Western attitudes toward Romania, exemplified by secondhand books subtitled "Best Forgotten".

The Peculiarities and Humor of Romanian State Socialism

[11:18–15:06]

• Life under Romanian socialism, especially in the 1970s and 80s, was marked by absurd bureaucratic situations and a unique blend of humor and cynicism among citizens.

• Humor was a defense mechanism: “We pretend to work and the state pretends to pay us”—common throughout Eastern Europe.

  • Quote: “People sought to balance their public and private personae and they introduced these defense mechanisms and humor was one of them.” (Deletant, [12:32])
  • Public attitudes towards the law remained skeptical, shaped by long histories of legal repression and corruption.

Personal Connections: Marriage, Family, and Meeting Dissidents

[15:06–20:47]

• Deletant’s marriage to Andrea offered profound personal insight into the pervasive impact of communism on ordinary lives.

  • Her family suffered under the regime: her father, though a skilled engineer and non-political, was imprisoned simply for his family background.
  • Acts of kindness and resilience among ordinary Romanians stood out to Deletant.

• Early introductions to major dissidents through his family circle catalyzed his interest in the Securitate and resistance networks.

  • Quote: “Despite their own personal suffering... they preserved their humanity, and this allowed them to overcome the sufferings they had endured.” (Deletant, [18:34])

The Countdown to Revolution & The Complexities of Dissent

[20:47–24:40]

• Deletant admits, like most historians, he did not foresee the exact timing of Ceausescu’s regime collapse, despite observing broader regional changes.

• He describes the climate of fear and the bravery of dissidents, underscored by the role of informer networks within society. Even after the revolution, former dissidents faced hostility and suspicion.

  • Quote: “The dissidents were extremely brave people... really risking a great deal in their activities to draw attention to the abuses of the regime.” (Deletant, [22:40])
  • Story: When dissident Doyna Cornea spoke after the revolution, she was booed, showing that the battle was also against a “perverted mentality,” not just the ruling regime ([23:07]).

Observing Democratic Change: The 1990s and Western Influence

[24:40–27:30]

• Deletant observed “massive change” in post-communist Romania, largely spurred by EU and NATO accession requirements.
• Ongoing justice and anti-corruption challenges reflect Romania’s slow adaptation to Western standards.

  • Credits individuals like Laura Kövesi (Corruption Directorate) for advances in transparency.

  • Quote: “Without that carrot... change in Romania would have been very, very slow.” (Deletant, [25:49])

Gaining Access to Securitate Archives

[27:30–37:19]

• An accidental but fortuitous diplomatic mission allowed Deletant rare early access to Securitate files in 1993, before they were public.
• The process:

  • Delivered legal materials to Virgil Măgureanu, then head of Romania’s intelligence service, who offered Deletant a reciprocal favor.

  • Deletant was told to select historical topics, then spent long hours poring over files at the state archives.

  • Gained microfilmed copies as a “gift.”

  • Encountered suspicion among Romanian colleagues, some assuming he must have had secret connections.

  • Quote: “He asked me... What service can I do you? And just on the spur of the moment, I said... could I see some Securitate documents?” (Deletant, [29:09])

  • Quote: “A large segment of the population did the work of the Securitate for it.” (Deletant, [36:57])

On Reading His Own Securitate File

[40:16–42:31]

• Deletant found reports written by Romanian language teachers assigned to British universities, revealing a dispassionate, professional stance—often positive despite ideological pressures on them.

• Unlike stories of betrayal, these files underscored the integrity of many who reported on him.

  • Quote: “What, in a way, surprised me... all these lectors... wrote in a very dispassionate and positive way about the cooperation that I had with them...” (Deletant, [41:10])

Researching the Holocaust in Romania

[42:31–49:38]

• Fellowship at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum enabled Deletant to study vast archives—mostly Romanian documents—about the deportation, repression, and murders of Jews and Roma.

• Many victims were rendered anonymous, especially Ukrainian Jews, due to language barriers in documentation.

• Deletant’s research, alongside contemporaries like Radu Ioanid, played an essential role in confronting Romania’s Holocaust legacy, at a time when little had been published domestically.

  • Quote: “The extent of the repression and maltreatment, the deportation was a complete revelation to me. And I stress here... These are documents... drawn up by either the Romanian gendarmerie or by the Romanian army.” (Deletant, [45:53])

Romania Today: Corruption, Challenges, and Hope

[49:38–52:31]

• Deletant expresses both concern and hope about Romania’s future.

  • Corruption continues to be a deep challenge, causing talented youth to leave.

  • A generational shift may offer eventual change, especially with sustained external pressure and local talent.

  • Quote: “One of the tragedies of Romania today is that the corruption is driving many of these talented Romanians abroad...” (Deletant, [50:31])

  • Anecdote: A former mayor recounts an employee asserting, "If I don’t steal, I don’t feel that I’m a man," highlighting deep cultural issues ([51:58]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the Influence of a Teacher:

• “His main interest was looking at history from below... balanced, equitable approach to history.” (Deletant, 04:01)

On Humor Under Communism:

• “We pretend to work and the state pretends to pay us.” (Deletant, 13:37 – repeated phrase)

On Resilience of Romanians:

• “Despite their own personal suffering... they preserved their humanity...” (Deletant, 18:34)

On Dissidents Facing Hostility:

• “Doyna Cornea stepped up on stage... she was booed... they were fighting not just the regime, but a perverted mentality.” (Deletant, 23:07)

On Corruption as Identity:

• “If I don't steal, I don't feel that I'm a man.” (Anecdote retold by Deletant, 51:58)

Key Timestamps

• 03:29–07:44: Why a memoir, the influence of George Rudé, and Deletant's initial interest in Romania.
• 08:47–11:18: Early preconceptions, lack of Western knowledge about Romania.
• 11:40–15:06: Humor and coping with state socialism; the role of law.
• 15:55–20:47: Marriage to Andrea, insights from her family’s experience under communism, meeting dissidents.
• 21:18–24:40: Dissidents, the fall of Ceaușescu, informer culture, post-1990 hostility.
• 25:03–27:30: Changes in post-communist Romania, role of EU/NATO, continued struggles with legal reform.
• 28:05–37:19: The story of getting Securitate archive access, microfilming, and the politics of trust.
• 40:16–42:31: Reading his own Securitate file, discovery of routine positive reports.
• 43:09–49:38: Entering Holocaust research, shocks at documentation, anonymity of many victims.
• 50:14–52:31: Reflections on present-day corruption and cultural challenges in Romania.

Tone

The dialogue remained intellectual, engaging, and sincere throughout, with moments of humor and gravity balanced by a deep affection for the subject. Deletant is candid about both his scholarly journey and the moral ambiguities he encountered, while Clark poses probing questions with warmth and respect.

Final Note

Professor Dennis Deletant’s In Search of Romania provides an insightful, often personal, and sometimes unsettling window into Romania’s modern transformation—and the historian’s role in witnessing and recording it. His stories illuminate the complexities of life under communism, the intricacies of post-1989 transition, and the enduring challenges and hopes facing the country today.