EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00047R000400620008-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 2, 2013
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: August 5, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

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ULAJJ11-1CA 1 IUN CONFIDENTIAL irroW We/ Uk
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY Rumania
SUBJECT Educational System
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
50X1\CQUIRED BY SOURCE
DATE OF INFORMATION:
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFONMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATES, WITHIN THE MEANING OF TITLE IN, SECTIONS 793
AND 7949 OF THE U.S. CODE, As AMENDED. ITS AAAAAA ISSION on REVE-
LATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO ON RECEIPT ST AN uNAUTHONIFED PERSON Is
PROHIBITED IV LAW. THE REPRODUCTION OF THIS PONS IS P 11,0H I I TE 0 .
CD NO.
50X1
DATE DISTR SAO& 1954
NO. OF PAGES 6
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
SOURCE
1. The system of education of Rumanian youth: and of the Rumanian people
in general can be divided into the following categories: 50X1
I. Primary education
11. Secondary education
III. Higher (university) education
All three categories were coordinated and inspected by the region
inspection centers and were directly controlled by the Ministry of
National Education in Bucharest. The entire professorial and teaching
body, as well as all of the schools, were under the control and sole
supervision of the state, The education system or Rumania prior to
1948 was as follows:
Primary Education
2. This used to comprise seven grades which had to be attended by all
citizens of Rumania. Children started school at the age of six in the
so-called "Gradinita de copii" (kindergarden) which served as an /
orientation period for pre-school children. Courses were all taught
in the Rumanian language, with the exception of course;', in German or
Hungarian parochial schools, which taught in their own language, but
under the strict supervision of the Ministry of National Education in
Bucharest. In these seven years, that is from the time that the student
was seven years old until he reached 14 years of ace, he learned reading,
writing, history, and acquired a general knowledge of science,
mathematics, law, andathe citizen's duty towards the state. All primary
school teachers had to be graduates of normal schools (Scoli Normale),
and all books and school equipment were furnished directly by the Ministry
of National Education.
CLASSIFICATION CONFDROTIAL
DISTRIBUTION
State EV
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Secondary Education
Education
3. At the end of their fourth year of primary school the leading students,
or more correctly those having the possibility of further studies, were
sent to one of the following schools:
4.
State high schools
Teacher training schools
Industrial schools (vocational)
Art and trade schools
Military schools
The length, of secondary education was as follows: state schools - 8 years;
teacher training schools - 7 years; industrial schools - 7 years; art
schools and industrial (vocational) schools - 4years; and military schools -
8 years. Entrance examinations were given by each of the respective
schools. The more capable and intelligent students were always preferred.
Graduates of state schools and military schools, who had successfully
completed eight years of schooling, had the right to present themselves
to the baccalaureate examinations which were given in three parts. If
the exams were successfully passed, the graduate could apply for
entrance to one of the universities or officers' schools. These, in turn,
had their own entrance examination. Having passed the baccalaureate
examinations, the graduate had the privilege of taking entrance examinations
of the medical school, engineering school, law school, liberal arts,
philosophy, business administration, theology, or any of the officer's
schools, whether for active or reserve training.
5. Graduates from the teacher training schools became "invatatori" (teacherS
in primary schools only). To teach in high schools or in universities
one had to be a university graduate.
6.
Graduates of industrial or vocational schools became "chief masters" in
factories, or they could later attend schools for "sub-ingineri" (assistant
engineers, mechanics, electricians, etc.).
7. Graduates of art schools or of trade schools became masters in the various
departments of factories, lathing shops, metal shops, mechanical shops, or
carpentry shops.
University Education
8. Rumania had, the following universities:
Bucharest:
Cluj:
Iasi:
Timisoara:
Brasov:
Craiova:
9. The duration
All departments of higher education
All departments except the school of
All departments
All departments, this being the second
university center in Rumania
Business administration school ,
Business administration school and the
engineering.
engineering
largest
'school of
of the courses at the universities was as follows:
Medicine:
Engineering:
Liberal arts:
Law:
7 years
5 years
4 years
4 years
Mathematics:
Pharmacy:
Philosophy:
Veterinary Medicine
(in Bucharest):
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4 years
years
Years
6 years
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10. RuMania had the following officerst schools, each with a curriculum
of two years duration:
Bucharest: Air Corps, Corps of Engineers, Signal Corps,
Motorized.Corps, Gendarmery, Antiaircraft Corps,
and Administrative Corps.
Sibiu: Infantry
Targoviste: Cavalry
Ploesti: Artillery - reserve officers' training corps.
Roman: Infantry - reserve officers' training corps.
Constanta: Navy
Pitesti: Artillery Corps - active officers
11. Rumania's theological seminaries were located in Bucharest, Sibiu, Cluj,
and Iasi. The courses at the seminaries were four years long.
