And so the humor was typically cynical, absurd and predominantly dark.

That is correct, but as a Romanian some of the best jokes I've ever heard were created late under Ceausescu's regime, in the '80s, when the economic and political situation was the most dire. The most famous character was Bulă (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bul%C4%83), whose life ended just as Ceausescu fell. I haven't heard better jokes since then. One which I remember as a kid, told by my father to his drunken friends (back in the day your dad could actually take you over with him to the pub, even if you were only 7 or 8 years old):

""" There's a ministerial inspection at the school where Bulă studies, and, as usual, he sits in the last bench (Bulă is not the brightest of pupils). As Bulă's hot lady teacher starts presenting the lesson one of the inspectors, who was sitting right next to Bulă, tells the other inspector, without most of those present hearing it, apart from Bulă:

'This teacher's legs really do look hot!'

As the lesson continues the lady teacher poses a question for her pupils to answer. Bulă, sensing his chance, frantically raises his hand. The teacher, slightly bewildered by Bulă's recently found excitement for learning, tells him:

'Tell us the answer to my question, Bulă, and good for you for showing interest in the lesson!'

to which Bulă answers:

'Your legs look really hot!'

Of course that makes the teacher very mad, she starts cursing at Bulă and throwing him some slaps. After all is said and done Bulă turns back and tells the two school inspectors:

'Well, you stupid lads, if you didn't know the answer to the teacher's question why did you whisper it?'

"""

Humor is a very powerful way of dealing with otherwise intolerable circumstances without going insane.