-I want to go to bed. -Call the nurse.
Let me go!
My God, Rodica.
The nurse should give her a jab.
I want to say something.
-To the boys? -Say it!
To pass on a message for me...
Speak to the camera. You'll be on TV.
-You're recording sound and video? -Yes.
My name is Rodica Marcau.
I'm from the Timișoara Co-op store.
I defended the store on Sunday.
On our way home, the Securitate shot at us without warning.
Some were arrested and tortured.
They were beaten with rifle-butts.
I am bed-ridden now but in the name of the Co-op,
I wish to join the youth of Timișoara
and Bucharest and of the whole country
in the great revolution.
We want a better life, we want freedom for the young people,
we want everything to be alright, with enough bread to eat.
We want everything to be alright, and to be happy.
We don't want a dictator. We don't want anything bad in our country.
We want Ceaușescu to be put on trial here in Banat.
We want to thank, on behalf of all the injured,
next to Adriana who's here next to me,
the chief orthopaedic surgeon.
And Dr. Teicu, who operated on me.
She must operate again soon,
because three operations are necessary,
to remove the two bullets that hit me.
We wish to thanks the doctors.
All of us in the hospital support those in Opera Square.
And we are helping you from here inside the hospital
with our souls and voices.
Let them remain strong! Let them continue!
Let them hold out!
We don't want the Securitate!
I heard they want us to accept them.
I say no!
The weapons should be destroyed.
Let us remember the 4000 dead.
We want our victims to be identified.
In mid-December 1989, demonstrations had broken out in Timișoara.
Protests were aimed at first at government plans
to banish pastor Laszlo Tokes from the city...
then at Ceaușescu.
On December 17th, members of the Securitate, militia,
and army opened fire on demonstrators.
The victims were taken away. Their whereabouts remain unknown.
Two days later, tens of thousands of people took to the streets
as if they had nothing to lose.
In reports which circulated, the number of those who had died continued to rise.
General expectancy, the certainty of evil,
created a pattern of perception in which the corpses of a pauper cemetery
could be confused with those of the rebellion.
At the time and place inscribed in the image,
from the window of a student dormitory in Timișoara, an amateur video camera
records demonstrators moving toward the center of the city.
The camera is in danger.
It has remained upstairs to continue filming.
Crowd chants reverberate, at times clearly discernible.
The image in the blue, wintery light is divided.
The walls in the foreground, and the action in the background,
pertain to different temporal frames.
The image is unequally divided.
The nature portion is occupied by the foreground,
which is not the focus of attention.
The event has been shifted to the background.
The camera gets as close to the event as the lens allows.
Dear comrades and friends,
citizens of Bucharest, capital of socialist Romania.
First let me send my sincere revolutionary wishes
to those of you participating in this great demonstration,
and to all the inhabitants of the city,
I send you a warm Revolutionary welcome,
together with all the best wishes for the success
in all your fields of activity.
To assert his endangered power,
Ceaușescu addressed a mass rally,
like so many which he had ordered to be held during the prior 25 years.
Television transmits live:
I also wish to thank
the initiators and organisers
of this great demonstration
in Bucharest...
Who is shooting? Someone is shooting.
They are entering the building...
-An earthquake? -What?
At this point, the television went off the air.
Electromagnetic recording continued in the broadcasting van, and documented this:
-An earthquake? -What?
Command communication from the ruler to the people had broken down,
and, as if there were a disturbance in the line, Ceaușescu shouted:
Keep calm! Keep calm!
-Keep calm! -Stop that!
The cameraman had received instructions to pan to the sky,
if anything unexpected occurred.
Comrades, sit down and keep calm.
At this point, the television came back on the air, at first without audio.
Comrades, sit down and keep calm!
Be quiet! What's the matter with you all?
Summon all the comrades!
What's wrong with you? Keep calm.
Return to the square, comrades!
This is a provocation.
Sit down! Keep calm!
Citizens...
of the capital!
Move back, comrades!
Quiet! Speak now!
I want to stress again...
At this point, the sound came back on.
