Romanian Campaign of 1916.The Invasion

[razu]

..........

At 4th of January Gerock retook the action at the left wing of Stabbs ,in Oituz Valley,intercalating between Divisions 71st and 187th also the 49th Division ,which he kept till then in reserve .The Front of the three groups of the enemy ,Staabs,Ruiz and Kraftt ,were drawing now an arch af circle ,fighting with the face to the East ,North-East and North ,against the II-nd Romanian Army .At 5th of January Ruiz attacks the Front of the 7th Mixt Romanian Brigade at Rachitasu .Without resisting,Colonel Sturza gives the order for a new retreat on Susita line :Cimpurile-Racoasa -Momiia abandoning to the enemy a considerable portion of terrain.This retreat ,premature,justified by nothing,compromises the left wing of the 15th Division and,by this,of the wing of IX-th Russian Army.Coming after other two retreats executed from the order of the same Commander ,it became suspect to the Commander of the II-nd Romanian Army.General Averescu orders the stopping of the retreat ,which followed to be done in case of need ,step by step.Together with this ,Averescu puts under observation Colonel Sturza ,the one who latter will gain such a sad celebrity.

More to the left ,Magura Odobestilor,the imposant massif which rises its central ridge at 1001 meters high,dominating to great distances the whole region ,was the key to the Romanian-Russian positions.Its fall into the hand of the enemy would have give this one the power to turn both flanks of the Romanian-Russian Front and would have ensured to him the posession of Focsani and of Putna Valley .For the conquer of Magura-Odobestilor, Falkenhayn destined to Kraftt Group two more Divisions from the left of Morgen Group,which will make a veiling attack.At 5th of January ,the Bavarian Alpine Corps has attacked at the junction point of Rimnic Group and Mannerheim Divisions 12th and 1st Romanians.The troops forming up the rest of the 12th Romanian Division have defended with stubborness the whole day of 5th,night 5-6th and the morning of 6th of January,Gorunului Hill,on the western versant of Magura ,giving also violent night counter attacks .At the right side of the 12th Division ,the 1st Division could not resist to the ttack and has retreated.Attacked by the uncovered flank and threatened with the surrounding ,the 12th Division had to retreat ,fighting ,with big losses ,towards Tarnita small Monastery and height 1001 ;the mountain cannons ,not being able to be saved ,have been buried in the ground .The 60th Infantry Regiment is reduced at 170 men,and the 62nd Regiment at 40 men!

.........

[razu]

........

Magura Peak ,height 1001 m ,has been defended with outstanding energy by a Battalion of the 4th Arges Regiment ,of the 3rd Romanian Division ,Commander,Major Balan.Attacked by two sides by the superior enemy which has many machineguns ,the soldiers of the Battalion fight fierce at bayonet ,body to body with the enemy,for an hour and a half,until Major Balan ,which fights elbo to elbow with his soldiers ,is wounded and falls prisoner.The Company is entirely destroyed ;she leaves on the terrain 170 dead and wounded ,together with her Commander.A Battalion of the same Regiment makes way with bayonet through the enemies .Few units of the 12th and 3rd Divisions retreat on the North-Eastern versant of Magura ,at Tarnita Schit,where they are attacked again by the enemy and forced to retreat at Gagesti ,in Putna Valley.

Together with Magura Odobestilor in the mastering of the enemy ,the defence of line of Milcov and Putna ,at East of Magura ,was compromised.Even in the evening of the same day ,Falkenhayn attacks with the right of Kraftt Group (73rd Alpine Division Austro-Hungarian) and with Divisions 80th German and 12th Bavarian ,the Front Odobesti -Patesti ,at the junction of the Romanian troops with the Russian ones.Bombarded very strong the whole night by the enemy artillery ,then isolated by the back by a strong barrier firing range ,the 6th Romanian Division has been surprised by the enemy attack ,pronounced the next day in the morning,in her entrenches.The Division have had considerable losses in dead and wounded,prisoners.Our artillery has opened over the enemy columns ,but her firing range could not be well directed because of the terrible enemy bombardment which destroyed all the telephone lines.Localities Odobesti and Patesti are occupied by the enemy ;the Russian and Romanian troops of the Sector retreat on Putna ,Bolotesti and Jaristea.

.........

[razu]

........

For the same day ,Averescu planned the reconquering of MaguriaOdobestior by a convergent attack ,which had to be executed from three directions ;from North-West from Racoasa -Momiia by the new constituted Group Grigorescu(the 15th Division and a part of the 7th Mixt Brigade ),from the North by Mannerheim Group (a part of the 7th Mixt Brigade ,two Divisions of Russian Cavalry and the 1st Romanian Division) and from the North by Vaitoianu Group .The attack could not be given though.Grigorescu group was engaged on the whole Front and could not give away troops anymore;the three Battalions of the 7th Mixt Brigade ,send to Mannerheim Group ,did not arrive in time ,and the dezastre of the 6th Division of Rimnic Group wekened the power of Rimnic Group.Besides ,in the same day the Russians started the retreat on the whole Front towards line Putna River and Morgen entered Focsani .To shorten the Front of the II-nd Romanian Army ,which was to long,her right wing -Group General Grigorescu -was also retreated on the line:West Casin Monastery-Poiana Coada Babei(the Tail of the Old Woman Clearing),772 m-Dealu Dorului(Miss Hill) 670 m -West Racoasa -Momiiei Peak.

