“I Knew That Persecuting a Man Simply for Being Jewish Would Be an Injustice…” – A typewritten letter by Lioqil Brizon, a work supervisor and Righteous Among the Nations, who sheltered and employed Jews under his protection. In the letter, addressed to his superior, describes how he successfully saved Jews—particularly a man named Petron Andrei Engel—from deportation to labor camps and how he illegally provided them with employment to protect them from persecution. Romania, [1943].
The letter reads:
“Commander,
Regarding the denunciation of the photographer-patron Andrei Engel, I have the honor to inform you of the following:
1. The law requires that all employers possess a professional certificate for their workshops. Those who do not must be fined, and subsequently, their workshops must be closed. These regulations apply to everyone. In 1941, in addition to these measures—meaning, in addition to closing the workshop—it was also necessary to send Jews to forced labor for public benefit in the camp.
2. The photographer-patron Andrei Engel did not have a license and was therefore sent to labor by the authorities at that time.
3. In 1942, through my intervention, he was released from forced labor, despite still lacking a license. This intervention was extremely difficult precisely for this reason, as within the oversight of the Romanization process, there were individuals who feared the racial laws imposed by the dictatorship at that time.
4. Since 1942, when I arrived at the Labor Bureau, the photographer-patron Andrei Engel continuously operated without a license. I was obliged to close his workshop,
but I did not do so because I knew that persecuting a man solely because he was Jewish would be an injustice.
5. In the summer of 1943, the photographer sought to partner with Ghizela Mocănaşu, whose real name was Ghizela Auer and was of German descent. Initially, I intended to grant them a permit, but a refugee from Cluj, a typographer by profession, came to me and presented an official decision stating that the premises where Engel had rented his workshop no longer belonged to him but had instead been leased to the refugee for printing purposes. At the same time, he threatened to report me to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers if I unjustly favored a Jew. As I heard, he even filed a complaint with the prosecution. Consequently, I was required to close the workshop immediately. I did not close it, but in order to buy time, I merely inquired with the office about the proper course of action—whether to grant him a permit or close the workshop. According to the law, it had to be closed, and Engel would have been sent to forced labor.
6. We did not close Jewish workshops for racial reasons. Regardless of what I reported to the higher authorities, in reality, I protected the Jews through every possible means at my disposal at the time, standing against the regime and even leaving three children on the road.
7. In order to sabotage the persecution laws against the Jews, I devised the following procedure: A workshop owner who lacked a license and was being monitored by the competent authorities would send me a simple notice informing me that he had begun negotiations for Romanization. To cover myself, I would show this letter to the inspectors who came to check on me and request a postponement until the negotiations were concluded. In this way, the workshop remained open, and the Jew could continue working without interference from anyone. I never caused them trouble; on the contrary, I helped them not only with advice but also with actions.
8. In 1943, due to this policy of freely assisting Jews, and later because I provided significant financial aid to the miners in the region—an action that displeased factory owners who were also required to contribute funds—I was dismissed from the Labor Bureau in August 1943.
9. My resignation occurred when I traveled to Anina to once again distribute aid to the miners, who lived in dire conditions. Even then, the dictatorship’s agents sought revenge against me and initiated a lawsuit, which still stands today, for my refusal to comply with their demands. When they appointed the new president, they did not even notify me but left me stranded in the area before filing charges against me.
With great respect,
Lioqil Brizon”
In 1942, Romania planned to deport all its Jews to Auschwitz, but under international pressure—including from King Michael I of Romania—the decision was rescinded. Nevertheless, tens of thousands of Jews were deported to Transnistria, a region under Romanian control in present-day Ukraine. In the ghettos and concentration camps of Transnistria, Jews perished from starvation, disease, and executions. Once Ion Antonescu realized that the war was turning in favor of the Allies, he began easing policies toward the Jews. By 1944, when Romania switched allegiance to the Allies, the persecution of Jews ceased, and efforts to rehabilitate the Jewish community began.
[1] One leaf. 33×21 cm. Typed on both sides. Slight tears at the corners, fold marks. Very good condition.
