
English version below ———————Interzicerea comertului privat si impunerea brutala a comertului de stat a facut ca multe dintre magazine, fabrici, mici ateliere, utilaje, sedii de firme si locuinte sa fie confiscate de comunisti sau parasite de proprietari mai ales in perioada 1945-1950. Mai exact, cadrul legislativ a fost creat incepand cu Legea 351/1945 pentru reprimarea speculei ilicite si a sabotajului economic, continuand cu Legea 119 din 1948 prin care se prevedea nationalizarea mijloacelor private de productie si finalizand cu Decretul 92 din 1950 cand statul roman, pentru intarirea si dezvoltarea sectorului socialist, a decis nationalizarea imobilelor apartinand fostilor industriasi, mosieri, comercianti, bancheri si alte categorii de „burgheji”. Pentru a intimida asa numita burghezie si pentru a da exemple de aplicare a noilor legi, autoritatile comuniste au si arestat multi dintre acesti mari proprietari, industriasi si chiar mici negustori, invocand motive inexistente sau ilare.
Printre acestia s-au aflat si negustori armeni, unul dintre aceste cazuri fiind cel al lui Krikor Ghiulbenghian angrosist de legume si fructe pe platforma Obor care, desi avea autorizatie valabila pentru comercializarea produselor alimentare, a fost arestat si condamnat la 1,5 ani de inchisoare cu executare pentru ca ar fi comercializat foi de placinta care, dupa autoritatile de atunci, nu erau produse alimentare.
Unii dintre negustorii vremii au reusit sa scape renuntand la avere in schimbul libertatii, altii au plecat in strainatate abandonand totul in urma, alti si-au gasit sfarsitul in beciurile securitatii sau la Canal indurand torturi, foamete si umilinte.
Treptat in unele dintre imobile s-au mutat noii nomenclaturisti ai regimului iar, in altele au fost repartizate diferite categorii de „oameni ai muncii”, „oameni din popor, cu origine sanatoasa, cinstiti si drepti.”
Pentru a avea o imagine despre modul de abordare a acestor legi, putem sa analizam cateva fragmente din Legea 351/1945 pentru reprimarea speculei ilicite si a sabotajului economic.
Legea de fata se aplica potrivit dispozitiunilor ei:
a) Industriasilor;
b) Comerciantilor cu ridicata sau cu amanuntul;
c) Comerciantilor ambulanti;
d) Persoanelor care fac acte izolate de comert;
e) Meseriasilor si in general persoanelor care, fara a fi comercianti, desfasoara o activitate avand de obiect lucrarea sau transformarea de produse ori marfuri sau prestatiuni ori locatiuni de bunuri sau de servicii;
f) Producatorilor, afara de cazurile in care legi referitoare la acestia contin dispozitiuni speciale;
g) Oricaror alte persoane fizice sau juridice, publice sau private, in cazul in care sunt anume prevazute prin legi, deciziuni sau ordonante;
Comisariatul General al Preturilor va putea fixa, prin deciziuni, tipuri de articole si dispune prin deciziuni blocarea sau rechizitionarea produselor si marfurilor la orice detinator.
In aceleasi conditiuni va putea dispune, prin deciziuni, rechizitionarea de mijloace de transport, precum si de magazii, silozuri de orice alte imobile pentru depozitarea diferitelor produse si marfuri.
Foarte interesant este ceea ce prevede art.15 din aceasta lege: „ Intreprinderile de orice categorie nu vor putea micsora productia sau activitatea lor, in raport cu aceea pe care au avut-o in anul precedent, nici inceta productia sau activitatea ori refuza reluarea ei, decat cu aprobarea prealabila a Ministerului Industriei si Comertului.”
Legea 119/1948…Se nationalizeaza toate bogatiile subsolului care nu se gaseau in proprietatea Statului la data intrarii in vigoare a Constitutiei Republicii Populare Romane, precum si intreprinderile individuale, societatile de orice fel si asociatiunile particulare industriale, bancare, de asigurari, miniere, de transporturi si telecomunicatii…
Pentru ca Decretul 92 din 1950 sa dea lovitura de gratie:…”Pentru intarirea si dezvoltarea sectorului socialist in economia R.P.R;
Pentru asigurarea unei bune gospodariri a fondului de locuinte supuse degradarii din cauza sabotajului marei burghezii si a exploatatorilor care detin un mare numar de imobile;
Pentru a lua din mana exploatatorilor un important mijloc de exploatare;
Se nationalizeaza imobilele prevazute in listele anexe, inregistrate la Cancelaria Consiliului de Ministri sub Nr. 543 din 14 Aprilie 1950, care fac parte integranta din prezentul decret si la a caror alcatuire s-a tinut seama de urmatoarele criterii:
1. Imobilele cladite care apartin fostilor industriasi, fostilor mosieri, fostilor bancheri, fostilor mari comercianti si celorlalte elemente ale marei burghezii.
