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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Chicago, Illinois

DECLASSIF IED AND RELEASED BY

CENTRAL IN ELL ISENCE AS ENV?

SOURCES ME NODS EXEMPT ION3829 0

NAZI WAR INES DISCLOSURE ACT VINCENT RUSU

DATE 20 2008

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CONFIDENTI

HISTRACT

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On October 27, 1978, Vinc t Rusu, oShoes, 4421 Milwaukee Avenue, Chicag Illinoi,contacted at his request by representatives of the FBI.Rusu stated that as an American citi en of Romanianheritage he was very much concerned bout the 'recentincrease in activity by members of he. Iron Guard in theUnited States. Rusu stated, by way of background, thatthe Romanian Iron Guard is a fascisf movement that wasactive in Romania prior to World War II, was sympatheticto and associated with the Nazi movement in Germany during

amani ft 7 end of World War II (C)World War

War takeoverII and itsin leaders

Rwent typo exile after the

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He named.Horia-Sima as the leader of the worldwideIron Guard movement who is currently in exile in Spain and ,further named a Romanian Orthodox bishop in Detroit,

]Michigan, Viorel T as one of the main leaders of theiffif movement in the Waled States. He further indicatedthat Dr. Alexander E. Ronnett is the main leader of the IronGuard movement in the Chicago area. Rusu stated the IronGuard is traditionally strongly anti-semitic, anti-democraticand authoritarian in its philosophy and he has recentlybecome quite concerned that this movement appears to beonce again actively recruiting new members and Rusu seesthem as a danger to freedom and liberty. Rusu stated heinitiated this contact with the FBI to express his concernand hoped an investigation of this group could be initiated,to which Rusu would gladly lend his assistance and furnishany information he could. (C)

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CONFIDENTIALClassified and Extended by 1148Reason for Extension FCIM, II, 1-2.4.2(283)Date of Review for Declassification June i; 1999

This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusionsof the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to Fe.27your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed

agency. .bee-_ i(701/

30 ---"Cfde COORDINAVINVITH ,F-7(31

RECORD COPY

stated it appears the Romanian Goveseel with the task of bringing the Rod in the United States under the contexplained the reason for this is shourolled by Bucharest, the Romanian eUnited States would fall under its

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VINCENT RUSU CONFIDENTIAL

On January 31, 1979, CG T-1, a source of unknownraliability, advibud as rolluws.

Rev.1978of

. Viorel SaAu was in the Chicago area visiting va iousSourd ‘ continued that during the summer

Romanian Orthodox churches. In Bucharest Sasu holds theposition as Inspector for the Diocese, which is an officialgovernment position and not a church position. (C)

During Sasu's visit he served at St. Mary's,Romanian Orthodox Church located in Chicago and was wellaccepted by a small group of the parishioners. This smallgroup wants Sasu to emigrate to the United States and thkeover the church after the retirement of Father Dino, who isthe present pastor and due to retire in early 1980. (C)

The parishioners of the church who are in favorof Father Sasu's appointment as pastor are headed by VincentRusu who was born in the United States but lived forapproximately ten years as a child in Romania beforereturning to America. Rusu is well known in the Romaniancommunity for having strong ties with the Romanian Embassyofficials in Washington and is considered to be an agentof the Romanian Government. (C)

On May 11, 1979, CG T-2, a source who has providedreliable information in the past, advised that VincentRusu is a well known communist sympathizer in the RomanianOrthodox Church in Chicago. Source stated he has heardthe shoe store which Rusu operates is or was supported bythe Romanian Government and in fact they provided the shoeswhich he sold in the store upon opening. Source alsostated he believes Rusu is in frequent contact with membersof the Romanian Embassy, Washington, D.C., but could provideno specifics. (C)

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Souris almost obseChurches locatBucharest. Hechurches be cocommunity in thcontrol. (Cl

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VINCENT RUSU

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•On May 30, 1979 : Rust; was Tecontasted by

•11... DUI 0.0. laift4^7n TNMAIM *ISM TVITTV1■VV-4Liiilawzautomuavva 1.&w •40 A.,S*1w ■■■.■■■”Ir■

ree issues of ther, 1971, February,tamed articlesallegations of

ti-Jewish pogroms .

