As the wife of the Romanian dictator, Elena could count on jewels, furs and mansions. But it wasn't enough for her. Though she hadn't even finished fourth grade, she wanted an education and the prestige that came with it. Including the Nobel Prize. How was her brilliant "career" going?
There was little truth in Elena Ceaușescu's official biography. Even her name was actually Lenuta (diminutive Lenka). It was only after the wedding that she decided to "convert". All this to cut yourself off from your old peasant life.
Her year of birth has also changed. Although she was born in 1916, she was rejuvenated three years so that she would not be older than Nicolae, born in 1918. What about her famous scientific career? She was nothing but one big lame, invented to satisfy the exuberant ambitions of the first lady.
The beginnings of the "career"
What were the beginnings of Lenuta Petrescu's involvement in the development of science (what was Elena's maiden name) really like? Of course, she made her first steps after leaving her hometown of Petreşti in the Dâmboviţa district in Wallachia. This is what Przemysław Słowiński writes about her fate in the book "Women of despots":
(…) moved with her brother to Bucharest. Here she worked initially as an assistant in a laboratory, and later in a textile factory. This period in her official biographies was described very briefly, as it was an open secret that the future Mother of the Nation was involved in prostitution at that time.
Lenuta Petrescu in the photo from 1939.
While her laboratory duties were most likely to be limited to cleaning, Elena wanted to continue the science theme in her "career". The opportunity for this came after her marriage to the future oppressor of the Romanian nation, which took place in 1945. She then returned to work for a short time in a similar plant, this time actually in a higher position.
After a short time, however, the ambitious woman decided that the work of a laboratory technician was not prestigious enough for the wife of a dignitary who was climbing the career ladder. She started studies - extramural, without the obligation to attend and how. After them, as an engineer, she started "work" at the Institute of Chemical Research in Bucharest. Later, things turned into an avalanche. Lenuta's fast scientific career is described by Słowiński:
Elena's academic diplomas and other accolades multiplied as if by magic. And not only those from Costa Rica, Ecuador or Ghana, but also those from many prestigious Western universities.
For example, the famous Royal Chemical Society in London and the Greek Academy of Sciences have accepted her as honorary members, and the University of Bologna has awarded her with an honorary doctorate for achievements in the field of polymer chemistry. In total, she had over a dozen honoris causa titles from world universities and a large library of "own" scientific works.
Invaluable help from ghostwriters
How did the dictator's wife rise so quickly to the almost scientific premier league? Of course, all scientific works and books published under her name were written by Polish scientists. She herself, after only a few classes of elementary school, has barely mastered reading, writing and counting. There was no question of knowing difficult chemistry on her part.
However, mathematicians and chemists put to work had a way to vent their frustration and the need to write on behalf of the Mother of the Nation. Whether it was for a joke or as a revenge, they deliberately made mistakes in the long patterns contained in the studies assigned to her. Such absurd calculations were amusing for the scientific community, and for the "author" of the works - unnoticeable.
Moreover, the use of Romanian specialists was not limited to. The despot's intelligence did not hesitate to… steal scientific papers from the West! It was enough to backdate them and sign "Dr. Elena Ceaușescu". And so the dictator's wife could add to her achievements another work, which she certainly did not even understand in the slightest.
Romanian intelligence went so far as to steal foreign scientific papers in order to backdate them and attribute them to Elena.
The fact that her knowledge of the issues she "dealt with" was not impressive is evidenced by the very fact that she obtained her doctorate behind closed doors. This remedy appeared for a reason. The future doctor might have a problem even with reading the title of "her" work :"Stereospecific isoprene polymerization in the hardening of synthetic rubbers".
Reach where the eyes cannot see
It would seem that numerous titles and scientific works published all over the world (also in Poland) would satisfy the ambition of the Mother of the Nation. Nothing could be more wrong. Elena did not care about any limitations. Although it is hard to believe, uneducated, ashamed of her rural origin and having no scientific experience, Elena wanted another award. This time really prestigious. As Przemysław Słowiński writes in the book "Women of despots":
With her modesty, Ms. Ceauşescu finally felt that her collection of titles and honors would be a perfect fit ... A Nobel Prize. The Romanian authorities began to delicately test the area in which it could be applied for granting this distinction to the Mother of the Nation.
There was of course an award in chemistry, but also in medicine (for anti-cancer therapy based on garlic extracts), as well as the Peace Prize. Unfortunately, the members of the Swedish Academy of Sciences responsible for the award strongly rejected such suggestions.
Appetite grows with eating. At one point, Elena dreamed of the Nobel Prize.
The refusal had to touch Elena to the living. After all, she hoped to confirm her importance and contribution to science. After all, many of her academic degrees to date only sounded serious, but didn't matter. This was the case, inter alia, in the case of the chairwoman of the National Council of Science and Technology. As Diane Ducret writes, this council was created for his wife by Nicolae himself.
This was not the only time an "eminent chemist" had faced such an affront and was denied scientific recognition. This was also the case when she wished to receive an honoris causa doctorate at the University of Washington. President Jimmy Carter had no intention of arranging this for her. The images were completed by his wife, Eleanor Rosalynn Smith-Carter, who ... refused to give the woman the desired fur . Thus, the American presidential couple showed that both gifts and academic titles must be earned.