12. The above is a brief sketch of the Rumanian educational system until
1948, under which all students could study without prejudice of race,
occupation, or social standing, the only requirement being that they
graduate from their classes.
13. The events that took place after 1948 were as follows: In the very
beginning the Soviets destroyed all Rumanian libraries, as well as all
documents testifying to the Latin origin of the Rumanian peop1e4 .The
libraries of every university were burned and all private librari?
were confiscated. No one could read any book written by the old _
Rumanian authors or by any foreign author. A complete new series of books were
printed the contents of which were closely tied in with USSR developments and which
tried . to connect the history of the USSR with Rumania's history.
14. The first body to fall under the control of the Soviets was the Ministry
of National Education and next the ARLUS (Asociatia Romans. cu Legeturile
de Prietenie Cu Uniunea Sovietice, Rumanian Association for Friendly
Relations with the Soviet Union). The latter organization had its head-
quarters in Bucharest and subsidiary branches in each city of Rumania.
The ARLUS branches had the mandatory function of distributing rapidly all
the books translated from Russian.
a
15. Newspapers were likewise severely controlled and censored. No one could aa.aaa
express himself independently any longer and objective criticism could not
be Made. All articles were filled with lies and stories of socialist
competitions, as well as with accusations which had been directed against_
the west since 1945.
16. In addition to the above, another danger threatened the Rumanian people;
namely, the fact that the Russian language was now being taught from the
primary school level. Still another danger was the abolishment of former
university centers, which were reniassa by 1,110t1,tntes similfkr to theme found
in the USSR. The length of study period and the number of courses was reduced,
17.
In order to keep students out of universities, the new regime introduced
various methods. The following occurred at the University oi Timisoara where
ThLTimisoara University Center 50X1
Vittb cumposea OI s everaa schools. The 23 August School of Medicine was
located on Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta. (It had been established on
23 August 1944, Rumania's Armistice Day, and it was named after that incident).
Beginning in 1948, almost the entire professorial body was composed of Communists
originating from different part of Rumania. The level of their education was
very limited, so much so that the medical school of this university had not been
recognized as being on the same level with other medical schools of the country.
Nevertheless, the school continued to operate with the full support of the
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newly instituted instituted Communist government. The only ones who did not
share the feelings of these professors were the true, patriotic students,
but thirty per cent of these ended up by being arrested and imprisoned
because they were suspected of being dangerous to the Rumanian Communist
government in Bucharest. Many of them were sent to the USSR and never
returned again.
18. The second school of the university center was the School of Agronomy.
It occupied a modern building on the Bega Canal. This agronomy school
was formerly part of Cluj University, but in 1940 when the Hungarians
occupied Transylvania, the schoel was moved teTimisoara and has remained
there even since. The bestteachers in this school wer dismissed because
they were considered dangerous to the regime. Inasmuch as there were
insufficient numbers of well prepared professors, Communist professors
Who were totally lacking in adequate knowledge were hired. They were
appointed directly by the Bucharest government. Just as in the case of
the school of medicine, some students who had the love of their country
and people at heart ended up by being -imprisoned.
19. The third and most important school of the university center vas the
School of Engineering. It war located in throe separate buildings. The
department of mechanical engineering was located on the Mai Viteazu
Street near the Bega Canal and In the vicinity of the new Orthodox
Cathedral. The department of mines, metallurgy, and industrial chemistry
was located on Telhitz Street behind the "Ste2an cel Mare" army barracks.
The department of construction was located in the building of the
Piaristilor high School.
20. In 1948, the school of engineering was changed into the Institute of
Engineering and the length of studies was shortened from five years to ;
three years. Only those students were admitted to the Institute who we4
either sons of laborers or of peasants, on the condition thet their parents
had not been rich in the past and that they were currently Communists. The
students themselves were also required to he Communists. All others were
denied admission to the Institute of Engineering.
21. Its department of electro-mechanics had a curriculum of five years, and it
was noted for preparing outstanding electro-mechanical engineers. In 1948
the rector of the school of engineering was (fnu) Margulascu who had
obtained his PhD in engineering in Berlin. He had excellent training in
electronics and had strong Communistic beliefs. The dean of the school
of engineering, Dr. Eng Aurel Barglatan, a graduate of the Berlin School
of Engineering, had been a professor of hydraulics. He was the director
of the electric power plant of the Banat and first counsellor at the Resita
plant. He was replaced in 1948 by Professor (fun) Arghiriade, professor
of general mathematics and former high school teacher at the Gaesti school.
He was appointed university professor, after the advent of the Communists,
and was later appointed as dean of the electro-mechanics department of
the school of engineering. He was deeply interested in the welfare of the
party and in Soviet ideas in general. He was constantly opposing anything
from the west (France, UK, and US).
