The Fourth Army (Armata a 4-a Română) was a
field army
A field army (also known as numbered army or simply army) is a military formation in many armed forces, composed of two or more corps. It may be subordinate to an army group. Air army, Air armies are the equivalent formations in air forces, and ...
(a
military formation
Military organization ( AE) or military organisation ( BE) is the structuring of the armed forces of a state so as to offer such military capability as a national defense policy may require. Formal military organization tends to use hierarc ...
) of the
Romanian Land Forces
The Romanian Land Forces () is the army of Romania, and the main component of the Romanian Armed Forces. Since 2007, full professionalization and a major equipment overhaul have transformed the nature of the Land Forces.
The Romanian Land Force ...
active from the 19th century to the 1990s. Its successor is the
4th Infantry Division.
History
World War I

The Fourth Army fought under the name of "Northern Army" or "Army of the North" (''Armata de Nord'') in the
Romanian Campaign
The Kingdom of Romania was neutral for the first two years of World War I, entering on the side of the Allied powers from 27 August 1916 until Central Power occupation led to the Treaty of Bucharest in May 1918, before reentering the war on 10 ...
of
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, under the command of General
Constantin Prezan
Constantin Prezan (January 27, 1861 – August 27, 1943) was a Romanian general during World War I. In 1930 he was given the honorary title of Marshal of Romania, as a recognition of his merits during his command of the Northern Army and of th ...
. Units under its command took part in the
First Battle of Oituz
The First Battle of Oituz was fought between 12 and 27 October 1916 between the Kingdom of Romania on one side and Austria-Hungary and the German Empire on the other. It was part of the Romanian operations for the defense of the passes in the ...
,
Battle of the Eastern Carpathians
The Battle of the Eastern Carpathians consisted in a series of military engagements between Romanian and Austro-Hungarian forces during October 1916, in World War I. The attempt of the Austro-Hungarian 1st Army to break through the Eastern Carpathi ...
,
Battle of Prunaru
The Battle of Prunaru was a military engagement between German and Romanian forces during the Romanian Campaign of World War I. It resulted in a tactical German victory, but following the heavy Romanian resistance the Germans halted after taking ...
, and the
Battle of Bucharest
The Battle of Bucharest, also known as the '' Argeş– Neajlov Defensive Operation'' in Romania, was the last battle of the Romanian Campaign of 1916 in World War I, in which the Central Powers' combatants, led by General Erich von Falkenhayn ...
. As Russian forces took over its front, the Northern Army was disbanded in December 1916 and its units were redeployed to other fronts, under command of the
1st
First most commonly refers to:
* First, the ordinal form of the number 1
First or 1st may also refer to:
Acronyms
* Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array
* Far Infrared a ...
and
2nd
A second is the base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI).
Second, Seconds, The Second, or (The) 2nd may also refer to:
Mathematics
* 2 (number), as an ordinal (also written as ''2nd'' or ''2d'')
* Minute and second of arc, ...
Romanian Armies.
The commanders of the Northern Army were:
* Divisional General
Constantin Prezan
Constantin Prezan (January 27, 1861 – August 27, 1943) was a Romanian general during World War I. In 1930 he was given the honorary title of Marshal of Romania, as a recognition of his merits during his command of the Northern Army and of th ...
: 15 August 1916 – 9 November 1916
* Divisional General
Constantin Cristescu
Constantin Cristescu (2 December 1866 — 9 May 1923) was a Romanian lieutenant general during World War I, and Chief of Staff of the Romanian Army.
Biography Early life
He was born on 2 December 1866 in Pădureți village, in Argeș County. He ...
: 10 November 1916 – 5 December 1916
On 10 November 1918, Romania re-entered the war on the side of the
Allied forces. After the end of the war and the proclamation of the
Union of Transylvania with Romania
The union of Transylvania with Romania was declared on by the assembly of the delegates of ethnic Romanians held in Alba Iulia. The Great Union Day (also called ''Unification Day''), celebrated on 1 December, is a Public holidays in Romani ...
on 1 December 1918, the Fourth Army was reorganized as the Transylvania Army and participated in the
Hungarian–Romanian War
The Hungarian–Romanian War (; ) was fought between Hungary and Kingdom of Romania, Romania from 13 November 1918 to 3 August 1919. The conflict had a complex background, with often contradictory motivations for the parties involved.