That we must demonstrate
our strength and unity...
For the sake of Romania's independence,
integrity and sovereignty.
This is a basic question of...
Let's return to the beginning of the disturbance... What had occurred?
I also wish to thank
the initiators and organisers...
Of this great demonstration
in Bucharest...
Something rivets his gaze...
Shouts surge up. His speech stops.
The camera wobbles.
Who is shooting? Who is shooting?
A technical disturbance...
They are entering the building.
The broadcast is interrupted. What had occurred?
A film camera from the weekly newsreel
was able to record some moments of the interruption.
Here, the rally is still proceeding in orderly fashion.
People massed in front of an entrance to central committee headquarters.
In the background, there are streams of people going away from the square.
In the foreground, toward the balcony.
Here, order has been restored temporarily.
These recordings, too, give no indication of the nature of the disturbance.
Ceaușescu proceeded with his speech.
I wish to inform you
of an important decision...
Made today by the politbureau...
To improve the workers' living standards.
We have just decided
that from January 1st,
the minimum wage will be raised in the course of the year...
from 2000 to 2200 lei.
The best response we must give is unity...
In his apartment, the cameraman panned his amateur camera to the street,
to see if the disturbance had any further effects.
To counter any threats to
independence and socialism...
Dear viewers. That was a live broadcast...
from the great demonstration.
A camera investigates the situation...
The man who had just panned from his television set to the street,
took his camera up to the roof terrace of a high rise building on University Square.
We want free elections! We want free elections!
The same camera, a few blocks further.
The camera had returned to the roof terrace on University Square.
Awake, Romanians, from the deep sleep...
Put upon you by rough tyrant hands...
In the night's darkness, the cameraman wanted to assist the images with words.
This is the wall of the university with burning candles.
They are chanting "Timișoara".
Look at that tank. Look what it's doing.
Fuck off with your tank, you bastard.
Down with Ceaușescu! Down with Ceaușescu!
They started it... They damaged the Intercontinental hotel.
They are destroying everything.
We announce that the Defence Minister...
Was proven to be a traitor, acting against Romania's independence and sovereignty.
Realizing he had been caught, he committed suicide.
We appeal to all those who love their country and their people...
To act decisively against all traitors.
All rumours and lies were generated by the traitor Milea...
in collaboration with other traitors and imperialist circles.
It was he who provoked unrest, and gave false reports
in regards to the situation throughout the nation,
remaining silent about crimes and devastation in Timișoara.
Crossroads
On this morning, another amateur camera in the center of the city
observed the confrontation between demonstrators and security forces.
Freedom! Freedom!
Join us, soldiers! Join us, soldiers!
-My glasses are broken. -What?
The edges of its images document
how the army shoots over the heads of the Securitate troops...
who then flee.
There, they flee with their white shields.
This street leads to the television station.
And this street leads to the square in front of Central Committee Headquarters.
At Cental Committee Headquarters
These images were recorded by a professional video camera,
which was used to document Ceaușescu's public appearances.
From the same position on the previous day, the camera of the weekly newsreel
had documented with snapshots, the interruption of the speech.
By capturing something of the disturbance,
it had been the first to go over to the other side.
More out of curiosity than resolve.
The cameras take to the streets
The camera that just recorded the fraternisation
between demonstrators and soldiers
has now arrived at the square in front of Central Committee headquarters.
-Look what they are throwing down! -What?
Books, spewing down from the balcony.
The sound of a helicopter in the air.
This camera manages to record the moment when the Ceaușescu's flee...
There they are! There they are!
The close-up identifies Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu.
More and more cameras
From a more advantageous viewpoint...
This camera was able to follow in detail the helicopter's take-off.
They'll start to jeer soon.
Two focal points emerge:
The square in front of Central Committee headquarters,
and the television station.
At the television station
When the demonstrators arrived at the television station,
two cameramen had smuggled a camera out of the repair room, under a jacket.
Freedom! Freedom!
Look, down in the yard!
Get that on tape!
No violence! No violence!
Bring the camera!