Towards East ,Siret line has been reached by the enemy Armies at 9th of January ,after heavy fightings with many adventures ,amongst which a victorious counterattack of the Russians ,in Namoloasa region ,has put for a moment in difficult ballance the German victory.

........

[razu]

(small cannon System Crousson ,53mm)

[razu]

Russians intend the retreat on Trotus River line

The defeat at Focsani was bringing up to discussion again the fixing of the retreat line of the Romanian-Russian Front.At the Eastern wing ,the line of Siret River prezents itself as a resistance line beyond any doubt,strong ,by its natural situation ,as by the works built before on to the shores of the river.It was considered,by the Germans ,as by the Russians as the last stage which has to end the cmpaign of 1916.Totaly different presents the matter of extending to West of Siret line.In Focsani region ,the Russians and Romanians have occupied in retreat the line of Putna ;more to the West ,the Front was on Susita Valley ,from where it went by Magura Casinului in Oituz Valley.As the IX-th German Army,completely exhausted ceased any warfare attempt ,Gerock Army continued the attacks .At 9th of January Grigorescu Group has been again attacked in Casin Sector ,on Marasti Hill and on Momiia ,by the three Divisions of Staabs .Ofcourse ,the Germans wanted to obtain a breaking of the Romanian Front in direction Cimpurile -Pralea-Caiuti .Grigorescu has resisted ,but had to retreat on Budiului Hill .General Zaharov tells to the Romanian Sepreme Commander his intention of retreating the right wing of the Romanian-Russian Front behind Trotus River.It was for the Russians the ideal line of retreat ,which shortened to a line almost straight ,the Moldavian Front ,uniting the line of the Mountains of Neamt with the line of Siret River.The Romanian Commanders opposed with strength to this voluntary abandoning of a region so important.The destroying of the railway Tirgu Ocna -Adjud and the interception of the communication through Trotus Valley would have meant a death blow given to our resistance.In truth,in this rich region were the only and last resources of ours in coal ,petrol and salt,which fed the kingdoom and the Army.The railway in Trotus Valley itself,an excellent line of rocade ,were going parallel with the Front of the II-nd Romanian Army and behind it,permitting the transport of troops from one point to another.That is why,the Romanian Commanders asked to the Russian Generalisim that,before giving up the terrain between Putna and Trotus ,to strengthen and defend the line of Susuta -Zabraut.Zaharov agreed to the Romanians insistences ,which had the advantage that they were keeping for the Russian Armies the important line of communication Marasesti-Tecuci.The Front of the IV-th Russian Army has been extended with the right wing until Iresti,liberating in this way the 7th Romanian Division ,which,together with the 6th Division ,have been passed to reserve of Grigorescu Group.

.........

[razu]

Battle of Pralea

If the retreat of free will from Trotus line has been abandoned ,there was still the danger of a retreat under the pressure of the enemy attack.The Romanian Front has take an unfavorable dispozitive :in Pralea region and that of Zabraut was much bend towards North ,presenting a dangerous entering .All the clues showed that the enemy wants to take advantage of the tactical gains he made during the late battles and to attack in Pralea region ,with Caiuti direction .The success of this attack meant a real dezastre:it was the push through force of the Romanians beyond Trotus.

To avoid this danger ,the Romanian Commandment tasked General Grigorescu to take the offensive in this region ,to obstacle the enemy attack to push the Romanian Front towards South-West.It has also been put to Grigorescu dispozition the 7th Division ,then the 12th Division from Vaitoianu Group ,from Verdea ,the Graniceri Brigade and a Cavalry Division of the Russian Group of General Keller.

But the Germans went ahead .At 13th of January ,Staabs has attacked in Pralea direction and occupied height 772,which he imediately transformed in a strong resistance central.

The following day ,14th of January ,Grigorescu started the counterattack to retake the lost position .Troops of the 7th Division have attacked and conquered height 772 ,together with the neighbour positions:Poiana Ciresului (Cherry Clearing) and Poiana Secatura(Dry Soldier Clearing),where they have taken prisoners an officer and 27 German soldiers.In the same time ,troops of the 15th Division have occupied after a very lively fight with bayonet and hand grenades Dealul Pietricelelor(Small Rocks Hill) ,repelling all of the enemy trials of reconquering it;they could not however occupy also Dragan Hill,strongly entrenched and defended by the enemy.The troops of the 12th Division ,out of their own initiative, of the Commander ,have attacked in Marasti direction and occupied Hills of Virlanu and Dragotestilor ,until the Valley of Limpejoara Stream in front of Marasti Hill.The following days followed very bloody fights .Numerous attacks and counterattacks were given for the possesion of elevations "La Incarcatoarea"(height 711) and Poiana Coada Babei (height 772),for five days ,but they could not be taken by ours because of the superiority of the enemy forces and of the powerful strengthenings.The Romanian troops have had felt losses .Still,the goal of the action has been acomplished .At 18th of January ,our troops managed to advance 0.5 -2 Miles ,obtaining an important rectification of the Front.Instead of being on the line of the arch of circle ,we were now on the cord of the circle , obtaining,together with the terrain gain at South of Pralea ,also a shortening of the Front .We were holding now under the beat of our artillery Susita Valley.With all this success ,which was ensuring us against an enemy attempt to rove through to Trotus Valley ,there were taken measures of precaution.it has been definitively organized Trotus Valley and has been studied in detail the eventual retreat in this direction .It has also been organized another line ,intermediary ,at South of Trotus Valley ,along Dealu Mare ridge .With this action the fights,started at 22nd of December by the Group of General Gerock, have been ended ;they have lasted for 27 days.