After the ...
, reaching
Budapest
Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
by 3 August 1919.
The commanders of the Transylvania Army were:
* Divisional General
Traian Moșoiu
Traian Moșoiu (2 July 1868 – 15 August 1932) was a Romanian general during World War I and the Hungarian–Romanian War. He held the posts of Minister of War in the Alexandru Vaida-Voevod cabinet (December 1919 – March 1920), Minister of C ...
: 11 December 1918 – 12 April 1919
* Divisional General
Gheorghe Mărdărescu
Gheorghe D. Mărdărescu (4 August 1866 – 5 September 1938) was a Romanian army major general during World War I, a commander during the Hungarian–Romanian War of 1919, and Minister of War from 1922 to 1926.
Mărdărescu was born in Iași ...
: 12 April 1919 – 5 December 1919
World War II
On 22 June 1941, at the start of
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and several of its European Axis allies starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during World War II. More than 3.8 million Axis troops invaded the western Soviet Union along ...
, the 4th Army consisted of the following units.
* The
3rd Army Corps (Guards, 15th, and 35th Reserve Divisions).
* The
5th Army Corps (Border Division and 21st Division).
* The 11th Army Corps (two fortress brigades).
* The 4th Army Cooperation Command.
The 4th Army was under the command of Lieutenant General
Nicolae Ciupercă
Nicolae Ciupercă (20 April 1882 – 25 May 1950) was a Romanian general, born in Râmnicu Sărat. He served during World War I and World War II under the command of Alexandru Averescu and then Ion Antonescu, but would retire from a military ...
. In 1942, it fought on the
Axis
An axis (: axes) may refer to:
Mathematics
*A specific line (often a directed line) that plays an important role in some contexts. In particular:
** Coordinate axis of a coordinate system
*** ''x''-axis, ''y''-axis, ''z''-axis, common names ...
side as part of the German
Army Group B
Army Group B () was the name of four distinct German Army Group, army group commands that saw action during World War II.
The first Army Group B was created on 12 October 1939 (from the former Army Group North) and fought in the Battle of France ...
. In July 1941 it took part in
Operation München
Operation München () was the Romania, Romanian codename of a joint Nazi Germany, German-Romanian offensive during the Operation Barbarossa, German invasion of the Soviet Union in World War II, with the primary objective of recapturing Bessa ...
, the recapturing of
Bessarabia
Bessarabia () is a historical region in Eastern Europe, bounded by the Dniester river on the east and the Prut river on the west. About two thirds of Bessarabia lies within modern-day Moldova, with the Budjak region covering the southern coa ...
and
Northern Bukovina
Bukovina or ; ; ; ; , ; see also other languages. is a historical region at the crossroads of Central and Eastern Europe. It is located on the northern slopes of the central Eastern Carpathians and the adjoining plains, today divided betwe ...
, which were
annexed by the Soviet Union the year before.
By August 1941, during the
Siege of Odessa
The siege of Odessa, known to the Soviets as the defence of Odessa, lasted from 8 August until 16 October 1941, during the early phase of Operation Barbarossa, the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II.
Odessa was a port on the ...
, the 4th Army had under command the
1st
First most commonly refers to:
* First, the ordinal form of the number 1
First or 1st may also refer to:
Acronyms
* Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array
* Far Infrared a ...
,
3rd,
4th
Fourth or the fourth may refer to:
* the ordinal form of the number 4
* ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971
* Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision
* Fourth (music), a musical interval
* ''The Fourth'', a 1972 Soviet drama
...
,
5th
Fifth is the ordinal form of the number five.
Fifth or The Fifth may refer to:
* Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as in the expression "pleading the Fifth"
* Fifth Avenue
* Fifth column, a political term
* Fifth disease, a cont ...
,
6th, and 11th Army Corps under its control, with a total of 17 infantry divisions, the
1st Armoured Division (Romania), three cavalry divisions, and a total of 38 artillery regiments.
On 9 November 1941,
Constantin Constantinescu-Claps
Constantin Constantinescu-Claps (February 20, 1884 – June 1961) was a Romanian general during World War II who commanded the Romanian Fourth Army at the Battle of Stalingrad.