At the downstairs entrance, the two cameramen noticed a man
who identified himself to the guard as a colonel...
Which he later denied, demanding to speak to the director.
Which floor?
The man in the elevator
Eleven!
Comrade director!
We want further... I mean... no further bloodshed.
No bloodshed and no vandalism!
-Hopefully no shooting. -Don't worry.
Call the technicians.
Call 428. We need batteries.
Stay with me.
Comrades, we have come to save this important establishment.
-Let us save Romania's honour! -Let us save Romania's honour!
But in a calm and disciplined manner.
We must appeal for this.
The army must guarantee order. That is essential.
-General Milea is dead. -Another suicide.
Let's go over there. There is a large gathering.
Let us determine the re-birth of Romania.
Time is pressing, Comrades. Let's get to work.
We need you in order to communicate with the whole country.
To broadcast the news. Blood is still being shed.
We need the TV.
Stop the bloodshed!
Let us formulate an orderly appeal.
We need military aid in this chaos.
But if the young people see soldiers in the yard...
No, the soldiers have received orders...
Time is running out. The crowd is waiting.
Install two loudspeakers quickly,
so we can communicate with the masses.
We must calm the crowd.
Take care of it.
The symbol of Romania's freedom and re-birth.
-I need 3 technicians. -They are downstairs.
-Shall we open up the radio station? -Yes.
We must go down to the 1st floor.
Otherwise, they'll demolish everything.
The TV is our property.
Hold the door open.
-What are you planning? -To start the transmission.
We need the army to prevent chaos.
Report on the situation in Bucharest. Go on air!
We demand the army's support!
This time they've gone too far!
Come with me. I need to speak to you.
The studio is not big enough for everyone.
Comrades, you TV people are not guilty.
I'm not sure.
We want to save your lives, too.
I have something relevant to say to you.
Ah, the camera. After you.
We need to talk. Wait outside.
What needed to be discussed without the camera's presence?
The director states that he wished
to discuss technical details with the visitor.
And the latter states that the director said not to meddle.
The cards are shuffled. The game is underway.
The camera bided in the elevator.
Use filter nr. 1 Filter nr. 2...
Make room. We want to address the people.
Quiet!
The truth! The truth!
We've made it! We are victorious!
I'll read what I've got so far: Brothers, the people have won!
The army is on our side!
We appeal to all citizens,
all nationalities, all troops...
You don't understand politics. The army is not the government!
Then we'll appeal to everybody!
We need a programme.
You make the 1st announcement. I'll announce the programme.
Every moment is vital.
Quiet, everyone!
When we go on air, 23 million viewers will see us.
No more talking! You're going to make the 1st announcement.
I'll start and then I'll introduce Mircea Dinescu.
Give him a close-up.
Then we'll have an interval.
We'll continue after 15 minutes.
I'll introduce you, Mircea. Show that you are working.
Attention, everyone!
Let Caramitru begin. He's a well-known face.
Attention!
We go on air in 5 seconds.
-Brothers... -Not yet...
Brothers. God has helped us enter this studio.
We came with the help of soldiers,
students, thousands of Romanians, and the national minorities.
Before you is our hero, the poet Mircea Dinescu.
Look, he is working.
We are exhausted, emotional...
But full of hope that those who have taken up arms,
filled with heavenly inspiration.
We all want to hear Dinescu's words!
Which will bear the Romanian spirit through all times.
Explain what you are doing.
In 10 minutes, we shall address an appeal to the people.
Now God has turned his face towards the Romanians again.
Let us look up to God in silence for a few minutes.
But first we appeal to the whole army to join us.
The dictator has fled!
We appeal to the Ministry of the Interior:
Lay down you weapons! Return to the barracks!
The people are with us.
-In 5 minutes an appeal... -The TV is with us.
-We are victorious! -The TV is with us!
We are here! We are victorious!
Freedom! Freedom!
-How did Roman get there? -I don't know!
With the crowds, I suppose.
My thoughts now turn to those who were wrongly persecuted,
and who are now in jail.
I demand amnesty for them.
All prison sentences must be reviewed immediately.
