Bucharest 20/12/89 Ceauşescu returns from his state visit to Iran By now the regime have realised how serious the situation is, so that evening Ceauşescu goes on television to make a nine minute address to the nation. In it he denounces the hooligans, irredentists and chauvinists at large in Timişoara, acting under instructions from liars abroad, inspired by the government in Budapest. This is a really peculiar document. I had no idea just what a poor speaker of Romanian Ceauşescu was. I know that Romanians used to tell jokes about his stupidity, but I didnt realise how grounded in truth they were. A few years ago, when my command of Romanian was better than it is now but still far from fluent, I would have been able to deliver that speech better than he did there. He stumbles his way through as though he can barely read, and doesnt actually understand the words he says. He only ever acquires any fluency when running into familiar phrases like army units, socialist development and his old favourite national integrity and independence (used about ten times, that one). Thats when muscle memory gets his tongue and mouth through. I dont think its just the wisdom of hindsight that says this is plainly a man and a regime that is falling to pieces before ones eyes. One can only imagine what any Romanians who saw it at the time must have thought, https://youtube/watch?v=ZN49psDM0_0
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 10:31:16 +0000
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