Marasesti mausoleum – 5.000 out of 27.000 soldiers killed during the Marasesti battle of WW1 are resting here.
Marasesti battle was a decisive battle of World War One when Romania – with 2/3 of its territory under German occupation – was on the brink of being dissolved as a state. Abandoned by its allies and with attacks from both Austro-Hungarian and German armies in the west, and their Bulgarian-Ottoman allies in the south, the army was overwhelmed.
The Romanian army regrouped in the remaining unoccupied region of Moldavia and prepared to fight against the much bigger German army, who was preparing for a final battle to conquer all of Romania and advance east, where the Odessa port of Ukraine was next.
The Marasesti battle was a major concentration of Romanian forces, where Russia also contributed with military forces (right before being taken over by Bolsheviks) and France sent its generals to help with logistics and re-organization (Henri Mathias Berthelot was decorated for his efforts).
Marasesti battle
To understand what the occupation meant – all the reserves of oil and cereals were exported. The cities and villages were pillaged to such extent that it caused a wave of famine. According to professor Zbigniew Karpus, up to 43.000 Romanian soldiers were taken prisoners. The new treaty imposed by Austro-Hungary and Germany demanded concession and control over all Romanian oil fields, forests, fisheries, factories railroads, banks, public administration etc and demanded payment of over 5 billion franks as contribution. All exports had to be submitted to them, and German colonization of Romanian territory was to be admitted and encouraged. This was one of the most brutal treaties ever imposed on a state under foreign occupation. (source)
Bucharest under German occupation in 1916
General Mackensen, commander of the German army
General Mackensen, commander of the German army in Bucharest
General Mackensen, commander of the German army
Romanian prisoners carrying shells from the German Army in Brasov
1916 Brasov train station massacre – 250 Romanian soldiers were encircled and taken by surprise in a night attack. All perished.
In these conditions, the pressure over the remaining Romanian Army was immense. In the battle that followed, over 25.000 Romanian soldiers died in Marasesti which ended in bitter-sweet victory for Romania. The Marasesti battle also took the life of Ecaterina Teodoroiu, a young Romanian woman who took up arms after the death of her 2 brothers; she held position of second lieutenant at the time of her death.
At the initiative of the National Orthodox Society of Romanian Women, a mausoleum was built on the site of the battle, where over 5.000 soldiers were reburied.
The first World War claimed the lives of over 550.000 Romanian soldiers and over 600.000 civilians. What followed after was the most prosperous period in Romania’s history, that is until World War Two, after which communism brought about one of its darkest periods in history.
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Marasesti mausoleum – “Glory to the heroes”
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Dying soldier handing over the flame of victory
Cannon from Marasesti battle
Russian general Alexandr Suvorov who was killed in Marasesti
German graves. Both German and Romanian soldiers were buried on 20 hectares of land belonging to the mayor of Marasesti. He donated it to the state in 1921.
General Eremia Grigorescu, commander of Romanian army
Marshall Alexandru Averescu
second lieutenant Ecaterina Teodoroiu
“Întru slava eroilor neamului” – “Glory to our heroes”
Mariuca’s tomb, 12 year-old girl who reported on movements of German troops from the walnut tree in her backyard. She was shot by a sniper.
Unknown soldiers
Cupola Gloriei ~ The Glory Dome
Muzeul Armelor – museum near mausoleum
“Pe aici nu se trece” – “You cannot cross through here” – words said before the battle by general Eremia Grigorescu, the commander of the Romanian army in Marasesti
Romanian helmet
Marasesti coin – released when the Mausoleum was built.
King Ferdinand and Romanian army at Marasesti
German prisoners at Marasesti
Queen Mary decorates soldiers on the front
Romanian troops entering Marasesti after the battle
“THOSE WHO FAIL TO LEARN FROM HISTORY ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT”
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The following article is not meant to glorify war but to remind of its tragedy and to pay tribute to those who died trying to fight off the forces that pulled our country into conflict.
Monumentul Eroilor Aerului (The Monument of the Aviation Heroes)
Dead Romanian soldiers on the battlefield in 1917
Almost 100 million people were killed in the two world wars, making Europe the scene of some of the bloodiest conflicts in history, in which Romania payed its own bloody tribute.
Initially neutral in both wars, Romania was eventually drawn into WW1 and WW2 by the world powers.