I appeal to the people:
the world is watching us.
Show that we know the meaning of law and order.
Anyone who acted against us
will be held responsible.
If the army shot at the people,
things will look bad for the army.
For every commander and soldier.
We have heard
that children, old people
and women have died.
-I also appeal to General Rusu... -They know who's who.
Stop the butchery! I don't know how things will end.
That's just it. Everything's so confused.
Investigations will be held into the death of my friend.
General Milea, Minster of Defense.
We fear they will escape punishment.
Nicolae, Elena and Nicu Ceaușescu.
Be alert! And the other traitors!
The officious servants...
They must be tried and sentenced! If necessary, to death.
No more death sentences!
Look how happy these people are!
-No soldiers to be seen. -They've returned to the barracks.
Demobilised.
To think it was just an idiot we were afraid of.
People had to die to get rid of him.
Look at her!
Ha! We've done it!
You can get some false teeth now. You couldn't afford any before.
Turn the radio down.
TV comes to the Central Committee
Make room for the TV people!
The army is with you. The people and the army.
The people and the army! The people and the army!
Freedom! Freedom!
Let the broadcast van pass.
Then the whole land can see us.
We ordered generators and spotlights!
We shall turn the night into day in this square.
In a city which lay in darkness for so long.
We need a National Democratic Committee!
It has been suggested.
It must be democratic!
That means:
all in power
must be freely elected.
I am Alexa Vissarion, a theatre director.
In the name of the Romanian people and following its demands,
Dascalescu, who is here, will now announce
the resignation of his government.
Hold on. Listen!
For legal reasons, the Prime Minister himself must announce this.
I announce the government's resignation.
The resignation is repeated
Help the TV people do their work.
Because the television was not yet ready to transmit,
the Prime Minister had to repeat his resignation.
I announce my resignation as government leader.
And the government's resignation.
I support the people.
I always have done. I always will.
He is lying! He is lying!
The fact that you stayed here is of great importance.
I shall remain here.
The camera looks for the new important men.
In the jostling crowd, it tries to lay hold of Ion Iliescu,
formerly a member of the Central Committee,
who later fell into disfavour.
For the last 10 years, he has been widely regarded
among the populace as a counter figure to Ceaușescu.
He is on his way to the balcony.
It's a madhouse here.
Mr. Dinescu...
A neighbour came to me and said: Mr. Dinescu...
Your guards have left. Their cars have gone.
I left the house. The demonstrators arrived on tanks.
And now?
I hope things will turn out alright.
Dear viewers, the army
has arrived at the TV center.
To take up position.
This is further evidence
that they are behind the people.
We must show how much we value
the soldiers and officers who fulfil their oath
to serve their land and people.
Now a few reports from abroad.
Yes, all reactions from abroad have been very supportive.
But first, we're going over to the Central Committee.
The announced broadcast could not take place due to technical difficulties.
The television switched back to the studio.
Attempted broadcasts
And rest assured that the soldiers
who fulfilled their duties
will continue to do so.
Now those reports from abroad...
The historical events here are attracting widespread interest.
Stop destroying the villages!
Respect the farmers!
All of a sudden, the transmission switches to the Central Committee.
We must alter the school system!
The Marxist-Leninist dogma must be abolished at once!
Instead of Iliescu, now, Dumitru Mazilu was at the microphone.
Under Ceaușescu, a United Nations diplomat. Then, a dissident.
Abolish lies and hypocrisy!
Competence and responsibility
must replace them in Romania!
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
A little later, when the television once again
attempted to broadcast Iliescu on the balcony,
This glitch occurred...
The army now commands the troops of the Ministry of the Interior.
Let's see what happens if they disobey army orders.
The army now has supreme command.
The Ministry of the Interior is their subordinate.
We arrived 2 minutes after the helicopter had left.
Where was it?
On the right-hand platform.
-The platform up there? -On B?
Point 1: The one-party system must be abolished.
Pluralistic structures must be introduced.
Point 2: Free elections must be held as soon as possible.
-By May at the latest. -In March!
