From Friends to Foes: Romanian Diplomats in Türkiye during the Early Years of the Communist Regime (1947–1949)

Abstract

With the establishment of the communist regime in Romania following the Second World War, officials in Bucharest embarked on a comprehensive restructuring of the country’s diplomatic corps, both domestically and abroad. As part of this process, diplomats appointed during the Kingdom period were systematically recalled to Romania to ensure alignment with the new policies of the communist government. This shift also affected the Romanian diplomatic staff stationed at the Consulate in Istanbul and the Embassy in Ankara. This study examines the stance of Romanian diplomats in Türkiye towards the political transformations in Bucharest, their responses to being recalled, and the attitudes of Turkish authorities towards representatives of the new regime. The research is primarily based on unpublished archival documents from the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and contemporary articles from the Turkish press.

Keywords

• romania
• türkiye
• aurel decei
• nicoară beldiceanu
• grigore moisil