Unlike countries such as Germany, Russia or the US – Romania had not been preparing for war. Despite the shortcomings, situated between major European powers, the small country of Romania fought on multiple fronts to liberate its territories (Transylvania, Bassarabia and Bucovina), inhabited by Romanian majority populations but under different colonial administrations.
Although the first war brought Romanian territories back together, the second war proved itself to be most damaging as Romania not only lost, but found itself trapped into what it had feared for the last 2 decades – bolshevik communism, with the territories of Bassarabia and Bucovina incorporated into the Soviet Union.
During the two wars, Romania lost over 1.300.000 soldiers (source – 1, 2).
Heroes Cross on top of the Carpathian mountains
A rare first-hand account of the 1877 War of Independence against the Ottoman empire from Regina Elisabeta of Romania herself, who personally nursed the wounded.
“Many were the heart-rending and touching scenes I witnessed during the war which were to me a revelation of the strange nature of the Roumanian people. With their superstitions, their childlike piety, they combined melancholy and fun. I have seen a devoted wife, after seeking her husband all along the shores of the Danube and in all the hospitals, finding him at last, broken down and disfigured, to greet him with a mere nod of the head before taking up her post at his bedside, there to nurse him day and night. I have heard some brave hero crying out in his agony for his mother, and covering the hands of that mother with kisses.
Once I was sent for to the town to a young man whose leg had been amputated, and who was in inconsolable despair.
Not having been present at the operation, I did not know which leg had been taken off. I sat down on the side of the bed, and remained talking to the poor fellow for a quarter of an hour, he smiling sweetly at me all the time.
When I arose, my ladies of honor discovered that I had been sitting on the stump of the lost leg. I still shudder whenever I think of my stupidity.
“You poor fellow!” I cried; “it must have hurt you terribly.”
“I would have borne it many hours for the sake of listening to your voice,” he replied.
A handsome young man had died in a tent opposite to mine, and the next morning dawned cold and dreary, for it was November. The fog shut us in like a wall, and the ground was like an oozy bog. All of a sudden a man and a woman came forth from the fog like spectres. The woman wore nothing but an old gray chemise, scarcely reaching to her knees, and about her worn old face hung the rags of what had once been a white linen wrap. She came forward on her bare feet through the deep mud, her arms clasping a bundle of linen for her son. She asked for him, and before I could get to her she fell on her knees with a heart-rending cry. A soldier with brutal haste had said to her, ” Your son died in that tent yesterday.”
The clean white shirts she had so lovingly brought for him slipped from her hands into the mud, and tearing her hair and smiting her breast, she cried again and again, “Raduu, my son! Raduu! Raduu! Raduu!” She would listen to no comfort, accept no food, no shelter, but rose at last and went away through the fog, turning back at every step to cry again the name of her lost son. Her figure assumed immense proportions in the heavy air, and her voice rang out strangely through the damp gloom; and when she was out of sight we could still hear the cry of “Raduu! Raduu!” The scene haunts me often now.
1877 war veterans
On Christmas eve, after a long severe frost, a thaw rendered the streets of Bucharest impassable. I was to go and meet the King, who was returning as a victorious hero after 5 months’ absence. I thought it would have been a delirium of joy to me. But I had suffered too much; I had lost the power of rejoicing; I did not know how to be glad. The last days before Plevna had all but destroyed all three armies at once. After a terrible snow-storm the cold had been 20 degrees below zero. The Danube was so encumbered with ice that not a loaf of bread could be sent over it. If Osman Pasha had held out 3 days longer, every soul would have perished.
And now the road between Plevna and Nicopolis was covered with famished crowds. I know not how many left Plevna, but only ten thousand arrived at Nicopolis!
The King started the next day on the same road on his way home to his capital. He had to leave his sledge, for it jolted over corpses. Horror-struck, he mounted a horse and pressed on along this pathway of death.
There were groups of the dead sitting round the last fire they had lit in some deep rut, carts overturned, driver and buffaloes alike frozen in their places, standing up stiff as statues. There were the dying, their arms upraised to heaven in a final petition before they sank back with a last sigh and expired.
At the battle of Grivita sixteen thousand men had fallen; one battalion of cavalry had lost one-half its numbers; and for three days the enemy’s fire made it impossible to pause for a moment for food or to bury the dead in the trenches.”