22. The professors teaching at the school as of September 1948 were:
Engineer Doctor M. Ghermanescu
Engineer Gheorghe Gheorghiu
Engineer Doctor I. Nadasan
Engineer Doctor V. Alaci
Professor of Efficiency Engineering
(Communist Party Member)
- Professor of Descriptive Geometry
(Commun?'et Party Member)
- Professor of Resistance of Materials
- Professor ofDifferential Calculus
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Engineer gnig7 Caluieeanu
Engineer Doctor Lingyhrgulergeu
Engineer ffiau7 Maior
Engineer Doctor gnu7 pabla
Professor of Industrial Design
& Calculating Machines (Communist
Party Member)
Professor Of Electronics, Electrical
Mechanics (Communist Party Member)
Professor of Railroads
-Professor of Electronics and Special
Mathematics
Engineer Doctor M. TiMA
Arghiriade - Professor of Analytical Geometry,
Mines, and Metallurgy (Communist
Party Member)
There were approximately 50 other less important professors or instructors
employed by this school.
23. The most common method used by :ommunists to eliminate students was by
"arrests". One could be arrested and detained eitherday or night by the
Communist police merely if they did not like your attitude. The most common
arrests were made just before exam time in order to prevent the "reactionary"
students (those opposing the government) from taking the exams and graduating.
After the exam period was over, the students were freed only to be arrested
again before the next exam period. Thus, students automatically lost a
school year and were eventually eliminated.
24. The group that did the checking on the political standing of every student
was the UNSR (Uniunea Nat ionala a Studentilor Romani, National Union of
Rumanian Students). Its main headquarters were in Bucharest but it had
committees in every college at all universities and also in each school
year class. Its headquarters inTiMisoara was located in the Loydd Hotel,
across from the opera house. All the members of these committees were
ommunists who were poor in their school work, but who had sly designs of
destroying their comrades especially those who belonged to the intellectual
or rich classes. They made their reports on the activities of each student
and sent them to the main headquarters in Bucharest. All arrests were made
en masse, without anyone knowing why or knowing the person who denounced
them.. No one could resist arrest because the police were Cpmmunists and
worked hand in hand with the government.
25. The school fees were fixed by the UNSR. Professors were obliged to pass
Communists, even though they might not have been fully prepared.
26. It was both stnnid and unbelievable that in June and July 1948, the number
of arrests inTimisoarawas so great that there was no more room available
for students either at the state security police building (Siguranta
Statului), on Loga Street, at the penitentiary on Carol Street, or at the
military prison under the command of Communist Colonel 5ua7 Mauriehi. Therefore,
two movie houses were closed and used as prisons. The ?Lee ..ae soon filled
with students, officers, intellectuals, lawyers, engineers, and others.
27. The majority of the students who were part of the UNSR committees were of
Bessarabian origin. This area is now a part of the USSR. These students
had Soviet tendencies, knew the Russian language, and were used by the
Soviets in all institutes.
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28. All forms of liberty disappeared. No one was allowed to be on the
streets after 8 or 9 in the evening, with the exception of the police who
patrolled the streets. If you were found on the streets after 9 P.M.
you were accused of planning to go to a 'subversive meeting to plot
against the interests of the state, and were immediately arrested. Moreover,
with the curfew in effect, the police were always sure that they could find
you at home evenings, any time that they wanted to arrest you.
29.
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30. The program of the Communists called for many conferences and parties
to attraet students to their side, however, no one would be caught in
attendance at such meetings exCept the Communists themselves. Because of this,
work centers were established in 1948. Courses at the centers lasted three
months and were obligatory.
In Livezeni - Valea Jiului (the Jiul River valley)
In Prut - Moldova
In Somes - Northern Transylvania
The purpose of these work centers was to create Communist cadres among the
ranks of the students. Student bodies used to play a very important role
in Rumania, and since the Communists knew that , they tried to win them
over with all sorts of promises. Communist instructors from. Bucharest would
walk about and mingle with ti students for about four to five hours each day.
The truth of the matter was that these work camps did not attain their
intended dims, and the students returned home more antagonistic to ommunism
than, ever.
31. Many students grouped themselves in so-called "resistance centers" and acted
effectively against the Communist regime. They performed acts of sabotage such
as dynamiting trainloads of Soviet soldiers and shipments of ammunitions.
Such things were never mentioned in the papers, but their results were plainly
visible.
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LIBRARY SUBJECT AND AREA CODES
831.1 6om
831.2 6om
831.5 6om
831.6 6om
238.3 6om
338.31 6om
438.3 6om
831.3 6om
135.24 6om
135.22 6om
114.81 6om
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