About Freedom – 35 Years since the fall of communism

On November 13, the Sighet Memorial marked the 35th anniversary of the fall of communism in Romania with a special event that brought together local high school students, educators, and historians. The event featured Thierry Wolton, a well-known French historian, professor, and publicist, who engaged in a discussion with the students about Romania’s communist past.

Pupils from two Sighet high schools participated in the event, asking Wolton questions about the communist period. This led to a lively conversation about the historical context, the ongoing impact of communism on Romanian society, and the lessons that can be drawn from this period.

Among the participants, were also Ioana Boca, executive director of the Civic Academy Foundation, Dr. Andrea Dobes chief museographer at the Sighet Memorial and Ioan Andrei Gherasim, president of the Corneliu Coposu Foundation.

Wolton has been a close collaborator with the Sighet Memorial since 2004, having participated in multiple summer schools organized by the institution. His contributions to these programs were compiled in the 2023 book „Wolton la Sighet” (Wolton in Sighet), published by the Civic Academy Foundation.

The high schoolers who participated in the debate on the 13th of November received each a copy of this book, and had the opportunity to ask for the authors autograph.

The event was organized by the Sighet Memorial in collaboration with the Hanns Seidel Foundation.

Sighet Memorial received the European Heritage Label in 2017.

Photos: Szabolcs Linzenbold