(2. Three xerox copies of ar cles from "Theustice"'concerning Bishop Trifa's ac

1 ivities in the past

nd at the present, and the text of a complaint filed inU.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Michigan,tivil Division, charging Trifa with making false statementson his naturalization petition. (C)7

3. A 31 page booklet in the Romanian languageentitled "Tara Si Exilul" with notation on page seven atthe top which Rusu stated should be translated and read.A translation indicates a passage under the heading "InChicago" relates to a requiem held December 3 in Chicagoby Ion Simicin in remembrance of those who were murdered40 years ago, calling them heros and martyrs of theRomanian nation. Rusu stated this booklet, an Iron Guardpublication from Madrid, Spain, published November-December,1978 is typical of the propaganda and activities beingcarried out today by the Iron Guard to present the Guardistsas heros and martyrs, although Rusu stated it appears veryclear that the Guardists were little different than theGerman Nazis. (C)

1 4. Paperback book entitled "Romanian Nationalism;The lAgionkry Movement" by Alexander E. Ronnett, MD.,published 1974 by Loyola University Press, Chicago. (C)

5. Green booklet entitled "Commemoration of theUnification of Romanian Principalities (Jan. 24, 1859)."This booklet sets out the program for a banquet to be heldJune 24, 1979. Rusu pointed out that Ronnett is topresent awards at this banquet sponsored by the Romanian-

CONFIDENTIAL

e following documents:

1. An envelope containing'United Israel Bulletin" dated Novemb972, and June, 1972, all of which cooncerning Bishop Valerian D. Trifaifa's leading and participating inBucharest in 1941. (C)

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can National Congress (RANC) is noton Guard organization, the group ismore heavily influenced by known Iir sympathizers. Rusu pointed to thfirst time the cover of the booklet is

esponds to the green shirts which weIron Guard in Romania, just as thethe Nazis and the black shirts symbo

the Romanian-Amenecessarily an Ibecoming more

• Guardists andfact that forgreen, which corthe symbol of thshirts symbolize

ownized

fascists in Italy. Rusu stated this celebration is to beheld at St. Mary s Romanian Orthodox Church in Chicago,which church is supportive of Bishop Trifa and Rusu i of .the opinion the is a group within the church of forgerGuardists ar trying to revive the Guard. Rusu-st tedhe felt the past9r at St. Mary's, Rev. George Zmedv wasconnected with the Iron Guard before coming to the UnitedStates. (C) •

6. Bulletin of the RANC dated December 15, 1977,in the Romanian language, a translation summary of whichfollows:

VINCENT RUSU CONFIDENTIAL

American National Congress, SS East Washington, Suite 2085,ru i--rn. nninteA fr.:7-,114ev

Article by Dr. Alexander Ronnott in disagreementwith the warding of a gold Peace medal to Soviet PremierBrezhnev by United Nations Secretary Waldheim.

Article by Ronnett denouncing the visit of JohnC. Conan (President of the Union and Leagues of RomanianSocieties) to Romania. Ronnett claims the visit waspolitical in nature and signifies Coman's friendship withthe Romanian communist government.

Article by Paul Chiriac concerning a minersstrike in Romania.

News briefs by Paul Chiriac concerning 29,000freed from jail in 1977, various Romanians seeking asylumin England and Paris.

Article by loan C. Madincea about Romanianrefugees being forced to work for the Romanian Governmentwhile living abroad. A description of Madincea's personalexperiences with the Securitate before leaving Romania,including their attempts to recruit Madincea to report ohRomanian emigre activities in the United States.