.........

[razu]

Invasions and Retreats

Directiile de invazie ale inamicului=enemy directions of invasion

Pozitii romano-ruse in retragere=Romanian-Russian positions in retreat

1.During Arges Battle,2.After the evacuation of Bucharest,3.On Cricov and Ialomita,4.Rimnicu Sarat Battle,5. Final Front at the beginning of 1917

[razu]

The end of the fights and stabilization of the Front

By the end of December ,the two adverse Armies have reached the end of their efforts.The long campaign of four months and a half of tensioned fights ,which heve not stopped even for one day ,the long marchings ,in which men and horses have gone hundreds of Miles ,the bad weather of autumn and winter with torential rains ,the snows and blizzards ,the lack of shelters for horses and animals ,the hardships of provisionings which became even harder,have ended alltogether the strengths of the fighters.The suspending of the operations was seen as a necessity unavoidable by both fighting parties ,much that the winter has started and it was foreseen that soon it will begin the frost which will put an end to all other sufferings .Besides ,even after the Battle at Rimnicu-Sarat ,Falkenhayn told to the Great German Hedquarter ,his fears pretaining the risks linked by the continuation of the operations and has oppinionated for their ending.If ,however they have continued ,this was owed to the fact that the High German Commandment have conceived beforehand the line of Siret as an ideal line of stopping after the 1916 campaign and because the giving up at conquering Focsani ,trumpeted anticipated by the German communicates ,could have been interpreted as a defeat.That is why ,when the Romanians and the Russians,after losing Magura Odobestilor and the evacuation of Focsani ,have retreated on Susita line ,of Putna and of Siret ,the enemy Armies advanced only few Miles ,until they were in front of the new adverse positions.To try to force them ,would have been an impossibility .Besides,at 9th of January the Great German Headquarter asked Marshal Mackensen to have send a number of units ,which were necessary on other Fronts of the European War,where it was believed the retaking of the operations ,suspended during the Romanian Campaign.At 10th of January ,the High German Commandment of the troops in Romania gave the order for entering in defence positions .The break ,indispensable for both parties started with this date .The two Armies ,placed face to face on the two opposite shores of the rivers ,have ceased the fight ,to give themselves alltogether to the works of consolidation of the positions and building of the winter shelters .It was time.Towards the middle of January ,a terrible frost and a violent Crivat(Eastern winter wind) have interrupted whatever military action,causing ,especially to the Germans and the Turks ,imense losses."Only in one week-writes Falkenhayn-the casualties caused by the frost of the men -partially or totaly-climbed at more than a quarter of the total casualties ,which we had in dead ,wounded and prisoners ,in the whole course of the four months of campaign".

The War of position,with its bombardment and local actions ,is the only one which will dominate for half a year.

....

[razu]

Accounting a campaign

The Campaign of 1916 was ended.It was not the ending expected at the beginning of the campaign .It was ,on the contrary,a sad ending,which tore with pain the hearts of Romanians .The proud Army,which ventured over the mountains with elan four months before ,to liberate the enslaved brothers ,has been forced to retreat with bowed head and with the bleeding heart ,burning the wealth of the country and abandoning the own country in the hands of the enemy.With all the tragic of the situation ,the Romanian soldier had the will of strength that,for the day of tommorow ,to leave his family and house ,leaving them on the hands of invasioneers and to take the road of retreat ,along the kingdom ,from Turnu Severin until Siret ,on bad and dug out roads ,in fight with hardships ,with the heavy of the winter and of the enemy,faithful to duty and flag.Thanks to him,has been saved all that was of need to the reconstruction of the New Army :recruits,woundeds,war material ,the locomotive park and of carriages and all that has been decided to be evacuated from Bucharest and from other cities,all that was needed to rebuild our military power ,which tomorrow will be called up again to fight ,for the honour and saving of the kingdoom.

It has remained behind ,in the abandoned country ,between the piles of ruins ,50 000 graves ,sign of the heroism and of the unfortunate events in which has made his duty the Romanian soldier!

There are no exat figures over the losses in dead and wounded of our Army in the 1916 Campaign.An officious publication indicates the approximative figures of 50 000 dead,and 80 000 wouded .For prisoners we have the official data published for the Central Office of Prisoners finding themselves at the Central Powers ,at 1st of February 1917.At this date there were as Romanian prisoners:

..............................Officers Soldiers

at Germans................ 202...........9955

at Austro-Hungarians...542.........37765

at Bulgarians........... 789.........27718

at Turks.................. ......3..........2909

Total officers, 1563 ........... soldiers 78 347

At this total must be added the prisoners in the camps and hospitals in the Romanian occupied territory and unevacuated yet.Between 1st of January and 21st of March 1917 there were -after official data of the Germans-31 842 Romanian soldiers ,separated in seven principal centrals and 33 secondary centrals .It is probable that some of these were also in the above figures .Total: 111 725 prisoners ,officers and soldiers .We are,as such,far from the fantastic figures served daily by the German communicates ,as advertising and intimidation[14].

