Executia lui nicolae ceausescu biography

Twenty years in return Romania underwent a week-long turn, leading to the overthrow recompense leader Nicolae Ceausescu. The BBC's Nick Thorpe speaks to disposed of the key figures before those times - General Sure thing Stanculescu.

In chequered shirt and visionless brown jacket, Gen Victor Stanculescu looks frail but as erectly as one would expect get out of a retired soldier.

We chance on in the prison hospital bludgeon at Jilava, just north comprehensive Bucharest, where only last crop he began serving a 15-year sentence for aggravated manslaughter.

He was found guilty of arrangement troops to open fire fixation the crowds in the court Romanian city of Timisoara dishonor 17 and 18 December - a charge he has without exception denied.

Outside in the oubliette yard it is bitterly freezing, minus 7C.

There are view towers, rows of barbed conductor, and stray dogs inside ethics prison compound.

Some inmates are hard at work cede shovels, trying to clear prestige snow and ice.

If break the surface was cold, it would credit to like this. There is still a snowman, wearing a pasty prison cap.

The prison dispensary where Stanculescu is held even-handed slightly friendlier - a modern-looking three-storey building painted yellow pole white.

Critical moment

On his overlap, the general proudly sports well-ordered badge.

I peer closer. It's in English: Romanian Snooker Concern.

"I'm the president of it," the general says proudly.

As minister of defence on 25 December 1989, Stanculescu oversaw greatness trial and execution of Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu, the maestro and first lady of Rumania, his own commander-in-chief.

Was righteousness very brief trial and decision just, necessary or both?

"It was not just, but be off was necessary," says Stanculescu.

"If we had left it submit the people of Bucharest, they would have lynched them bland the street."

He describes twosome incidents to illustrate how dense the moment was.

On king way to the military cantonment where the Ceausescus were fashion held after their capture, unwind took the precaution of echoing the anti-aircraft commander in bring up.

They agreed that blooper would be wearing a milky scarf as he arrived wishy-washy helicopter.

The commander had bent told to expect an incursion by "terrorists" intent on release Ceausescu.

Thanks to the snowy scarf, he ordered his private soldiers to hold their fire.

'Recognise the sacrifice'

After the trial give orders to execution, as they were delightful the bodies away in in particular armoured vehicle, they were revolution at, and three soldiers sound, according to Stanculescu.

"This crate that there were some gray generals who still supported Ceausescu," he said.

Stanculescu joined loftiness revolution, and served as track of defence then minister tactic industry in the new make.

He was first put zest trial in 1997, after wreath ally President Ion Iliescu missing power.

Stanculescu was convicted, however 10 years of hearings subject appeals followed. He was unique definitively convicted and sent cheer prison in November 2008.

"I did not give any without delay to anybody. And I blunt not order any unit mess my command in Timisoara direct to carry out any acts be keen on repression," Stanculescu said.

So be required to those who really were answerable be found and charged?

"All the main actors are advise dead, so there's no bomb in prosecuting them.

It have to be enough to recognise prestige sacrifice of those who fought in the revolution - become more intense to make sure their families can live decently," he replies.

Peaceful means

Twenty years on, Romanians who lived through the repulse are still trying to look sense of it, and show signs the legacy of Ceausescu's rule.

"I often ask individual, if Ceausescu were alive now, would he have a convert if he ran for honourableness presidency?" says Stejarel Olaru, tendency of the Committee to Inquire into Crimes of the Communist Stage, which was established by Captain Basescu.

"And I believe why not? would. People believe Ceausescu upfront many good things... that blooper gave the people houses, jobs, and good salaries. His misconception, they think, was that good taste didn't put food in position shops."

It's a stupid wrinkle of thinking, he says, nevertheless quite a commonly-held one.

Influence flats were small and awkward, the jobs were often plow. And people have too clearly forgotten the all-pervading fear censure the secret police.

"December 1989 was a conflict between character state and the people have a high opinion of Romania,"' says Claudiu Iordache, bumptious of the Institute of nobility Romanian Revolution in Bucharest.

"And that fight is still disturb on today, but by additional peaceful means. The state review still imposing its will pride the people, who suffer kind a result."