The Situation аnd Advocacy of the Jews’ Civil Rights in Romania during the Interwar Period (1922–1940)

Abstract

After World War I, the Kingdom of Romania underwent a turbulent period of political development between 1918 and 1921, characterized by significant changes and the emergence of new political organizations, ranging from left-wing to right-wing. The eventual stabilization of political life in the framework of a parliamentary democracy — although various radical actions still occurred during this time — led to the establishment of a consistent political process in which each organization was able to obtain its own niche and the opportunity to become a parliamentary party, especially after the development of electoral legislation norms based on the law of March 28, 1926. The Jewish community — whose numbers had risen sharply following the incorporation of Bessarabia, Bukovyna, and Transylvania — worked to secure a distinct role in the country’s economic, political, and cultural spheres. It was under the new constitutional-parliamentary order that major Jewish political organizations emerged, while pre-existing groups and societies founded during the Austro-Hungarian period continued to function, having preserved their structure after World War I. In this new national setting, Jews became a recognized minority entitled to specific rights under the peace treaties. Jewish business owners retained control of their enterprises, and new industrial sectors began to emerge. Notably, in the 1930s, Chernivtsi’s textile industry experienced rapid growth, and Jewish-owned factories employed a workforce that was largely composed of Jews. Jewish political leaders held seats in representative bodies and in the legislative assembly, advocating for the protection of Jewish rights as a national minority across various sectors. However, a part of society perceived the position of the Jews as a certain threat to the national state, which led to the emergence of an antisemitic movement that later developed into a political organization whose activities were based, among other things, on antisemitic slogans practically from the very beginning of the parliamentary period (1922–1937). The activities of this organization repeatedly prompted Jewish members of the parliament to appeal to the government regarding the protection of the civil rights of the Jewish population of Romania. In addition, legislators frequently raised concerns about the right to receive education in one’s native language, the right to practice religious rites, and the inclusion of Jewish worship among the country’s legally recognized religions. During the authoritarian regime of 1938–1940, despite the widespread practice of revoking citizenship and other restrictive measures, the Jews of Romania still retained the ability to be represented in the 1939–1940 parliament and to carry out certain activities aimed at defending the rights of the Jewish population. The situation changed radically after King Carol II abdicated power on September 6, 1940.