Danube-Black Sea Canal
(Carasu River)
Countries	Romania
Counties	Constanţa County
Villages	Cernavoda, Ştefan cel Mare, Saligny, Mircea Vodă, Medgidia, Castelu, Poarta Albă, North Branch (Carasu Canal) Nazarcea, Constanţa, South Branch (Agigea Canal) Basarabi, Straja, Cumpăna, Agigea
Length	67 km (42 mi)
Watershed	1,031 km² (398 sq mi)
Mouth	Black Sea
- location	Lake Siutghiol and Lake Agigea
Major tributaries
- left	Main Branch Valea Plantaţiei, Valea Cişmelei, Agi Cabul, Castelu, Nisipari Carasu Canal Nazarcea, Valea Adâncă Agigea Canal Cocoş, Valea Seacă, Potârnichea, Lazu
- right	Main Branch Popa Nica, Medgidia, Siminoc, Şerplea Agigea Canal Agigea
Official River Code	XV. Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Constanţa (kon'stanʦa is a county ( Judeţ) of Romania, in Dobruja, with the capital city at Constanţa. Cernavodă (tʃerna'vodə historical names Axiopolis, Boğazköy is a town in Constanţa County, Dobrogea, Romania with a population of Saligny is a commune in Constanţa County, Romania. The commune includes three villages Saligny (historical name Aziza, Mircea Vodă is a commune in Constanţa County, Dobrogea, Romania. Medgidia (medʤi'dia historical names Karasu or Carasu, Mecidiye or Megidie) is a city in Constanţa County, Dobruja, south-eastern The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey The Valea Plantaţiei River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Valea Cişmelei River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Agi Cabul River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Castelu River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Nisipari River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Nazarcea River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Valea Adâncă River is a Tributary of the Carasu Branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Cocoş River is a Tributary of the Agigea branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Valea Seacă River is a Tributary of the Agigea branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Potârnichea River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Lazu River is a Tributary of the Agigea branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Popa Nica River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Medgidia River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Siminoc River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Şerplea River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Agigea River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. 1. 10b
Danube (in blue) and the Canal (in red)

The Danube-Black Sea Canal (Romanian: Canalul Dunăre-Marea Neagră) is a canal in Romania which runs from Cernavodă on the Danube to Agigea (southern arm) and Năvodari (northern arm) on the Black Sea. Romanian or Daco-Romanian ( dated: Rumanian or Roumanian; self designation limba română, ˈlimba roˈmɨnə is a Romance Canals are artificial channels for water There are two types of canals water conveyance canals which are used for the conveyance and delivery of water and Waterways Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Cernavodă (tʃerna'vodə historical names Axiopolis, Boğazköy is a town in Constanţa County, Dobrogea, Romania with a population of The Danube (In Donau from earlier Danuvius, Celtic *dānu, meaning "to flow run" Slovak and Polish Dunaj Agigea (a'ʤiʤěa Acica Greek: Aghikos) is a commune in Constanţa County, Romania. Năvodari (nəvo'darʲ historical names Carachioi; Caracoium, Kara Koyum is a town in Constanţa County, Dobruja, Romania, with The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey Administrated from Agigea, it is an important part of the European canal system that links the North Sea to the Black Sea. The North Sea is a marginal, Epeiric sea of the Atlantic Ocean on the European Continental shelf.

The Canal was notorious as the site of labor camps in 1950s Communist Romania, when, at any given time, several tens of thousands political prisoners worked on its excavation. A labor camp is a simplified detention facility where inmates are engaged in Penal labor. A political prisoner is someone held in Prison or otherwise detained perhaps under House arrest, for his or her involvement in political activity The total number of people used as a workforce for the entire period is unknown, as is the number of people who died in the construction. Work was completed in 1984-1987, more than three decades after camps were disestablished.

Geography

The course of the canal follows the course of the former Carasu River. Therefore, hydrographically also has the function of conveying the runoff from a 1031 sq. km. drainage basin to the Black Sea.