..........

[razu]

[1]The German-Bulgarian troops have forced the Danube at Zimnicea ,at 10/23 of November 1916.

[2]French -Serb troops on Salonic Front have occupied Monastir at 19th of November 1916.

[3]Brand,mine thrower.

[4]H.A.Brialmont ,Belgian General,one of the supporter of the fortress ideea which"dominatest the war theatre",inspirer of the great buildings of fortresses in Belgia.

[5] Great fortresses in Belgium ,at which construction General H.A. Brialmont had a decissive contribution ,conquered by the Germans since 1914 campaign ,by using of Krupp cannons of great caliber-one of the German "surprises" in the War.

[6] Fortresses in France ,and from the Polish territories mastered by Austrians ,conquered by the Germans or Russians in the 1914-1915 campaigns.

[7] Pretaining Michael the Brave and the "Calugareni victory" in 13/23 1595

[8] "Romanians ...here..."

[9] In the great Battle of Waterloo,locality at South of Bruxelles ,since 18th of June 1815,between the French and an Army Anglo-Prusian -of the European Coalition anty-French-,Napoleon Bonaparte has been defeated decissive ,which trained the definitive losing of the Imperial French throne .The absence from the fighting field of the Army Corps Commanded by General Grouchy played a decissive role ,desastrous for Napoleon.

[10] Ourcq and Marna -important water courses in France of North-East which in August -September 1914 ,during the great German offensive on direction Paris ,played an important role in the French defence dispozitive in front of French capital city .Besides,here has been given the decissive Battle for Paris and France and also here ,after failure,Germans has started their great "War of illusions" ,which will end with the desastre in November 1918.

[11]The last fort of Liege has ceased the resistance in front of the Germans at 17th of August 1914.The Belgian Army retrenched at Antwerp(Anvers) ,of which siege has been executed by the Germans in 28th of September -9th of October 1914.The German troops entered Antwerp at 9th of October .The Battle at Namur -Charleroi -Dinant unfolded at 12-24th of August 1914 and has been lost by the French.

[12] Sterling(pound sterling) -national English currency.

[13] Romanian Maritime Service .

[14] Pretaining the losses suffered by Romanians.

[razu]

(Romanian soldiers decorations/medals of the Great War)

[razu]

Chapter V

The agony of a capital

(lived scenes)

1.Romanian Capital During The War

In the heart of the country

The capitals of countries live with outstanding intensity the history of their country.All the fermentations ,all the missfortunes ,all the hopes echo in the tormented life of the Capital.Here ,they unleash with more strength;from here their echo ,is waved to all the countries of the World.The word Capital is the last word of the country(kingdoom):the country thinks ,feels and talks through her Capital.Without a doubt that"the country" has in the historical action the wide and deep part.The manifestations of the Capital appear however in the first line;they are ,maybe,more superficial,more exalted ,but more characteristic ,more impressive.The first action,the Capital will feel the first the effects of this action.She will get drunk more than the rest of the country with the joy of successes;she will drink to the end the glass of biterness.

Bucharest(or Bucharests) did not make an exception from the general rule;they have lived more lively than the rest of the kingdoom all the phases of our War.The shivering waiting of "the moment" decissive,fierce and full of phatos fights amongst the oppsite currents(political),the enthusiasm unleashed by the news of the grave decission of general mobilization of the Army ,the joy without borders of the first victories then, all of a sudden ,the brutal awakening ,made by the unfinishing defeats .

...the calvary of three months of sufferings ,with which the Bucharest had to be sentenced for the few days of joy and victories !Sad days of autumn ,spend in the awaiting ,full of concerns ,of the news which hurried to arrive us ,one worst than the other and with the threat of death ,hanged day and night over our heads .No other city went so suddenly from the most beautiful dream to the most terrifying awakening.

.......

[razu]

Aspects from the war life of the Capital

The War Declaration was not known by the masses of population but only in the morning of 28th of August,the second day after the historical Crown Council -in the eve has been known only the declaring of the state of siege and the mobilisation of the Army.Even from the first moments has been manifested one of the characteristics of the spirit of the population of the Capital: the ease of seing/doing things and lack of critical spirit.The War was taken with ease by population.The cheap success of the 1913 campaign(in Bulgaria) has dizzied the heads of the crowds ,without serious knowledge and not used with the objective judging of events.A superficial press has contributed at this easy mentality.We underestimated the enemy ,we dispise and riduculized especially the Bulgarians and exalted ourselves in own virtues;"We only had to show up to win".If it will not go on exactly as it did in 1913 ,it would not be to much of a difference.Especially that we had also strong allies.And the holly"protection" the goddess of Romanian ,she will show her blessing here as well .That is why ,it has only been read the first communicate ,which announced the War Declaration and,on Calea Victoriei(main street of Bucharest) and in the places frequented in the center ,folks "well informed" new that Brasov and Sibiu have been alredy occupied over night,and our Army is on the road to Budapest!The sceptics were apostrofated with severity;the epithet of "Germanofil" was throwed in their face as supreme insult.The fabricant of untruthfull lies -an industry which wil prosper during the War ,feeding from the missfortunes of the kingdoom.-was on the market.Anyway,the general mood was in the first days enthusiastic and optimist ,as it should be.The official communicates were considered as being reserved,from prudence ;our victories had to be even bigger.The unsignifiant resistance of the Austrian-Hingarians forecasted a short and easy campaign .The first lists of dead and wounded ,published in the fourth day of the War ,surprised us,in some way.We knew nothing about the War!

