Slovakia, October 25, 2021. The Slovak NGO Servare et Manere, which is responsible for the implementation of the international project Tree of Peace, today commemorated the victims of the Romanian Royal Army on the occasion of the Centenary of the birth of King Michael I of Romania and also on the occasion of the Day of the Romanian Armed Forces. At the end of WWII Approximately 240 000 to 260 000 Romanians took part in the liberation of Slovakia, consisting of personnel from 16 divisions, an air corps, a brigade of the railway army, a tank regiment, as well as other units. Particularly significant was their participation in the Bratislava-Brno operation (March 25 to May 5, 1945), in which, in addition to 266 000 Soviet soldiers, 86 000 Romanian soldiers also participated. 10 435 Romanian army soldiers are buried in Slovakia. Of these, 10 384 are buried in the Central Military Cemetery of the Romanian Royal Army in Zvolen, 36 soldiers found their final resting place in the cemetery in Stará Turá and 15 in Trenčianska Teplá.

By laying wreaths, Dr. Marek Sobola, CEO of Servare et Manere, honoured the memory of the last Romanian King Michael I, the Commander-in-chief of the Romanian Royal Army and also the memory of Romanian heroes who put their lives for the liberation of Slovakia. King Michael I played a key role in Romania’s transition to the Allies after 1944 and spent decades in exile after forced abdication.

During 14 hours, Marek Sobola traveled 700 kilometers and visited all known places of worship dedicated to the victims of the Romanian Royal Army in Slovakia. He laid exactly 25 wreaths on 20 places. Number 25 is very symbolic today: King Michael I was born on October 25, and today is also the Day of the Romanian Armed Forces. These towns and villages were visited:

1. Temeš village, Memorial plaque to the Victims of the Slovak National Uprising (SNU) and WWII.
2. Nemšová town, Monument to Romanian soldiers.
3. Trenčianska Teplá town. In the Catholic cemetery is the TOMB OF 15 ROMANIAN SOLDIERS.
4. Trenčín town, Monument to the soldiers of the Red and Romanian Armies.
5. Nové Mesto nad Váhom town, Monument to Romanian soldiers.
6. Stará Turá town, Monument to Romanian soldiers. In the Catholic cemetery is the TOMB OF 36 ROMANIAN SOLDIERS.
7. Piešťany town, Monument to Romanian soldiers.
8. Žarnovica town, Monument to Romanian soldiers.
9. Banská Štiavnica town, Monument to the Victims of WWII, Počúvadlianske lake.
10. Krupina town, Memorial plaque to Romanian soldiers.
11. Senohrad village, Memorial plaque to the victims of WWII and to Romanian soldiers.
12. Pliešovce village, Tombstones of soldiers of the Romanian army. The bodies of the Romanian soldiers were later transferred to the Cemetery in Zvolen.
13. Sása village, Monument to the Victims of WWII and the soldiers of the Red and Romanian Armies.
14. Zvolen town, Central Military Cemetery of the Romanian Royal Army, the TOMB 10 384 ROMANIAN SOLDIERS. Two wreaths were symbolically placed also for the Monuments in Lučenec town and Gemerská Poloma village.
15. Korytárky village, Memorial plaque to Romanian soldiers.
16. Brezno town, Memorial plaque to Romanian soldiers.
17. Horná Lehota village, Monument to the Victims of WWI, WWII and the SNU. Wreath was symbolically placed also for the Monument in Ľubietová village.
18. Poniky village, Monument to Romanian soldiers. Wreath was symbolically placed also for the Monument in Počúvadlo village.
19. Banská Bystrica county town, Memorial plaque to Romanian soldiers, Old Town hall.
20. Banská Bystrica county town, Monument to the Red and Romanian Armies. Wreath was symbolically placed also for the Monument in Valaská village.

The Centenary of the Birth of the Romanian King Michael I is held under the official auspices of the Romanian Royal Family and will continue on November 9, 2021 with the planting of the Tree of Peace at the Central Military Cemetery of the Romanian Royal Army in Zvolen.

We thank to Romanian heroes!

R.I.P.

In addition to the Romanian Ministry of National Defense, several Romanian media reported on the event:

• Romanian Orthodox Church Press Agency
• Portal stiripesurse.ro
• Portal actualitateaprahoveana.ro