Luca Elisabeta

About

Elisabeta Luca (born Betty Birman, January 1, 1909, Balotica, Bălți – 1992, Bucharest) was a political figure from the communist regime period in Romania, originally from Bessarabia. Before becoming a public figure within the state apparatus, she had intense political activity in illegality and internationally. During the interwar period, she was involved in communist activities, being arrested in Cernăuți in 1934. Later, she volunteered in the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War, where she worked alongside the personnel section of the Spanish Communist Party and was involved in collecting aid for volunteers. During World War II, while in Moscow, she served as Ana Pauker's technical secretary. After returning to Romania, she held the position of member of the Cinematography Committee (1950–1952). Personally, she was married to Vasile Luca, a high-ranking communist leader who served as Minister of Finance. Elisabeta Luca's political destiny was marked by the internal purges of the Romanian Workers' Party; in 1952, she was arrested and investigated in the context of the "deviationists" trial in which her husband was involved. After a period of detention (1952–1954), she was released, subsequently living in seclusion until her husband's posthumous rehabilitation in 1968. In 1971, she was awarded the Order "Tudor Vladimirescu" 2nd class for her long-standing activity in the communist movement.