Romania’s Struggle with Its Fascist Past Fuels Right-Wing Populism

The recent reluctance to erase honors for Romania's fascist past highlights a national struggle with historical acknowledgment, as evidenced by the failed renaming of a street dedicated to a war criminal.

As Romania confronts the shadows of its past, a surge in ultranationalist sentiment among the electorate shows an increasing desire to cling to a controversial historical narrative. The recent attempt by Diana Mardarovici, a Bucharest city councilor, to rename an avenue honoring a World War II fascist functionary serves as a striking illustration of this struggle. Mardarovici, anticipating general support to remove the tribute to Mircea Vulcanescu, a convicted war criminal implicated in the expropriation of Jewish property, was met with resistance at City Hall.

Despite her colleagues denying any intentions of endorsing Nazism or harboring anti-Semitic sentiments, a prevalent fear exists that acknowledging such historical injustices undermines national identity. "I thought this would be peanuts, a piece of cake," Mardarovici expressed, reflecting the broad assumption that honoring Nazis would be an uncontroversial issue. Yet, her proposal was never formally voted on, reflecting a concerning trend in Romanian society to maintain the status quo regarding representations of its fascist era.

These tensions are indicative of a deeper rift within Romanian culture, where figures like Vulcanescu, despite their affiliations with a dark past, are celebrated for their contributions to Romanian intellectual life and opposition to communism. This reverence for historical figures complicit in fascist actions raises questions about the collective memory and national pride, complicating efforts to address a past that many would rather forget.

As Romania inches closer to elections, the implications of this historical tug-of-war could be profound. The rise of ultranationalist politicians indicates a populace increasingly willing to embrace a narrative that exalts a controversial past rather than confront its complexities. The episode echoes a broader challenge faced by many nations grappling with historical legacies that clash with contemporary values, revealing that for some societies, the road toward reconciliation can often be fraught with political peril.