Romania: Art exhibit at ex-prison show horrors of communism

PITESTI, Romania – An art exhibition has gone on display at a former Romanian prison where communists tortured and killed political prisoners in a gruesome reeducation program.

The collection of 11 sculptures at the Pitesti Prison, southern Romania, aims to remind visitors about the horrors that took place there from 1949 to 1951.

The 3.5 metre (11.5-feet)-tall grey, polystyrene figures depict detainees who were tortured and humiliated to force them to become communists.

Several thousand prisoners who had fallen afoul of the communist regime underwent what was known as “The Pitesti Experiment.” Prisoners were forced to stare at lightbulbs, eat feces and head butt each other. About 100 died from mistreatment.

Similar art exhibitions will be held this year in other cities that housed political prisons or had anti-communist revolts.