The main branch extends from Cernavodă on the Danube to Poarta Albă. Cernavodă (tʃerna'vodə historical names Axiopolis, Boğazköy is a town in Constanţa County, Dobrogea, Romania with a population of The Danube (In Donau from earlier Danuvius, Celtic *dānu, meaning "to flow run" Slovak and Polish Dunaj On this reach it crosses the localities of Cernavoda, Ştefan cel Mare, Saligny, Mircea Vodă, Medgidia, Castelu, Poarta Albă, Constanţa, On this reach the canal is joined on the left bank by tributaries: Valea Plantaţiei, Valea Cişmelei, Agi Cabul, Castelu and Nisipari. A reach in geography is an expanse or widening of a stream or river channel Cernavodă (tʃerna'vodə historical names Axiopolis, Boğazköy is a town in Constanţa County, Dobrogea, Romania with a population of Saligny is a commune in Constanţa County, Romania. The commune includes three villages Saligny (historical name Aziza, Mircea Vodă is a commune in Constanţa County, Dobrogea, Romania. Medgidia (medʤi'dia historical names Karasu or Carasu, Mecidiye or Megidie) is a city in Constanţa County, Dobruja, south-eastern The Valea Plantaţiei River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Valea Cişmelei River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Agi Cabul River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Castelu River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Nisipari River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. On the left side it is joined by tributaries: Popa Nica, Medgidia, Siminoc and Şerplea

At Poarta Albă the canal bifurcates into two branches. The Popa Nica River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Medgidia River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Siminoc River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Şerplea River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania.

• The Northern Branch, also called Carasu Branch goes to Lake Siutghiol. It crosses the localities of . On its reach it is joined by tributaries Nazarcea and Valea Adâncă, both from the left bank. A reach in geography is an expanse or widening of a stream or river channel The Nazarcea River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Valea Adâncă River is a Tributary of the Carasu Branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania.

• The Southern Branch, also called Agigea Branch goes to Lake Agigea. It crosses the localities of . On its reach it is joined on the left bank by tributaries Cocoş, Valea Seacă, Potârnichea, Lazu and on the right bank by the Agigea

Motivation

The main reasons for the building of the canal were to circumvent the Danube Delta, which is difficult to navigate, to shorten the distance to the Black Sea, and several issues related to the loading and unloading of ships. The Cocoş River is a Tributary of the Agigea branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Valea Seacă River is a Tributary of the Agigea branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Potârnichea River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Lazu River is a Tributary of the Agigea branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Agigea River is a Tributary of the main branch of the Danube-Black Sea Canal in Romania. The Danube Delta ( Romanian: Delta Dunării; Ukrainian: Дельта Дунаю Del'ta Dunaju) is the second largest delta ^[1]

In its delta, the Danube is divided into three main branches, none of which is suited to optimal navigation:^[1] Chilia branch is the deepest, but its mouths were not stable, which made navigation dangerous; Sulina branch is not deep enough for maritime ships to navigate on it and it also used to be isolated from the railroad system; Sfântul Gheorghe branch is shallow and sinuous. The Chilia or Kilia branch ( Romanian: Braţul Chilia; Ukrainian: Кілійське гирло is a Distributary of the river The Sulina branch is a Distributary of the river Danube, that contributes in forming the Danube Delta. Căile Ferate Române (translated "Romanian Railways" abbreviated as CFR) is the official designation of the State Railway carrier

At the time when decision to build the canal was taken, it was officially announced that works would also serve a secondary purpose, that of land reclamation — with the drainage of marshes in the area. Land reclamation is either of two distinct practices One involves creating new land from sea- or riverbeds the other refers to restoring an area to a more natural state (such as after In Geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of Wetland which is subject ^[1] Also during the period, the Danube-Black Sea Canal was advertised as a fast and direct connection between the Soviet Volga-Don Canal and Central Europe. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Lenin Volga-Don Shipping Canal (Волго-Донской судоходный канал имени В Central Europe is the Region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and ^[1]

Structure

The 64 km canal reduces the distance by boat from Constanţa to Cernavodă by ca. Constanţa (pronunciation in Romanian: /kon'stanʦa/ historical names Tomis, Κωνστάντια or Constantia, Köstence Cernavodă (tʃerna'vodə historical names Axiopolis, Boğazköy is a town in Constanţa County, Dobrogea, Romania with a population of 400 km. ^[2][3][4] It has a width of 70-90 meters and a depth of 7 metres;^[2][4] the northern arm has a length of 26. 6 km, width of 50 m and a depth of 5. 5 metres. The radius of its sharpest bends is 3 km. Remote Authentication Dial In User Service ( RADIUS) is a networking protocol that provides centralized access authorization and accounting management for people or computers ^[4]