Biography
He was born in Beceni, Buzău County in 1884. From 190 ...
was appointed the commander of the Fourth Army, and became a Corps General on 24 January 1942. On 10 February 1943, he was relieved of his assignment and replaced by
Constantin Sănătescu
Constantin Sănătescu (14 January 1885 – 8 November 1947) was a Romanian general and statesman who served as the 44th Prime Minister of Romania after the 23 August 1944 coup after which Romania left the Axis powers and joined the Allies.
Ea ...
.
From late 1942 to early 1943, the Fourth Army was almost entirely destroyed during the
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad ; see . rus, links=on, Сталинградская битва, r=Stalingradskaya bitva, p=stəlʲɪnˈɡratskəjə ˈbʲitvə. (17 July 19422 February 1943) was a major battle on the Eastern Front of World War II, ...
; the
Romanian Third Army suffered a similar fate (see
Romanian armies in the Battle of Stalingrad). During April–May 1944, the Romanian forces led by General
Ioan Mihail Racoviță
Ioan Mihail Racoviță (7 March 1889, Bucharest – 28 June 1954, Sighet Prison) was a Romanian general during World War II, and Minister of Defense in the aftermath of King Michael's Coup of August 1944.
Biography
In 1906 he was admitted to ...
, together with elements of the
German Eighth Army were responsible for defending Northern Romania during the Soviet
First Jassy-Kishinev Offensive
First most commonly refers to:
* First, the ordinal form of the number 1
First or 1st may also refer to:
Acronyms
* Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array
* Far Infrared a ...
, and took part in the
Battles of Târgu Frumos.
In August 1944, the
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...
entered
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
after driving back
Army Group South
Army Group South () was the name of one of three German Army Groups during World War II.
It was first used in the 1939 September Campaign, along with Army Group North to invade Poland. In the invasion of Poland, Army Group South was led by Ge ...
from the region. On 23 August,
Marshal
Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used fo ...
Ion Antonescu
Ion Antonescu (; ; – 1 June 1946) was a Romanian military officer and Mareșal (Romania), marshal who presided over two successive Romania during World War II, wartime dictatorships as Prime Minister of Romania, Prime Minister and ''Conduc� ...
was
dismissed by
King
King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...
Michael I Michael I may refer to:
* Pope Michael I of Alexandria, Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark in 743–767
* Michael I Rangabe, Byzantine Emperor (died in 844)
* Michael I Cerularius, Patriarch Michael I of Constantinop ...
, and Romania declared war on Germany and Hungary some days later. The Soviets took control of the oilfields in the
Ploiești
Ploiești ( , , ), formerly spelled Ploești, is a Municipiu, city and county seat in Prahova County, Romania. Part of the historical region of Muntenia, it is located north of Bucharest.
The area of Ploiești is around , and it borders the Ble ...
area, and the
Romanian Army
The Romanian Land Forces () is the army of Romania, and the main component of the Romanian Armed Forces. Since 2007, full professionalization and a major equipment overhaul have transformed the nature of the Land Forces.
The Romanian Land Forc ...
was used to fight German forces on the
Eastern Front.
The Fourth Army became one of the Romanian armies fighting for the Red Army on the Eastern Front. In its campaign from August 1944 to May 1945, the Romanian Army lost some 64,000 men. The Fourth Army took part in
Soviet
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
offensives, notably at
Prague
Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
in May 1945, which happened to be the last offensive it took part in World War II.
The Fourth Army was involved in the
Battle of Turda
The Battle of Turda lasted from 5 September to 8 October 1944, in the area around Turda, Kingdom of Romania, as part of the wider Battle of Romania. Troops from the Hungarian 2nd Army and the German 8th Army fought a defensive action against ...
which lasted from 5 September to 8 October 1944, in the area around
Turda
Turda (; , ; ; ) is a Municipiu, city in Cluj County, Transylvania, Romania. It is located in the southeastern part of the county, from the county seat, Cluj-Napoca, to which it is connected by the European route E81, and from nearby Câmpia ...
