Romania commemorates its WW1 heroes
Impressive ceremonies were held in Romania, marking 100 years since the battle in Marasesti.
Roxana Vasile, 07.08.2017, 13:33
Romania has celebrated 100 years since the battle of Marasesti seen as the country’s most important military operation in WWI. In Marasesti, in the summer of 1917, the Romanian Army stood against the much better equipped German and Austrian-Hungarian troops. To honour the memory of the soldiers who lost their lives in the fierce battle, the authorities staged on Sunday impressive ceremonies at the Mausoleum in Marasesti, in eastern Romania.
Thousands of people, among whom high ranking officials, representatives of public authorities, the diplomatic corps, political parties and religious denominations came to pay their homage to the over 25 thousand Romanian soldiers who were killed or went missing that year. President Klaus Iohannis said that 1917 was the most difficult period in Romania’s modern history, as the country was threatened not only by foreign armies but also by Bolshevism.
Romania’s future was safeguarded, the President said, by the heroism of the Romanian Army and by the society’s cohesion around a project for a country not just united, but more democratic and inclusive. Iohannis also mentioned the role played by King Ferdinand, Queen Marie and the then government and politicians in ensuring the country’s future. The decisions taken in 1917 are very good examples of responsible ruling and deep sense of duty, Iohannis also added.
The President evoked the support of the French military mission headed by General Berthelot, who had a vital contribution to the victories won in the summer of 1917. He also paid homage to the Russian soldiers who lost their lives on the battlefield in Marasesti alongside Romanian military. 100 years later, Iohannis went on to say, Romania is a stronger state that our allies and partners can count on and also a security pillar in the region, and this owes a great deal to the Romanian Army. Today, when the EU values are under siege by populism and demagogy, remembering WWI is a good opportunity to highlight its present significance, now when the history of Europe and of the whole world is at a crossroads.
Klaus Iohannis: “There is full compatibility between the aspirations of the Romanian nation and the vision of the founding fathers of the united Europe. This compatibility is given by the high price we put on freedom and by the aspiration towards a society in which the law is the same for everyone.”
In his turn, Senate Speaker Calin Popescu Tariceanu said: “Marasesti will always be in the national conscience a symbol of the Romanian people’s determination and a moment of glory in the country’s military history.”
The heroes in Marasesti were also commemorated by the members of the Romanian Royal Family through a religious ceremony held in Savarsin in western Romania. Crown Princess Margareta said that the young people must know their country’s history which paved the way for the lives they live today.