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The following photos and stories depict Romanian soldiers in both the first and the second world war. Some photos are taken from Budesarchiv and Médiathèque de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine.
In the First World War when Transylvania was under the administration of Austro-Hungarian empire and Bassarabia under Tsarist Russia, over 500.000 Romanians from the two separate regions were obliged to join the armies of their respective monarchies.
Octavian Tăslăuanu
In a twist of faith, troops made up of ethnic Romanians found themselves fighting against each other on multiple occasions, as recalled by Octavian Tăslăuanu in his memoirs: “We cursed the destiny that pushed us to fight brother against brother”.
Born in Transylvania, Tăslăuanu was enrolled in the Austro-Hungarian Army but later deserted and joined the Romanian Army. He created the Volunteer Corps unit, made up of thousands of Romanian soldiers – deserters from the Austro-Hungarian army who joined the Romanian Army in their fight to liberate Transylvania.
Volunteer Corps
General Prezan and the volunteers in Iasi
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Ioan Doican memoirs from First World War, published by Cornel Lupea in “Racovita monografia unei stravechi asezari sibiene”. Ioan Doicanwas an ethnic Romanian from Transylvania enrolled in the Austro-Hungarian army
sergeant Ioan Doican
15 august 1915 – “AlthoughI washungry, after seeing so manydead bodies,I didnt need any food anymore.I madea crossfor JonCalin, a goodfriend of mine.NiculaSimion helped me and with tearsin the eyes,we put itto his head saying “May God rest him in peace“
We dida cross for soldier Paler too.But there were so manydead, it wasimpossible tobury them all. How manybulletswereshot onthat field […] how manyyoung mencrushedintheprime of life.How manywidowsare leftonlyon this day14toAugust 15! Andhow many childrendeprivedoftheir dear father…
…And its saidthat we now livein the ageof culture…”
31 august 1915 – “We entered aforest whichwas filled with civilians,chariots andwholefamilies. The Russianscouldnt take them anymore. The poor people – especiallychildren, how they werecrying…
I sawtwo carriagespulled by men and women, their horse had died from exhaustion. Theywere pullingthe wagonfilled withluggage, and thepoorchildren were walkingbarefoot behind thecarts.It hurt my heartto see the misery they had ended up in…”
Doican handwritten memoirs
29 septembrie 1915 – “In Pruszany, I wanted tobuybaconfrom the canteen which belonged to theGermans.Butthey didnt wantto take my money, they took onlyGerman money. Andour money are worthless. …Upon seeingthis,Ihurt deeply knowing that the Germans were fighting with us, but our moneywere not good enough.We – the 31stregiment – fought to liberate this city.Wepushed outthe Russians and we lost so many boys during the fight… “
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German occupation 1916-1917
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In 1916-1917, southern Romania and the capital city Bucharest fell under German occupation (with help of Bulgarian allies). Romanian troops retreated in Moldova, which was not occupied.
During the brief occupation, the Germans extracted over 1 million tons of romanian oil from Ploiesti oil fields (source). The captured Romanian soldiers were sent to labor camps, where they registered one of the highest mortality rates. Businesses, village peasants and Bucharest inhabitants were pillaged of virtually all their belongings. Germans gathered over 2 million tons of cereals (source).
Ecaterina Teodoroiu – second lieutenant. Killed in Marasesti battle at age 23.
In august 1917, the Germans were eventually defeated by Romanian troops in Marasesti battle. One of the main organizers of the battle was general Antonescu, who lead the army in WW2.
Romanian troops at Marasesti 1917 – the decisive battle
Casualties of war – Romanian soldiers near Kronstadt, 1916
Romanian casualties in Mizil, Romania 1916
Marasesti battle
Bartolomeu massacre – 250 Romanian soldiers who were guarding Brasov train station were encircled by surprise during the night of October 1916. They were all killed. (source)
Romanian prisoners of war in Sofia. Over 80.000 men were captured by Austro-Hungary and their allies. Malnourished and forced to hard labor, they registered one of the highest mortality rates among POW. (source)
Alsace, France (part of Germany during WW1) – Soultzmatt cemetery with Romanian prisoners of war. Other Romanian cemeteries of WW1 are found in Belgium, Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Russia, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia, Ukraine, Hungary and Slovenia. (source)
Dead and wounded Romanian soldiers after a fierce battle in 1916
Killed by the enemy – Romanian Regiment 11 Siret during the liberation war with the Austro-Hungarian empire (Ciuci, April 1919)
Bucharest, Romania
1919, Romanian army in Budapest
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Communist threat rises
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After the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian empire at end of WW1, the communists lead by Bela Kun (who had relations with the Bolsheviks) took advantage of post-war chaos and installed a communist regime, giving birth to Soviet Hungary. It then invaded and occupied Slovakia, which became the Slovak Soviet Republic.
