Carol I

See posting no. 14 for a link to an article (in Romanian ) with a first attempt to count the number of awards.

Here are some recent eBay auctions to give you an idea about the prices of the commander's cross. Intact badge with ribbon - 311 EUR http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=360140128227 Damaged badge with ribbon - 256 USD http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=330306773156

They appear now and then on the market, but quite common they are not.

You're welcome. The lion (or lynx) head is indeed an Austrian mark for 0.750 silver.

You're welcome, Igor.

"AF" is the mark of an unidentified Austrian maker. Take a look in the topic entitled Unknown (Austrian?) hallmarks.

It's the badge of the graduates of the National Defense University.

The inscription on the back says: Major P. Cristescu Deputy-chief of the general staff 8th Division 1936

"Number 12" might be a Romanian. The cap badge resembles the emblem of Frontul Renaşterii Naţionale (The National Renaissance Front) which would put the photo between February 1938 and September 1940. See below a badge of the National Renaissance Front.

Unguraş Iuliu-Vasile was posthumously promoted to the rank of major and was awarded the knight's cross of the Order of the Star of Romania with wartime insignia. The four other members of the patrol wounded in the same incident (Sergeant Orban Iosif Csaba-Attila, Corporal Creţu Viorel Adrian-Gabriel, Corporal Vargău Eugen Eugen, Lance-Corporal Lungu Constantin Mădălin) were also decorated. (Sources: The Ministry of Defense and the Office of the President; photo of Maj. Unguraş from the Ministry of Defense)

Take a look in the threads titled Order of the Star of the Romania, Rumanian Order of the Star, 5th Class, Romanian Medals and A Lonely Romanian Award.

It was the third class.

The National History Museum in Bucharest has the following badge in its collections; the ribbon is green with red edges. The order is attributed to General Constantin Stefanescu Amza.

Another officer, Cpt. Iuliu-Vasile Unguraş (32), was killed today by an improvised explosive device at about 20 km from Qalat. Press release from the Ministry of National Defence (Romanian language): http://www.mapn.ro/cpresa/continuarearhiva.php?id=12941

You're welcome. I would not call them a (possibly genuine) pair as the cross has been produced after the award. Anyhow, I'm glad that you found the Romanian award interesting.

Tiberius Marcel Petre was posthumously promoted to the rank of major and was awarded the knight's cross of the Order of the Star of Romania with wartime insignia. (Sources: The Ministry of Defense and the Office of the President). Photo from the Romanian newspaper Adevarul.

You're welcome, John. If you have other questions, please let me know. By the way, I found a reference to your German awardee which mentioned precisely the decoration: http://www.morarup.narod.ru/Biog/Ellgering.htm. If you don't read Romanian, it says that Ellgering was a German counsellor for administrative organisation who came to Romania together with the state minister Karl Pflaumer and offered assistance in the reorganisation of the Romanian territories liberated from the Soviet occupation in the summer of 1941. He was based in Cernăuţi (Czernowitz). In november 1941, general Corneliu Calotescu, governor of [Northern] Bukovina proposed Ellgering for decoration for the contribution to the administration and to the Romanisation of the economic life of the region [ - I hope this meant the dismantling of the Soviet structures put in place during the one year of occupation and the transfer of economic activities to the Romanian civilian administration]. On 25 November 1941, Marshal Ion Antonescu transferred the decision to [Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister] Mihai Antonescu. It appears that the final resolution was positive.

Cpt. Petre Tiberius of the Special Operations Battalion was killed today in fight while leading a rapid reaction unit in Afghanistan. Press release from the Ministry of National Defence (Romanian language): http://www.mapn.ro/cpresa/continuarearhiva.php?id=12933

Nice commander's cross, John. Congratulations! Some small notes: While the cross was most likely awarded during the war, referring to it as a 'wartime civilian version' could lead to some confusions. The civilian section of the order had only one type of insignia, hence one cannot talk of wartime and peacetime insignia as for the military section of the order. The ribbon with golden edges was only used for wartime awards (i.e., "with swords"). Peacetime military awards used the same ribbon as the civilian awards.

I can easily imagine the confusions. :beer:

The last name must be Brosteanu. This must be General Henri Mathias Berthelot, chief of the French military mission to Romania during WWI. The last name is Theodorini. The last name is Mociulschi.

Theoretically, yes. Practically... Romania did not have that many "Heroes". ;)

You are quite right. The "Victory of Socialism" was a one-class order established in 1971 and awarded together with the title of "Hero of the Socialist Republic of Romania" (if I remember right).

How did your visit go?

:beer: That is the former royal palace. I wonder whether the old official rooms have been restored to their original condition. Good luck!