What were the benefits of security guards in Romania during the glory years of communism. The regime rewarded them with higher salaries than in the Army

Security officers enjoyed many benefits during the 45 years of communism. They had consistent salaries, double the average salary in Romania, and at the same time numerous other allowances and facilities. In addition, they had a feared status in Romanian society.

The security had brutal investigation methods PHOTO Sighet Memorial

The Security, or more precisely the General Directorate of People's Security, influenced the destiny of millions of Romanians throughout the communist regime, being the long and repressive arm of the party among the citizens. The methods of the Security were brutal and cynical, any means being excusable to identify the “guilty”. The first structure of the Security was established by Decree no. 221 of August 30, 1948, after the dethronement of King Mihai and the proclamation of the People's Republic of Romania. The security was involved in all criminal actions directed against those who opposed or simply did not correspond socially and intellectually to the communist regime.

Among the cruelest actions in which the Securitate was involved are the Pitesti experiment and the forced deportations to the labor camp at the Black Sea Danube Canal. Although after 1964, the Security changed its methods and abandoned the barbarism of the 50s, the arrests for political reasons continued and the security guards continued with a brutal arsenal, but more subtle, more hidden from the eyes of the world. In addition, they surrounded themselves with a cohort of casters recruited to expose the “conspirators”. In order for this work within the Security to become attractive and at the same time to keep and motivate the employees, the communist regime offered the security guards an appropriate salary, much more consistent than that of the Army, for example, but also multiple material and social benefits.

Double wages compared to the rest of the employees in Romania

According to specialized research and data obtained from the documents of the time, it appears that the security guards enjoyed a more than decent salary. The average salary of security guards was double the average salary level in Romania. An operative within the Security, i.e. an employee with degrees, not civilian personnel, benefited from a basic salary, to which was added a salary for the position, plus a seniority bonus. Until the end of the 1950s, a Sergeant Major of the Security received a monthly salary of 8,500 lei. A lieutenant, head of office, received 18,000 lei monthly, and the general director, around 55,000 lei, per month.

Comparatively, a 35-year-old, qualified teacher collects just over 7,400 lei at the threshold of retirement. That is, less than a Security sergeant and almost 11,000 lei less than a lieutenant. From around 1959, other pay scales came into operation, but the ratio remained almost the same. In short, an average salary at Securitate was twice the average salary in the economy. A Security Lieutenant made double the salary of a high school teacher. In addition, a Security General, a commander, had three times the salary of a factory general manager.

“It can thus be calculated, based on these data and the annex, that in 1959, a regional operative assistant with the rank of lieutenant, with 2 years' seniority, exceeded the amount of 1,400 lei as monthly remuneration, while a teacher of classes V-XI with the same seniority received only 725 lei. A central district operative worker with 10-15 years' seniority earned approx. 2,600 lei, compared to a senior production engineer in the mining industry who had a salary of 1,450 lei. A chief of the central water service, with the rank of lieutenant general and 20 years of service, received over 6,000 lei a month, while a general manager (electricity, air transport, etc.) had a basic salary of 2,200 – 2,400 lei”wrote Iuliu Crăcană in “Salary of Security personnel” from “Totalitarianism and resistance”.

At the same time, the starting salary in Security was much more motivating than in any other field “It was advantageous, upon graduating higher education, to be employed in the Security, considering that, while a chief technical chemical engineer from the food and textile industry earned between 1,100 – 1,250 lei a month, a chemical engineer from the technical-operational apparatus with the rank of colonel only had a salary of 1,950 lei”stated Iuliu Crăcană in the same study.

Benefits upon benefits, but not for everyone

It should not be forgotten that in addition to the basic salary, all kinds of increments and benefits were added. That means money for clothes, food allowances, rewards, premiums, but also all kinds of help. For example, in the 50s, they received a family allowance of 1000 lei per child, money for wood and equipment. Later they had allowances and money for clothes plus other allowances. “To the basic salary and increments were added, according to the legislation, the allowance for clothes, rewards, allowances and premiums: premium for drivers and motorcyclists, premium for internal and border guards, allowances for driving activity or collaboration with publications, for course hours, rewards for professional and political activity, etc.”it is shown in “Salary of Security personnel”.

Nice salaries and other allowances were not enjoyed by all who worked at Securitate. Only operatives. Support staff were paid like everyone else at the job level.

For example, the maid from the Securitate had the same salary as one from a high school or general school. So do secretaries or typists. From the 60s, however, they began to receive an increase that reached 20% of the basic salary.

“It should be mentioned that the auxiliary staff in the Security units did not benefit from the financial advantages of the officers and non-commissioned officers. A laundress on the payroll of the 11th Brigade of the Bucharest MAI (Security Troops) had the same salary (600 lei) as another in the health system. A main typist on the same payroll had the same income as any other typist. Only since 1961 the entire civilian staff technical-administrative from MAI will receive a fixed increase of up to 20% calculated on the tariff salary”added Iuliu Crăcană in the mentioned study.

Well paid, but not always well trained

The majority of Security personnel in the 50's and even the beginning of the following decade were brutish, semi-illiterate individuals unable to acquire a serious qualification. These people investigated and tortured important intellectual and political personalities of Romania. Even the elite members of the Communist Party recognized that there was a serious problem with the quality of employees at Securitate. “There were elements that didn't work even in the factory”testified Gheorghe Apostol regarding the abuses of the security guards.

“To become a security officer in the 1950s, several conditions had to be met. The essential thing was devotion to the triumph of the communist cause. This devotion had to have already been manifested “in the heat of the class battles” of 1944-1947 or, even better, since the years of illegality. A “healthy social origin” and “hatred of the class enemy” were then added. In other words, people from among the workers (especially unskilled) and poor peasants who showed no signs of sympathy for the “oppressive bourgeois-landlordism” and who executed, without hesitation, the most aberrant orders of the bosses were preferred.added Florin Banu in “Profile of the Security employee in the 50s”.

After 1964, the situation changed again, in the Securitate making room, at the level of higher degrees and graduates of higher studies and even qualified individuals, but the repression continued to be exercised among the population.