Romanian Jewish soldiers

During WW1, a number of 23,000 Romanian Jews were conscripted into the Romanian Army, about 10% of the pre-war Jewish population. From these 882 were killed, 740 were wounded and 449 were taken POWs. There were also 3,043 missing in action, whose fate is unknown. 825 of the 23,000 received Romanian orders and decorations.

Radu R. Rosetti mentions in his memoirs that during the short period he commanded the 6th Dorobanti Regiment Mihai Viteazul during its reorganziation at Horlesti, all three regimental doctors had fallen ill and only one auxialliary Jeiwsh doctor, M. Weinberg, remained to care for the hundreads of sick soldiers. He eventually also got the tifos. He proposed him for the Regina Maria Order. Apparently Queen Maria, a good friend of Radu Rosetti, also mentions Weinberg in her memoirs regarding the war years.

The following photos with the graves of several Romanian Jewish WW1 heroes were contributed by Mr. Paul Spitzer.

Some names of the decorated Jewish soldiers:

Focşeneanu Albert, decorated for the bravery and energy with which he led the troops in the fights of Oituz Valley in 1916, as well as for the fights conducted by his regiment on the Caşin Valley in 1917.

Iacob Iacob, decorated for the courage with which he led the machine gun platoon in 3 and 6 August in the Mărăşesti fights, after the wounding of the commanding officer.

Klausberg Nusene, decorated for bravery in the fights at Şuşiţa Seacă on 27 July 1917, was the first to start on the attack and has received his third wound.

Gherman David, decorated for the courage and loyalty shown in the Oituz fights in August 1917, as well as in the fights with Russian Bolsheviks at Bălţi and Cearnaia in 1918.

Scheager Gherman, decorated for bravery and eagerness shown as chief of a machine gun in the fights with the Hungarians at Szabolez, continued efficiently the fire under enemy fire causing large losses and contributing to the repelling of the waves of attack. For the bravery and loyalty that distinguished him in the fights with the Hungarians at Zoides, Gura Honţ, Butler, Lederer, Kajon, in 1919, launching eagerly in attack and scattering the enemy after leaving on the battlefield scores of dead, wounded, prisoners and war material.

Source: Au luptat pentru patrie by Teodor Wexler (Romanian only)

During the 1877-78 War, roughly 1,000 Romanian Jews served in the Army. Probably the most notable one was slt. Mauriciu Brociner from the 5th Line Infantry Regiment, who received the Steaua Romaniei Order Knight class by Royal Decree No. 2048/30 October 1877, for his aactions during the asault on the Grivice tabia.

A photo of his grave provided by Mr. Paul Spitzer.

Slt. M. Brociner from the article mentioned above.