Tag #130215 - Interview #101129 (Samuel Eiferman)

In 1939, when Hitler invaded Poland [7], the Romanian Army held parades. An infantry regiment was particularly noteworthy – they were wearing new uniforms and were equipped with the latest weapons. It was the way in which Carol II [5] showed that he wasn’t going to yield to the Russians. But Hitler ordered the surrender of Bukovina and Bessarabia [8] and the king had no choice but to comply. The Army held its last parade in the fall of 1939. A major addressed the troops and the audience, which included children that had been summoned for the occasion. He said: “All around our borders, the gunpowder is drawing near. It will soon light up and we have to be prepared for that.” Then, after the surrender of Bessarabia, the Romanian Army slowly withdrew. There were plenty of troops stationed in the area, for the Polish border was only 25 kilometers away.