Biography Leonte Răutu

1 biography

1.1 activities
1.2 communist rise
1.3 pauker s fall , processing campaign
1.4 anti-revisionism
1.5 transition national communism
1.6 ceaușescu s aide
1.7 downfall , final years

biography
early activities

rătu s birthplace bălți (byeltsi), city in bessarabia governorate, russian empire, father, nikolai ivanovich oigenstein (or nicolai ivanovici oighenstein), worked pharmacist. oigensteins russian-educated jews, , did not speak romanian until ca. 1920. communist sources suggest răutu born in romania proper, @ fălticeni, account either misled or misleading. lev nikolayevich (later leonte or leonea) eldest of 3 brothers; dan (later dan răutu) second-born; third brother, mikhail, later take name of mihail mișa oișteanu.

lev witnessed birth of greater romania bălți, remained until high-school graduation. later relocated bukovina region, and, in 1928, in bucharest, national capital. future ideologist entered university of bucharest study mathematics, never graduated. (he may have spent while @ bucharest medical school.) entered communist youth in 1929 , party in 1931, contributing propaganda activities. in years when romanian communist party (pcr, later workers party , or pmr) banned, editor of party organ scînteia , worked Ștefan foriș, lucrețiu pătrășcanu, valter roman, sorin toma, mircea bălănescu , tatiana leapis (later bulan). leapis răutu s first wife, left him foriș.

characterized intelligent, ironic , well-informed, răutu preferred read russian , soviet literature. although lacking thorough training in philosophy, 1 of few pcr activists knowledge of marxist , non-marxist theory, despised forms of continental philosophy , modernism. political scientist vladimir tismăneanu describes răutu comparable other eastern european dogmatic stalinists, jakub berman , józsef révai kurt hager. in definition, răutu self-hating intellectual .

historian lucian boia believes that, in adopting communism, răut forfeited jewishness , became abstract , ideological soldier . tismăneanu notes răutu separated jewish roots in life, growing russian culture, condemning expression of jewish nationalism, , becoming classifiable non-jewish jew . likewise, historian lucian nastasă describes răutu 1 of romanian communists less dominated obsession of ethnic affiliation (the religious 1 being entirely excluded aggressive atheism promoted in soviet union) ; răutu , others instead animated obedience soviet union.

răutu first tried sedition while still in communist youth, , sentenced one-year prison term authorities of kingdom of romania. while held in chișinău jail, moved doftana prison, in company of other pcr militants, becoming acquainted many of romania s future political bosses. shortly after being released, in 1932, again on trial: until 1934, again in prison, first @ penitentiary facility of cernăuți , @ jilava prison. upon release, became activist communist committee in bucharest. after breakup tatiana leapis, young activist met future wife natalia niunia redel, herself jewish , russian-educated.

answering call repatriation, răutu , natalia emigrated soviet union following 1940 occupation of bessarabia. before leaving, entrusted documents foriș lover , secretary, victoria sârbu. although jewish, not dissuaded interval of nazi–soviet cooperation: once relocated moldavian ssr, made co-editor of pămînt sovietic ( soviet land ), propaganda magazine. may have been ideological instructor bessarabian communist party.

lev , natalia married in soviet union. little known couple in months followed nazi , romanian attack on soviet union. escaped bessarabia, , fled further inland: răutu said have been mere laborer @ sand quarry , kolkhoz. , natalia had 2 children, both of whom died, of hunger, during months of soviet retreat. @ point (perhaps in 1943), răutu became head of radio moscow romanian-language division, making him favorite of exile faction leader ana pauker s, valter roman , petre borilă. assignment placed răutu in direct contact of pauker s colleagues in comintern: replaced basil spiru, of marx university fame, , supervised rudolf slánský. other job book editor foreign languages publishing house.

communist rise

răutu returned romania in 1945 @ pauker s request , catapulted top of party s propaganda section, iosif chișinevschi s deputy, joining editorial team of revived scînteia, , becoming 1 of active contributors contemporanul monthly. scînteia articles noted bitter irony , vehemence of insults addressed political enemies, in particular national peasants party , organ dreptatea. among fiercest critics of multiparty, pluralist democracy, silviu brucan, Ștefan voicu, sorin toma, nestor ignat, nicolae moraru, miron radu paraschivescu , traian Șelmaru. răutu later recruited core of pmr s ideologists group.

