The Collapse of Constitutional Legalism: Racial Laws and the Ethno-cultural Construction of National Identity in Romania During World War II

In the early 1940s Romania faced radical socio-political phenomena both internally as well as in the foreign affairs. The outbreak of World War II reshaped the geopolitical profile of Europe and triggered some irreversible transformations. Exposed to the ideological influence of totalitarianism and unable to solve some strategic domestic political issues, Romania failed to preserve its territorial integrity and most importantly its social cohesion. In this respect, the main goal of this paper is to analyze the impact of ideology in the field of legislation and civil rights. The scientific relevance of this particular historical episode still remains significant due to the incomplete investigation of all available documentary evidences.