2. Imobilele cladite care sint detinute de exploatatorii de locuinte.
3. Hotelurile cu intreg inventarul lor.
4. Imobilele in constructie, cladite in scop de exploatare, care au fost abandonate de proprietarii lor, precum si materialele de constructie aferente oriunde s-ar afla depozitate.
5. Imobilele avariate sau distruse de pe urma cutremurului sau a razboiului, cladite in scop de exploatare si ai caror proprietari nu s-au ingrijit de repararea sau reconstructia lor….
Deoarece, in acea vreme mijloacele de economisire erau limitate, multi dintre cei care aveau ceva bani, investeau in aur (monede, bijuterii etc), orientarea populatiei catre de aur a cunoscand o crestere mai ales in perioadele de fluctuatii monetare si a stabilizarii. Majoritatea negustorilor, industriasilor a marilor proprietari de imobile dar si, a micilor comercianti sau a altor categorii sociale cu posibilitati financiare peste medie, isi investeau economiile in acest metal pretios. Statul comunist, cunoscand aceste practici a decis confiscarea rezervelor de aur existente la populatie. Astfel, prin Legea 638/1946 s-a creat cadrul legal prin care mii de oamenii au fost arestati, anchetati si torturati, li s-au perchezitionat casele, multi, sfarsind in inchisori sau in lagare de munca Canal, totul pentru a marturisi si a preda pretiosul metal. In paralel s-au mai confiscat colectii de arta, tablouri, daca ar fi sa amintim numai de confiscarea colectiei de arta al lui Krikor Zambaccian care a fost silit sa doneze statului colectia sa de 310 lucrari de arta, in mare parte tablouri de valoare.
Toate aceste masuri au avut ca efect final pierderea unui segment foarte valoros de comercianti, industriasi, intreprinzatori de tot felul si sigur, de toate etniile, nu numai armeni, oameni care au contribuit cu pricepere la dezvoltarea economica a Romaniei din perioada precomunista. De-a lungul vremii s-a dovedit ca statul a fost un prost gospodar si administrator. De exemplu, mare parte dintre utilajele confiscate de la particulari au fost utilizate fara a se efectua lucrarile de intretinere necesare, ceea ce a dus la deterioararea rapida a acestora. Putem relata cazul masinilor de prajit si macinat cafea confiscate de la cafegii armeni, acestea erau aduse din stainatate, de regula din Germania si, erau mandria fiecarui negustor de cafea fiind puse la loc de cinste in pravalie, toata activitatea zilnica invartindu-se in jurul acestor masini. Trebuie spus ca masinile de macinat si prajit cafea necesitau lucrari scumpe de intretinere, cum acestea nu se faceau, masinile s-au defectat in scurt timp si au sfarsit la fier vechi. Cafegiul Gheorghe Florescu, ne relateaza cate ceva despre acest subiect:
“…Dupa impunerea exclusiva a comertului de stat de catre comunisti, cei mai renumiti cafegi armeni care erau cunoscuti ca foarte buni profesionisti, au fost chemati de catre conducerea de atunci pentru a gasi impreuna o solutie de a continua mestesugul lor, intr-o forma care sa poata functiona in noul sistem comunist al comertului de stat. Astfel, s-au purtat discutii ample pe baza marjei de scaderea a cafelei in timpul procesului de prajire. Cafeaua scade la prajit si trebuia stabilit clar procentul care se pierde pentru a putea tine o socoteala clara a cantitatilor. Comunistii au fost de acord sa accepte o marja de scadere mai mare decat in realitate pentru a putea permite cafegiilor sa realizeze ceva profit pentru a fi motivati sa continue meseria si, sa plateasca intretinerea masinilor de prajit si macinat care era foarte scumpa.
Pe mine de exemplu, ascutirea cutitelor masinii de macinat ma costa 3000 de lei pe luna, in perioada in care salariul unui muncitor era de 1500 de lei pe luna… banii astia trebuia sa-i scoti de undeva. Ascutirea acestor cutite era un proces foarte complex, se facea cu cianura, se decalea fierul, se ascutea, dupa care se calea la loc, in Bucuresti il facea o singura persoana, un neamt Stefan Heinric…Prima proba dupa ascutire se facea prin introducerea unui pumn de nisip in masina, daca il macina pana il facea ca faina, insemna ca a fost ascutita bine.