After threatening to install a communist regime in Romania (with whom it had started a military conflict), the Romanian army invaded the capital city Budapest and removed the Soviet regime, which was replaced by its opposition, the Social Democrats. The Kingdom of Hungary was restored.
In 1920, bomb attacks by Max Goldstein and 2 other pro-communist Jewish militants targeted anti-communist leaders at the time. Three Romanian senators were killed, but the perpetrators were captured and imprisoned, and the anarchy attempt failed. Germany was also puled in the whirlwind with the Bavarian Soviet Republic, lead by Eugen Leviné, however the puppet state was quickly dismantled.
Extracts from local newspaper dated 1919. Describes crimes committed by the Bolsheviks in Russia; calls for unity and resistance in front of the communist threat
After the end of the war, pro-communist movements continued to catch shape in Romania, Poland, Finland, Germany, France and others. USSR registered industrial progress but the other economic reforms met little success. The Soviets murdered up to 10 million citizens who had resisted the new reforms (source). There was no outcry about these events in the West, for whom Nazi Germany became the only target.
In 1939, Germany signed a secret pact with USSR ceasing control over regions in Europe (including Bassarabia and Bucovina from Romania). USSR invaded the 2 regions and systematic deportations of Romanians began. Later, Germany later broke the pact by waging war against the Soviet Union.
Ana Pauker, Romanian-Jewish activist, was a leading figure in pro-Bolshevik faction during the interwar period in Romania. (source)
Under pressure from Germany, King Carol II of Romania ceased north Transylvania as well. Public outrage forced the king to abdicate and he was replaced with general Antonescu. In a desperate move to recover lost territories from USSR and prevent the threat of communism, Romania allied itself with Germany which, unknown at that time, was the country that had divided Romanian territory (the secret Hitler-Stalin pact became public only in 1989). For Hitler, Romania represented an ally against bolshevik communism, but also a valuable oil resource. See secret recordings where Hitler talks about it. The oil was payed with German gold, the fact that it was Germany itself who had allowed annexation of territory becoming known only decades later.
The WW2 facilitated the installment of communism in Romania and eastern Europe. In 1947, Ana Pauker became foreign minister in the new communist regime.
Captain Ioan Boroș from the 16th Regiment was killed on June 29 1940, at 4 am, in Herta (northern Romania). On June 28 1940, northern Bucovina and Bassarabia were occupied by the Soviet Army.
Herta did not find itself within the official boundaries of northern Bucovina. When Soviet tanks entered Herta on the night of June 29, captain Ioan Boros tried to mediate with the Russian army but he was shot on the spot. One year later, Herta was liberated.
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Romanian IAR 80 planes
Bassarabia (Moldova) locals greeting the Romanian army
Winter of 1941, Berdyansk –“With tears in my eyes I’ll tell youthatI dont wishupon mygreatest enemy what meandmy comradesexperiencedthere. Itwasinhuman. We satin pitscoveredonlybya sheettent. It wasminus41degrees.Ihad toassurechangingsentinels. I was goingtoevery soldieroneverypost. OnceI wentto oversee theexchangeandI foundasoldier‘who didnt respond to the call. I yellat him and… nothing.He wasfrozenlike stone. He was lying down,with theriflebetween his legsand his head leaning onone side. He was dead! Totallyfrozen, poor thing. I startedto crya little, me andthe othersoldier I was with – Icant rememberhis name. Then I told to the next soldier whom I left there“Dont do like him!Dont sit down no matter what happens! Patrol Continuously, walk ten feet all around, you understand?!“. I didnt have time to cry too much back then, I’m crying now, excuse me please”
“Afterthe Christmas of 1941wereceivesomepackagesfrom home. There wasnt muchin them…we had a fewpieces of meat,and a fewof cake…Me and a comrade we go downinto mypitto eat. How must couldve that last? About20-30minutes.My comrade died eatingthe cakehismother had sent. Hedied right in front of me, from the cold.He had only stopped long enough to eat the package from home“.
