A final goodbye to Cristi Paturca: prophesy or anthem?

And so Cristi Paturca was laid to rest today not at all as he had planned, but nevertheless, the final goodbyes have now been said, en masse, and wonderfully captured for posterity HERE by TVR. The crowds speak for themselves and even the priest sings along to Imnul Golanilor. Very powerful. Very moving.

Here is an article below from Ziare, terribly sad and very well written, though every word resounds like a knell. Cristi Paturca's destiny was as tragic as that of anticommunism. Cristi died poor, rejected by society, sick and homeless. His honours came late in life and by the time he received them, they were as good as useless. His awards in 2010 came just in time to accompany him on his last journey. Even his final wishes were not respected for he ended up buried at Bellu although he had clearly insisted on being cremated and his remains scattered at Pta Universitatii. Cristi has gone and Iliescu lives on ready to return again to power through his intermediaries - what a strange and ironic twist of fate that is.

Cristi's disease was treatable, but he could not afford to pay such money. Whilst the politicians and pupincurists go to Switzerland to have their corns taken care of and haemorrhoids lasered, Cristi languished. Okay, fair enough. In his own words, he had become a 'bum'. But if that was the case, it was a result, largely, to the death of hopes and dreams, disillusionment and a sense of terrible betrayal. He is not alone to feel such desolation and to end up as he did; What a symbol he is for others like him, a portrait of what has happened to Roumania post-lovilutie. If his death serves nothing more, it should serve that. Cristi's passing is not only a requiem to anti-communism. It is a lamentation to all those who lived such suffrance, terror, hunger and cold, brainwashing, warped education, greyness, lowered voiced and eyes for so many years and who wished for something better. It is not much to ask, surely. Clearly, it was. One hoped for so much back then, and yet, in the face of things, one wished for so little. One wished for what, to us who have never lived such oppression and regime, was normal. A normal way of life. Warmth, good food, trust, hope, faithful education, truth - a future. You see, not much to ask at all. When communism finally fell in 1989/90, one can imagine the joy, the release, the crazed power that comes from sudden freedom. But too much too fast and the realisation soon hit that freedom was only a masquerade organised by Iliescu and his henchmen... everyone in Pta Universitatii were pawns in a mis en scene. What a crashing of expectations, ambitions, yearning... how terrible. For us lucky enough to have never experienced such a scenario, it is hard to imagine. Try please, for a moment for only then can one understand Cristi Paturca, how his life ended up as it did and why there is this crisis of antipathy in the country of my heart. Iliescu not only killed people like Paturca, but he murdered his own country with all the will that Ceausescu demolished and maimed it.

The article below asks what has been gained in the last 21 years. In a country that believed communism was evil and bloody, half the population today is nostalgic for that very evil and misses Ceausescu. What nonsence. What madness. I am not surprised that such knowledge, such insanity, such grief killed Cristi. The Imnul Golanilor is indeed more prophesy than anthem...

Recviem pentru anticomunism

Foto: Arhiva/Mediafax

Cristian Paturca a plecat astazi defintiv. Trist si prematur, neimplinit. In destinul nefericit si tragic al acestui om este concentrata parca intreaga istorie la fel de nefericita si tragica a anticomunismului, in care el a crezut.

Cristian Patruca, omul care a insufletit marea demonstratie anticomunista din Piata Universitatii, a murit sarac, aruncat la marginea societatii, rapus de o boala a mizeriei. A ajuns chiar un om al strazii, un vagabond.

Recunoasterile i-au venit tarziu, dupa declansarea bolii, si oarecum inutil, abia dupa ce trupul sau ajunsese o epava irecuperabila. A fost decorat de presedinte si a primit certificat de revolutionar doar pentru a le duce cu sine in mormant.

Nici macar ultima dorinta nu i-a fost indeplinita, fiind inlocuita cu o ultima onoare pe care nu si-a dorit-o. Cenusa sa nu a fost depusa la troita din Piata Universitatii, in schimb a fost inmormantat pe Aleea Artistilor din cimitirul Bellu.

Ce iroinie amara i-a rezervat destinul! Cristian Paturca e mort, Ion Iliescu se pregateste sa revina din nou, prin interpusi la putere. Cristian Paturca a fost sarac lipit pamantului, marii securisti si comunisti sunt putrezi de bogati.

Cristian Patruca a murit de o boala care n-ar mai trebui sa fie fatala de secolul trecut, in vreme ce politicienii romani se duc sa-si trateze la Viena pana si bataturile.

Cam asa si cu anticomunismul romanesc. A avut momentul sau de glorie, de efervescenta, dar a fost sufocat pas cu pas, manipulare cu manipulare de fostii securisti si comunisti, care au cucerit puterea economica si politica integrala. In cele din urma, a ajuns sa fie demonetizat, trimis la periferia preocuparilor societatii romanesti.

Si cand, in sfarsit, comunismul a fost condamnat oficial, momentul a fost nu numai tardiv, ci si ratat printr-o mascarada bine regizata in Parlament.

Unde suntem dupa 21 de ani de la demonstratia din Piata Universitatii?
In tara care credea ca s-a despins sangeros de comunism, dupa 21 de ani peste jumatate dintre cetateni sunt nostalgici comunisti si il regreta pe Nicolae Ceasescu?

In acesti 21 de ani am tot avut de alesi mereu, vorba lui Traian Basescu, intre comunisti si securisti, mai buni, mai rai, cu fata mai mult sau mai putin umana. Intre timp cei mai multi am si uitat ca a existat macar o Proclamatie de la Timisoara?

Unde am ajuns? Am ajuns ca urmasii Bratienilor sa se pupe pe gura cu seccuristul Dan Voiculescu si sa aseze o tandra lambada politica cu Ion Iliescu. Si am ajuns ca presedintele sa socoteasca ca in primii 10 ani, Nicolae Ceasusescu a fost un presedinte bun.

Anticomunismul romanesc este si el pe moarte, sarac si uitat de toti, sfidat de marii sai dusmani. Cantecul lui Cristian Paturca s-a dovedit iata o profetie: mai bine mort decat comunist!

My thanks to Cornelia U. for posting this, permitting me to find it :o)

Comments

[sairj]

Thank you Balbeck. It's a great hymn which I hope will be sung for many years to come. I published it on a previous post :)

[balbeck]

Imnul golanilor

A fost o data ca-n povesti
A fost in Romania,
O mare gasca de golani,
Ce-au alungat sclavia.
Noi nu ne-am confundat nicicind
Cu "oamenii de bine",
Numiti si neocomunisti
Cu fara de rusine.

R:
Mai bine haimana,
Decit tradator,
Mai bine huligan,
Decit dictator,
Mai bine golan,
Decit activist,
Mai bine mort,
Decit comunist.

Vrem libertate
Nu comunism
Si nici schimbari de forme
Si deaceea, securisti,
Sa nu ne puneti norma.
Noi nu vrem neocomunism,
Nici neolibertate,
"Democratii" originale
Si nici minciuni sfruntate.

[sairj]

Dear Doina
His songs certainly WILL live on - there is no greater reincarnation than through music and togetherness. his songs symbolise hope and dreams that I hope will one day shine again for those in the country of my heart... so good to see the crowds yesterday and the outpouring of love for Cristi. Shame he didnt have it towards the end of his life, mais enfin bon, better late than never. Viva Cristi si Viva Golani!!! Thank you for commenting xox

[doina]

well written, Sarah, and hank you for understanding so well what happens! And thank you for caring so much!My country needs friends and ypu are a wonderful one. As for Cristi,may he rest in peace, his songs will live!