.........

[razu]

.......

Like a lightning fell from out of a blue sky,came the news of Turtucaia .Few initiated,with connections in the high military circles ,knew the gravity of the situation there and were waiting the result with unrest .The great mass ,fed only with the sobre and voalated literature of the communicates ,supported also by her deep optimism ,was preocupated but to no extent alarmed.So the greater was the news of the catastrophe.It was agravated by the proximity of the danger.In the days of tuesday and wednesday ,5th and 6th of September ,fatal days,the bucharesters have been witnesses to unusual scenes ,clues for grave things.It could be saw the police and military patrols requisiting particular automobiles from the streets and sending them outside the city for the quick transport of the troops to the danger spot.They have also seen ,the bucharesters,the convoys of sanitary automobiles passing in clouds of dust ,to the roads going South.But they have seen ,especially ,in the morning of 7th of September ,the crowd of wounded and of run away,escaped with whatever they had on them,arriving in Obor train station ,brought with the train from Oltenita ,storying in a terrified way the dezastre of Turtucaia and the bombarding of Oltenita.It was the first direct contact with defeat.The grief and shame were complicated with the fear of an attack of the enemy over the Capital.The ideea seemed very natural:Oltenita was at 38 Miles from Bucharest.The fearful ones have invented a declaration of Mackensen :"If Romania enters the War ,in three days they will cross the Danube on a bridge of Romanian dead bodies!".Fortunately ,on Calea Victoriei the fabrication of false news was working under great pressure.The last news was that Turtucaia has been reconquered and the Romanians have made with this occasion 10 000 Bulgarian prisoners.The news was presented as carrying the the mark of origin of British and Russian legations.Congratulations,huggings ,rasing of glasses ;Bucharest was living the life of War.

..........

[razu]

........

Same thing repeated after every defeat.Brasov,Constanta ,Craiova ,fall one after the other in the hand of the enemy ,have been reconquered the next day on the Front of Calea Victoriei(main street of Bucharest) ,in the trenches of "Cooperativa" beverage place,in the bridgehead of Capsa Restaurant .The high strategy was conducted in the different clubs and establishments of "drinking" by a mixed crowd civilo-military,with grave airs and misterious ,of men well informed.Sometimes ,even the authorities gave the example of the most amazing ease.The next day after the occupation of Craiova out of the initiative of the aid of the Mayor of the Capital ,has been spread the false news of a great Romanian victory between Jiu and Olt River,with 25 000 prisoners ,Germans etc.The spreading of the news has been methodically organized ,by handing out posters by the agents of public force.It has been requested and executed the paving of the shops and public edifices.The enthusiasm of the population was delirant.Soon ,they saw it has been a misslead,started from a man turmoiled by the war nevroze.The authors of the joke have been arrested ,trialed and easy sentenced to different punishments ,and the public spirit remained more shaken than before.

Two categories of men ,made the wonder of the public.It was first the great crowd of the militars which were necessary for the services said"behind the Front line".It is a species well known in every country ,to which however the circumstances ,social,of our country ,have created an enviroment good for multiplying :the French named them "embusques",the Romanians have localized the word by "twisters".

.......

[razu]

..........

Running for places away from danger was a sign of moral weakness .Ministers,Generals and any officer which had some Commandment ,were assaulted by those requesting jobs in auxiliary services the most humble ones,or by their protectors or her protectors.The censure of the press and of the private correspondence has proved a wonderful institution ,if not for goals of national defence ,but of course for sheltering of numerous braves during the neutrality.The military technical terms as a sedentary part and mobilization ,have entered in the current vocabulary ,with all together special meanings.

There was then much bigger crowd of eldery people for carrying a weapon and which,instead of being someplace ,on the Front ,were swarming on the streets.As the villages were emptied by all the man ,without the very old ones and the children ,Bucharest were full of the mass of those hidden -under all kinds of pretextes -from duty;a penible icon of inequality in front of the law.The authorities ,military and police have been forced,under the pressure of the revolt of public opinion ,to enterprize real lookouts,closing down streets to question everybody of their occupation.

A new species which fulfilled during the neutrality a period of prudent gestation ,evolves now in full power of life through the offices of military authorities :is the bussiness man ,trader or intermediary ,which offers his merchendise or services.Is the beneficiary of wars, the tomorrow rich.

Next to the crowd of easy people ,talkers ,twisters of all kind and of the bussiness men,there were also the other people of Bucharest ,less noisy,more discrete ,but more worthy of interest and simpathy.There were the Bucharests of those 30 000 soldiers ,which have left to faten with their warm blood and with their young bodies the field of Brasov ,the valleys of Bucegi and the marshes of Neajlov and of Arges .There were their families ,which were waiting with trembling heart the news from the Front:parents,wives and children which were crying and hopping ;there were the women who have left the pleasures of a comfortable life to devote themselves to tending for the wounded which were filling more and more the numerous hospitals ;there were the intelectuals ,of which soul cords vibrate more painfuly under the blows of the faith.

........

[razu]

.......