The waterway passes through the towns of Medgidia and Basarabi, both of which have been turned into inland ports. Medgidia (medʤi'dia historical names Karasu or Carasu, Mecidiye or Megidie) is a city in Constanţa County, Dobruja, south-eastern Murfatlar is a town in Constanţa County, Romania. Etymology The locality was named Murfatlar until 1924 and between 1965 and 1980 The term inland port is used in two different but related ways to mean either a port on an inland Waterway or an inland site carrying out some functions of a Seaport ^[4] It was designed to facilitate the transit of convoys comprising as much as six towed barges^[4] (ships of up to 5,000 in tonnage, as long as 138 meters and with as much as 16. A towboat is a Boat designed for pushing Barges Towboats are characterized by a square bow with steel knees for pushing and powerful engines BARGE, the Big August RecGambling Excursion is a yearly convention held in Las Vegas during the first weekend of August Tonnage is a measure of the size or Cargo capacity of a Ship. 8 meters in beam and 5. The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point or at the mid-point of its length 5 meters in draft can also pass through the canal). The draft (or draught) of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the Waterline and the bottom of the hull ( Keel) with the thickness ^[4] The structure is bound by locks (in Cernavodă and Agigea respectively). A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal Waterways. Agigea (a'ʤiʤěa Acica Greek: Aghikos) is a commune in Constanţa County, Romania. ^[4]

In its final phase, the canal took over nine years to construct; 300 million m³ of soil were excavated^[2] (greater than the amount involved in building the Panama and Suez canals),^[5] and 3. The Panama Canal is a man-made Canal in Panama which joins the The Suez Canal is a Canal in Egypt. Opened in 1869 it allows Water transportation between Europe and Asia without circumnavigation 6 million m³ of concrete were used for the locks and support walls. ^[5]

Construction

Precedents

The earliest plans for building this canal were created ca. 1840-1845 (when the vision of Scottish diplomat David Urquhart possibly inspired the Moldavian scholar Ion Ionescu de la Brad). Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. David Urquhart (1805 &ndash May 16, 1877) was a Scottish Diplomat and Writer. Moldavia (Moldova is a geographic and historical region and former Principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between Eastern Carpathians Ion Ionescu de la Brad ( June 24, 1818 &ndash December 16, 1891) born Ion Isăcescu, was a Moldavian born Romanian ^[6] Following the building of a railway connection in 1860, goods were easily and inexpensively transported from Constanţa by railroad, so plans for a canal were abandoned. Căile Ferate Române (translated "Romanian Railways" abbreviated as CFR) is the official designation of the State Railway carrier ^[6] Another project was consequently rejected by King Carol I after consultations with Grigore Antipa. See also Kingdom of Romania King of the Roumanians (in Romanian Regele Românilor) rather than King of Romania (in Romanian Regele României Carol I of Romania, original name Prince Karl Eitel Friedrich Zephyrinus Ludwig of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, later simply of Hohenzollern (April 20th 1839 - Grigore Antipa ( 27 November 1867, Botoşani &ndash 9 March, 1944 Bucharest) was a Romanian Darwinist ^[6] During World War I, Austro-Hungarian authorities taking part in the occupation of southern Romania proposed a canal from Cernavodă to Constanţa, passing through Murfatlar, of which 10 miles would be in a tunnel (Cernavodă-Murfatlar) and the rest of 27 miles would be in the open. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The Romanian Campaign was a campaign in the Balkan theatre of World War I, with Romania and Russia allied against the armies of the Central Cernavodă (tʃerna'vodə historical names Axiopolis, Boğazköy is a town in Constanţa County, Dobrogea, Romania with a population of Constanţa (pronunciation in Romanian: /kon'stanʦa/ historical names Tomis, Κωνστάντια or Constantia, Köstence Murfatlar is a town in Constanţa County, Romania. Etymology The locality was named Murfatlar until 1924 and between 1965 and 1980 ^[1]

In 1927, the Romanian engineer Jean Stoenescu-Dunăre drafted a new set of plans;^[6] because of the Great Depression, World War II, and political turmoil in Romania (see Romania during World War II), construction did not begin until 1949, after the establishment of a Romanian Communist regime. Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including In June 1941 after a brief period of nominal neutrality under King Carol, Romania joined the Axis Powers. Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Creation of the camps