. Troops from the
Hungarian 2nd Army and the
German 8th Army fought a defensive action against the Fourth Army and the Red Army. The battle was one of the largest fought in
Transylvania
Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...
during World War II.
In the
Prague Offensive, the Fourth Army, together with the
Romanian First Army
The First Army was a field army of the Romanian Land Forces, active from 1916 to 2000. The successor of the First Army was the 1st Infantry Division.
World War I
The First Army took part in the Romanian Campaign of World War I. Its command ...
and
Polish Second Army
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent
* Polish chicken
* Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin ...
, formed part of the Soviet
2nd Ukrainian Front
The 2nd Ukrainian Front () was a front of the Red Army during the Second World War.
History
On October 20, 1943, the Steppe Front was renamed the 2nd Ukrainian Front.
In mid-May 1944 Malinovsky took over the 2nd Ukrainian Front.
During t ...
.
Marshal
Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used fo ...
Ivan Konev
Ivan Stepanovich Konev ( rus, Ива́н Степа́нович Ко́нев, p=ɪˈvan sʲtʲɪˈpanəvʲɪtɕ ˈkonʲɪf, links=no; 28 December 1897 – 21 May 1973) was a Soviet general and Marshal of the Soviet Union who led Red Army forc ...
, the commander of the
First Ukrainian Front
The 1st Ukrainian Front (), previously the Voronezh Front (), was a major formation of the Red Army during World War II, being equivalent to a Western army group. They took part in the capture of Berlin, the capital of Nazi Germany.
Wartime ...
, was the main Soviet commander in the area. Together with Marshal
Georgy Zhukov
Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov ( 189618 June 1974) was a Soviet military leader who served as a top commander during World War II and achieved the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union. During World War II, Zhukov served as deputy commander-in-ch ...
's
First Byelorussian Front, Konev launched the great attack on 16 April that resulted in the
fall of Berlin and Soviet victory on the Eastern Front.
The offensive started on 6 May, a few days before the end of the war. German resistance in the east was now limited to small pockets scattered across Germany,
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
, and Austria. The remnants of
Army Group Center
Army Group Centre () was the name of two distinct strategic German Army Groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II. The first Army Group Centre was created during the planning of Operation Barbarossa, Germany's invasion of the So ...
held the remaining German-controlled areas in the east. In the attack on
Prague
Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
, German resistance was defeated in the city, and the Soviet, Romanian, and
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent
* Polish chicken
* Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin ...
forces entered the city on 9 May.
Czech
Czech may refer to:
* Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe
** Czech language
** Czechs, the people of the area
** Czech culture
** Czech cuisine
* One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus
*Czech (surnam ...
partisan
Partisan(s) or The Partisan(s) may refer to:
Military
* Partisan (military), paramilitary forces engaged behind the front line
** Francs-tireurs et partisans, communist-led French anti-fascist resistance against Nazi Germany during WWII
** Ital ...
s had been fighting the Germans there for a few days. By 11 and 12 May, all remaining German pockets of resistance in the east were defeated.
World War II Commanders

* General lieutenant
Nicolae Ciupercă
Nicolae Ciupercă (20 April 1882 – 25 May 1950) was a Romanian general, born in Râmnicu Sărat. He served during World War I and World War II under the command of Alexandru Averescu and then Ion Antonescu, but would retire from a military ...
(2 June 1940 – 9 September 1941)
* General lieutenant
Iosif Iacobici (10 September 1941 – 8 November 1941)
* General lieutenant
Constantin Constantinescu-Claps
Constantin Constantinescu-Claps (February 20, 1884 – June 1961) was a Romanian general during World War II who commanded the Romanian Fourth Army at the Battle of Stalingrad.
Biography
He was born in Beceni, Buzău County in 1884. From 190 ...
(9 November 1941 – 10 February 1943)
* General lieutenant
Constantin Sănătescu
Constantin Sănătescu (14 January 1885 – 8 November 1947) was a Romanian general and statesman who served as the 44th Prime Minister of Romania after the 23 August 1944 coup after which Romania left the Axis powers and joined the Allies.
Ea ...
(11 February 1943 – 24 January 1944)
* General lieutenant
Ioan Mihail Racoviță
Ioan Mihail Racoviță (7 March 1889, Bucharest – 28 June 1954, Sighet Prison) was a Romanian general during World War II, and Minister of Defense in the aftermath of King Michael's Coup of August 1944.