Toti cafegii armeni aveau utilaje proprii, ei au fost obligati sa le puna la dispozitia comertului de stat si sa le foloseasca in interes public, pe sefii comertului de atunci nu-i interesau costurile cu intretinerea acestor masini de prajit si macinat, ei erau interesati doar de exploatarea lor. In timp, dupa ce o mare parte din armeni au emigrat sau altii au iesit la pensie, magazinele in care se aflau aceste masini au fost preluate de diverse persoane care nu aveau nimic in comun cu meseria de cafegiu, majoritatea erau foarte tineri, fara experienta si visau castiguri peste noapte, nu-i interesa nimic altceva, asa ca aceste formidabile masini, facute de renumite firme din strainatate au fost folosite fara a fi intretinute pana s-au uzat si au ajuns incet, incet…la fier vechi.”
English version
The prohibition of private trade and the brutal imposition of state trade caused many of the shops, factories, small workshops, machines, company headquarters and houses to be confiscated by the communists or abandoned by the owners, especially in the period 1945-1950. More precisely, the legislative framework was created starting with Law 351/1945 for the repression of illegal bribery and economic sabotage, continuing with Law 119 from 1948 which provided for the nationalization of private means of production and ending with Decree 92 from 1950 when the Romanian state, for the strengthening and development of the socialist sector, decided to nationalize the buildings belonging to former industrialists, landlords, merchants, bankers and other categories of “bourgeois”. In order to intimidate the so-called bourgeoisie and to give examples of the application of the new laws, the communist authorities arrested many of these big owners, industrialists and even small merchants, citing non-existent or ridiculous reasons. Among them were Armenian merchants, one of these cases being that of Krikor Ghiulbenghian, wholesaler of vegetables and fruits on the Obor platform, who, although he had a valid authorization for the sale of food products, was arrested and sentenced to 1.5 years in prison with execution for allegedly selling dough sheets of pie which, according to the authorities at the time, were not food products. Some of the merchants of the time managed to escape by giving up their wealth in exchange for freedom, others fled abroad leaving everything behind, others found their end in the Securitate cellars or at the Danube Canal digging enduring torture, hunger and humiliation. Gradually, the new nomenclature of the regime moved into some of the buildings and, in others, different categories of “working people”, “people from the lower class, with healthy origin, honest and just” were assigned.
To get an idea of how to approach these laws, we can analyse some fragments of Law 351/1945 for the suppression of illegal bribery and economic sabotage. The current law is applied according to its provisions:
a) Industrialists;
b) Wholesalers or retailers;
c) Itinerant traders;
d) Persons who make acts isolated from trade;
e) Tradesmen and in general persons who, without being traders, carry out an activity having as their object the work or transformation of products or goods or services or locations of goods or services;
f) Producers, except in cases where the laws relating to them contain special provisions;
g) To any other natural or legal persons, public or private, in case they are specifically provided for by laws, decisions or ordinances;
The General Commissariat of Prices will be able to fix, through decisions, the types of articles and order through decisions the blocking or requisitioning of products and goods from any holder. Under the same conditions, he will be able to order, through decisions, the requisitioning of means of transport, as well as warehouses, silos and any other buildings for the storage of various products and goods. Very interesting is what is provided by art. 15 of this law: “Enterprises of any category will not be able to reduce their production or activity, in relation to the one they had in the previous year, nor stop production or activity or refuse to resume it , except with the prior approval of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.”
Law 119/1948… All underground wealth that was not owned by the State at the date of entry into force of the Constitution of the Romanian People’s Republic, as well as individual enterprises, companies of any kind and private industrial, banking, insurance, mining, transport and telecommunications…
The Decree 92 from 1950 deliver the coup de grace:…”For the strengthening and development of the socialist sector in the economy of the P.R.R.; To ensure a good management of the housing stock subject to degradation due to the sabotage of the big bourgeoisie and the exploiters who own a large number of buildings; To take an important means of exploitation from the hands of the exploiters; The buildings provided in the attached lists, registered at the Chancellery of the Council of Ministers under No. 543 of April 14, 1950, which are an integral part of this decree and whose creation took into account the following criteria:
1. The buildings that belong to former industrialists, former landlords, former bankers, former big merchants and other elements of the big bourgeoisie.
