“Here in Timisoara is where the final explosion began,” said Wexler. “The younger generation has been, getting more and more restless for some time. In a real sense, Ceausescu signed his own death warrant by creating that generation. “

“Creating that generation,” repeated Father O'Rourke, frowning. “Explain. “

Wexler explained. In the mid1960s Ceausescu had outlawed abortion, discontinued the import of oral contraceptives and IUDs, and announced that it was a woman's obligation to the state to have many children. More importantly, his government had offered birth premiums and reduced taxes to those families who obeyed the government's call for increased births. Couples who had fewer than five children were actually fined as well as heavily taxed. Between 1966 and 1976, said Wexler, there had been a forty percent increase in babies born, along with a huge rise in infant mortality.

“It was this surplus of young people in their twenties by the late 1980s who provided the core of the revolution,” said Donna Wexler. “They had no jobs, no chance for a college education . . . not even a chance for decent housing. They were the ones who began the protests in Timisoara and elsewhere. “

Father O'Rourke nodded. “Ironic . . . but appropriate.”

“Of course,” said Wexler, pausing near the train station, “most of the peasant families could not afford to raise the extra children . . . “ She stopped with that diplomat's tic of embarrassment.

“So what happened to those children?” I asked. It was only early afternoon, but the light had faded to a wintry twilight. There were no streetlights along this section of Timisoara's main boulevard. Somewhere far. down the tracks, a locomotive screamed.

The embassy woman shook her head, but Radu Fortuna stepped closer. “We take train tonight to Sebes, Sibiu, Copsa Mica, and Sighisoara,” the smiling Romanian said. “You see where babies go.”