Romanian Fascists?

[Chetnik]

I am new to the whole world of the Romanians in WW II. I have noticed that there were hard-core fascist parties through out the Axis nations but I would like to know what Romania's units were like. I know the Hungarians had the "Arrow Cross" but did the Romanians have units like these? If so what did they look like?

[Victor]

The Romanian Army did not have any fascist military formations.

[Dénes]

QUOTE

I know the Hungarians had the \"Arrow Cross\"

In Hungary, the fascist 'Arrow Cross' Party was banned until Vice-Admiral Horthy's unsuccessful attempt to reach an armistice with the Allies in October 1944 and the subsequent German occupation of the country. In fact, the 'Arrow Cross' Party's leader, Ferenc Szálasi, and other prominent party members were jailed during that period and were freed by the Germans.
All other far-right (and leftist) movements were also banned in Hungary, while Horthy was in power. Honvédség (Royal Hungarian Army) members were not involved in politics at all.

As for Rumania, if the Germans' attempts to remove the new, "treacherous" government of Gen. Sanatescu, formed on 24 Aug. 1944, would had been successful and a pro-German government would had been installed, undoubtedly the Rumanian fascist 'Iron Cross' Party would again become active, under the Germans' sponsorship.
However, because the German counter-measures remained unsuccessful, the party of Horia Sima was re-activated only in the IIIrd Reich, as an alternative to the new government at Bucharest. The rest is well known...

Dénes

[Geto-Dacul]

Dénes wrote :

QUOTE

[...]undoubtedly the Rumanian fascist 'Iron Cross' Party would again become active, under the Germans' sponsorship.

Iron Guard!

Best regards,

Getu'

[Chetnik]

So the "Arrow Cross" was born in 1944? I've only seen a couple of photos
of some "Arrow Cross" members and they looked like they were wearing wool military uniforms. On the other hand I saw a movie about a veteran of the "Arrow Cross"being held on trial,("Musicbox"). In it they show the same soldiers wearing the rist band but their uniforms are black. Is this accurate or is it another one of "Hollywood's misshaps"?

That still amazes me that Romania didn't have a very right-wing fascist party.

[Dénes]

QUOTE

QUOTE [...]undoubtedly the Rumanian fascist 'Iron Cross' Party would again become active, under the Germans' sponsorship. Iron Guard!

Obviously, you're correct, it's Iron Guard. I did that error while trying to finish the post as fast as possible.

Dénes

[Dénes]

QUOTE

So the \"Arrow Cross\" was born in 1944?

No, the Hungarian 'Arrow Cross' party was formed before the war, but it was soon declared illegal. It only came to power at the end of October 1944, with the Germans' help.

QUOTE

I saw a movie about a veteran of the \"Arrow Cross\"being held on trial,(\"Musicbox\").  In it they show the same soldiers wearing the rist band but their uniforms are black.  Is this accurate or is it another one of \"Hollywood's misshaps\"?

'Arrow Cross' members wore a large variety of uniforms and other hodge-podge paramilitary garment. Their only dinstinctive signs were the armband and party emblem.

QUOTE

That still amazes me that Romania didn't have a very right-wing fascist party.

Rumanian did have a right-wing fascist party, the 'Iron Guard'. However, after a half-year-long stay in power in the latter half of 1940 and early 1941, it was declared illegal, following an ill-fated rebellion.

Dénes

[Chetnik]

I know Romania was an ally of Germany but I'm surpised that the Nazi didn't send strong encouragement to the Romanian Government
trying to make the "Iron Gaurd" a legal party in Romania. Did the German Government ever do this?

[Victor]

Hitler needed order in Romania, as well as the support of the army. Antonescu wasable toprovide both, the Iron Guard wasn't. Still, after the Iron Guard rebellion was crushed, the NDSAP managed to secure the passage of several Guard leaders to Germany, where they were interned and kept as a reserve.

[RHaught]

Victor,

Thought that the members of the Iron Guard who made it to Germany were under the protection of Himmler and the SS. Remeber reading that Himmler wanted to use the organization to start a Romanian SS unit later in the war as well as regular army who made it out to continue to fight the communists.

Rob

[PogRomus]

QUOTE

'\"\". I know the Hungarians had the \"Arrow Cross\" but did the Romanians have units like these?  If so what did they look like?

Chetnik, the Iron Guard of Romania numbered something like 1 million, plus so many admierers and supporters. Before the war, the Entire country was in favour of the Legionary Movement (the Iron Guard).

You want to see what the Iron Guard looks like today? It has not died no way - (because the movement represents Pure Romanian Nationalism, and that never dies.
Go to their websire, they have an incredible amount of visitors from all corners of the world. They have the whole history of the Iron guard there, with film, pictures in color and b&w and so many articles. It's nothing extreme, those guys are well documented.
:arrow: http://pages.prodigy.net/nnita/garda1.html




Enjoy

[Victor]

QUOTE

Victor, Thought that the members of the Iron Guard who made it to Germany were under the protection of Himmler and the SS. Remeber reading that Himmler wanted to use the organization to start a Romanian SS unit later in the war as well as regular army who made it out to continue to fight the communists. Rob

They were only a few hundred. The majority were POWs (mostly 4th Infantry Division) who preferred to enrol in the Waffen SS than to slowly die in the POW camps.

[Victor]

QUOTE

Chetnik, the Iron Guard of Romania numbered something like 1 million, plus so many admierers and supporters. Before the war, the Entire country was in favour of the Legionary Movement (the Iron Guard).

Be serious, it never had the entire country behind it.

[Geto-Dacul]

Victor wrote :

QUOTE

Be serious, it never had the entire country behind it.

and

PogRomus wrote :

QUOTE

Chetnik, the Iron Guard of Romania numbered something like 1 million, plus so many admierers and supporters. Before the war, the Entire country was in favour of the Legionary Movement (the Iron Guard).

PogRomus, please watch some your "arguments", because they are half-truths... :wink:

At the elections of December 1937, the "All for the country party" received some 800.000 votes... Plus some 300.000, who were erased by the government in place... So let's say that they received 1 million... That does not mean that the legionnaires were 1 million!!!!! Actually, it was 16% of the electorate who voted for Codreanu. The entire country couldn't have been in favor of the Iron Guard, considering the 30% of minorities,etc...

QUOTE

You want to see what the Iron Guard looks like today? It has not died no way - (because the movement represents Pure Romanian Nationalism, and that never dies.   Go to their websire, they have an incredible amount of visitors from all corners of the world. They have the whole history of the Iron guard there, with film, pictures in color and b&w and so many articles. It's nothing extreme, those guys are well documented.

You want to see what the "Iron Guard" looks like today??? A bunch of old crooks from Sima's "entourage" who do not even know their own history! The original Iron Guard is dead since 1938-1939, when Codreanu was assassinated along with more than 250 important legionnaire personalities during 1939, under the "brilliant" policies of Monocles and Argeseanu, who both received the bullets they deserved.

So PogRomus, be very cautional when talking of the Iron Guard! It was not the same thing in 1938, as it was in September 1940!!!

[inahurry]

Denes' care about "what if" and "if that then surely the Romanian fascists", his care to never allow Romania a minor difference for the better compared with Hungary is touching. Keep on the good work, bro'. I hope you can dance the hora well, not only the csardas otherwise you risk getting dizzy from all the spin.