I Must Betray You(71)

Maggie Chitoran served as the interpreter for my meeting with Nicoleta and facilitated the interview while patiently navigating my bouts of tears.

Ionel Boyeru was a military captain within a special unit of Romanian paratroopers when he volunteered for a mysterious Christmas Day mission. Unbeknownst to him, he would become one of the three soldiers on the firing squad assigned to execute the Ceau?escus. Ionel traveled a long distance to meet with me and described the complex situation of the military in 1980s Romania, the intensity around the execution, as well as the evolving perceptions during and after the revolution. Ionel’s personal testimony was incredibly informative, honest, and an important reminder that often history is nuanced, complicated, and doesn’t easily fit into defined categories. I am indebted to Ionel for his generosity and perspective.

Paulina Huzau-Hill was an incredible resource and supporter. She went above and beyond to share her family’s very moving story as well as items from her personal family archives. Her perspective made the history very human.

Irina Margareta Nistor is a Romanian translator and film critic. She is also an iconic voice of freedom. During the communist period, Irina secretly dubbed over three thousand movies from the West into Romanian. Through movies, Irina brought the outside world inside of Romania and shared concepts of democracy with Romanian citizens. Irina answered many questions and informed the framework for the use of videos in the novel.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America deserve a novel all their own—and I hope to write one. In countries where freedom of the press does not exist or is restricted by the government, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty provides uncensored news, discussion, and debate. Emil Hurezeanu is a journalist and writer who worked in the Romanian department of Radio Free Europe in Munich from 1983 to 1994. While I was writing the novel, he was serving as the Romanian ambassador to Germany and, despite his incredibly busy schedule, took time to assist my research and thoughtfully answer my long list of questions.

Nadia Com?neci is not only a legendary Olympic gymnast, she is a well of generosity. During our interview, Nadia continually emphasized perspective and the importance of focusing on what average Romanian citizens endured for so many years and their heroic courage while doing so. Her affection and sincere admiration for her fellow Romanians was so moving and highlighted the beautiful bond of the Romanian diaspora worldwide.

I’m very grateful to the elderly residents of Bucharest who welcomed me into their homes. They shared many details, vintage items, and examples that helped me research the structure and layout of the apartment blocks. As I’ve expressed, Romanian generosity is unending.

Claus Pedersen has been a longtime friend and steadfast research partner for several novels, and this was no exception. He embraces “peace, love, and good happiness stuff.”

There were people who provided detailed information and heartfelt testimonies about the history and time period but for various reasons have requested to remain anonymous. I acknowledge them here and send them my love and sincere gratitude.

While writing and researching, I returned constantly to reference the invaluable works of Ana Blandiana, Paul Goma, Dennis Deletant, Katherine Verdery, Herta Müller, Mihai Eminescu, Gail Kligman, and others. A full reference list of sources follows.

I also thank the following for their generous assistance and inspiration:

The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training, ASTRA Museum Sibiu, Andrei Bersan, Dr. Murray Bessette, the Bra?ov County Museum of History, the Bucharest Palace of Parliament, Adrian Bulgaru, the Ceau?escu Mansion, Laura Gabrielaityt?-Kazul?nien?, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, Arnas Gu??nas, Octavian Haragos, the Institute for the Investigation of the Crimes of Communism and the Memory of the Romanian Exile, Ms. Mancea Ioncea, the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, Ambassador Rolandas Krisciunas, Alexandra Loewy, MF3 High School, Pele? Castle, Adina Pintea, Ambassador Arvydas Pocius, the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Historical Collection at the Hoover Institution Library and Archives housed at Stanford University, the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, the Romanian Institute for Human Rights, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, the Sighet Museum, Manuela Tabac, the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, and Victoria Bra?ov County.





SOURCES




I Must Betray You was built with bricks from the following books, academic papers, articles, films, and resources.

1989 Libertate Roumanie by Deno?l Paris

“23 Years of Ceau?escu: Romania—Tight Rule of a ‘Deity’?” by Charles T. Powers, Los Angeles Times Abandoned for Life: The Incredible Story of One Romanian Orphan Hidden from the World, His Life, His Words by Izidor Ruckel “After the Revolution: The American Library of Bucharest Enters a New Era” by Mary Ann Ignatius “Alternative Images: The ’50s in Romania through Jokes Broadcasted by Radio Free Europe” by Gabriel Stelian Manea At Home There’s Only Speaking in a Whisper: File and Diary Recording the Late Years of the Romanian Dictatorship by Stelian T?nase Authoritarianism: What Everyone Needs to Know by Erica Frantz

Betrayals: The Unpredictability of Human Relations by Gabriella Turnaturi, translated by Lydia G. Cochrane Bottled Goods by Sophie van Llewyn

Broadcasting Freedom: The Cold War Triumph of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty by Arch Puddington “Bucharest Journal; To Rumanians, It Just Feels Like the Third World” by Craig R. Whitney, The New York Times “Bullets, Lies, and Videotape: The Amazing, Disappearing Romanian Counter-Revolution of December 1989” by Richard Andrew Hall Burying the Typewriter: A Memoir by Carmen Bugan