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VINCENT RUSU CONFIDENTIAL

Article entitled "Truth and Right Overcome"rr.7:rArr.111:7 r:-.1;1-r"

A letter from Emil Brad, resident of theRomanian Cultural and Beneficial S iety concerning theactions of John C. Coman and delega ion on visit toRomania. The letter condemns Coman s actions anddisavows any connection with Coman. (C)

Rusu explained that the documents enumeratedabove indicate to him a strong resu ence •of Iron Guardinfluence and domination over Roman an immigrant communitiesin the United States, Canada and ev rywhere Romanians areliving in any number and associated together. Rusu statedhe sees this as a danger in that many Romanians, especially.younger ones who have had no first-hand experience with theIron Guard,are being duped into believing-that the Iron -Guard represents a purely Romanian Aptionalistic group

7 when its history clearly shows it iir a strongly anti-semitic, totalitarian, Nazi-like organization, althoughthese negative aspects are downplayed in their propaganda.(C)

Rusu stated he felt these Iron Guard elementspresented a greater danger to freedom and liberty amongthe Romanian community and to the United States in generalthan does the Romanian Government. Rusu stated he doesnot believe there are any Romanians involved in intelligenceor espionage activities in the United States and that theRomanian Government represents no threat to the UnitedStates and has little interest in obtaining intelligencefrom among Romanian immigrants in the United States andelsewhere. Rusu indicated he is not at all supportive ofthe communist government in Romania and feels thecommunists and those who are in_power represent only asmall minority of the Romanian people and this government,which has been dominated by Soviet Russia, will not last forvery long. Rusu stated he further felt that Iron Guardsdo not typically represent Romanians, but that theirnationalistic and anti-communist propaganda is fooling alot of people into joining their ranks, people who are notaware of the Iron Guard's true character. (C)

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VINCENT RUSU

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Rusu stated he was not aware of any prtimil nipplauaad acts of violence by any people associated. iththe Iron Gua d movement, but pointed out several ssagesin the aboveJ literature which referred to Iron Gu rdistscarrying sidjearms in the past and the necessity f r beingarmed. He sipted he is aware of a Romanian Huntini Clubthat exists n the Chicago area, whose leadership isdominated by Iron Guard sympathizers or leaders. . estated this lub, according to that he has heard, .s very •likely similar to the Croatian Hunting Club on the :Southside of Chic go, which was recently raided and d itewas seized 4d is widely reputed to be a front for Croatianterrorist.a ivities. Rusu was unable to provideAfurtherparticulars, but stated he understands this group eetsclandestinel at one of several bars in the Chicago area. (C)

Rusu advised his concerns as expressed above arecompletely hip own and were not prompted by any encouragementof anyone else such as representatives of the RomanianGovernment. Rusu stated he has had no contacts with anyrepresentatives of the Romanian Government in many years.He stated he was not aware of any representatives of theRomanian Embassy visiting in Chicago for at least three-four years. (C)

Rusu stated he couldzot specifically state themembership or leadership of Iron Guardists in the Chicagoarea, but stated he suspected many of the priests inBishop Trifa's Romanian Orthodox Church to be former IronGuardists or current supporters and organizers. Rusupointed out a list of Chicago-area Romanians in the bookletconcerning the June 24, 1979, memorial observation as ssupporters of the observance as people he considered to bepast members of . the Iron Guard or current supporters:

Vasile4rdeleanIon BoraGeorge CovaciIon CraioveanGeorge CuteanGeorge DeianOctavian Iovanescu

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VINCENT RUSU CONFIDENTIAL

Kerne! T r.n A gn ; ereLivius MajoganIon NeamtuJohn NedelcuIon NedinStefan OlteanGeorge OpreaPetru OpreaAfanasie PredescuGeorge StanilIon SubiciJohn Tolcea

'Traian VintanDan Volonciu (C)

Rusu also pointed out the speakers and peopleon the program are generally considered as Iron Guardsupporters or members, especially Dr. Alexander Ronnettwho is acknowledged to be the leader of the Iron Guardin the Chicago area. Others listed on the program areas follows:

Parish priest at St. Mary's -The ReverendGeorge ZmedReverend Paul LindstromNicolae TecauAlexandru Ionescu-LunguIon Funariu (C)

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