No! March was the month the tyrant held his elections.
-In February. -In April, at Easter.
To please everyone: as soon as possible.
OK, Let's go on. Point 3...
Leave the room if you want to talk. We've got work to do.
As I was saying, structures of power
for the National Salvation Front throughout the country...
Their immediate priorities, at the central and location levels:
the function of vital institutions, along with energy supplies,
food supplies, public transport,
and all economic entities must resume regular activity.
Point 3!
Separation of powers.
Montesquieu's concept!
Mr. Iliescu, "salvation" is no good. It sounds like a coup d'etat.
"National democracy" is better.
I suggested "People's Unified Front".
No.
"Democracy" was used before.
The National Salvation Front has been in existence for 6 months.
The Front is the organ of party and state power.
You must be joking!
It was just a protest letter under that name 6 months ago.
The people in Timișoara called themselves
"Socialist Democratic Front".
Let's leave "socialist" out of this.
-You've already named it! -Yes, it's my baby!
One thing is vital:
today we must proclaim
the country's name: Romania.
Not "The Socialist Republic"!
Just "Romania". Nothing more.
The factory must have the new flags ready in 5 days.
Our traditional tri-color. Pure and clean!
We want to establish a National Salvation Front!
We shall issue a release,
forming new structures of power.
At local levels as well, with district and municipal councils,
so that administration can function.
Make sure everything goes smoothly.
The release will be issued in an hour's time.
Inform the TV director. He must prepare thing.
Call 236.
Radu Abagiu, specialist for supplies, will now speak.
Spotlight on the official platform!
Someone is shooting!
We have been informed that shots are being fired...
At the Romanian people!
Nobody is shooting.
-Please tell us what is happening. -Someone is shooting!
Tell us! Tell but not like that!
-All together! Someone is shooting? -Yes!
We must keep calm.
No violence!
Keep together. Stay here.
We shall stay! We shall stay!
Securitate Chief Chief of the General Staff
Immediate arrest!
Confined to barracks.
Close arrest.
Are you on guard?
The commander is responsible.
Understood?
Who is there?
I'm at the Central Committee.
Stop filming us, please.
-Nicu Ceaușescu. -Have they caught him?
Three comrades brought him in.
Come and tell the whole country!
We must thank the people...
Who understood that we had to show him on TV.
The whole country must know. It is no rumour.
He is under arrest.
He admits he is Nicu Ceaușescu.
And that he held children hostage.
That's not true.
We spared him. Now he's lying again.
The courts will deal with him.
Dear citizens, dear friends
We are humane.
Turn it up!
Listen to the explosions outside!
He must be judged by the law of our people.
The moment will come when it will be established,
whether he is guilty or not.
But we beseech you not to allow yourselves to act impetuously.
We rescued him, we brought him here safely.
He says he gave orders to cease fire in Sibiu.
He's lying.
We'll verify that.
He admitted he held children hostage.
Put him in jail! That's where he belongs!
-Let him speak. -No. The tyrants have said enough!
-He stopped smiling now! -That's good!
-Tell them, they are their own people. -They are our people!
We thank the TV, for putting us on-air.
We are speaking from the balcony of the committee building.
Stop shooting at once!
They are our soldiers!
Cease fire! Save ammunition!
Cease fire!
Those are our soldiers!
You are shooting at our soldiers!
Stop firing, you fools!
In the name of the commander:
make way for the military!
Give the soldiers room to eliminate the last criminals.
Cease fire!
Keep calm!
Spotlights on the palace. Illuminate their flags.
The TV station is under attack from all sides.
We appeal to you: help us save the TV station!
It is vital for democracy!
We have heard terrorists are in the corridors.
Come to our aid!
The army must help us.
We have a similar situation at the telephone palace.
We also need citizens, the army,
the entire nation, to help there.
It seems snipers are firing at the station from the roof of the telephone palace.
Even so, both these institutions
must be defended at all costs.
We shall stay on-air.
Let's open the studio door,
and find out what's happening.
Shots can be heard.
Close the door. Turn off the lights.
