The Devil’s Grinder / Moara Dracilor

This collection of Poems--offered as a dual-language English-Romanian edition--together with a critical Expos by the translators, a Preface by the author, a Chronicle and Biography, conveys to the reader a very personal tale of a human tragedy of unspeakable horrors the author endured alongside tens of thousands of other political prisoners at forced labor camps, so-called "Gulags" at the Danube-Black Sea Canal (the "Canal") during Romania's Communist regime after WWII. This book is a Zeitzeugnis--a witness of the time--an account not only of a reprehensible past time but a very pertinent manifest for hope for younger generations everywhere in the world. This book is based on Moara Dracilor by Mircea Ionescu-Quintus, published in Romanian in 1999 by Editura Ion Creanga S.A., Romania. The new title is a dual-language (English-Romanian) edition, with a new Foreword, a new Preface by the author, a new About the Translators, seven additional Poems, three new Illustrations, and a new author Biography.It is a must-read for students and anyone interested in politics, political history, Eastern-European history, Communist regimes, Romania, Romanian history, Romanian politics, History of Political Oppression, Testimonial Literature, Poetry, Eastern-European poetry, Romanian poetry, and socio-political poetry.

Mircea Ionescu-Quintus--a lawyer by profession--is one of the most respected statesmen in Romania, where he resides. He re-entered politics at the onset of the Romanian Revolution and the momentous fall of Communism, which was marked by the internationally televised execution of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in December of 1989. In the aftermath, Mr. Quintus’s role was pivotal in the re-establishment of one of the most important democratic political parties in Romania which Communism had outlawed: the National Liberal Party, whose president he became. In the course of his political career Mr. Quintus served his country in various capacities including as Vice President of the Assembly of Deputies (1990-1991), as Minister of Justice in the Cabinet (1991-1992), as Senator of the State of Prahova (1996-2008), as Vice President (1996-1999), and then as President of the Romanian Senate (1999-2000). His published works include Haz de necaz (＂Smiling in the Face of Adversity＂), 1943; Cazul Dorin Condrea (＂The Case of Dorin Condrea＂), 1958; Epigrame (＂Epigrams＂), 1973; Epigrame si Epitafuri (＂Epigrams and Epitaphs＂), 1976; Lacrima scoicilor (＂Tear Shells＂), 1979; Marturie mincinoasa (＂Perjury＂), 1982; Citatie pentru un necunoscut (＂Quotes for an Unknown＂), 1988; Liberal din tata n fiu (＂Liberal from Father to Son＂), 1996; Moara Dracilor (＂The Devil’s Grinder＂), 1999; Trident Quintus, 2000; Ce-ati facut in ultimii 5 ani (＂What You Did in the Past 5 Years＂), 2004. Today, at 96 years of age, he is still actively advising the National Liberal Party, whose president he was for many years. Despite the numerous hardships and sacrifices that have marked his soon-to-be celebrated centennial, Mircea Ionescu-Quintus is one of the wisest, most optimistic, and humorous human beings imaginable.