Slowly and slowly the easy enthusiasm of the first days quiets down.Serious preocupation take its place.The follow ups of the War start to show in every day life of the citizens ;they manifest in all kinds of deprivations.A long row of ordonances(laws)of the authorities tries to make the education of a public unprepared enaugh spiritualy for sacrifices.The public clubs ,especially the cofee shops ,the centrals of fabrication of the false news ,are closed down.There are also closed shows and drinking places,out of a sentiment of elementary honesty;it is forbidden the debitation of drinks.The means of transport become more tighten.The provisioning is made with difficulty,because of the use of railways in military purposes.The days of ,without meat,are multiplyed more and more;the population begins to know the bitterness of long waitings in front of the bread shops.It is added the ungeniune of some traders ,which hide and speculate the merchendize.The authorities ,surprised by the new and difficult situation ,lose many times its head.There are taken contradictory measures ;there are given orders and counterorders which do not ease the pains,but increase the nervosity and feed the untrust.In the same time ,the news from the fighting Front start to produce desillusions and fears ,and the danger of own life comes over the joy of other times,to the Capital.

........

[razu]

The nights of Bucharests.

The zeppelins attacks [1]

The enemy wanted to neat the contrasts of the spiritual life in Bucharest and to dive all its inhabitants under the burden of the same preocupations,surrounding the temple of the city with the crown of martyr.In the warior conception of the German ,the War was not waged only against the armies.The civilian population which remained behind ,at home ,had to be intimidated ,terrorized ;her tortures had to influence the moral of the fighters on the Front.Out of this barbarian conception /ideea has streamed the ideea of bombarding the cities in the interior of the kingdoom.The Capital of Romania had the honour to be the most crule attacked .In this way,the War against Romania was not only on the Front ;but also felt by the ones at home.The inhabitants of the Capital have carried the life of War with all its sufferings and dangers.

Before our entering in the action the Germans ,for the event of a War ,have send in Bulgaria some of their zeppelins and an escadril(squadron) of aeroplanes.It has been organized at Razgrad ,at South of Rusciuk and Turtucaia ,an important central of aviation and aerostation,destined to serve the operations against Romania.Even in the first night after the War Declaration ,28-29th of August ,zeppelin No.101 made us the first visit;it has been received with outstanding honours ,in the pieces of light of the projectors and in the bombardment of the cannons of anty-aerian defence and of the machinegun post ,installed on high edifices of the Capital.The show ,entirely new for Bucharet people ,imposed to the eye sight and to the hearing as well ;it gave the impression of a well organized guard .The circumstance that in this first visit ,the damages material and in human lives have been as null,made us to not take too in tragic the night attacks.

........

[razu]

........

For a few days even,we cradle with the faith ,trumpeted by police and military authorities ,that the zeppelin has been taken down.The awakening has been unpleasant.Zeppelin no.86 came in the night of 3-4th of September ,traversing Bucharest a ong an aproximative line:Calea Dorobantilor -Ateneu -Royal Pallace -Cismigiu Park-Dimbovitei Pier;in its way ,it throwed bombs which provoked human victims and grave destructions.The Anty -Aerian defence has been very active .The zeppelin has been touched by sharapnels of our cannons and escaped with great difficulty over the Danube ,after throwing over bord many pieces of its machinery ,which have been found on the road towards Alexandria.It has been taken out of service and replaced with another aeronave.

The log of an officer aboard the Zeppelin crew no.86 gives a interesting description of the attack over Bucharests,in the night of 3-4th of September ."...At right side and left side of the aerian craft appear reflectors which reach their huge arms towards the sky.There can be numbered a whole dozen of them ,and the number is increasing.They sweep fast the sky,looking in all parts .Soon they wil embrace us .A live light comes over the middle of the aeronave(craft).Like dogs they jump in the same moment ,all the projectors in the same direction and stop over our craft.Now they are all over the Zeppelin.In the gondole,all glance for a moment ,blinded to the Earth.The projectors do not let us go for one moment .Like at a command ,enters the Anty-Aerian Artillery in action.Closer and closer appear the white small clouds of shrapnels which explode.The spins of the propellers are dominated by the sound of the cannons which follow fast-To the right full!-Obedient the ship dissappears in the darkness of the night .The huge arms of the projectors drift sideways,-Throw!.One after the other fall the bombs -Explosive bomb,incendiary bomb!.A powerful pressure of the air takes up and then descends the aeronave ;everybody hangs tight.-It was a nice explossion down there !.With madness fire the cannons of AA defence .With a powerless haste ,run the projectors over the sky.It is an overwhelming spectacle ,which remains deep in the memeory printed.The nerves of the crew are extremely tensed...Slow,but with a sinister constantcy ,the barograph writes a descendent curve on tha patient paper.The aeronave has fallen...minutes with...meters.There is no doubt ,we have been hit.No wonder,at the crazy cannonade of the Romanians.And truly ,when blew up in pieces the windows of the gondole ,the small clouds of the shrapnels were exactly near the baloon of the craft .Ofcourse some bullets of shrapnels have pierced through the cells.There was no time for doubts.Every minute lost ,meant as many cubic meters of gas lost .Ahead of us was the Danube.It could be seen the wide and lightened draw of her .On the other side of the river was the friendly country.Zeppelin No.181* will not fall under any circumstance in the hand of the enemy; that is sure thing.If we manage to repair the damage in time,to patch the broken cells ,then we reach home .If wee succeed only partialy then we land where it woild be possible.If we do not succeed ,then...We don't even want to think about this possibility .The thoughts are storming through the brain.We must work fast;we are still over the enemy country .The Commander orders to search the craft with light.We don't have to search much.Even over the first gondole are two touched cells...After some time ,the engineer announces when we cross over Danube : Cells X and Y are in several places patched .Leak of gas at other cells ,which cannot be found.We must expect the complete empty-ing of cells a,b...The Commander looks full of concern to the map .Under us shine the waves of the Danube.Unforgiving,the barograph draws the descendent curve .-Engine B.B. to be taken down and throwed over bord!sounds the order of the Commander .The machinist begins to disasemble the engine fast.With heavy heart he throws over bord ,piece by piece the pretious engine.All other dispensable objects follows the road of the engine in Commander's order.For one moment seems that the aeronave can keep up the determined elevation and we coul arrive in our country.Again shows the barograph a slight decrease .Few big canisters with petrol ,the last ballast on bord are throwed away.The wireless telegraphy asks for help .Through the big telescope I see in the night a city of medium size ,a railway .a train station.It is Y city we have escaped".