Map of the forced labour camps at the Canal

The decision to build the Danube-Black Sea Canal was taken on May 25, 1949 by the Politburo of the Romanian Workers' Party and the Petru Groza executive. Politburo, short for Political Bureau, Russian Politicheskoye Buro, is the executive organization for a number of Political parties, most notably The Romanian Communist Party ( Romanian: ro Partidul Comunist Român, PCR was a communist political party in Romania. Petru Groza ( December 7, 1884 - January 7, 1958) was a Romanian politician best known as Prime Minister of the first ^[3][7][1] The document specified:

"in accordance with art[icle] 72 of the Constitution of the People's Republic of Romania, the Council of Ministers decides: art[icle] 1 — preparatory work on the Danube-Black Sea Canal to begin. The 1991 Constitution of Romania is the fundamental law that establishes the structure of the government of Romania, the rights and obligations of the country's citizens and "^[3]

A version of events, supported on one occasion by the Romanian leader Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej and made popular through the literary works of Marin Preda, credited Soviet ruler Joseph Stalin with the idea for the Canal — a project which was supposedly based on the Gulag^[3][6][8] (Communist leader Ana Pauker, who, like her collaborator Vasile Luca, opposed the project, told her family that Stalin personally "proposed" the Canal in late 1948). Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej (born Gheorghe Gheorghiu; November 8 1901, Bârlad - March Marin Preda ( 5 August 1922 &ndash 16 May 1980) was a Romanian novelist often considered the best of post-WWII Romania The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Joseph Stalin ( ნამდვილი გვარი ჯუღაშვილი|Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili; March 5 1953 was General Secretary of the Communist Party The Gulag was the government agency that administered the penal labor camps of the Soviet Union. Ana Pauker (born Hannah Rabinsohn; February 13, 1893 &ndash June 14, 1960) was a Romanian Vasile Luca (born László Luka; June 8, 1898 &mdash July 23, 1963) was an Austro-Hungarian -born Romanian and ^[9] The legal framework for unfree labor was set up in 1950, when a decree passed by the Great National Assembly introduced it as a measure for the "reeducation of hostile elements",^[3] and when the new Labor Code allowed the executive to requisition workforce for various political purposes. Unfree labour is a generic or collective term for those work relations especially in modern or early modern history in which people are employed against their will The Great National Assembly (Marea Adunare Naţională MAN was the Legislature of the Romanian People's Republic and the Socialist Republic Romania Indoctrination is the process of inculcating Ideas attitudes, cognitive strategies or a professional Methodology. ^[3] In its original form, the project was meant to result in the third-largest canal ever built (after the Panama and the Suez Canals). The Panama Canal is a man-made Canal in Panama which joins the The Suez Canal is a Canal in Egypt. Opened in 1869 it allows Water transportation between Europe and Asia without circumnavigation ^[10][6]

In October of 1949, the authorities established a General Directorate to oversee both the works and the penal facilities, answering directly to the national leadership. ^[3] Its first head was the engineer Gheorghe Hossu, replaced in 1951 by Meyer Grünberg, in turn replaced by Vasile Posteucă (who held the position in 1952-1953). ^[3] According to historian Adrian Cioroianu, all three were insufficiently trained for the task they were required to accomplish. Adrian Mihai Cioroianu (born January 5, 1967) is a Romanian historian politician journalist and essayist ^[3] By 1952, the Directorate came under the direct supervision of the Internal Affairs Ministry, and the Securitate was allowed direct intervention on the construction site. See also Serviciul Român de Informaţii The Securitate ( Romanian for Security; official full name Departamentul Securităţii Statului ^[3]

Forced labor and repression

Prison camps sprang up all along the projected canal route in the summer of 1949 and were quickly filled with political prisoners brought from jails from throughout the country. These first arrivals were soon joined by newly arrested people who were sent to the canal in ever increasing numbers. By 1950 the forced labor camps set up along the length of the planned canal were filled to capacity; that year alone, 40,000 prisoners were held in those camps. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A labor camp is a simplified detention facility where inmates are engaged in Penal labor. ^[11] By 1953, the number of prisoners had swelled to 60,000^[12] (other sources indicate 100,000^[7] or 40,000^[3] for the entire period). British historian and New York University professor Tony Judt claims in his book, Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945, as recorded in a 2005 review:

