Berne incident
Encyclopedia
The Berne incident consisted in the brief seizure of the Romania
n embassy in Bern, Switzerland
, by a group of Romanian émigré
s who opposed the communist regime
. It occurred between February 14 and February 16, 1955.
. At the age of 15 he became a member of Frunză Verde ("Green Leaf"), a youth organisation associated with the fascist
Iron Guard
, but after the end of World War II
he joined the anti-communist resistance movement
. In 1949, he fled to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
, only to return a few months later, allegedly as an agent of the UDBA
. In 1951, Beldeanu arrived in Italy
; he later settled in Konstanz
, West Germany
.
In 1954, Beldeanu began preparing the assault on the Romanian embassy: he travelled several times to Switzerland, acquired the needed weapons and tools, and held training sessions with the other members of the group (Ion Chirilă, Stan Codrescu, Dumitru Ochiu and Tudor Ciochină).
On the evening of February 14, 1955, the group drove from Konstanz to Berne, broke into the embassy around midnight and entered the embassy's driver's residence. The members of the group then proceeded to discreetly search for secret documents.
Around 2:00 AM, Aurel Şeţu, the embassy's driver (and most likely a Securitate
agent) returned and entered into an altercation with Codrescu and Ochiu, following which Şeţu was shot. Though hurt, the driver managed to leave the annex building, and was later discovered heavily bleeding under a tree. He was then transported to the hospital where he died. After the shooting most of the embassy's staff had fled.
The Swiss police was notified by the ambassador and surrounded the building, but without intervening, since the ambassador did not allow them to enter the property at first. The group demanded the release from Romanian prisons of several important personalities, such as Dinu Brătianu
. On the night of February 15/16, Dumitru Ochiu exited the embassy, carrying with him a number of documents; he was immediately arrested by the Swiss police. The rest of the group surrendered the next day.
, as well as exposing the espionage
activities of the Romanian embassy in Switzerland.
However, the Romanian government of the time accused the Iron Guard structure in exile (under the leadership of Horia Sima
) and Western
intelligence agencies of masterminding a fascist anti-Romanian plot with the complicity of the Swiss authorities.
Some commentators have suggested that the group was indeed acting on behalf of a foreign intelligence service, looking for documents related specifically to covert Romanian agents in the Western program of parachuting agents into areas of the Eastern Bloc
.
In Romania, protest gatherings were staged in several towns and a large commemorative meeting held in Bucharest on the occasion of Aurel Şeţu's burial.
Oliviu Beldeanu's fate turned tragic after he was released from prison in 1957, as the communist regime did not intend to leave his action go unpunished. He was lured to West Berlin
and abducted by Stasi
and Securitate agents, then taken to Bucharest
, subjected to a kangaroo trial, and executed on February 18, 1960.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n embassy in Bern, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, by a group of Romanian émigré
Émigré
Émigré is a French term that literally refers to a person who has "migrated out", but often carries a connotation of politico-social self-exile....
s who opposed the communist regime
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
. It occurred between February 14 and February 16, 1955.
Events
The attack was planned and led by Oliviu Beldeanu, a sculptor born in 1924 in DejDej
Dej is a city in northwestern Romania, 60 km north of Cluj-Napoca, in Cluj County. It lies where the Someşul Mic River meets the river Someşul Mare River...
. At the age of 15 he became a member of Frunză Verde ("Green Leaf"), a youth organisation associated with the fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
Iron Guard
Iron Guard
The Iron Guard is the name most commonly given to a far-right movement and political party in Romania in the period from 1927 into the early part of World War II. The Iron Guard was ultra-nationalist, fascist, anti-communist, and promoted the Orthodox Christian faith...
, but after the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he joined the anti-communist resistance movement
Romanian anti-communist resistance movement
An armed resistance movement against the communist regime in Romania was active from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s, with isolated individual fighters remaining at large until the early 1960s. Armed resistance was the first and most structured form of resistance against the communist regime...
. In 1949, he fled to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
, only to return a few months later, allegedly as an agent of the UDBA
UDBA
The Department of State Security was the secret police organization of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.Although it operated with more restraint than other secret...
. In 1951, Beldeanu arrived in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
; he later settled in Konstanz
Konstanz
Konstanz is a university city with approximately 80,000 inhabitants located at the western end of Lake Constance in the south-west corner of Germany, bordering Switzerland. The city houses the University of Konstanz.-Location:...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
.
In 1954, Beldeanu began preparing the assault on the Romanian embassy: he travelled several times to Switzerland, acquired the needed weapons and tools, and held training sessions with the other members of the group (Ion Chirilă, Stan Codrescu, Dumitru Ochiu and Tudor Ciochină).
On the evening of February 14, 1955, the group drove from Konstanz to Berne, broke into the embassy around midnight and entered the embassy's driver's residence. The members of the group then proceeded to discreetly search for secret documents.
Around 2:00 AM, Aurel Şeţu, the embassy's driver (and most likely a Securitate
Securitate
The Securitate was the secret police agency of Communist Romania. Previously, the Romanian secret police was called Siguranţa Statului. Founded on August 30, 1948, with help from the Soviet NKVD, the Securitate was abolished in December 1989, shortly after President Nicolae Ceaușescu was...
agent) returned and entered into an altercation with Codrescu and Ochiu, following which Şeţu was shot. Though hurt, the driver managed to leave the annex building, and was later discovered heavily bleeding under a tree. He was then transported to the hospital where he died. After the shooting most of the embassy's staff had fled.
The Swiss police was notified by the ambassador and surrounded the building, but without intervening, since the ambassador did not allow them to enter the property at first. The group demanded the release from Romanian prisons of several important personalities, such as Dinu Brătianu
Dinu Bratianu
Dinu Brătianu , born Constantin I. C. Brătianu, was a Romanian politician, who led the National Liberal Party starting with 1934.-Early career:...
. On the night of February 15/16, Dumitru Ochiu exited the embassy, carrying with him a number of documents; he was immediately arrested by the Swiss police. The rest of the group surrendered the next day.
Motivations
According to its organizers, the attack's purpose was to attract international attention to the abuses, injustices and human rights violations perpetrated by the communist Romanian governmentCommunist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
, as well as exposing the espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
activities of the Romanian embassy in Switzerland.
However, the Romanian government of the time accused the Iron Guard structure in exile (under the leadership of Horia Sima
Horia Sima
Horia Sima was a Romanian fascist politician. After 1938, he was the second and last leader of the fascist and antisemitic para-military movement known as the Iron Guard.-In Romania:...
) and Western
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
intelligence agencies of masterminding a fascist anti-Romanian plot with the complicity of the Swiss authorities.
Some commentators have suggested that the group was indeed acting on behalf of a foreign intelligence service, looking for documents related specifically to covert Romanian agents in the Western program of parachuting agents into areas of the Eastern Bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
.
Aftermath
The members of the group were tried in Berne. Oliviu Beldeanu was sentenced to four years in prison, Stan Codrescu (who had shot Aurel Şeţu) to three and a half years, Ion Chirilă to three and a half years and Dumitru Ochiu to a year and four months.In Romania, protest gatherings were staged in several towns and a large commemorative meeting held in Bucharest on the occasion of Aurel Şeţu's burial.
Oliviu Beldeanu's fate turned tragic after he was released from prison in 1957, as the communist regime did not intend to leave his action go unpunished. He was lured to West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
and abducted by Stasi
Stasi
The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security (German: Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (MfS), commonly known as the Stasi (abbreviation , literally State Security), was the official state security service of East Germany. The MfS was headquartered...
and Securitate agents, then taken to Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, subjected to a kangaroo trial, and executed on February 18, 1960.