#Borders – Ferdinand Întregitorul, the Unifier

Ferdinand Viktor Albert Meinrad was crowned king of “Greater Romania” in a grand ceremony in 1922, in the historic seat of Alba Iulia in Transylvania. Nicknamed Întregitorul, the Unifier, he was the one to confirm the 1923 Constitution of Romania (the “Constitution of Union”), issued to adapt the Romanian State to the new territorial borders. The Constitution of Union replaced the one from 1866.

The National Archives of Romania, The National Historical Central Archives Service, Casa Regala. Regina Maria. Personale. Memorii, ds. III 136_1922, f. 22v

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

National Archives of Romania, Arhivele Naționale Istorice Centrale, Casa Regală, Oficiale, ds. 1/1923 – full document available on Archives Portal Europe at this link

#Borders – the Treaty of Trianon

The Romanian translation of the 1920 Treaty of Trianon (Trianoni békeszerződés in Hungarian, Traité de Trianon in French) which formally ended World War I for most of the Entente. It was prepared during the Paris Peace Conference, and it was based on the doctrine of “self-determination of peoples” in order to give non-Hungarian their own national state after the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Amongst others, the treaty set the new borders between Romaia and Hungary, which was forced to cede Transylvania in application of the self-determination doctrince. In Romania the treaty is referred to as the birth certificate of the Romanian State.

The National Archives of Romania, The National Historical Central Archives Service, Ministerul Finanțelor- Datoria publică, ds. 21/1920.

 

 

 

#Borders – The Paris Peace Conference and Romania

The Act of Union of the Kingdom of Romania with Bessarabia, Bucovina, Transylvania, Banat, and the Romanian Regions of Hungary was ratified during the Paris Peace Conference. All documents from the National Archives of Romania.

Material of the Romanian delegation propaganda in Paris:

The National Archives of Romania, The National Historical Central Archives Service, Vaida
Voevod Alexandru (personal fond), ds. 115.

This booklet consists of the Resolution of Sfatul Țării, the regional parliament of Bessarabia (conditional and later unconditional union of Bessarabia), the Resolution of the General Congres of Bucovina in Cernowitz (in addition, the consent of polish and german nations in Bucovina), the Resolution of the Great National Assembly in Alba Iulia and the Royal Decrees for both latter unifications.
This is Mary, Queen of Romania.

The National Archives of Romania, The National Historical Central Archives Service, Casa
Regală, Regina Maria. Personale. Memorii, ds. III 136_1922, f. 27v

In March 2019 she paid a visit to Georges Clemenceau, in Paris, to (successfully) support the Romanian interests at the Peace Conference.

Decree by which Ferdinand, King of Romania, empowers Alexandru Vaida Voevod,
president of the Council of Ministers, with the full authority to represent the country at
the Peace Conference in Paris (January 10th, 1920)

The National Archives of Romania, The National Historical Central Archives Service, fond Vaida
Voevod Alexandru (personal fond), ds. 118

Alexandru Vaida Voevod (1872-1950) was a supporter and promoter of the union of
Transylvania with the Romanian Kingdom.
The National Archives of Romania, The National Historical Central Archives Service, Documente
fotografice, I 6664.

The National Archives of Romania, The National Historical Central Archives Service, Documente
fotografice, I 6664.

#Borders – the Act of Union of Bessarabia with Romania

With the Act of Union of March 1918, the regional parliament (Sfatul Țării) decided the union of Bessarabia with the Kingdom of Romania.

At first it was a conditional treaty, which preserved the autonomy of the region, but after the unconditional union of Bucovina in November 1918, Bessarabia was annexed completely.

The union was recognized by the United Kingdom, France, and Italy, in the 1920  Treaty of Paris (1920). These document come from the National Archives of Romania, The National Historical Central Archives, Președinția Consiliului de Miniștri, ds. 34/1918, f. 1.

 

March 27th, 1918

The Act of Union – by which the regional parliament (Sfatul Țării) decided Bessarabia’s union with the Kingdom of Romania. First, it was a conditional union (keeping the autonomy, included), but after the unconditional union of Bucovina (November, 1918) they dropped out of conditions. The union was recognized by the United Kingdom, France and Italy in the Treaty of Paris (1920).

 

 

The ethnological map of Bessarabia, drawn by Alexis Nour, based on russian and german maps and bessarabian local authorities statistics.

 

Ion Inculeț, the President of Sfatul Țării, the regional parliament of Bessarabia.

The members of Sfatul Țării, the regional parliament of Bessarabia.

March 30th, 1918 – Iassy. King Ferdinand and Queen Mary celebrating the Union of Bessarabia with Romania.

April 9th, 1919.  The law by which Ferdinand, King of Romania, enacts the Union of Bessarabia.