"At the time, an estimated 1 million Romanians were imprisoned in dire conditions or engaged in often deadly slave labor, digging out the Danube-Black Sea Canal. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located New York University ( NYU) is a private, Nonsectarian, Coeducational Research University in New York City. Tony Judt (born 1948 London, England) is a British Historian, Author and University professor. Postwar A History of Europe Since 1945 is a 2005 book by Historian Tony Judt, the Director "^[13]

The construction effort surpassed the resources available to the Romanian economy in the 1950s. The canal was assigned inferior machinery, part of which had already been used on the Soviet Volga-Don Canal,^[6] and building had to rely on primitive techniques (most work appears to have been carried out using shovels and pickaxes,^[3][1] which was especially hard in the rocky terrain of Northern Dobruja). Lenin Volga-Don Shipping Canal (Волго-Донской судоходный канал имени В A shovel is a Tool for lifting and moving loose material such as Coal, Gravel, Snow, Soil, or Sand and is an A pickaxe is a Hand tool with a hard head attached Perpendicular to the handle Northern Dobruja (Dobrogea Северна Добруджа Severna Dobrudzha) is the part of Dobruja within the borders of Romania. ^[7] Detainees were allocated to brigades, usually run by common criminals — encouraged to use violence against their subordinates. ^[7] In parallel, the region's industrialization, destined to assist in the building effort, was never accomplished. is a process of social and economic change whereby a human group is transformed from a Pre-industrial society into an industrial one ^[1]

Sums allocated for prisoner health, hygiene and nutrition declined dramatically over the years. ^[7] Food rations were kept to a minimum, and prisoners would often resort to hunting mice and other small animals, or even consuming grass in an attempt to supplement their diet. ^[7]

The prisoners comprised dispossessed farmers who had attempted to resist collectivization, former activists of the National Peasants' Party, the National Liberal Party, the Romanian Social Democratic Party, and the fascist Iron Guard, Zionist Jews, as well as Orthodox and Catholic priests. Collective farming is an organization of agricultural production in which the holdings of several farmers are run as a joint enterprise The National Peasants' Party ( Partidul Naţional Ţărănesc or PNŢ) was a Romanian Political party, formed in 1926 through the fusion The Partidul Naţional Liberal ( National Liberal Party) is a liberal party in Romania, and the second largest party in parliament being edged out The Romanian Social Democratic Party ( Romanian: Partidul Social Democrat Român, or Partidul Social Democrat, PSD) was a social-democratic Fascism is a totalitarian nationalist and corporatist ideology The Iron Guard is the name most commonly given in English to a Far-right ultra- nationalist Antisemitic, fascist movement and political party History of Zionism|Timeline of Zionism|World Zionist Organization|Zionist political violence Zionism is an international political movement that originally supported the The history of Jews in Romania concerns the Jews of Romania and of Romanian origins from their first mention on what is nowadays Romanian territory The Romanian Orthodox Church ( Biserica Ortodoxă Română in Romanian) is a Autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church The Roman-Catholic Church (Biserica Romano-Catolică din România in Romania is a Latin Church Christian church part of the worldwide Catholic Church ^{[3][14][6][7][1]} The canal was referred to as the "graveyard of the Romanian bourgeoisie" by the Communist authorities,^[11] and the physical elimination of undesirable social classes was one of its most significant goals. Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions (or stratification) between individuals or groups in Societies or Cultures. ^[3][7][15]

One estimate places at over 200,000 the number of people who died as a result of exposure, unsafe equipment, malnutrition, accidents, tuberculosis and other diseases, over-work, etc. Malnutrition is a general term for a medical condition caused by an improper or insufficient diet. Tuberculosis (abbreviated as TB for tubercle bacillus or T u' b' erculosis Bacillus --> is a common , of those working on the project between 1949 to 1953. ^[16] More conservative estimates place the number at "considerably in excess of 10,000". ^[7] As such, the project became known as the "Death Canal" (Canalul Morţii). It has also been called "a cloaca of immense human suffering and mortality". ^[17]

