Vasile Popa (1928–2005) sailed international waters as a chief electrician, photographed the ports where he was docked, and saved money for a house that he built piece by piece.
Between 1952 and 1965, the Securitate monitored him through agents infiltrated into the crew, intercepted his correspondence, and opened a surveillance file on him. The conclusion was: "a material of minor importance".
Twenty years after his death, his granddaughter reads the file for the first time.
The audiovisual installation confronts the family archive (photographs, memories, videos, images from home) with the state archive: reports, action plans, and statements recorded by people who claimed to be his friends.
This is an investigation about what it means to inherit both photographs and surveillance files.
Vasile Popa (1928–2005) sailed international waters as a chief electrician, photographed the ports where he was docked, and saved money for a house that he built piece by piece.
Between 1952 and 1965, the Securitate monitored him through agents infiltrated into the crew, intercepted his correspondence, and opened a surveillance file on him. The conclusion was: "a material of minor importance".
Twenty years after his death, his granddaughter reads the file for the first time.
The audiovisual installation confronts the family archive (photographs, memories, videos, images from home) with the state archive: reports, action plans, and statements recorded by people who claimed to be his friends.
This is an investigation about what it means to inherit both photographs and surveillance files.
Name: POPA VASILE
Born: February 10, 1928, Murighiol commune, Tulcea County
Son of PAVEL and MARIA
Occupation: Naval electrician, electrical engineer (certificate obtained 1953–1954)
Marital status: Married to DOGĂRESCU GEORGETA, one son
Political affiliation: Member of the PMR since 1947
Social background: Working class
Financial status: Owns a house on Concordiei Street, Constanța
Residence: Constanța, 33 Vasile Pârvan Street
Name: POPA VASILE
Born: February 10, 1928, Murighiol commune, Tulcea County
Son of PAVEL and MARIA
Occupation: Naval electrician, electrical engineer (certificate obtained 1953–1954)
Marital status: Married to DOGĂRESCU GEORGETA, one son
Political affiliation: Member of the PMR since 1947
Social background: Working class
Financial status: Owns a house on Concordiei Street, Constanța
Residence: Constanța, 33 Vasile Pârvan Street
1928 - Born on February 10 in the village of Murighiol, Tulcea.
1940 – Began working on ships as a deckhand on the "Sulina".
1941 – Discharged due to the war.
1944 – Apprentice electrician at the Galați Shipyard.
1947 - Marries Georgeta Dogărescu on March 30.
Becomes a member of the P.M.R.
1948 - Their son, Pavel, is born on August 9.
1951 - Returns to sea as a marine electrician.
1928 - Born on February 10 in the village of Murighiol, Tulcea.
1940 – Began working on ships as a deckhand on the "Sulina".
1941 – Discharged due to the war.
1944 – Apprentice electrician at the Galați Shipyard.
1947 - Marries Georgeta Dogărescu on March 30.
Becomes a member of the P.M.R.
1948 - Their son, Pavel, is born on August 9.
1951 - Returns to sea as a marine electrician.
1928 - Născut pe 10 februarie în comuna Murighiol, raionul Tulcea.
1940 - Începe să lucreze pe vase, ca picol pe „Sulina”.
1941 - Debarcat din cauza războiului.
1944 - Ucenic electrician la Șantierul Naval Galați.
1947 - Se căsătorește cu Georgeta Dogărescu
pe 30 martie. Devine membru P.M.R.
1948 - Pe 9 august se naște fiul lor, Pavel.
1951 - Revine pe mare ca electrician maritim.
1952 – First report to the Securitate: he complains that he is receiving "a lousy salary". In October, in Limassol (Cyprus), he sells cigarettes and condensed milk to a foreign worker.
1953 - He refuses to repair the ship’s radio. A source describes him: "a very reserved man… in his free time he is lost in thought, his eyes fixed on a certain point".
1954 - The port of Durazzo, Albania. Connections with the watchmaker Mihali Dubovna, who had fled Romania. When the authorities come looking for him, Popa warns him and the watchmaker disappears.
1955 - Small, systematic business ventures: overalls sold in Odessa, a thousand pencils smuggled home. His dream: "eventually, he will open a small workshop in Galați".
1957 - He sells black caviar in Rotterdam and Antwerp, buys 70–80 scarves in Gibraltar, and sells them in the USSR.
1958 - Agent "Bebe" (a radio operator) is instructed to gain his trust. Political discussions over coffee in the cabin. In Patras: Popa is seen at the "American Bar". In Istanbul, he tells "Bebe": "Bring a gun here and you’ll get the money right away". In Alexandria, he is seen alone in front of the "Metro" cinema, a location suspected of being a contact point for American espionage.
1959 - Investigation File 901 is officially opened.
Plan: intercepting correspondence with Greece, Turkey, and Egypt. One agency refuses to investigate him because he is a party member.
April 12, 1960 – File 901 is closed: "without our being able to clarify any of the suspicions that led to the opening of the file".
