Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Bucharest
Encyclopedia
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a monument located in Bucharest
, dedicated to the soldiers who died while fighting for Romania
. It is one of many such national tombs
.
It was built in 1923 to commemorate the Romanians who died during World War I
.
Ten unidentified soldiers who died at Mărăşeşti
, Mărăşti
, Oituz
, Târgu Ocna
, Jiu
, Prahova
, Bucharest
, in Dobruja
, Transylvania
and Bessarabia
were exhumed and laid in oak coffins, doubled with zinc, inside the "Assumption of Mary
" Church in Mărăşeşti
.
On May 13, 1923, the war orphan Amilcar Săndulescu, student at the "Dimitrie Sturdza
" Military High School, knelt in front of the fourth coffin and said: "This is my father". After the Unknown Soldier had been chosen, the other nine coffins were buried with military honors in the Heroes' Cemetery in Mărăşeşti.
On May 15, 1923, the Unknown Soldier's coffin, wrapped in a Romanian Tricolour
, was placed on board of a special train to Bucharest
, where it was waited for by the King Ferdinand, state officials and an honor guard
. Laid on a cannon carriage pulled by eight horses, the coffin was transported in a long procession to the "Mihai Vodă" Church and remained there for 2 more days, so the people could pay their last respects.
On May 17, 1923 (which was also Heroes' Day/Ascension Day), the coffin was buried inside a crypt in Carol Park
with full military honors in the presence of the Royal family, the Government, members of Parliament, and numerous members of the public. The stone slab of the crypt read: "Here lies at rest happily unto the Lord the Unknown Soldier, who sacrificed his life for the unity of the Romanian people. On his bones lies the land of united Romania. 1916-1919."
On the night of December 22/23, 1958, the Unknown Soldier’s monument was dismantled and moved, in great secrecy, to the Mărăşeşti
Mausoleum by the Communist regime
to make room for the Mausoleum of the Communist Heroes, where several leaders of the Party
were later interred (among them Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej
).
In 1991, after the fall of the regime, the Tomb was moved back to its original location.
In 2007 the Tomb was moved even closer to its original 1923 location, right next to the communist mausoleum.
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, dedicated to the soldiers who died while fighting for Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. It is one of many such national tombs
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier refers to a grave in which the unidentifiable remains of a soldier are interred. Such tombs can be found in many nations and are usually high-profile national monuments. Throughout history, many soldiers have died in wars without their remains being identified...
.
It was built in 1923 to commemorate the Romanians who died during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
History
In 1923 it was decided to choose one of the fallen soldiers to represent all who had sacrificed their lives during the war.Ten unidentified soldiers who died at Mărăşeşti
Battle of Marasesti
The Battle of Mărăşeşti, Vrancea County, eastern Romania was a major battle fought during World War I between Germany and Romania.-Premise:...
, Mărăşti
Battle of Marasti
The Battle of Mărăşti was one of the main battles to take place on Romanian soil in World War I. It was fought between July 22 and August 1, 1917, and was an offensive operation of the Romanian and Russian Armies intended to encircle and destroy the German 9th Army...
, Oituz
Oituz
Oituz is a commune in Bacău County, Romania. It is composed of six villages: Călcâi , Ferestrău-Oituz , Hârja , Marginea, Oituz and Poiana Sărată ....
, Târgu Ocna
Târgu Ocna
Târgu Ocna is a town in Bacău County, Romania, situated on the left bank of the Trotuş River, an affluent of the Siret, and on a branch railway which crosses the Ghimeş Pass from Moldavia into Transylvania. Târgu Ocna is built among the Carpathian Mountains on bare hills formed of rock salt...
, Jiu
Jiu
The name Jiu may refer to :* Jiu - Means Great in Philippines* Jiu - is a Japanese word meaning incoming or welcome rain.* Jiu - tributary of the Danube* Jiu - tributary of the Râul Mic...
, Prahova
Prahova
The word Prahova can refer to these places and features in Romania:* Prahova River* Prahova Valley* Prahova County, named after the Prahova River** Prahova Ploieşti, a football club based in Ploieşti** Stadionul Prahova, a football-only stadium in Ploieşti...
, Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, in Dobruja
Dobruja
Dobruja is a historical region shared by Bulgaria and Romania, located between the lower Danube river and the Black Sea, including the Danube Delta, Romanian coast and the northernmost part of the Bulgarian coast...
, Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
and Bessarabia
Bessarabia
Bessarabia is a historical term for the geographic region in Eastern Europe bounded by the Dniester River on the east and the Prut River on the west....
were exhumed and laid in oak coffins, doubled with zinc, inside the "Assumption of Mary
Assumption of Mary
According to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...
" Church in Mărăşeşti
Marasesti
Mărăşeşti is a small town in Romania in Vrancea County. It is north of Focşani. It administers six villages: Călimăneşti, Haret, Modruzeni, Pădureni, Siretu and Tişiţa.King Milan I of Serbia was born in Mărăşeşti on 22 August 1854....
.
On May 13, 1923, the war orphan Amilcar Săndulescu, student at the "Dimitrie Sturdza
Dimitrie Sturdza
Dimitrie Sturdza was a Romanian statesman of the late 19th century, and president of the Romanian Academy between 1882 and 1884.-Biography:Born in Iaşi, Moldavia, and educated there at the Academia Mihăileană, he continued his studies in Germany, took part in the political movements of the time,...
" Military High School, knelt in front of the fourth coffin and said: "This is my father". After the Unknown Soldier had been chosen, the other nine coffins were buried with military honors in the Heroes' Cemetery in Mărăşeşti.
On May 15, 1923, the Unknown Soldier's coffin, wrapped in a Romanian Tricolour
Flag of Romania
The national flag of Romania is a tricolour with vertical stripes: beginning from the flagpole, blue, yellow and red. It has a width-length ratio of 2:3....
, was placed on board of a special train to Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, where it was waited for by the King Ferdinand, state officials and an honor guard
Honor guard
An honor guard, or ceremonial guard, is a ceremonial unit, usually military in nature and composed of volunteers who are carefully screened for their physical ability and dexterity...
. Laid on a cannon carriage pulled by eight horses, the coffin was transported in a long procession to the "Mihai Vodă" Church and remained there for 2 more days, so the people could pay their last respects.
On May 17, 1923 (which was also Heroes' Day/Ascension Day), the coffin was buried inside a crypt in Carol Park
Carol Park
Carol Park is a public park in Bucharest, Romania, named after King Carol I of Romania. For the duration of the communist regime, it was called Liberty Park ....
with full military honors in the presence of the Royal family, the Government, members of Parliament, and numerous members of the public. The stone slab of the crypt read: "Here lies at rest happily unto the Lord the Unknown Soldier, who sacrificed his life for the unity of the Romanian people. On his bones lies the land of united Romania. 1916-1919."
On the night of December 22/23, 1958, the Unknown Soldier’s monument was dismantled and moved, in great secrecy, to the Mărăşeşti
Marasesti
Mărăşeşti is a small town in Romania in Vrancea County. It is north of Focşani. It administers six villages: Călimăneşti, Haret, Modruzeni, Pădureni, Siretu and Tişiţa.King Milan I of Serbia was born in Mărăşeşti on 22 August 1854....
Mausoleum by the Communist regime
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
to make room for the Mausoleum of the Communist Heroes, where several leaders of the Party
Romanian Communist Party
The Romanian Communist Party was a communist political party in Romania. Successor to the Bolshevik wing of the Socialist Party of Romania, it gave ideological endorsement to communist revolution and the disestablishment of Greater Romania. The PCR was a minor and illegal grouping for much of the...
were later interred (among them Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej
Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej
Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej was the Communist leader of Romania from 1948 until his death in 1965.-Early life:Gheorghe was the son of a poor worker, Tănase Gheorghiu, and his wife Ana. Gheorghiu-Dej joined the Communist Party of Romania in 1930...
).
In 1991, after the fall of the regime, the Tomb was moved back to its original location.
In 2007 the Tomb was moved even closer to its original 1923 location, right next to the communist mausoleum.