The writer, journalist and translator Doina Jela, known for her contribution to bringing to light the communist repression after 1989, ceased her life at the age of 74.
Writer Doina Jela, died at the age of 74. Photo: Facebook
The sad news was announced by Daniel Șandru, the executive president of the Institute for the Crimes of Communism and the memory of the Romanian exile (IICCMER), by a message published on Facebook.
“We say goodbye to Dina Jela, an important voice of memory and historical truth. We were pleased to have it with Fălticeni, between 16 and 19 November 2023, when Iiccmer marked Centenary of Monica Lovinescu’s birth through a series of events meant to pay tribute to the courage and lucidity of one of the most important consciousness of the Romanian exile. Doina Jela’s disappearance leaves a huge void, but her writings and testimonies remain an essential landmark for what communist totalitarianism meant. Sincere condolences to the family and those close“, Daniel Șandru said.
The political scientist Vladimir Tismăneanu reacted to the news of his disappearance, emphasizing the importance of his literary and intellectual activity: “He was a friend of ideas, a gorgeous publisher, an authentic democratic intellectual. She was a consistent Lovinesciana. (…) Her work, fiction and non -fictionhelped this separation. Fought to save memory. Let it be his blessed memory!”.
Born on March 1, 1951, in Vadu, Constanța county, Doina Jela graduated from the Faculty of Philology of the University of Bucharest. Throughout his career, he has written essays, chronicles and interviews for numerous publications, such as literary Romania, contemporary and 22. He coordinated the collections “Communism process” from Humanitas Publishing House and “Current” from Curtea Veche Publishing, offering readers essential works on the crimes of the communist regime.
His best -known books include Nichita Dumitru (1995), Damascus Road (1999) and Black Lexicon, Communist repression tools (2001). Inspired by his writings, director Lucian Pintilie made the movie in the afternoon of a torturer.
Also, Doina Jela was a talented translator, bringing in Romanian fundamental works on communist history and ideology, such as the Black Book of Communism and Stalin de Boris Souvarine.
His death represents a significant loss for Romania’s collective culture and memory, but his legacy left through his books and research will continue to inspire future generations.