in other important capacity, răutu helped set , guide pcr s agitprop, or political education , section. came existence months before kingdom replaced communist state, officially @ request of communist-controlled trade unions, , led răutu 1948 1965. agitprop section embodied pmr s control on education , culture ministries, romanian academy, radio broadcasting committee , cinema studios, agerpres agency, writers union , artists union, , sporting associations , clubs.

already in 1947, răutu organized agitprop s unified offensive against dissolved reactionary forces: national peasants party, framed during tămădău affair; national liberal party-tătărescu, ana pauker had pushed out of coalition government; , dissident social democrats, had refused absorbed communist-led workers party . orders communist propaganda focus on condemning western allies , marshall plan (see vin americanii!), , on supporting supposed growth in industrial production homegrown socialist sources. additionally, răutu joined pauker in combating spread of zionism, signing party s 1948 resolution on national issue, assured romanian jews national identity not jeopardized under marxist rule.

the other oigensteins , redels moved romania. romanian-sounding surname of răutu, picked out after romanianization policy imposed pcr doctrinaires, may have been borrowed novels of lev s 1 favorite romanian author, constantin stere. lev , natalia had 2 daughters: anca, born 1947, , elena ( lena ), born 1951. family integrated nomenklatura , lived in villas located near political epicenter primăverii compound: londra street, turgheniev street.

formally acknowledged chișinevschi s closest collaborator, member of central committee 1948, , head of agitprop 1956, leonte răutu regarded dictator of romanian cultural life until death of party leader gheorghe gheorghiu-dej. credentials came communist essay Împotriva cosmopolitismului și obiectivismului burghez în științele sociale ( against cosmopolitanism , bourgeois objectivism in social science ), published party press , lupta de clasă journal in 1949. work introduced romanians historical materialism , partiinost analysis of cultural or scientific matters, borrowing soviet criticism of bourgeois pseudoscience : against genetics, neo-malthusianism, indeterminism, , in large part against cosmopolitan social thinkers (ernest bevin, léon blum, harold laski). 2 centuries of romanian philosophy, advocates of westernization (titu maiorescu) radical nativists (nae ionescu), dismissed irrelevant real priorities of romanian workers, răutu firmly rooting romania s past in slavic europe. likewise, right-wing historian gheorghe i. brătianu depicted both hitlerite , puppet of american imperialism . răutu s text regarded tismăneanu embarrassing contribution field, , described historian leonard ciocan origin of manichean methodology , typically stalinist discourse in romanian social science.

his inspiration such texts soviet culture boss andrei zhdanov, anti-formalist , anti-individualist campaigns try replicate in sovietized romania. since 1948, had been preoccupied eradicating decadent literature , art, including urban-themed modernism, informed subordinates not allow resurgence of ruralizing traditionalism. declared zhdanov s bitter criticism of composer dmitri shostakovich profound positive example: take gloves off, let s start criticizing [as well]. here can learn soviets. then, ordered selection of publishing houses , literary magazines followed line , , set aside funds financing writers had internalized workers party principles , stepped down ivory tower .

a notorious experiment approved răutu, , brought life sorin toma, campaign against celebrated poet tudor arghezi, attacked decadent , subsequently banned number of years. looking on events in 1949, agitprop chief told subordinates: [writers] still enemies must stomped upon without mercy. arghezi, has not changed, not today, have fulminated. other targets literary critics Șerban cioculescu , vladimir streinu, both depicted ill-adapted spirit of socialist patriotism. in 1949, when răutu began purge of academia, 1 of first fall literary historian george călinescu, professor @ university of bucharest, who, although left-wing, not considered true communist. such figures sidelined, răutu himself given chair of marxism-leninism @ bucharest university, kept march 1949 may 1952. in april 1949, 1 of romanian delegates congress of advocates of peace, seconding mihail sadoveanu (who reputedly eclipsed him).

pauker s fall , processing campaign

josip broz tito villain plotting invasion of romania (east german cartoon, presented gheorghiu-dej on 50th birthday, 1951)

navigating course between warring pmr groups of pauker , gheorghiu-dej, răutu established reputation during fall of third faction, lucrețiu pătrășcanu s secretariat group. in Împotriva cosmopolitismului..., răutu called rival enemy of working class , , defamer of marxist values. noted tismăneanu, applied proverbial zeal condemning pătrășcanu s entire political activity. tito–stalin split, răutu became involved in exposing supposed titoist infiltrations in romania, ordering tight monitoring of tanjug propaganda, , romanian agitprop project focused on vilifying yugoslavia. in parallel, took on supervision of nominally independent left-wing daily adevărul, overseeing liquidation in 1951.