Summerof1942, Sevastopol–“We were working to strengthena position on agrasslandhill.One time I seea femalecomingtowards us. I greet her in Russian,sheanswer inRomanian. She asks whatwe’re thereand she says, “my husband and Iinvite youto our home.” After that she tellsmethatshearrived inCrimeaimmediately afterit the firstWorld War.She had a Russianlover, gotpregnant, had already 12brothersathome. When her father learnt,hebeat her up and she had toleave home. OhLord,how muchpovertythose people endured in that to house! Shealready two dead sons intheRussianarmy. Poor people were eating onlycorn. Igave them whatever food we hadevery single dayfor a whole month, for as long as I occupied thatposition. “
Iosif Crisan and 92 Infantry Regiment on the front
“Iwalked withthese legs5,000 kilometersthrough Russia. I dont know how I was able to do it. Whenwe got to Stalingrad, it was alreadylate. TheRussiansstarted to push us towards theDon river(its estimated 150.000 Romanian soldiers died here – source).The river was frozen sowhat do you do?!Manyfellstraight in the icey water and died, the ice brokewith them.When Isaw that,Iorderedmy men: “Everyone on the ground, crawlafter me. Stand 5 metersfrom each other. Understand?!“.This is howwe crossed the river. Thirty yearslaterinDeva, I ran into a former comradewho stopped me on the the streetto thank mefor helping him cross the Don. Hecried, Icried…Sixweekslaterwe got to Dniester river, we ate only corn on the way there. We found corn andand we split it.Each one had10corns. I’d takethreegrains, thenbendand pick up some snow to help me stop thethirst as well“.
20 August1944, Romania –“92 Infantry Regiment was already destroyed. They sent me to anotherregiment, I cant remember which one. We arrivedsomewhere near Iasi, Romania on August 20th. TheRussianshit us with thatcannontruckKatyusha. Out of10 men, onlyI survived. Can you imagine that?All the others died. Somekilled on spot, others died fromseriouswounds. “
Katyusha – destructive and deadly
The old manbeginsto cry again. This time it takesa littlelonger torecover.Hewipes away the tearsand confesses: “You know why I think Iescaped? When I lefthome,my fathercameto mecryingandhuggedme. Hefoughtinthe FirstWorld War.He told me: “Kid, dont aim at anyone. If you dont do it, no one will aim at you either“.And thats how it happened.Once, when we were under attack, the Russians pushed us backinto the ditch. My colleaguewas hitdirectlyin the head.Ifeltsomething warmundermy chin.the bullet that killed himhad wipedmy chin. Other times I was shot near my arms, legs, but it only went through my clothes. ThenJosephChristmaslieson the Eastern Front: “
Webroughtreinforcements.We receiveanOltenian (from south-west Romania) in theplatoon. Itis night. In the morning I see a Russian prisoner who escapes fromthe trenchand runs away. I cry out to theolteanian: “Dont shoot him he has childrenawait himat home!“. He shoots him. The Russian falls down.After 2-3 days, he asks to go to the neighboring platoon where he can see the shore. After an houror two, the Sergentfrom the shore tells me to go get my man. When I go there, he was dead.Shot by aRussian. Poor guy tooka bullet straight in the head, although he wasin the trenches“.
Romanian civilians digging trenches
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White Squadron – the ladies of the air
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White Squadron (Escadrila Alba) was a Romanian medical unit composed of planes flown exclusively by non-combatant women pilots. The female unit was created at the initiative of princess Marina Stirbey, a licensed pilot herself.
War archives – news article on the female unit
White Squadron pilots catching up on some much needed rest
Designed for generic medical emergencies, the unit became vital at the beginning of the war. Four female pilots were tragically killed in July 1940, after which they were replaced.
The squadron planes were painted in white, with a visible red cross on the fuselage and wings. Despite these markings, the planes were still targeted by the enemy. Later on, the planes were painted with camouflage patterns. The unit used (among others) Polish RWD–13 planes, which had been evacuated into Romania after the invasion of Poland.
