Romanians vs Romanians in WWI

I found them both on local library.

Fantastic! Tell me contras did you check the list of contents inside the books to see if there is anything about their wartime service? I know that Sextil Puscariu served in the k.u.k. army on the Italian Front, but I am not sure about Zaharia Boila, except that he was the right age (b. 1891) to serve in the army in 1914.

Eagerly awaiting your report.

Klemen

Yes, about Sextil Puscariu, his memories about wartime are about 350 pages. He served on Italian front, but only at supply service. He didn't see action on first line, he said he fired just one shot in all ww1, to kill his hose with one broken leg. His memories are about movement of troops, many letters written at home, etc.

Thank you, contras! Please can you tell me some more details about Puscariu's career on the Isonzo Front? What was his rank? Which theatre was he on? Tyrol or Isonzo? Does he mention any places where he was stationed? His unit? Was it Etappen-Kommando or Train-Battalion? Or did he serve with a regimental train?

I don't mind him serving with the supply service. In fact, I haven't found so far any memoirs of an Austro-Hungarian serviceman who would serve with the supply service, so everything is first. I am only glad he did not serve with the artillery, because I am slowly growing tired of their memoirs.

350 pages? I would certainly be interested to order a few photocopies from this book if possible. What do you say?

And Zaharia Boila? Never served in the army? Ditched to Romania in 1914? What was his fate during wartime?

lp,

Klemen

Now I read Sextil Puscariu's memories, but these are so dense with so many personal observations about his family, friends he met on the front, political thoughts and many letters to his wife (he wrote to her daily, and she did it, too), and is very hard to find some thinghs you are interested. Puscariu was a literate man, not a warrior. For him, the ammounts about war problems were seen with the eye of a writer, not a soldier. He don't insisted about military problems, but he describes the feelings, the situation, the spirit of the soldiers. If I find some facts you are interested, I let you know.
But, during this time, I must read other thinghs, it may last some time (a few days, I supose).

About Serbian front related by Cassian Munteanu, I checked again, and there are no many news. He relaterd some experiences about Serbian front (he served there only six weeks and he was WIA) only like feedbacks, not mentioned places, units and actions. He mentioned that he was saved by his friend Vidu (later KIA in Galitia) when he was wounded, Vidu guarded and placed him in the hands of the sanitars. His memories about his service in AH army are written in Taslauanu's style (Hora Obuzelor, Trei luni pe campul de razboi), in short personal stories about some events or persons during wartime. One of this stories is about one conversation along the Danube between he (during one patrol mission) and some Serbian soldiers, in Romanian, one of the Serbian soldiers was the brother in law of one of the Romanian ones who was in patrol.

After I read Sextil Puscariu's memories, I'll check Zaharia Boila's.

Contras, do you have Taslauanu's books that you mentioned? I'd like to ask you to make some copies after them if can

Yes, I do. It apears at Rao, few years ago.

Thank you contras for the summary of Puscariu's memoir. Actually I am very interested at those paragraphs where he describes the feelings, the spirit of soldiers and situation on the front, particularly during the time of a major offensive. As I said, if possible, I would be very eager to order a few photocopies from his memoir. Just let me know what are the conditions for this and how much do I need to repay you for the costs of postage and photocopying.

Also can you please tell me if Puscariu mentions where exactly was he stationed this with his supply unit? In Tyrol? Isonzo? Piave? Does he mention any places in his memoir?

I see. I thought he goes into more details when describing the actions of his regiment and his wounding on front... Too bad. Good personal narratives from the Serbian Front are very rare.

OK! Thanks!

Klemen

Are two volumes, and the total is abut 700 pages. Better I borrow you the books, and you can make copies if you want. We can discuss on PM.

He mentioned some localities, but very few. In 1916, he stayed a period in Val-Sugana. In January 1917, in Roncegno. The artillery comand post was at St. Pietro, near Brenta river and Armenterra Mountain. In february, he was at Marter. About units, he mentioned that he replaced the ammo referent at 181 Brigade during his hollyday.
I don't know exactly what you need from Puscariu's memories, but I think we could find a way to borrow this book (for a short time, because is from local libray), and make you any copy you want. Just let me know, even on PM.

Maybe you'll be disapointed, Klemen, but Zaharia's Boila memories are just political ones, about political struggle between 1918 - 1940. There are none references about fronts, battles, military operations, just about revolution in AH and political struggle.

Hello contras!

Interesting. Do you perhaps remember where was he in 1914, 1915 and at the end of the war in 1918? Still in Tyrol? 181st Infantry Brigade was a part of Major-General Vidale's 18th Infantry Division on Asiago and Arsiero plateau.

OK. Check your PM.

Aaaargh, shit! How I hate these politicians!

lp,

Klemen

For all interested about memories of ww1 veterans. There are few impresions about ww2, Odessa in special.
Also for Klemen, about Romanians on Italian front, see this:

http://www.literaturasidetentie.ro/prieten/pdf/amintiri.pdf

Thank you very much!

Hello contras!

Thank you very much, contras! The book is simply fantastic (!!!) and so are his descriptions of the battles on the Isonzo in 1915-16.

Please if you find any other such books, please do not hesitate to inform us, OK? Another book that I would very much to find is Dr. Dominic Stanca's memoir "Între două fronturi" (published in 1935), in which he also described his participation in the June offensive on the Piave River. I believe he served as a regimental doctor in one of the Hungarian Honved Hussar regiments. Probably in the 1st k.u.k. Cavalry Division, which saw some heavy fightings in the marshes in the Lower Piave between the Fossalta di Piave and the Adriatic Sea.

lp,

Klemen

p.s. Any luck with Puscariu's book?

This post has been edited by Klemen on July 24, 2010 03:15 pm