răutu first impressed critics of regime being able survive pauker s downfall (1952), , 1 of few of wartime exiles not designated right deviationist . miron constantinescu, other pmr intellectual, initiated campaign purge other supposed inner-party oppositionists, drafting pmr resolution on prelucrări ( processing , euphemism interrogations ). in speeches pmr sections, răutu described cadre verification policy inspired 19th cpsu congress , talk of ideological work being paramount in consolidation of socialism. declared pauker saboteur of collectivization , associate vasile luca guilty of criminal activity .

in large part, processing meant clampdown on writers supposed (and supposedly concealed) fascist sympathies. communist-turned-dissident poet, nina cassian, recalls: leonte răutu [...] dominated these scatty, vulnerable, terrified , confused beings—the artists , writers, producing tragedies , comedies, stagings glories , stigmatization, paralyzing 1 s morality, activating s immorality . cassian targeted critic of regime, , kept under surveillance negative influence on other literary figures, including lover of time, marin preda. 1 author escape răutu s campaigns modernist left-winger geo dumitrescu, whom poet eugen jebeleanu defended, @ last moment, against claims had been working far-right newspapers during war years. senior writers george călinescu , victor eftimiu accused of concealing social democratic sympathies.

meanwhile, historian constantin daicoviciu, former member of iron guard fascist movement, found embarrassment communist-run peace committees , banned politics. paradoxically, other areas under răutu s control escaped such purges, , former far-right affiliates such octav onicescu , ion barbu pursued scientific careers little standing in way.

răutu built himself new power base comprising noted agitprop figures, of whom writers , journalists. prominent ones moraru, Șelmaru, savin bratu, ovid crohmălniceanu, paul georgescu, nicolae tertulian , ion vitner. on years, deputies included mihail roller (who had returned soviet union), ofelia manole, paul niculescu-mizil, nicolae goldberger (a member of politburo since 1930s), manea mănescu (in charge of science), cornel onescu , pavel Țugui (later expelled party having concealed youthful sympathy iron guard). of other favorites, including constantin ionescu gulian (recovered initial put-down cosmopolitan discourse) , ernő gáll, became official interpreters of marxist philosophy.

before , after 1952, răutu s program rigidly , thoroughly stalinist. such, tismăneanu writes, spearheaded damaging campaigns in cultural field, designed terrorize romania s intellectual class : destruction of romanian academy research institutes, [academy s own] mutilation, forced sovietization [...] gaudy kowtowing @ russian culture (as had been defined under stalinist canon) [...] promotion of fanatics, of ideologically possessed, impostors , dilettantes, high cultural offices . răutu s monopoly on humanities credited having incapacitated development of independent ideas in romanian philosophy , sociology, near-complete elimination of psychology credible academic subject. instructed gheorghiu-dej, agitprop chief targeted romania s pre-communist marxist current school of menshevism —announcing, in 1951, constantin dobrogeanu-gherea, father of romanian social democracy, worthy of condemnation. conversely, , ionescu gulian attacked conservative opinion-maker , gherea s rival, titu maiorescu, icon of bourgeois conformity.

the neotraditionalist philosopher lucian blaga, contemporary of răutu s, vilified. blaga target of ominous commentary in communist newspapers, singled out revenge communist poet mihai beniuc, , derided in public răutu. other main targets of răutu s communist censorship tudor vianu, liviu rusu (depicted idealistic) , blaga s in-law teodor bugnariu. young scholar @ time, mihai Șora described răutu object of fearful myth: censor such keen eyes, 1 find impossible slip [and] cultivated man, finding great pleasure in reading bourgeois, western etc. literature, same 1 publicly condemn. pursuing ideological condemnation of philology, răutu arrived @ imposing joseph stalin s own marxism , problems of linguistics. marxist linguists not keen on adopting stalin s perspective, including alexandru rosetti, alexandru graur , iorgu iordan, investigated enemy-like activity , left virtually unemployed until 1954.

the young communist activist nicolae ceaușescu reporting răutu in matters of sport. activity included 1953 investigation of central army club, suspected of caste-like factionalism , of placing [its] interests above interests of national sport.