The initial white planes carrying a Red Cross. They were later camouflaged as they were constantly chased down and targeted by the Soviets
At the end of the war, the women’s goods were confiscated by the new communist regime, while they were arrested and/ or imprisoned. Others fled to foreign countries to escape the regime. In best case, they were eliminated from the aviation (despite their experience) and had to resort to mediocre jobs to survive. Smaranda Braescu (who was also first female parachutist) was condemned to 2 years in prison and died in 1948.
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Archive footage
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White Squadron book (in the lower left – W.S. pilot in detention in communist prisons)
Above is a 2013 book on the White Squadron, with a unique view into desecretized files from Securitate (Romanian equivalent of KGB). Despite lack of evidence, the accused were charged with “crimes again humanity” (ex. accusation of transporting Soviet goods to Romania). Note: any act of hostility towards the Soviet regime was classified as “crime against humanity”
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A presentation on the White Squadron
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Top pilots of World War Two
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Tudor Greceanu, Alexandru Serbanescu, Constantin Cantacuzino, Ioan Dicezare
Dan Stoian – bomber elite pilot
Nicolae and Geroge Polizu-Micsunesti. Nicolae was one of the most experienced pilots; he died on mission in 1943.
Irina Burnaia and Alexandru Serbanescu – elite pilots in Romanian aviation. Irina was condemned to 20 years of hard labor, but escaped to Teheran, then Switzerland. Alexandru was killed in 1944.
Alexandru Serbanescu, one year before his death
Horia Agarici, famously defended the port town of Constanta during a surprise Soviet assault. Marginalized by Communists, he lived in poverty and anonymity until his death.
Ioan Dicezare – one of the most experienced pilots on the eastern front
Ioan Dicezare in 1942
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1941 Heroes cemetery in Tighina, Moldova. Archive photo from colonel Marian Popescu
Tighina cemetery contained over 300 graves of Romanian soldiers, also a few graves of Russian, German and French soldiers. After the fall of USSR, eastern Moldova was occupied by the Russian army. The defacto state of Trasnistria (Transdniester) was created, whose sovereignty is not recognized on international level. Tighina is located within its borders.
In 2007, the crosses were removed by the authorities. The local officials responded by stating that it was restoration work. In 2010, the Russian media advertised it as a Russian Army cemetery, with only a few Romanian tombs and no trace of the German graves (Dniester report).
Burial of Romanian fallen soldiers in Tiganca cemetery, Moldova 1941
Tiganca cemetery today
Romanian prisoners of war
Romanian prisoners of war
Romanian cities, including its capital city, were heavily bombarded by the Allies from April until July 1944, during which civilian targets were repeatedly attacked to “demoralize the population”. A coup d’etat organized by the Communist with the help of King Michael brought down the anti-communist government in August 1944. The Allies and the King urged the population to accept the Soviet troops on Romanian territory, guarantying a free future if they collaborate. Terrorized and exhausted by the bombings, the civilian population didnt oppose this new political move. The population and the army were cheated with a supposed signed armistice which didnt exist. While the army was retreating, the soldiers were taken prisoners to Siberia. The entire army was dismantled – the naval fleet, tanks, planes etc were stolen or destroyed, leaving the country vulnerable to the new Communist takeover. Most prisoners of war perished.
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“Many soldiers fells in my hands, and the ones who were getting better would tell me “Dear sister,thank you forhelping me!”. Othersdied, thiswas war,you didnt have what to do.Whenwe had to amputatea leg,I’d hold the hand of the soldier andthe doctor would cut.He’d give an injection withanesthetic, two soldiers would grab the soldier andholdhim tight, while the doctor cutthe leg with the saw. Whenthe soldiers woke up, they had no leg anymore… how much the poorsoldiers were crying…”
1944 – Ileana Dobai, Red Cross nurse with the medical team on the war front
Towards the end of World War Two, King Michael of Romania (guided by communist conspirators) removed the pro-Axis government and signed a pact with the Soviet Union. Despite this, Romanian soldiers were not spared and many ended up in prisoner camps or Soviet gulags. The new communist regime, as a Soviet collaborator, did not preoccupy itself with the faith of the Romanian prisoners, and their faith remained unclear until the collapse of the Soviet Union when official records were finally released.
In late 2013, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a book “Prizonieri de război români în Uniunea Sovietică. Documente 1946 – 1951” (Romanianprisoners of warin the Soviet Union. 1946 – 1951 documents), written with the help of official reports released by Russia’s State Military Archives in 2006.