2. Built buildings that are owned by housing developers.
3. Hotels with their entire inventory.
4. Buildings under construction, built for the purpose of exploitation, which have been abandoned by their owners, as well as related construction materials wherever they are stored.
5. Buildings damaged or destroyed as a result of the earthquake or the war, built for the purpose of exploitation and whose owners did not take care of their repair or reconstruction…
Because, at that time, the means of saving were limited, many of those who had some money, invested in gold (coins, jewellery, etc.), the orientation of the population towards gold experienced an increase, especially in periods of monetary fluctuations and stabilization. The majority of merchants, industrialists, large real estate owners, but also small traders or other social categories with above-average financial possibilities, invested their savings in this precious metal. The communist state, knowing these practices, decided to confiscate the existing gold reserves of the population. Thus, through Law 638/1946, the legal framework was created through which thousands of people were arrested, investigated and tortured, their homes were searched, many ending up in prisons or the Danube Canal labour camp, all in order to confess and teach the precious metal. In parallel, art collections and paintings were confiscated, if we were to mention only the confiscation of the art collection of Krikor Zambaccian who was forced to donate to the state his collection of 310 works of art, mostly valuable paintings.
All these measures had as a final effect the loss of a very valuable segment of traders, industrialists, entrepreneurs of all kinds and certainly, of all ethnicities, not only Armenians, people who skillfully contributed to the economic development of Romania from the pre-communist period. Over time, it proved that the state was a bad manager and administrator. For example, most of the machines confiscated from individuals were used without performing the necessary maintenance work, which led to their rapid deterioration. We can relate the case of the coffee roasting and grinding machines confiscated from the Armenian coffee merchants, they were brought from the countryside, usually from Germany, and they were the pride of every coffee shopkeeper being placed in a place of honour in the shops, all the daily activity spinning around these machines. It must be said that the coffee grinding and roasting machines required expensive maintenance work, as these were not done, the machines broke down in a short time and ended up as scrap metal.
The coffee merchant Gheorghe Florescu tells us something about this topic: “…After the exclusive imposition of state trade by the communists, the most famous Armenian coffee makers who were known as very good professionals, were called by the then leadership to find together a solution to continue their craft, in a form that can function in the new communist system of state trade. Thus, extensive discussions were held based on the margin of coffee loss during the roasting process. Coffee decreases when roasted and the percentage that is lost had to be clearly established in order to be able to keep a clear account of the quantities. The communists agreed to accept a bigger reduction margin than in reality in order to allow the merchants to make some profit to be motivated to continue the job and to pay for the maintenance of the roasting and grinding machines which was very expensive.
For me, for example, sharpening the knives of the grinding machine cost me 3000 lei per month, during the period when a worker’s salary was 1500 lei per month… you had to get this money from somewhere. The sharpening of these knives was a very complex process, it was done with cyanide, the iron was offset, it was sharpened, then it was sharpened, in Bucharest it was done by a single person, a German named Stefan Heinric… The first test after sharpening was done by inserting a handful of sand in the car, if it grinds until it becomes flour like, it means that it was sharpened well.
All the Armenian coffee shops had their own machines, they were forced to make them available to the state trade and to use them in the public interest, the trade bosses at that time were not interested in the costs of maintaining these roasting and grinding machines, they were only interested of their exploitation. Over time, after a large part of Armenians emigrated or others retired, the shops where these machines were located were taken over by various people who had nothing in common with the coffee trade, most of them were very young, without experience and they dreamed of overnight profits, they were not interested in anything else, so these formidable machines, made by famous companies from abroad, were used without being maintained until they wore out and slowly, slowly…were scrapped.”
Daca imobilele evreilor plecati spre Israel in anii 1950-1960 si nu au fost predate statului communist au fost confiscate ca si immobile abandonate?
In “PH” (Patria Hotilor) absolut totul este posibil !
Stimate Paul Agopian, fi bun si permite-mi sa reproduc si sa public urmatoarele materiale din exceptionalul tau site. Este vorba de cateva fotografii, taieturil dn ziare in care sunt redate nationalizarile, confectii,etc.
Este vorba despre vol.II al monografiei, care pe langa Pitesti va avea si alte centre in care existau comunitati armene.
Iti multumesc si ramsn indatorat. Paraianu
Sigur, aveti permisiunea mea ! Toate cele bune, Paul
Cum pot obtine si eu acte cu numele celor expropriate si nationalizati?
Ma poate ajuta cineva cu lista legilor, decretelor de confiscare abuziva?
De la arhivele nationale nu primesc informatii doar daca cer ceva concret(nr lege, an, etc )
Multumesc