Relapse into Bondage

Relapse into Bondage is the political memoir of Alexandru Cretzianu, a key Romanian diplomat during the interwar period and World War II. The reader will discern that Cretzianu faithfully presents himself as pro-Western, pro-French, pro-British, pro-League of Nations. He demonstrates that Romania did not freely join the Axis, but had no alternative but to do so after Britain and France abandoned the Little Entente in 1938. Cretzianu's memoirs are a gold mine of information for those interested in all aspects of Romanian foreign policy during this critical period in twentieth century history, as well as in European diplomatic history generally.

Born in 1895 in Bucharest, Alexandru Cretzianu joined Romania's diplomatic service in 1918. He was assigned to Romanian legations in London, Rome, and Berne before being summoned home to head the League of Nations section of the Romanian Foreign Ministry (1929-1932). In that capacity, he served and admired Foreign Minister Nicolae Titulescu (1883-1941), a champion of collective security. In 1933, Cretzianu became chief of the Political Division of the Foreign Ministry until 1938, and then its secretary-general until 1941. On 15 September 1943, the Antonescu regime appointed him envoy to Turkey. In Ankara, Cretzianu strove to represent the antiwar attitudes of young King Mihai and opposition politicians. Cretzianu never again set foot in his native land after the armistice was signed in September 1944 because of the Communist takeover of Romania. He ultimately settled in the United States, where he died in 1979.