......

[razu]

.........

The nocturnal attacks of Zeppelins 101,81 and 97 repeated ,sometimes two three nights in a row.They have not produced to many victims or damages ;they however kept the population in a continuous nerve strain .

The nights of Bucharests became a nightmare.The gas-lamps on the streets were out ;here and there just one light turned up,but in which the light was stopped by glass painted in blue in its upper part.In the nights without Moon ,was completely dark.But in the houses with windows covered in blue paper ,did not escape one wire of light.A fear almost sick ,made everybody to watch the executing of the ordonances of the police ,which stopped any filtering of light,outside.The band of volunteer watch men terrorized the people.Smass scouts were implacable executioners.At once,in the power of the night ,the big bell of Mitropoliei(church) gives the alarm with its sinister toll.The bells of the other churches and the whistling of the guardists followed it,helding the chorus.Dizzied by the sudden awakening from their sleep ,people were running in cellars,dragging scared children.Outside the fairy of the projectors was beginning,accompanied by the infernal music of the cannonade.The ear followed one by one the deaf explosions of the cannons ,the rithmic and precipitated clikings of machineguns ,the irregulated unloadings of the rifles salves.From time to time ,the heart was aking ,the breathing was stopping ;a more powerful bang ,a longer one ,with iron sound of falling metal.The bombs throwed from above were exploding somewhere ,close by,destroying the own ,gathered with hard work ,leaving behind dead bodies and crippled.In the dizzing heights in which floated ,the aerian pirate ,once the deed done,was going away conquerour ,dragging after ,like tails of comet the light draws of the projectors which died out one by one ,powerless.The long scream of the siren of the Arsenal was announcing the end of the tragedy for the night.Taken to the bones with cold ,with the children half asleep ,embraced by a nervous trembling ,people were getting out of the hiding places with a relief moan and climbed in their rooms to sleep ,whenever they could,a tormented sleep,haunted by bad dreams.

*Changed number of the zeppelinby the author of the German publication in the interest of secrecy of operation.

........

[razu]

The aerian attack of 12/25 of September

Almost a month now since the War has broke out,the enemy only attacked with zeppelins by night.The day of 12/25 of September has been one of the most tragic days lived by Bucharest ,or any other capital.It was the beginning of a new series of abominable murders ;the attacks of the aeroplans over the population of an open city .A squadron of five aeroplanes ,Germans,type Taube ,passed over the Capital ,projecting on the blue sky of a splendide autumn afternoon the graceful siloueths of five white pigeons.But the birds with an unguilty air were carrying in their infernal bellies the messages of death .Thirty bombs ,six each aeroplane ,have been throw in less than five minutes .And it has been enaugh ,for that pain and death to spread over the curious city ,which went out on the streets to admire the spectacle alltogether new of the flight of aeroplanes between the white small clouds of the shrapnels..The crowd ,curious and imprudent ,was gazing ,gathered in big groups in the squares and on the streets.The bombs made a real masacre.485 dead and more than 1000 wounded -many have died latter - is the sinister counting of this tragic day.Like in a big battle.And the victims were not soldiers ,fell with the weapon in hand.No.There were the inhabitants murdered on the streets as they walked to their daily activities ;there were children surprised in their peaceful games and crippled in a terrifying way ;there were sick and wounded assasinated in their beds of suffering in the hospitals defended with the holly sign of the Red Cross*.The Capital had in the afternoon of 25th of September the aspect of a city which went through a big catastrophe.In Piata Mare ,at the junction of Calea Calarasilor with SF.Ioan Nou Street ,in Maria Boulevard in front of Brincovenesc Hospital ,in Covaci Street ,at the junction of Elisabeta Boulevard with Calea Plevnei ,the spectacle is heartbreaking.The street is covered with dead bodies and with wounded which are moaning .An eye witness has ,in Piata Mare,the impression of flies dead on the insect paper from a plate.The hospitals and morgue do not have enaugh room for so many dead bodies and of the dyings ,which overloaded trucks are bringing them in continuously.It is the most hideous manifestation of an ideea ,savage,about war.The most beautiful conquerings of human intelect change face and deform after the heads through which they reflect.The wonderful invention of the American Wright and of the French Voisin and Bleriot [2] have transformed ,in the hands of the Germans,from a pretious auxilliary of the civilization in a hideous tool of murder.The Germans were giving to the War a savage form ,worthy of the primitive times of humans and their "mates" they choose to assist and aplaude them.

