Rafael Udrişte, together with his guest, professor Ion Scurtu, renowned historian, proposes a debate about one of the most tense periods in the history of Romania. The trial of Marshal Ion Antonescu, the 43rd Prime Minister of Romania with the title of "Head of State" in the period 1940–1944, began on May 7, 1946. Held in a specific historical context, with Soviet troops present on the territory of Romania and in the midst of the rise of the communists supported by Moscow, after almost three years of detention in the Soviet Union, Marshal Ion Antonescu was brought to the country to be tried by the People's Court. The trial of the Antonescu group was part of a complex transformation that Europe was going through after 1945 and, at the same time, through the changes Romania underwent after August 23, 1944. At the beginning of May 1947, the trial of the marshal and some of his ministers began in Bucharest . The representative of the United States of America in the Allied Control Commission, Burton Berry, sent a report to the State Department on May 3 in which he said: "This process is mainly aimed at raising electoral capital for the government and discrediting them, based on their own testimonies, the leaders of the historical parties, Maniu and Brătianu". Which was not far from the truth. In the morning of May 11, Iuliu Maniu, leader of the opposition, was summoned as a witness in the trial of the former head of state, Ion Antonescu. Maniu, after six hours of questioning, read his typed deposition by the clerk and signed it, then left the courtroom. But he won't do it before he shakes the hand of Ion Antonescu, who is in the accused's box. The communist press will go wild, accusing the peasant leader of collaborationism, fascism and colluding with a war criminal. Asked why he made this gesture, even though he knew how serious the consequences would be, Iuliu Maniu stated: "If I hadn't done this, I would have ended up in hell. We were political opponents, not cannibals." But what were the historical parties' relations with Ion Antonescu's regime, immediately after the abdication of King Carol II? Did Brătianu and Maniu support Ion Antonescu's policy of reuniting Romania after the painful territorial losses of 1940 or not? Regardless of the political differences, did they put Romania above their personal interests? You will find out the answer to all these questions by watching the first edition of the new season of the show "Omul si Timpul". Sunday, October 20, from 5:00 p.m. (resuming on Monday at 2:00 a.m.). Producer Ruxandra Ţuchel / tvrcultural / tvrcultural http://www.tvr.ro http://www.tvrplus.ro / @tvr_online All intellectual property rights belong to #TVR. Content may not be copied, uploaded to any online media channel or social media without TVR's consent, but we appreciate it if you share our link. TVR is a registered trademark and is protected.