In parallel, authorities left aside sectors of employment for skilled workers — kept in strict isolation from all others,^[7] they were attracted to the site with exceptional salaries (over 5,000 lei per month),^[3] as well as for young people drafted in the Romanian Army and whose files indicated "unhealthy origins" (a middle-class family background). The leu ( plural lei; ISO 4217 code RON numeric code 946 is the currency of Romania. The Land Forces, Air Force and Naval Forces are collectively known as the Romanian Armed Forces ( Romanian: Forţele Armate Române The middle class, in colloquial usage consists of those who have some economic independence but not a great deal of social Influence or power. ^[3] Their numbers fluctuated greatly (regular employees went from 13,200 in 1950 to 15,000 in 1951, to as little as 7,000 in early 1952, and again to 12,500 later in that year). ^[3] At the same time, facilities meant to accommodate the projected influx of labor (including homes available on credit) were never actually completed. ^[1] This was overlooked by the propaganda machine, which instead furnished Stakhanovite stories, according to which work quotas were surpassed by as much as 170%. Propaganda is a concerted set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of large numbers of people In Soviet history and iconography a Stakhanovite (стахановец follows the example of Aleksei Grigorievich Stakhanov, employing hard work or ^[10] Authorities also made the claim that the construction site was offering training to previously unskilled workers^[10][1] (as many as 10,000 in one official communiqué). ^[1]

Trial

Blame for the debilitating and unsuccessful works was eventually placed on a group of alleged conspirators, who were indicted in a show trial (late 1952) — they faced various trumped-up charges (espionage, fraud, sabotage, and the political crime of Zionism), in connection with a review of policies following Gheorghiu-Dej's maneuver against Ana Pauker. In a political sense conspiracy refers to a group of persons united in the goal of usurping or overthrowing an established political power The term show trial is a pejorative description of a type of highly Public trial. In the broadest sense a fraud is a Deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening an enemy oppressor or employer through subversion obstruction disruption and/or destruction In Criminology, a political Crime is one involving overt acts or omissions (where there is a duty to act which prejudice the interests of the State Ana Pauker (born Hannah Rabinsohn; February 13, 1893 &ndash June 14, 1960) was a Romanian ^{[3][14][6][9][1]} The inquiry was orchestrated by Iosif Chişinevschi. Iosif Chişinevschi (1905&ndash1963 born Iosif Roitman, was a Romanian communist politician ^[6]

Three people were executed (the engine driver Nichita Dumitrescu, and the engineers Aurel Rozei-Rozenberg and Nicolae Vasilescu-Colorado); others were imprisoned for various terms. ^[3][14][6] Defendants in a second group, around the engineer Gheorghe Crăciun, were sentenced to various harsh penalties (including three life imprisonments). Gheorghe Crăciun ( 1950 &mdash January 30 2007) was a Romanian Writer and Translator. Life imprisonment or life incarceration is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime often for most ^[3][6] Torture was applied by a Securitate squad led by Alexandru Nicolschi, as a means to obtain forced confessions. See also Serviciul Român de Informaţii The Securitate ( Romanian for Security; official full name Departamentul Securităţii Statului Alexandru Nicolschi (born Boris Grünberg, his chosen surname was often rendered as Nikolski or Nicolski; Russian: Александр Сергеевич A forced confession is a Confession obtained by a suspect or a Prisoner under means of Torture of some kind or Duress. ^[6]

Completion

A lock on the Canal

On July 18, 1953, the project came to a discreet halt, all work being suspended for another 23 years^{[3][6][7][18]} (according to some sources, the closure had been ordered by Stalin himself, as early as 1952). ^[6] The canal camps remained in existence for another year, and their prisoners progressively relocated, to similar conditions at other work sites in Northern Dobruja. Northern Dobruja (Dobrogea Северна Добруджа Severna Dobrudzha) is the part of Dobruja within the borders of Romania. ^[3][6][7] Penal facilities on the canal site were shut down in mid-1954. ^[7]

In 1976, the project was restarted by Nicolae Ceauşescu, who had previously ordered the rehabilitation of people sentenced in the 1952 trial,^[3][6] and who aimed to withdraw the Lower Danube from Soviet control (which had been consecrated by the 1948 Danube Conference). Nicolae Ceauşescu (nikoˈlaje tʃauˈʃesku (January 26 1918 – December 25 1989 was the communist dictator of Romania from 1965 until December 1989 when a revolution Rehabilitation (реабилитация in the context of Soviet or Russian topics is often a linguistic False cognate used to translate the Russian ^[2][1] In official propaganda, where the 1950s precedent was no longer mentioned,^[2] the canal was referred to as the "Blue Highway" (Magistrala Albastră). Propaganda is a concerted set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of large numbers of people ^[2][6] New and large machinery, produced inside Romania, was introduced to the site. ^[2] The southern arm was completed in 1984 (delayed by poor quality in construction),^[2] with the northern arm being inaugurated in 1987. ^[2][3]