*Among the victims has been also Romano painter,one of the most beautiful hopes of Romanian art.

..........

[razu]

(The gigant German airplane D.L.R. 70 captured by Romanian Army at Cristinesti in the autumn of 1919)

[razu]

(propellers of D.L.R. 70)

[razu]

Through murder and terror

The attacks of the aeroplanes over the Capital have continued with regularity,alternating with the nocturnal attacks of the zeppelins,however,unfortunately ,with stronger and more sad effects.None of the capitals of the Entente did not have to suffer what was given to the Capital of Romania .In the bloodiest day of aerian bombardment ,London numbered almost 70 dead.

Bucharest were not defended properly.The defence with artillery was not effective to touch and take down the aeroplanes at the height they were planing ,and the fighting aeroplanes we did not have at all.We were at the absolute discretion of the enemy ,who attacked us whenever he wanted ;one day they came over Bucharest seven times !There were no days of peace ,but only when the planes for bombardment were used somewhere else,on the fighting Front.It is true ,that the victims have not been so numerous as in the fatal day of 25th of September .Trained by painful experience ,the inhabitants of the city became prudent and,at the signall of alarm ,they were hiding through cellars ,undergrounds of houses ,gangs and other sheltered places.The enemy aeroplanes have started to visit especially the poor neighbourhoods and the surroundings of the Capital.Through these poor neighbourhoods the enemy aeroplanes were destroying especially poor small houses ,surprising and slaughtering missfortuned women which were waiting for hours in front of the small bread fabric shops,or wood shops ,in unsheltered places ,or children.In the surroundings of Bucharest they were throwing bombs over the trains and installations of railways ,but they did not hesitate to descend and fire the machingun over the men working in the fields ,and over the walkers on roads.In one day they have throwed 70 bombs over the Castle at Buftea in which they new is a sad Queen by the missfortunes of her people ,but also a mother which was crying her baby, dead few days before.The hideous murders were after,ofcourse ,more psichological goals than strategic ones.They were meant to drive people crazy with fear ,to disorganize life ,weaken the resistance and produce a depression in the spirits ,to influence over the warior dispozition of the Romanian Army and of the political leaders.No means was too low for the Germans,to reach this target.The discoveries made in the day of 4th of October in the yard of German Legation prove a lack of scrupules extraordinary in their methods of fight.A raid of the Police Prefect and Andreews,the Secretary of the American Legation -which took the responsibility of the guard of the German Legation -gave terrible results.There were found a great number of boxes with TNT and ampoules with bacteria growings of morva and dalacu.The boxes were carrying the adresses of the military attaces of Germany and Bulgaria ,Colonels von Hammerstein and Samargiev,and has been expediated ,through diplomatic way,by the German Consulate from Brasov.After the declarations of the service men from the german Legation,the boxes have been brought from Brasov in the eve of general mobilization of our Army and deposited in the basement of the legation.In the eve of the day of leaving of the personell of the legation ,they have been buried in the yard ,from the order of the Conceler of the Legation ,Rheinbaben and in the presence of the Chancelar of the Legation,Kruger.The criminal intentions followed by the German diplomatic personell were obvious ;only the premature outbreak of the War obstacled their acomplisment.

......

[razu]

Agony days

The one hundred days of the War in the autumn of 1916 were,in this way,for the inhabitants of the Capital ,turmoiled days and bitter ones.On one hand ,day and night ,the danger of death was hanging over heads,tormenting the soul and tiring the body.On the other hand the news ,which were coming from the fighting Fronts ,were worse and worse.The daily communicates were waited with aprehension ,but also with fear.They were of an exasperant sobriety,not only when they had to announce defeats but also when they could celebrate successes to high up the moral.When on the fighting Fronts were given the great battles which had to decide the fate of the War ,the communicate announced:"Small harassments".What the communicates did not want to share with the public was carried by whisper and immagination.And these were working ,ofcourse with natural exagerations :it could be read through the rows more than it was in reality.The untrust in successes was nested in the souls of people ; any new news could not be but bringer of missfortunes .There were gone the beautiful days of the enthusiasm ;the illisions of victory flew away;it perished the optimism ,clear ,and the easy dispozition of the spirits.The incorigible optimism ,which saw only successes and had not enaugh words of despise for the adversary ,was gone;it took the place the pesimism,which did not believe anymore not even in the reality of our small successes.Maybe ,the gentlemen with sepulcral face ,which wave his head in disbelief and mumbles when it is demonstrated to him that the situation is not disperate,is not the same one which in the first day of the War was calling "Germanofil" those who questioned his afirmation ,that two hours after the War Declaration ,our troops in a very fast flight ,have occupied Sibiu and Brasov? The most boiled up carriers of the War during the time of neutrality were now the most cruel enemies of the government and of the Allies "which threw us in War",the most acerb critics of the military operations .Obviously we were not prepared for this kind of trials.

The government sees himself forced at 15th of October to publish through the news papers a communicate ,pointing the finger to "spreaders of bad news and the interpreters badly intended of the measures taken in any country during War time",explaining that there is no reason for concern ,because the fights are carried outside the borders and the bravery of our troops is the complete guarantee that the defending mountain will not be crossed by the enemy.

........