For centuries, Romania — and above all Bucharest — was an important center for Jewish life and culture in southeastern Europe. 

About 850,000 Jews lived in the country before World War II. The first Jewish theater in the world was founded in Romania and, to this day, there is still a Jewish theater in Bucharest.

Despite the fact that there are only about 12,000 Jews in Romania today — some estimates say the number is even smaller — the State Jewish Theater still performs plays in Yiddish and Romanian.

Recently, however, the political climate in Romania has become more raw, stoking fear within the Jewish community. 

Academics like Adina Marincea said antisemitism has increased noticeably in recent months, above all as a result of the country's recent shift to the political right. 

Romanians go to the polls on May 18, in what promises to be a landmark presidential election. George Simion of the extreme right-wing Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) could be elected president. 

DW spoke with members of the Jewish community about the upcoming vote.