Romanian Mayor Radu Mazare dresses in Nazi uniform
In July 2009, Mr. Radu Mazare, the Mayor of Constanta, one of the biggest Romanian cities appeared at a fashion show in the Nazi Wermacht uniform, also accompanied by his son in a Nazi uniform. The news made headlines around the world. [1] The mayor declared he had been inspired by Operation Valkyrie in wearing the uniform. [2] He apologized for the gesture still invoking Operation Valkyrie, [3] after an open letter from Dr Efraim Zuroff, the Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center who expressed shock at the gesture and asked for the mayor’s resignation as follows: “It would be hard to adequately describe the depth of the pain that your appearance caused, not only to Jews and other victims of Nazism, but to any person of moral integrity who knows the history of World War II (…) Under these circumstances, I believe that the proper thing for you to do, is to admit your mistake, apologize for it and resign your position”. [4] The resignation did not happen, while the Social-Democrat Party, of which Mr. Mazăre is an important leader, did not condemn the incident but downplayed it. [5]
In its 2008 Activity Report, the National Council for Combating Discrimination noted an increase in anti-Semitic incidents which do not find a public condemnation on the side of public dignitaries. [6]
Despite prosecutors being seized as to Mr. Mazăre’s gesture, according to media accounts, after lengthy proceedings, the prosecutors found three times that the criminal investigation (for breaching the Criminal Code, among others through instigation to discrimination, and the Government Emergency Ordinance 31/2002 prohibiting organizations and symbols with a fascist, racist or xenophobic character and the promotion of the cult of persons guilty of crimes against peace and humanity) should not be started, mainly on account of the fact that the wearing of the uniform happened within a fashion show, thus invoking the “in the interest of the art” argument. [7]
Sources:
- For a comprehensive media monitoring exercise of the issue, see website of the Center for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism in Romania, at: http://www.antisemitism.ro/ro/comunicate-de-presa/ (Accessed on 29.02.2012)
- 9am News, “Mazare, celebru pe plan mondial pentru uniforma nazista” [“Mazare, famous worldwide for the Nazi Uniform”], 22.07.2009, available at: http://www.9am.ro/stiri-revista-presei/Politica/136738/Mazare-celebru-pe-plan-mondial-pentru-uniforma-nazista.html (Accessed on 29.02.2012)
- See letter of Mayor Radu Mazare to the Center for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism in Romania, 22.07.2009, available at: http://www.antisemitism.ro/uploads/309/2009-07-22-radu-mazare-scuze.pdf (Accessed on 29.02.2012)
- Letter of Dr. Efraim Zuroff, Director Simon Wiesenthal Center, Jerusalem, Israel to His Excellency Mayor Radu Mazare, 21.07.2009, available at: http://www.antisemitism.ro/uploads/309/2009-07-21-simon-wiesenthal-center-letter-to-mayor-radu-mazare-from-dr-efraim-zuroff.pdf (Accessed on 29.02.2012)
- As quoted in L Parvu, “Social-Democrats reaction to Mazare’s Nazi uniform: We don’t know, we haven’t seen it. Victor Ponta: Mr Mazare is of age and it is his right to dress as he pleases in his spare time” in Hotnews.ro, available at: http://www.antisemitism.ro/uploads/309/2009-07-20-hotnews-ro-radu-mazare-psd-reactions.pdf (Accessed on 29.02.2012)
- CNCD, Activity Report 2008, p. 41, available at: http://www.cncd.org.ro/files/file/Raport%20de%20activitate%20CNCD%202008.pdf (Accessed on 29.02.2012)
- C. Zarea, “The prosecutors are not going to pursue a criminal investigation against Mazăre for the swastika” in Ziua de Constanţa, 08.04.2011, available at: http://www.ziuaconstanta.ro/rubrici/eveniment/al-treilea-nup-convine-procurorii-nu-l-vor-urmari-penal-pe-mazare-pentru-zvastica-75913.html (Accessed on 29.02.2012)
