Journal 1935–1944: The Fascist YearsHailed as one of the most important portrayals of the dark years of Nazism, this powerful chronicle by the Romanian Jewish writer Mihail Sebastian aroused a furious response in Eastern Europe when it was first published. A profound and powerful literary achievement, it offers a lucid and finely shaded analysis of erotic and social life, a Jew’s diary, a reader’s notebook, a music-lover’s journal. Above all, it is an account of the “rhinocerization” of major Romanian intellectuals whom Sebastian counted among his friends, including Mircea Eliade and E.M. Cioran, writers and thinkers who were mesmerized by the Nazi-fascist delirium of Europe’s “reactionary revolution.” In poignant, unforgettable sequences, Sebastian follows the grinding progression of the “machinery” of brutalization and traces the historical context in which it developed. Despite the pressure of hatred and horror in the “huge anti-Semitic factory” that was Romania in the years of World War II, his writing maintains the grace of its perceptive and luminous intelligence. The legacy of a journalist, novelist, and playwright, Sebastian’s Journal stands as one of the most important human and literary documents of the climate that preceded the Holocaust in Eastern Europe. |
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Act Three afternoon anti-Semitic Antonescu Anyway asked attack August Balcic Benu Bessarabia Bibescu bombing Braila Breaza British Bucharest Bukovina Calea Victoriei Camil Camil Petrescu chapter concerto Corcova didn’t difficult dream Eugen Ionescu evening’s German everything feel felt fighting final finally find finished first five Friday friend of Sebastian’s Froda front German German communique happened Hitler Iron Guard January Jewish Jews journalist kind last night leave Legionary Leni listened longer look Marietta Mihail Sebastian Mircea Mogosoaia Monday morning Mozart Nae Ionescu never novel November o’clock October offensive office official Petrescu play Poldy possible Predeal Romanian Rosetti Russians Saturday scene Sebastian seems September Sinaia skiing Soviet Strada street Sunday talk tell terrible theatre things thought thousand Thursday today’s told tomorrow Transnistria Tuesday wait Wednesday weeks whole write Yesterday evening’s yesterday’s Zissu