Our land has so many great athletes.
They can prove their prowess anew...
By saving what we have won today with our blood.
Tell me, are you under attack at the TV station as well?
Don't call in any more troops. Where am I supposed to get them?
No more civilians either.
Isn't it our people shooting? And our tanks?
They're shooting and you're shooting. God save you.
The TV station is under attack.
Awake Romanians! It is no time to sleep!
Come here, brothers!
Come to our defence!
Don't worry. We're defending the TV station.
Our comrade, the captain, says
that things have calmed down.
Nothing is calm!
Get out of the picture, comrades.
The army is protecting the studio.
No cause for concern.
That's true.
But we need civilian defence, too.
Are all radar units working?
So what's with the helicopters? Are they from abroad?
Did you shoot any down?
Eight? Where are they from?
From here?
Unbelievable.
So nothing came from outside.
They are all Romanian.
I understand.
Top alert. These maniacs had hidden helicopters.
We didn't know. Now they are attacking us all over.
Is that the local office of the Ministry of the Interior?
I want to speak to an officer.
They shot down eight helicopters.
Eight?
But who let them take off?
Who do you think?
Who let them fly so that they could be shot down?
It must be special units. Terrorists.
What terrorists?
The helicopters could only be his or mine.
-Then they are yours! -Or maybe yours!
This is all very strange.
I only have three helicopters!
I don't believe it!
Who's occupying the post office out there?
Speak louder. Be coherent!
Helicopters are on the scene.
Did they have troops hidden underground? Nobody knows.
They probably had a regiment hidden underground.
But I think we're on the right track.
-Postelnicu and Dinca. -Ministry of the Interior.
We caught them. They were hiding here.
Lock them up!
He should give orders over the speakers for the massacre to stop.
At gun point!
He must stop the massacre.
We have Postelnicu and Dinca.
The National Salvation Front
informs that 10 minutes ago
Postelnicu and Dinca were arrested
at the Central Committee.
Chief of Staff Guse has them under arrest.
Working with him for our cause
is General Vlad, ex-Securitate chief.
He has ordered his troops,
to join us and the army. I repeat:
Postelnicu and Dinca are under arrest.
They must now give us information
about what is happening.
Why did you order people to shoot?
The Securitate is not under my command.
-Whose, then? -General Vlad's.
Vlad ordered a cease-fire.
Yes, I saw that he was issuing a lot of orders.
But I can tell you that there was no order to shoot.
I don't really know what Vlad's doing.
I'm not responsible for the Securitate.
-Only for the border troops. -My god.
You know how the Securitate is.
Yes, I know. But you as Minister...
I am not responsible.
But you were Chief of Security!
When I was there, the Minister was responsible.
I just obeyed orders. Ask him!
That was the procedure!
I know the organisational structure.
That was the procedure.
But as Minister, you could have ordered...
A cease-fire.
I gave the order not to shoot.
My troops, the militia, don't shoot.
They're just traffic cops.
I told my people not...
-Listen to the shooting outside. -I ordered them not to shoot.
I am not in charge of the Securitate.
Bucharest
Where are the shots coming from?
In the yard outside the TV station.
At the TV station
Here's the ammunition.
Let's go over. Nobody is shooting now.
Hurry up. It's OK now.
Film the tank.
Close the door!
-Are you scared? -I'm just not as nifty as you!
We've been doing this for the past 3 days.
We're war journalists now.
The bullets don't bother us anymore.
Yes, but I'm writing everything down.
All that shooting yesterday at the Central Committee.
Yes, but what about the TV station this morning?
-Yeah, you were on TV. -Did you see me?
-Sure. -Let me out here.
-Are you going home? -No no...
Where are the shots coming from?
-Where are the shots coming from? -From the 2 buildings.
Come here.
Take cover!
Don't shoot, we don't have ...
Idiot! Running around here with a kid!
-Are they shooting from the corner? -Yes.
-From the upper floors? -From the 4th up.
From up there.
Where exactly? What did you see?
From those windows...
Give it here...
Don't use it!
Where are you aiming? Tell me where, boy!