The cost of building the canal is estimated to be around 2 billion United States dollars, and was supposed to be recovered in 50 years. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been However, as of 2005, it has a yearly profit of only a little over 3 million euros. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e ^[19]

In art

For much of the 1950s, the Danube-Black Sea Canal was celebrated in agitprop literature (notably, in Geo Bogza's 1950 reportage Începutul epopeii, "The Beginning of the Epic", and in Petru Dumitriu's Drum fără pulbere, "Dustless Road"),^[3][1] music (Leon Klepper's symphonic poem Dunărea se varsă în mare, "The Danube Flows to the Sea"),^[1] and film (Ion Bostan's 1951 Canalul Dunăre-Marea Neagră, o construcţie a păcii - "The Danube-Black Sea Canal, a Construction of Peace"). Agitprop (агитпроп is a contraction of " agit ation and prop aganda" Geo Bogza (born Gheorghe Bogza; February 6, 1908 - September 14, 1993) was a Romanian Avant-garde theorist poet A symphonic poem or tone poem is a piece of Orchestral Music in one movement in which some extramusical program provides a narrative or illustrative element During the 1980s, the song "Magistrala Albastră", performed by Dan Spătaru and Mirabela Dauer and using the Canal as its setting, was frequently broadcast in official and semi-official contexts. Dan Spătaru ( October 2, 1939 in Aliman, Constanţa County &ndash September 8, 2004 in Bucharest) was a ^[10]

During the period of liberalization preceding the July Theses, literature was allowed to make several references to the Canal's penitentiary history. In general liberalization (or liberalisation) refers to a relaxation of previous government restrictions usually in areas of social or economic policy The July Theses (Tezele din iulie is a name commonly given to a speech delivered by Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu on July 6 1971, before Examples include Marin Preda's Cel mai iubit dintre pământeni^[3] and, most likely, Eugen Barbu's Principele (by means of an allegory, set during the 18th century Phanariote rules). Marin Preda ( 5 August 1922 &ndash 16 May 1980) was a Romanian novelist often considered the best of post-WWII Romania Cel mai iubit dintre pământeni (The Most Beloved of Earthlings is the last and perhaps most elaborate Novel by the Romanian author Marin Preda Eugen Barbu ( February 20, 1924 — September 7, 1993) was a Romanian modern novelist short story writer journalist and An allegory (from αλλος allos "other" and el αγορευειν agoreuein "to speak in public" is a figurative mode of representation Phanariotes, Phanariots, or Phanariote Greeks ( Greek:Φαναριώτες Romanian: Fanarioţi, Bulgarian:Фанариоти ^[20] In 1973-1974, Ion Cârja, a former prisoner, wrote a book titled Canalul morţii, detailing his sufferings during incarceration; it was first published in Romania in 1993, after the Revolution of 1989. Ion Cârja ( March 25, 1922 &ndash May 8, 1977) was a Romanian and American writer and anti-communist activist The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a week-long series of increasingly violent riots and fighting in late December 1989 that overthrew the Communist regime of Nicolae

Inmates of the labor camps

• Arsenie Boca
• Matei Boilă
• Barbu Brezianu
• George Matei Cantacuzino
• Ion Caraion
• Ion Cârja
• Andrei Ciurunga
• Corneliu Coposu
• Gheorghe Cristescu
• Constantin Galeriu
• Şerban Ghica
• Pyotr Leshchenko
• Ovidiu Papadima
• Aurel Popa
• Ştefan Radof
• Toma Spătaru
• Richard Wurmbrand
• Sabina Wurmbrand

References

• Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti
• Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1972
• Cursuri de apă din judeţul Constanţa înscrise în Cadastrul Apelor din România [1]
• Vladimir Tismăneanu, Stalinism for All Seasons: A Political History of Romanian Communism, University of California Press, Berkeley, 2003, ISBN 0-52-023747-1
• Trasee turistice - judeţul Constanţa [2]

Maps

• Harta Judeţului Constanţa [3]

External links

• The canal on Google maps
• Aurel Popa, Sub semnul gulagului ("Under the sign of the Gulag"), memoirs, at Memoria.ro