ATTENDANCE LIST

Lists with workmen who would sign to attend a certain meeting. Usually, the spontaneous ones. (51)

AUGUST 23^RD

Party instructors used to go to the factories and schools and co-opted employees and students. Preparations started two months in advance. The whole show took place in the Aviators? Square, where two platforms were placed: Ceausescu?s and Central Committee officials? platform in the right and the platform of foreign guests in the left. There were chalk markings on the pavement indicating people how to position themselves.

The convoy would start in the Union Square, all down the boulevard to the Aviators? Square. It was such a long and tiring journey. You were not allowed to eat or drink until the march was over. Only then you could have a bite or some water. Waiters from various restaurants were lined on the side. They had come with a table covered with white table cloth, with a gas cylinder and a cooker on which they boiled Praguer sausages in a big bowl for 15-20 kg, with an aluminum lid. They took the sausages with a piece of metal tongs and put them on a paper plate, next to some mustard mixed with water and a bun. All this food was there for a price. You could also buy Cico, for 2 lei a bottle, or bear.

Your name was put on a list. If you refused to participate in the march, you were sanctioned.

The march started at 8 in the morning and ended at 12 or 1 in the afternoon. First came the army, then the sanitary units, then the group of civilians from factories. Each factory had a patriotic squad made up of men, who although had completed the military service, were still constantly trained and updated on the latest type of armament, so that they could be ready to fight in case a war broke out. Next came the pioneers. Some of them had been selected to offer wreaths of flowers to the people in the two platforms. The workers were next in line, divided on factories. Each factory would chant various slogans established beforehand by the party sector inspectors.

The factories were divided on sectors, irrespective of their characteristics, and the people were ready to ?draw? various symbols or words. The group of girls I was part of were wearing white sports shoes, white socks, kimono dresses tight at the top and loose in lower part, dresses that slightly covered your thighs, and red underpants. You had to put on two dresses of different colors. After using the red dress, you kneeled and kept your head down, so that only the writing on the dress could be seen, quickly took off the red dress and kept the blue one on. You held the red wrapped up in your hands.

The pioneers sometimes had white doves in their hand, and let them fly. Workers would carry the flags, which were mostly given to men, who dreaded those heavy flags with their thick sticks. (M. V., 121)