anti-revisionism

march 1953: gheorghiu-dej (front row) returning stalin s funeral , being met party officials, including răutu (second row, middle, ghizela vass , mihail roller on either side behind him)

răutu still unchallenged cultural policymaker stalin died, although romanian regime contemplated structural changes. after 1956, superior within party gheorghiu-dej, cared little cultural intrigues. @ viith party congress in december 1955, răutu became alternate member of politburo. shortly after, began investigation activities of nicolae labiș, disillusioned marxist poet. răutu signaled labiș s fall disgrace, declaring piece murdered albatross pessimistic , unworthy of building-sites construct socialism.

the tensions between gheorghiu-dej , soviet ruler nikita khrushchev highlighted during hungarian revolution of 1956. romania participated in punitive expedition against hungary. răutu himself reported general public felt romania suffered because of terrible boners made soviets in hungary. documenting reorientation of mid-1950s, scholar ken jowitt included răutu , gheorghiu-dej s economic adviser, alexandru bârlădeanu, among pmr regime figures mediated between progressives , stalinists. when gheorghiu-dej, played 2 factions against each other, decided overturn of zhdanovist measures adopted in 1950s, described răutu , mihail roller responsible pmr s frail relationship romanian intellectuals.

răutu had close call @ party plenary of june 1957: chișinevschi , constantinescu both attacked gheorghiu-dej liberal socialists , revisionists , expelled party s inner core. though 1 of chișinevschi s confidants (and natalia răutu chișinevschi s secretary), răutu managed survive incident , preserved standing. expressed full support gheorghiu-dej, , tasked communist leader redacting plenary documents public view. collaborated on project ceaușescu, 1 of gheorghiu-dej s trusted men.

his potential rival grigore preoteasa, joined central committee s secretariat in charge of ideology shortly after chișinevschi sidelined. tismăneanu notes, chance romanian culture revisited modicum of decency . however, preoteasa s death november allowed răutu undisputed control on culture. răutu himself injured in vnukovo airfield accident killed preoteasa. recovery in hospital brought unexpected relaxation of censorship, notably allowed ethnologists write traditional romanian dwellings (a theme răutu have otherwise proscribed) , translators focus on contemporary literature.

upon returning, pmr ideologist heralded all-out anti-revisionist campaign: may 1958 speech began attacks on anti-soviet internationalist communist union, hungarian revolutionaries , liberal theories ; went on criticize stalinist dogmatism , personality cult ; , listed romanian philosophers , artists had deviated 1 field or other. răutu reassessed own political positioning, depicting chișinevschi morbid stalinist , himself balanced figure. during june 1958, , gheorghiu-dej produced case against pmr veteran constantin doncea, had been tempted question gheorghiu-dej s claims of revolutionary primacy. răutu labeled doncea titoist, came claims doncea had followers in cultural sphere—a pretext verification of writers still harbored modernist ideas. happened răutu drafted confidential note improving relations yugoslavia , toning down anti-titoist propaganda.

the pmr cultural activists, răutu included, masterminded show trial of philosopher constantin noica, writer dinu pillat , other literary dissidents, of them brutalized securitate secret police. preserved of great influence, directing censorship apparatus (officially placed under iosif ardeleanu) putting out scînteia (approving each issue before went printing).

transition national communism

while regime veered stalinized national communism, răutu engineered of newer campaigns quash alternative culture, indicating suspects securitate: communist writers alexandru jar , gábor gaál, attacked having demanded de-stalinization; modernist sculptor milița petrașcu, unmasked opponent of regime in humiliating public session; , classical composer mihail andricu, castigated having revealed appreciation west. historian stefano bottoni argues that, in jar s case, răutu may have set trap former friend, inviting jar state openly critique of pmr line.

răutu refused reinstate modernist poet-translator ion vinea, calling him artistically irrelevant , agent of british intelligence. in 1960, returned george călinescu issue, accusing him of deviating pmr program. răutu s men suggested that, novelist, călinescu had portrayed iron guard in light tones; călinescu made personal appeal gheorghiu-dej, treated him noted sympathy. later same year, călinescu allowed lecture @ university, still not reinstated professor.

tasked politburo controlling romanian jewish community, leonte răutu became denouncer of ioanid gang . name applied cell of jewish anti-communists managed rob national bank of romania; captured, accused of having plotted răutu s murder. such issues troubled cultural ideologist: răutu looked on jews, discriminated against pmr s antisemitic lobby, registered mass emigration israel. răutu asked party leaders not strip applied of romanian citizenship, and, responding gheorghiu-dej s antisemitic comments, concluded romanian communism had failed @ integrating jewish minority.

