1939-1940 Romanian news reels, (including 10 May 1940 military parade)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2i9bZ6VMtE

They used to be found at a different link, now inactive.

Romanian section at 1939 New-York World Exhibition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI2GB5dFwWA

Series of 1939-1940 Romanian news reels, with sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFKcAhZVvZI

LATER EDIT: The LARES national airline, sports - female (quite clumsy;)) bascketball and volleyball, sky, motor racing, vaulting - the Society for the protection of animals/pets (!), horse auction at the Baneasa hypodrome, domestic industry, Danube and Black Sea fishing, etc

This post has been edited by Agarici on September 29, 2013 03:48 pm

In the film about the parades in Cernauti or Chisinau, I am confused by the "Roman Salute" (i.e. what has become to be known as the "Nazi salute"). What is the meaning of it? I do not think it is a "fascist salute" as such in the context of a "Romanian Moldova". It is obvious that the film was made while Bucovina and Basarabia were part of Romania, during the reign of Carol II (featured in the movies too) who was notoriously against the Iron Guard and not a "fascist" - he actually tried to suppress the Iron Guard since 1938 when he instated the "Royal Dictatorship" to placate the rise of fascism. Carol II outlawed the Fascist parties and imprisoned the leading members - some even suggest he may have caused Codreanu's assassination. The Iron Guard, who were fascist, came to power after Bucovina and Basarabia were taken by Russia. So, the fascists came to power after the abdication of Carol II (whose abdication was in fact caused by the loss of territories in the summer of 1940). So, when the Fascists came to power in Romania in the autumn of 1940, Bucovina and Basarabia were part of USSR - it was the territorial losses that brought the fascists to power. But that film depicts Basarabia and Bucovina as part of Romania, so it stands to reason that the film was made before the autumn of 1940 when fascists were not in power - there is footage of Romanian flags, the King and his son are obviously in charge, there is no mention of Russians having taken it.
So, if the fascists were not in power, is that salute a "fascist salute" or was that salute just just the old "Roman Salute"? It is easy to imagine that the Romanians may have used the old "Roman Salute" to symbolise a link to the old Roman Empire rather than a declaration of fascist leanings. It seems to be a "nationalist" rather than "fascist" salute.
Was this salute used beyond 1940?
Another interesting note is that the soldiers salute "normally" with the palm pointing to the temple, while only the civilians use the "Roman Salute".
The meaning of the salute may be a significant point to clarify. Some comments (mostly daft and provocative, as usual) to the videos criticise the displays of "fascism" in the videos. But "fascism" was illegal then. In my opinion, saluting the King (who outlawed "fascism") with a "fascist" salute would be... imprudent... to say the least.
Radu

This post has been edited by Radub on September 29, 2013 10:05 am

Well, Carol II was a huge fan (so to say...) of Mussolini and his regime and style and, more important, he would have accepted the Iron Guard / Legion / whatever name it had, provided he was their leader. Codreanu`s refuse towards that offer finally led to his execution.

You are right,
I found the explanation here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Renaissance_Front
It was a "light" version of "fascism" while not calling itself "fascist".
Radu

Quite so... anyway, Carol II was attracted towards the Italians, but not at all towards the Germans, in spite of his ancestry! The Latin spirit prevailed.

There is much to say about Frontul Renaşterii Naţionale/Naţional Rebirth Front (FRN), later Partidul Naţiunii/The Nation's Party (PN). The roman salute was adopted as a sign of the Roman heritage and of nationalist pride, and has nothing fascist in itself, despite the similar appearance (a similar situation was that of the Finnish swastica sign during the Winter War and WW 2). Those who are talking about displaying fascist symbols in their commnents to those videos do not know what they are talking about.
As for the FRN/PN, it was on the one hand conceived, according to the 1938 Constitution, as a substitute for a governing political party (the political „core” of the state administration, if you want - for example, the FRN membership was compulsory for the public servants) and for the puropse of incorporating and subordinating the various national trends and energies under the comon aegis of the government and the king, toghether with other institutions, some old and some new (Straja ţării, premilităria/the pre-military training, apararea pasivă/the passive defence, etc). On the other hand, through its totalitarian appearance, it was destined to look somekow alike to the Italian and German fascism, and to appear for the German and Italian leaders as a domestic alternative of the Iron Guard, which those tended to support. But contrary to its German-Italian "counterparts", it completelly lacked an esential trait - an ideology. It was also meant to counterbalance the quite obvious pro-Alllied bias of the Romanian government, even after declaring its neutrality following the start of WW 2, in the context of the country’s increasing commercial (and military - in terms of armaments purchase) dependence towards the Axis powers. For similar reasons, a (rather mild, comparing to Germany) anti-Jewish legislation was adopted, in several series, until September 1940. The contemoprary observers, as well as the majority of historians never failed to underilne the operetta traits of the Romanian totalitarianism until September 1940. As an obvious example in this regard is the fact that many of the former leaders of the political factions joined FRN. Moreover, in August 1940, among the members of the Crown Council were Iuliu Maniu, the leader of The National Peasant Party, and two members of the Iron Guard, the political forces those represented being the most important adversaries of the king personal rule. Also the king rich and influential mistress, „duduia” (“Miss”) Elena Lupescu, was of (known) Jewish origin.

Wisible in the neews reels are the widespread (for the high dignitaries, starting with 1938) dark blue (or white for the Summer) FRN uniforms, peacked caps and yellow-cross armbrands.

This post has been edited by Agarici on September 29, 2013 09:51 pm

As a note, interesting how similar were the 1938-1940 strajeri uniforms with the latter pionieri uniforms from the communist era.

This post has been edited by Agarici on September 29, 2013 07:44 pm

The entire concept of the organization was pretty much the same, inspired a little from the USA with its „scouts”, IIRC.

it looks like the "white beret" of the "strajeri" was carried over to the "pionieri" movement - that may be a link.
Radu

OFF-TOPIC: Well, at least "Şoimii patriei" movement must have been original. By the way, do we have similar examples of such an early age "indoctrination" in other totalitarian regimes (USSR, Germany, Hungary, etc)?

Not as far as I know... Only starting at 9-10 years they were supposed to understand the advantages of communism and so on...

Here is a resource on the "pioneer movement" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer_movement
"Soimii Patriei" does not really have an equivalent in the Scouting Movement. The earliest stage of "scouting" are "Cub Scouts" aged 9 to 11, which is actually the age when a child would join the "pioneers" in Romania. "Soimii Patriei" were younger than that.
I have relatives and friends involved in the Scout Movement at various levels and it is radically different from "pioneers", the most important difference being the lack of any political ideology. Also, the scout movement has a strong emphasis on the "outdoors" and "self-improvement", which weas never part of the "pioners".
Radu

Actually,"Soimii patriei" was not an original romanian youth organisation,it was copied after soviet " Oktiabriata " (little octombrist )

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Octobrist