-Look, down there. -That corner?
Yes.
Don't shoot, the army is there.
Ceaușescu ordered the construction of the high-rise buildings on Victory Square...
Which were never completed.
Empty of occupants, the facades freshly painted,
they surround the square like stage settings.
There, the enemy is said to be hiding.
He is said to have fired shots before the camera arrived on the scene.
Perhaps portions of the Securitate remain loyal to the dictator.
Later, there was talk of combat units from the military intelligence service,
which in simulated skirmishes had to feign an armed opponent in order
to assist the army to a victory on the side of the Revolution.
Belief in the enemy's presence is a habit. Recollected fear.
During 40 years, fear was utilised to maintain power...
A weapons system.
Developed into a weapons system,
The Eastern European counterpart of the West's high-tech arsenal,
a psychological substitute for material advantage.
The internal tactic of deterrence,
accorded with the international strategy of deterrence.
Time froze.
The basic movement was that of idle-ing.
The basic feeling, the inertia of fear.
The shooting started only yesterday,
and people are acting as if war has been going on for a long time.
At the moment...
Or rather until now...
I was surveying the Press Agency.
Like all officers on observation, I carry no weapon on duty.
They must admit their crimes to the people.
-Is he armed? -He was.
I did nothing wrong.
And if anyone can accuse me of a crime...
Call here at Agerpress!
Why was he armed then?
I heard on the radio this morning...
I heard the Comrade Minister General Colonel Iulian Vlad.
I wanted to join my unit at once.
To wait for my orders.
So what was he doing armed outside the TV studios?
I did not want to come here armed.
You came here as a peaceful citizen bearing arms?
I wanted to join my unit.
It's stationed on...
-He's forgotten where it is. -On Eforie Street.
Where were you last night when we needed help?
You wanted to kill our comrades?
Check my weapon.
It is loaded.
So that you can see if it was used.
I've never shot at anyone.
-Why carry a gun then? -It's part of my uniform.
-He must face a proper trial! -Take him away!
Since when are athletes armed?
So, dear viewers, that's the sort of aggressor we're dealing with.
...fire power haven't been able to winkle out the snipers still loyal to Ceaușescu.
This battle has now been going on for almost 24 hours.
But despite their superior firepower,
troops aren't able to winkle out the snipers
who are still loyal to Ceaușescu.
I'll do it again in a second...
OK?
This battle has now been going on for almost 24 hours.
But despite all of their firepower,
the troops are not able to winkle out those men still loyal to Ceaușescu.
This battle has now been going on for almost 24 hours.
But despite all of their firepower,
these troops are not able to winkle out those snipers still loyal to Ceaușescu.
Bucharest
Tell us where you're coming from.
I drive that delivery van you just saw in the picture.
I have been serving the people for three days non-stop.
Since yesterday, I've been transporting, from the airport,
victims of the terrorists and the ex-Government
who put us here,
deprived us of our freedom, and didn't let us do our duty.
These here are the last victims.
The airport is now peaceful.
The last terrorists have been forced into the forest.
I guess they have no ammunition left.
They were Lebanese and Syrians who were parachuted in.
The car will now do a lap of honour.
Kneel down, you head bare.
Freedom! Freedom!
Down with the tyrant!
Kill the tyrant!
Ceaușescu won't live to see the New Year!
Identification
Bring him here!
There's another one.
We'll shoot them in Victory Square.
No! No shooting!
Don't! You mustn't shoot!
Don't let him escape!
I'm from the Jiu valley. I'm innocent.
I came to fetch my sister-in-law.
His papers must be forged, they're brand new!
-Brand-new! A forgery! -It's genuine!
-It's not in order. -Check it.
I'm innocent.
Look! Carte-blanche papers! Military unit 0405, Bucharest!
They are not mine.
Tie him up! These are carte-blanche battle orders!
I'm a Romanian from the Jiu Valley!
Romanian police...
Who had the documents?
What lovely hair, you bastard!
Leave him alone!
-There's no reason to hit me. -That's what they all say.