eventually, răutu resigned himself adopting gheorghiu-dej s view. purported author of jewish self-hatred catchphrase, taken (predominantly romanian pmr) leaders: jews should lose habit of controlling things . party began expelling significant numbers of jewish members, confidential note circulated @ top confirmed that, in 1958, răutu expressing antisemitic feelings. according 1 eyewitness account, răutu attacked artist iosif molnár having illustrated romanian edition of anne frank s diary stylized yellow badge. instead of seeing symbol of holocaust, răutu accused molnár of promoting zionism, ordered him attend self-criticism session.

similarly, răutu among sent in pacify hungarian romanian minority, , (bottoni writes) played role of nationalist , airbrushing romanianization measures, demanding action against hostile elements supporting hungarian nationalism, , participating in disestablishment of bolyai university. september 1959, controlling spread of bourgeois nationalism among hungarians permanent task, assigned pmr committee presided on ceaușescu , răutu—its other job, of promoting minority interests, entirely ceremonial.

speaking @ 1962 short course session, răutu boasted 40,000 agitprop section activists had educated 1.4 million young romanians, of them inspired party leaders exigence in project build socialist society. liberalization measures nevertheless being unveiled, , răutu, officially introduced member of great national assembly, found himself included in gheorghiu-dej s official delegation united states. notoriously silent former colleagues , favorites pushed retirement (moraru, Țugui, vitner) or trapped in unmasking sessions. beniuc , socialist realist artist constantin baraschi both kept grudge against răutu, did not defend them when national communists made them bear blame.

after having sidelined sorin toma, răutu revised stance on decadent poets, welcoming spotlight modernists arghezi , ion barbu, , describing himself protector of artistic autonomy. in 1962, tacitly approved of pmr s policy of politically (re)integrating of romania s more popular traditionalist intellectuals. however, răutu , other pmr leaders singled out writers union chief, novelist zaharia stancu, political suspect. according literary historian cornel ungureanu, răutu stated point discreetly, without aggravating great chief [that is, gheorghiu-dej, believed stancu earnest fellow communist] . then, răutu receiving letters politically suspect writers such păstorel teodoreanu , george mărgărit, asked reinstated, reeducated starving men. răutu still silenced critiques of stalinism, proxy. in 1963, on răutu s orders, romania became, albania, eastern bloc country not publish vernacular translation of aleksandr solzhenitsyn s ivan denisovich.

by 1964, when gheorghiu-dej signaled romania s detachment de-stalinized soviet union, răutu again called upon ideological maneuvering. gheorghiu-dej sided red china in sino-soviet divorce, , răutu helped redact april theses recognizing sovereign rights of each socialist state . afterward heard stating disgust past sovietization, sending shock-wave through academia when spoke have shamefully kowtowed @ insignificant soviet creation , , praised national values in scientific field. enabled gheorghiu-dej s anti-hungarian rhetoric sending him report on nationalistic statements made various hungarian authors , tolerated hungarian communist government. răutu looked on regime allowed partial recovery of philosophical bugbears (dobrogeanu-gherea, maiorescu) , controlled familiarization western literature or modernism.

as ceaușescu s aide

ceaușescu , other communist party leaders on visit mureș-magyar autonomous region (1965). răutu front row, first right

despite concessions localism, bessarabian communist still looked soviet hardliners inspiration, , considered stalinist survivor à la mikhail suslov. răutu said have been thankful chișinevschi out of politics altogether, embarrassed miron constantinescu s re-admittance nomenklatura; in front of other party figures, 2 men acted friends. party selected răutu inform nominal enemy had been widowed, sulamita constantinescu having been stabbed own daughter. historian andrei oțetea, had been successful in toppling roller position of marxist historiographer, said have described răutu intelligent of communist leaders, bastard .

conflicted own social , ethnic origins, răutu sought relations gheorghiu-dej s successor nicolae ceaușescu, relationship strengthened due friendship between răutu s wife natalia , elena ceaușescu. cordial rapport ceaușescu couple, developed during gheorghiu-dej era, (historians suggest) chameleon-like persona, helps account longevity in public life. holding approximately equal party ranks, 2 men , families recipients of luxury trip france, arranged gheorghiu-dej , television presenter tudor vornicu guide. during game of wits followed news of gheorghiu-dej s terminal illness, cultural ideologist made sure ceaușescu pmr chairmanship. răutu managed impress ceaușescu, though latter not fearful of pmr prison elite, nationalist antisemitic reactions.

