Emanuela Grama was born in the mid-1970s’ in a small provincial town in Eastern Romania. She provides us with a great insight into life in the Romanian provinces during the 1980s. 

Emanuela lived in a small two-bedroom flat and tells of her parents working in a factory while her grandparents looked after her.

Her father listened secretly to Radio Free Europe and collected stamps so he could legitimately write to people in the West.

Her parents told her not to talk at school about what was said at home and to be very careful what she said to friends.

Emanuela vividly recalls the day the revolution started in 1989, Emanuela was at home alone and she described the instant atmosphere of change and the weeks and months after. 

We also hear about Emanuela’s book, Socialist Heritage: The Politics of Past and Place in Romania which traces the transformation of Bucharest’s Old Town district where under socialism, politicians and professionals used the district’s historic buildings to emphasize the city’s Romanian past and erase its ethnically diverse history.

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James Chilcott is our host and I am delighted to welcome James and Emanuela to our Cold War conversation…

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0:00 Introduction and background of Emanuela Grama

4:49 Absence of Jewish history in Romanian education and Emanuela's early life

14:40 Emanuela's childhood, influence of Western literature, and school experience under communist regime

26:55 Revelation of the fall of Ceausescu regime and experience during the revolution

34:22 Introduction to Emanuela Grama's book 'Socialist Heritage' and discussion on political changes in Romania

40:49 The state of Romanian high schools post 1990 and reflections on Romania's past and present

46:24 Understanding ethnographic research and the ethnic diversity in Romania

49:30 The rise of the secondhand clothes market and longing for Western media in Romania

55:43 Emanuela's published poem and changes made by editors

59:22 Closing remarks and mention of Cold War Conversations store

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