Romanian Revolution

In December 1989 the only violent revolution of that year Eastern European wave toppled and executed Nicolae Ceausescu.

Overview

Forced relocation of the dissident pastor Laszlo Tokes sparked protests in Timisoara in mid-December 1989 that were bloodily suppressed. A staged rally in Bucharest on 21 December turned against Ceausescu on live television, and crowds battled the Securitate and police across the capital. The army switched sides on 22 December as the Ceausescus fled by helicopter, were captured, and were executed after a summary trial on Christmas Day. Over a thousand people died, many in fighting with security holdouts whose role remains disputed. The National Salvation Front under Ion Iliescu took power while retaining much of the old apparatus. The revolution ended the bloc most repressive regime and fed decades of argument about its murky final hours.