1952 – First report to the Securitate: he complains that he is receiving "a lousy salary". In October, in Limassol (Cyprus), he sells cigarettes and condensed milk to a foreign worker.
1953 - He refuses to repair the ship’s radio. A source describes him: "a very reserved man… in his free time he is lost in thought, his eyes fixed on a certain point".
1954 - The port of Durazzo, Albania. Connections with the watchmaker Mihali Dubovna, who had fled Romania. When the authorities come looking for him, Popa warns him and the watchmaker disappears.
1955 - Small, systematic business ventures: overalls sold in Odessa, a thousand pencils smuggled home. His dream: "eventually, he will open a small workshop in Galați".
1957 - He sells black caviar in Rotterdam and Antwerp, buys 70–80 scarves in Gibraltar, and sells them in the USSR.
1958 - Agent "Bebe" (a radio operator) is instructed to gain his trust. Political discussions over coffee in the cabin. In Patras: Popa is seen at the "American Bar". In Istanbul, he tells "Bebe": "Bring a gun here and you’ll get the money right away". In Alexandria, he is seen alone in front of the "Metro" cinema, a location suspected of being a contact point for American espionage.
1959 - Investigation File 901 is officially opened.
Plan: intercepting correspondence with Greece, Turkey, and Egypt. One agency refuses to investigate him because he is a party member.
April 12, 1960 – File 901 is closed: "without our being able to clarify any of the suspicions that led to the opening of the file".
November 20–21, 1961 – The case is reopened under file number 1579, and Agent "Albulescu" is assigned the mission of becoming Popa’s trusted friend. Correspondence is once again placed under surveillance.
November 23, 1961 – Agent "Bebe" visits Popa’s home under the pretext of asking for photographic paper, but Georgeta Popa is present the entire time, and the conversation is unsuccessful.
1962 – Popa even warns "Albulescu" that "the Securitate has its informants on board the ship". In a long conversation during the Venice-Piraeus-Sochi voyage, he says: "I have no one but you to be a true friend to".
1963 – A French photographer with whom he worked developing film is detained by the Soviets in Sevastopol. Popa defends him: "He was a master of the art of photography".
May 16, 1963 – Case 1579 is closed: "material of minor importance".
1964 – He loses his sailing permit. He had not been arrested or tried: "I’m sorry I wasted 15 years on ships and now they’re kicking me out".
September 2, 1965 – The final note requests, once again, that he be investigated.
1965–2005 – He finishes the house on Concordia Street.
November 4, 2005 – He dies in Constanța at the age of 77.
November 20–21, 1961 – The case is reopened under file number 1579, and Agent "Albulescu" is assigned the mission of becoming Popa’s trusted friend. Correspondence is once again placed under surveillance.
November 23, 1961 – Agent "Bebe" visits Popa’s home under the pretext of asking for photographic paper, but Georgeta Popa is present the entire time, and the conversation is unsuccessful.
1962 – Popa even warns "Albulescu" that "the Securitate has its informants on board the ship". In a long conversation during the Venice-Piraeus-Sochi voyage, he says: "I have no one but you to be a true friend to".
1963 – A French photographer with whom he worked developing film is detained by the Soviets in Sevastopol. Popa defends him: "He was a master of the art of photography".
May 16, 1963 – Case 1579 is closed: "material of minor importance".
1964 – He loses his sailing permit. He had not been arrested or tried: "I’m sorry I wasted 15 years on ships and now they’re kicking me out".
September 2, 1965 – The final note requests, once again, that he be investigated.
1965–2005 – He finishes the house on Concordia Street.
November 4, 2005 – He dies in Constanța at the age of 77.
Cronology:
Cronology:
Project details:
Project details:
Spaima Navigatorilor / The Bane of Sailors
Research, website, video (script, voice-over, editing):
Mihaela Popa
File provided by the National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives (CNSAS)
Project carried out with the support of the “Sorin Botoșeneanu” Center for Pedagogy and Image Studies, “I.L. Caragiale” National University of Theater and Cinematography (UNATC) – Bucharest
Spaima Navigatorilor / The Bane of Sailors
Cercetare, website, video (scenariu, voce, montaj):
Mihaela Popa
Dosar pus la dispoziție de Consiliul Național pentru Studierea Arhivelor Securității (CNSAS)
Proiect realizat cu sprijinul
Centrului de Pedagogie și Studiu al Imaginii „Sorin Botoșeneanu”,
Universitatea Națională de Artă Teatrală și Cinematografică
„I.L. Caragiale” - UNATC București
2026
Spaima Navigatorilor / The Bane of Sailors
Research, website, video (script, voice-over, editing):
Mihaela Popa
File provided by the National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives (CNSAS)
Project carried out with the support of the “Sorin Botoșeneanu” Center for Pedagogy and Image Studies, “I.L. Caragiale” National University of Theater and Cinematography (UNATC) – Bucharest