Carol I

No photos yet, Elmar? It would be really intersting to see the crowned badge you mentioned.

I see what you mean. After WWII there were many who were named "illegal fighters" (luptători in ilegalitate, ilegalişti etc.) for actions in the 1930s and 1940s and some of them saw rapid advance through the ranks of the party or the army, but I do not think they were automatically covered by these medals. "Rank jumping" rewarded loyalty to the system and ignored long service. Besides, I do not remember the word "resistance" being mentioned in relation to the illegal actions of the communists. It was mainly used in relation to partisan activity, but there was nothing like that in WWII Romania.

What do you mean by "resistance"?

The 1st and 2nd classes of the RPR version are somewhat unusual. They are either RSR awards with old-type badges or awards to the few who swore allegiance to the king when entering the army and who managed to avoid the repeated purges aimed at the "blood-sucking enemies of the people". Good luck in finding them!

Then it's not the Order for Merit, Elmar. Does it look like the one below? If it does then it might be a Honour Cross for Merit. The one below was displayed in the National Military Museum (with a wrong ribbon though). But as you can see neither these had crown suspensions.

Here is an image of a (fake) officer's badge of the Order for Merit. Does your badge look like it, Elmar?

The Order for Merit had a white-enamelled cross.

Thanks for the etymology of the name of the rank, Elmar.

It was awarded in 5 classes to those "who through their participation to the revolutionary fight have brought a considerable contribution to the achievement of democratic liberties and the establishment of socialism".

Hi Brian! As Kevin said it is Ordinul Meritul Agricol (the Order for Agricultural Merit). It was established through decree no. 6 published in Buletinul Oficial no. 12 of 01.02.1974. It was awarded in five classes for agricultural merit. There was also a Medal for Agricultural Merit.

It's only personal information that was given. 20 pounds at an exchange rate 1 pound=667 lei meant 13340 lei. This was approximately the monthly salary of a state-employed specialist physician (10-12000 lei) or about double the salary of a chemistry engineer (7500 lei) before the beginning of the war. On the other hand, the passport fee was rather high, 1002.25 lei (1.5 pounds) being about 10% of the salaries mentioned.

No other notes until the end of the passport.

On 22 September 1937, Miss Nicolescu recieved permission from the National Bank of Romania to exit with 20 pounds.

...and on 22 September a Swiss one. Miss Nicolescu left Romania on 1 October 1937, passed through Hungary (according to the stamp on page 6), Austria (? - the purple rectangular stamp on page 8 on the Austrian red stamp), Switzerland (stamp on page 9) and got into France (no entry stamp or date). She then left France (no date readable on the stamp on page 7) through Switzerland (12 October) and got into Austria on the same date. After spending 4 days in Austria (If I read correctly the stamps) she left on 16 October and entered Romania one day later.

On 21 September 1937 Miss Nicolescu was issued Hungarian and French visas.

...on 13 August 1937. The issuing fee was 1002 lei and 25 bani (there were approximately 667 lei to one british pound in March 1937).

...from Bucharest, aged 17...

It was issued to Miss Hortansa Nicolescu...

Here are some images of an old Romanian passport.

Thanks Josef for the details on Austrian general ranks.

I think I made a mistake in identifying the modern correspondents of the old Austrian ranks. Maybe this is closer to the truth? Generalmajor = Brigadier General Feldmarschall-Leutnant = Major General Feldzeugmeister = Lieutenant General

On Wikipedia I have found the following notes. Maybe the latter also applies to Austrian Army. In spite of inaccuracies of Wikipedia, it appears that Feldzeugmeister was more of a rank than an appointment.

Thank you both. It appears that Feldzeugmeister was both a rank and an appointment. On the other hand, even though the appointment as Regimental Quartermaster implied quite some responsability I think that it did not (always) require general rank competence. So maybe in Smekal's case Feldzeugmeister meant a higher general rank.

Thanks Kevin. I have also found this explanation. Does it mean then that Feldzeugmeister was more of a function or position than a rank?

In a list from the Austrian State Archives I have found the following details about the career of Gustav Smekal (16.10.1863 - 28.9.1921): 1.5.1911 (13.5.11) Generalmajor 1.11.1914 (31.10.14) Feldmarschall-Leutnant 1.2.1918 (25.2.18) Feldzeugmeister 1.1.1919 retired Does anyone know what is the meaning of the double dates quoted above? As I am not familiar with the Austrian ranks I would also like to ask about the equivalents of the ranks/functions held by him after 1911. Generalmajor = Major General Feldmarschall-Leutnant = Lieutenant General ? Feldzeugmeister = ?