Do you speak English?
-What is he saying? -He's saying he's not a terrorist.
-OK and? -And he is a terrorist!
The heavens were radiant,
the angels came
on a beam of light.
We are incredibly close to each other this Christmas.
It is a miracle!
We felt compelled to come here, and to declare:
dearest citizens, friends,
our faithful theatre public, viewers...
... I'm sorry. I'm just so moved...
We want to thank those from the TV station, the soldiers,
mothers and children,
who are in our thoughts. Who are our children too...
We declare that our hearts ... with all that is sacred to us,
are with you and this wonderful country...
We are all in this together...
Forgive me, I'm so overwhelmed with emotion and joy
with this brotherhood, I am lost for words.
I, who am usually so eloquent!
But the day will come,
when each of us will speak,
and open his heart...
Before you...
I brought something from home.
A Symbol.
A small, red heart.
Bucharest
On this day, the cameras are gathered in the room at the weekly newsreel studio.
They are pointed at the television set, anticipating an important announcement.
For the same reason, the streets are deserted.
Everyone is watching and hoping, for images from a single camera,
which still has access to what is happening.
Camera and event.
Since its invention, film has seemed destined,
to make history visible.
It has been able to portray the past, and to stage the present.
We have seen Napoleon on horseback, and Lenin on the train.
Film was possible because there was history.
Almost imperceptibly,
like moving forward on a Moebius strip, the side was flipped.
We look on, and have to think:
if film is possible, then history, too, is possible.
Press Release
Press release:
On December 25th, 1989,
the trial of Nicolae Ceaușescu
and Elena Ceaușescu took place
before a special military court.
The charges were:
1) Genocide.
More than 60,000 victims.
2) Subversion of the state powers
by armed violence against the people and the state powers.
3) Destruction of public property
by damaging and devastating buildings,
causing explosions in cities, etc.
4) Subversion of the national economy.
5) Attempting to flee the country,
to gain access to more than 1 billion dollars,
deposited with foreign banks.
For these severe crimes,
against the Romanian people and Romania,
the accused, Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu,
were sentenced to death, and their funds confiscated.
The sentence was passed and carried out.
Our evening programme will present pictures of this.
The last camera
Dear viewers, as we reported earlier,
Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu
were detained by citizens and soldiers,
while attempting to flee abroad.
They were medically examined, as required by law.
They were found to be in good health.
A special military court was summoned.
The charges were:
1) Genocide.
More than 60,000 victims.
2) Subversion of the state powers
by armed violence against the people and the state powers.
3) Destruction of public property
by damaging and devastating buildings,
causing explosions in cities, etc.
4) Subversion of the national economy.
They're in good shape.
5) Attempting to flee the country,
to gain access to more than 1 billion dollars,
deposited with foreign banks.
They were given the right to defend themselves.
For the crimes they committed,
the accused, Ceaușescu Nicolae,
and Ceaușescu Elena,
were sentenced to death.
Their funds were seized.
Incredible.
What an actor! He's great!
The sentence was passed
and carried out by firing squad.
With that, dear viewers, we end our transmission today.
Our next programme will be at 11 a.m. tomorrow.
The corpses on TV
That's him!
There's Elena!
That's it, then. Turn it off.
Reporters stayed on-air, without interruption, until 26.12.1989.
I just wanted to add:
the dictator, the criminal we saw today on TV, is dead.
He lied to us so much that we came to hate someone
if he earned 300 lei more.
To hate each other, so he always came out on top.
His children had millions in the bank.
His daughter had $97,000.
He forced us to do without, saying: "our land needs every dollar."
And all this time, the money was being shared among his own people.
We had no fun in life.
The lights went out at 6 p.m.
We grew up hating the minorities.
But the Germans and Hungarians, they are our friends.
We've lived together for ages. We can help each other.
They're all helping us now. Maybe our children have died...
many of us have lost relatives.
Because of this... let's never forget to support each other.
Because that's what life demands of us.
And I wish you Merry Christmas! Long live free Romania.
Translation by: Robin Telfer, Donald Tuckwiller