I'm interested if the other small Axis "brother in Arms" countries awarded medals to Romania during the War.

Probably Finnland did because Finnland was the 2nd most important ally of Romania on the Eastern Front, but I want to know about Slovakia, Croatia and Hungary - the later being a BIG Question Mark :?: since Romania and Hungary would never have made a voluntary alliance after all the happend in World War I .

Did Hungary award Medals to Romania during World War 2? Did Romania award Medals to Hungary? (After all, weren't we both at Stalingrad together?) :oops:

:wink:

From Hungary to Romania or Romania to Hungary, no way during WWI or WWII. It's true that both fought at Stalingrad, but not in the same sector.

From Finland, it is possible that Marshal Antonescu received the Order of the White Rose of Finland, but I'm not sure. Mannerheim received the Order of Michael the Brave in all 3 classes. Even if Finland was "the 2nd moste important ally on the front", Finish troops were never in contact with Romanian ones, so no lower grades were attributed

A number of Slovakian received medals such as the Order of the Star of Romania, in lower grades (as "Knight" or "Officer"). What is sure is that Crown Prince Michael (and later king) was a holder of the of the Slovakian Special Grade of the Order of Prince Pribina.

Best regards,

Getu'

I know for a fact the "Slovakian Cross" was awarded to some Romanian Officers, but I'm not sure how important the award was in terms of Slovakian hierarchy.

Yes, and there were also Italian Troops that Fought on the Eastern front, so it is probable that medals were exchanged between the two camps as well... The Italians after all we consider as "blood brothers".

Italians too fought at stalingrad, and they too were wiped out.
I'm certain that Romanians recieved Italian medals, and that Italians as well in turn recieved Romanian awards.

** :arrow: There was an Italian movie about the Eastern Front starring Marcello Mastroianni and Sofia Loren!! (The Italian film industry was one of the largest before the 1970's before it was totally destroyed by Hollywood) - This movie is about an Italian Soldier who fought on the Eastern front and was captured by the Russians and many, many years later when he is an old man, he is found by his great love from his youth (Sophia Loren) who has been searching for him throughout all these years presuming he was dead..
Interesting movie, I never saw it. I only know the story line, it's worth looking into it. An Italian movie about the Italian soldier on the eastern front during WW2.!

I've found in documents that a handful of Slovak and Croat pilots were awarded Rumanian military medals. It's just logical that the honour was reciprocated, although I have no proof (yet).

Dénes

Denes, I have definite proof that at least one Romanian officer (probably one among many) received the Slovakian Cross award.

Der Maresal - the movie you described sounds very interesting. Do you remember the title of the movie by chance?

Thanks.

This movie appeared on Romanian television in the 1980's, my mother saw it, not me.. It was called "Floarea Soarelui" - the Romanian translation of the title or "Sunflower", It's about an italian soldier at the front who face the terrible cold of the first winter of the war.. I absolutely want to see it too. It was made in 1980, an Italian and French production.

There was a sequence of the movie that was shot in Moscow, in front of the kremlin- I found some pictures from the movie on the Internet, but it is hard to find. Look for the movies in which both Sofia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni star, then you will find them and look for "The sunflower", I wish I could post a picture of the movie which I found, it shows an Italian soldier struggling through a blizzard of snow, I got to see this movie!!.

===============================================

If you like Eastern front movies made by European countries you should see the following 3 => they are absolutely the best ones ( not counting the one above which I discribed)

- Stalingrad , German Film 1992 made by the same producers who made the fantiastic "Das Boot" submarine movie .
A very bloody movie, better than any hollywood junk- It shows all kinds of horrors like men crushed by tanks,..that happened afterall many times during the war..Very sad, very cruel but nothing like reality itself... :cry:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/63042873...01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

- Steiner, Eisernes Kreuz" the German name for it, the english title is Cross of Iron - it's about the terrible fighting 1943 and the winter, a German commander struggles to win the Iron cross and ends up loosing most of his unit. It one of the best war movies ever made, the special effects are unreal and the movie is sad and extreamly well done for one that was made in 1978. It is said that it is much much better than the American movie "Saving private Ryan", and the effects are at least as good, if not better. A must see film, among the 3 top best war movies ever made! Horrifing like the other one!!
Movie Cover :arrow:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00003M5...ZZZZZZZ.jpg[/u]
About the movie & Color Screen Shots!!!: :arrow:

http://www.insane.nu/kult/crosiron.htm German Version Film Cover:
Want to buy? 25 EUROS


- The Winter War, A movie from Finnland (this country's best war movie)!! It's about the Soviet invasion of Finnland in 1939 and the fighting that took place thate...alot of frozen corpses, a must see movie!
There are many tanks, Russian tanks. Trees are destroyeed by artillery fire, fierce combat tanks roll in the snow. Amazing War Film from Finnland!
Here's the movie cover, and damn it! It looks Good!
4.5 Stars out of 5, that's what this movie officially rates!
Cover :arrow: http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000646...01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg


So, here you go...all European movies, all in Color all great films, Eastern front only. Top 3 war films :wink:
Enjoy!

Now that you now everything you want to know about movies, let's get back to the medals... :wink:

General Gheorghe Cealîk was awarded in 1941 the first class of the Finish Order of the Cross of Liberty. The insignia is now in the collections of the National Military Museum.

A Finnish medal bar with the Romanian Cross of Sanitary Merit (from La Galerie Numismatique):



Ferdinand Catlos (Slovak) was awarded the Order of Michael the Brave, as well as several Italian generals.

Romanian awards to Italians were quite numerous. In Mihai Pelin's book "Italieni va ordon treceti Prutul" there is even a mention about an Italian officer stationed in Romania who wrote a letter to the Romanian High Command, asking to receive a Romanian order because "i don't have one yet".

Do you have the details of the award to Ferdinand Catlos? Thanks.

He received the 3rd Class by Royal Decree 2172/19.VII.1942.

There are also Romanian officers that received Slovak awards. One of them is Gen. Gheorghe Avramescu, who received the Slovak Military Cross "For Bravery", 2nd Class, in 1942.

Thanks. I have found him: "General-Colonel Ferdinand Catlos. War Minister of Slovakia". He received 3rd and 2nd classes of the Order of Michael the Brave.

Thanks for your comment, Dragos. I hope you don't mind if I make a small correction: Avramescu received the Slovak Cross "For Bravery" - actually officially named the Slovak War Victory Cross in 1st Class, not 2nd. I can tell this not only from the award itself, but also because it's mentioned in his personal military file (dosar personal) as 1st Class. Anyway...

Here are two of Avramescu's awards.

First image/award: Slovak War Victory Cross
Class: Grand Cross (until June 1941 designated 1st Class with Star)
Composed of: Neck-worn award and Grand Officer Breast Star

Second award (2nd and 3rd images - front and obverse): Czechoslovak War Cross. Instituted 20/12/1940 by the Czechoslovak government in London.
(according to the internet site http://www.geocities.com/czechandslovakthi...WW2_medals.htm)
Awarded: Most likely after August 23, 1944
Class: Don't know
Ribbon: Vertical red, white and blue stripes (missing)

Note: Click on thumbnails to view a larger, higher-definition version of the images.







Source: My own collection
Photos: Taken by me

This post has been edited by mabadesc on February 01, 2006 05:12 am