Extract from the book – Guardian Fiodor Socikov from prisoner camp no. 93 from Tiumen reported:
“I noticed thatprisonerof warEftileiCauneacpicked upsomegrass from the side of the roadand beganto eat it. I warned him loudlyto stop eating it,but he continued. I ordered himto come to the shore, and when he reached it, I noticed there wasfoamaround his mouth, he was faintingand thenstarted having convulsions. He was taken tothe medical room for medical assistance.”
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Below is the story of Petru Trif, enrolled in the 7th Heavy Artillery Regiment of Sibiu – WW2 veteran and prisoner camp survivor (source)
“We found ourselvessurroundedanddisarmed. Istartedtotear away my stripes.I knewRussianswere killing everyone from the higher ranks, I wasalreadya sergeant. Theytook away all ourfood.I hadtheemergencyfood: a tin can of 100 gramsof beefanda loaf of bread. I couldnt hide the bread, I hid the tin can,wrappedit in my clothes.Whenthe Russian did the frisk search, I tookclothesand said I only have my shirts here. That100 grams tin can savedmelife “.
“They put usin acattlewagon. We traveled for twoweeks. We were notgiven anywateron the first days. Some of the mendranktheirurine,I tried but I couldnt do it. Isat next tothe door.Outside it wascold. Thecar waswarm because it was full, we were all crammedin there.There was condensation at the door.In the morning I’d lickthe door edgeto calm my thirst. Along the way,manydiedin the wagon. Every day – two, three, four men died. Every nightnightI’d eat a spoon from my tin can. If I didnt have it, I would’ve died right there in that cattle wagon “.
After a few dayswith no food, no water, thedooropenedsuddenly in a train station. The Red Army soldiers yelled out at theprisonersto make room near the door.The soldiers puta bucket of water in the wagon. One prisonercould contain himself anymore and he threw himself on it to drinkdirectlyfrom the bucket. A few moments later, the others jumpedto pick him up.The prisonerhad drowned in the bucket.
After two weeksof tormentinthosewagons, we ended upsomewhere inthe Ural mountains. I first workedincampnumber185.After thatwemoved toCamp165.We atetwo salted fishand200 grams ofbread a day.They made us walk from the train to the camps.Many men couldnt stand up anymore. Theycouldnt walk anymoreafter those two weeks during which, when thetrain would stopand we‘d cry forwater, the soldiers beatus up withsticks“.
The fallof 1943 –Petru is taken from thecampinthe Uralsandsent to the former USSRborderwithFinland.The Russiansbuilt silos forfood, half buried in the cold ground. The localsdidnt like to perform that kind of work. In order to receive thefullportionsof food, as smallas it was, the Romanianprisoners were forcedto do the work and reachthe full norm.The localsbeganto createall sorts ofproblems for them, from being camp informersto making bad jokes. “When the foodtruckswere passing along, the women in thetrucks used tothroweach of us onecoldpotato. We’dburnitand eat itwiththe peel. It was so goodwhencould catch it.But the kidsof the Russian militaryconstantly put out the fires we made“.
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Classical Romanian WW1 army song “Romanian Battalions, cross the Carpathians”
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Post-war Romania
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The end of WW2 in Romania meant the communist takeover of economy, politics and social life in Romania and eastern Europe. Northern Bucovina was assimilated into Soviet Ukraine. Bessarabia (eastern Moldova) was incorporated into the Soviet Union, becoming the state of Moldova, and after deportations and political executions, a process of russification began in the two territories.
In Romania, the infamous SovRom (Soviet-Romanian) companies were created in 1945, a system meant to assimilate all revenues from Romania to the Soviet Union. The payments continued up to mid-1970’s.
In the decade that followed after the war, numerous intellectuals, generals, politicians, lawyers, priests, ministers, writers were arrested, jailed, executed and/ or forced to hard labor. After making use of King Michael to help them remove the government, the communists forced him to abdicate and expelled him from the country in 1947.
All properties were confiscated. The agricultural land (which constitutes a significant part of Romania’s territory) was also confiscated and a collectivization process began. Those who opposed it were arrested. New reforms were applied in all fields, and history books were modified to fit the new pro-soviet agenda.
The new leader who came to power in 1967, Nicolae Ceausescu, though still a communist, followed a separate national policy from the Soviet Union.