Ciao, Ceauşescu!

Early life and career

The 1966 decree

Pacepa defection

Timişoara

Overthrow

Ceauşescu and his wife Elena fled the capital with Emil Bobu and Manea Mănescu and headed, by helicopter, for Ceauşescu's Snagov residence, from where they fled again, this time for Târgovişte. Near Târgovişte they abandoned the helicopter, having been ordered to land by the army, which by that time had restricted flying in Romania's air space. The Ceauşescus were held by the police while the policemen listened to the radio. They were eventually turned over to the army. On Christmas Day, December 25, the two were sentenced to death by a military court on charges ranging from illegal gathering of wealth to genocide, and were executed in Târgovişte. The video of the trial shows that after sentencing they had their hands tied behind their backs and were led outside the building to be executed.

The Ceauşescus were executed by a firing squad consisting of elite paratroop regiment soldiers Captain Iomel Boeru, Sergant-Major Georghin Octavian and Dorin-Marian Cirlan[13], while reportedly hundreds of others also volunteered. The firing squad began shooting as soon as they were in position against a wall. The firing happened too soon for the film crew covering the events to record it.[14] After the shooting the bodies were covered with canvas. The hasty trial and the images of the dead Ceauşescus were videotaped and the footage promptly released in numerous western countries. Later that day it was also shown on Romanian television.[15][16]



"The untenable must be maintained!"