leonte răutu authored gheorghiu-dej s official obituary, published scînteia, , oversaw funeral ceremony. after ceaușescu s ascent in 1965, răutu s positions included membership on central committee secretariat , executive committee, deputy prime minister supervising education (1969 1972) and, 1974 1981, rector of Ștefan gheorghiu academy. when new leader decided reformulate communist party historiography, răutu among tasked compiling short course in such way describe various ideological slips under gheorghiu-dej. researched during 1965, book never completed.

despite protection enjoyed, răutu found advancement within party curbed, ceaușescu informing him theirs not equal partnership. 1966 low point in răutu s career, tasked supervising interior commerce department , communist youth s pioneer branch. according tismăneanu, răutu spent of interval reading on political literature, including neo-marxist authors frowned upon regime (herbert marcuse). saving face, răutu showed personal initiative in interpreting party line , anticipated ceaușescu s ideological permutations. after july theses of 1971 put stop liberalization , introduced more repressive phase of national communism, welcomed ceaușescu s commands model in marxist-leninist analysis , subjugation of culture political economy active, revolutionary, attitude ; informed party time had come himself reexamine past , determine own mistakes . @ lavishly furnished , overbudgeted gheorghiu academy, set laboratory research contemporary historical progress , dedicated defending communist dogma against illusion of technocracy . tismăneanu argues think tank merely bizarre ; describes răutu s theories clichés or platitudes .

as rector, răutu presented communist leader ph.d. in politics on ceaușescu s 60th birthday in january 1978. @ xiith party congress in 1979, issued spontaneous , violent attack against fellow pcr veteran constantin pîrvulescu, had taken floor ad-lib ceaușescu s separation marxism. in february 1980 speech saw print in scînteia, gave retouched version of communist history: claiming have been 1 of first communists take note of young ceaușescu s exceptional courage , brilliant intelligence , extended gratitude beloved comrade nicolae ceaușescu taking on role of ideological guide in eyes of each , party activists . in march, răutu assigned central committee s commission on ideology, politics, cultural , socialist education; in may, returned vice president of higher council of education. year, received 2 of communist romania s major distinctions: star of socialist republic, 1st class (granted, on 70th birthday, merits in constructing multilaterally developed socialist society ), , 25th anniversary of motherland s liberation medal.

downfall , final years

from mid-1970s, răutu practically widower. natalia răutu, plagued episodic migraines since 1940s, diagnosed viral encephalitis after slipping coma; kept under specialized care @ elias hospital never recovered. former head of agitprop began noticing relatives of various communist potentates using relative freedom of travel , defecting west. knowing own family had little appreciation ceaușescu, expressed fears that, should same happen him, central committee never pardon it. in 1981, son-in-law andrei coler , daughter lena applied emigration united states. in retribution move, accused of not having fulfilled political tasks, răutu made present resignation party s central committee; made renounce rectorate.

this left former ideologist entirely isolated, recluse on romanian political scene. in report exile station radio free europe, noël bernard assessed: nobody going shed tears on fall of leonte răutu. bernard derided communists hypocrisy: răutu, noted, had been forced out because daughter emigrated; miron constantinescu advanced steadily, own daughter mentally disturbed matricide. tismăneanu adds: perfect acrobat [fell] victim dialectical-balkanic mechanism decisively helped generate [...] răutu had been thrown grim anonymity had consumed last years of many associates in youthful daydreaming. răutu moved out regular house of protocol, , worked party s own history institute.

răutu s last years marked panic , confusion: although gave him pleasure see ceaușescu executed during romanian revolution of 1989, event saw formal destruction of political , symbolic structure had dedicated life. unverifiable rumor places răutu among dejected old-generation communists prepared return under constantin dăscălescu government . reportedly fearing anti-communist repression, supported ion iliescu, former pmr man , former employee @ agitprop section, whom revolution had propelled rank of president. iliescu later acknowledged felt respect răutu.

the post-revolutionary republic did not impinge on privileges leonte răutu had gained, old communist militant, under gheorghiu-dej. legally included in category of antifascist combatants , continued receive large pension , eligible special medical care. răutu gave in-depth interview pierre du bois, swiss political scientist, acknowledging communist system had produced tens of thousands of victims expressing no remorse. died shortly after, , cremated @ cenușa furnace, tune of internationale.