Biography
In 1906 he was admitted to ...
(25 January 1944 – 23 August 1944)
* General lieutenant
Ilie Șteflea
Ilie Șteflea (11 April 1888 – 21 May 1946) was a Romanian General during World War II and Chief of the Romanian General Staff between 20 January 1942 and 23 August 1944.
Early life and career
Ilie Șteflea was born in Săliște (near Sibiu, in ...
(23 August 1944 – 3 September 1944)
* General lieutenant
Gheorghe Avramescu
Gheorghe Avramescu (26 January 1884 – 3 March 1945) was a Romanian Lieutenant General during World War II. In 1945, he died in Slovakia during a German air attack, while under the arrest of the NKVD.
Early life
Avramescu was born Botoșani o ...
(4 September 1944 – 11 January 1945)
* General lieutenant
Nicolae Dăscălescu
Nicolae I. Dăscălescu (29 June 1884 – 28 September 1969) was a Romanian people, Romanian general during World War II.
Biography
He was born in a poor peasant family in Girov, Căciulești, Neamț County, Kingdom of Romania. After completin ...
(12 January 1945 – 18 February 1945)
* General lieutenant Gheorghe Avramescu (19 February 1945 – 2 March 1945)
* General lieutenant Nicolae Dăscălescu (3 March 1945 – 12 May 1945)
The Post-War Situation
The Fourth Army was active after the war until 1947. In 1945, it comprised two army corps:
2nd Army Corps, at
Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
, with Divizia de Gardă and
1st "Tudor Vladimirescu" Volunteer Division, 2nd Heavy Artillery Regiment, 2nd Pioneer Regiment, 4th Călărași Regiment, and corps units;
7th Army Corps, at
Sibiu
Sibiu ( , , , Hungarian: ''Nagyszeben'', , Transylvanian Saxon: ''Härmeschtat'' or ''Hermestatt'') is a city in central Romania, situated in the historical region of Transylvania. Located some north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles th ...
, with
2nd Infantry Division, the
2nd "Horea, Cloșca și Crișan" Volunteer Division, 1st Heavy Artillery Regiment, 7th Pioneer Regiment, 1st Călărași Regiment, and corps units.
From March 1945 to June 1947, the generals in command were
Nicolae Dăscălescu
Nicolae I. Dăscălescu (29 June 1884 – 28 September 1969) was a Romanian people, Romanian general during World War II.
Biography
He was born in a poor peasant family in Girov, Căciulești, Neamț County, Kingdom of Romania. After completin ...
, ,
Mihail Lascăr
Mihail Lascăr (; November 8, 1889 – July 24, 1959) was a Romanian general during World War II and Romania's Minister of Defense from 1946 to 1947.
He was born in Târgu Jiu, Gorj County, Kingdom of Romania, and
graduated from the Infantry ...
,
Constantin Vasiliu-Rășcanu, and C. Nicolau. 4th Army Command was disbanded on 5 June 1947, under the Order M. St.M. nr. no. 40.500, and all units were redeployed. By Royal Decree 1346 of 28 June 1947, the 3rd Military Region, based in
Cluj
Cluj-Napoca ( ; ), or simply Cluj ( , ), is a city in northwestern Romania. It is the second-most populous city in the country and the seat of Cluj County. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest (), Budapest () and Belgrade ( ...
, was established starting 1 July 1947.
The Cold War
The 3rd Military Region, formed after the war in Cluj, changed its name to 3rd Army Command on 30 April 1960. During this time, the training of the officers and the band was made in the new concept of country defense and national military doctrine. Thousands of soldiers participated in the national economy, including the harvest. The army troops participated massively at removing the effects of the catastrophic
floods of 1970 and 1975 and of the
1977 Vrancea earthquake
The 1977 Vrancea earthquake occurred on 4 March 1977, at 21:22 local time, and was felt throughout the Balkans. It had a magnitude of 7.5, making it the second most powerful earthquake recorded in Romania in the 20th century, after the 10 Novem ...
. The intervention of some
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact (WP), formally the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance (TFCMA), was a Collective security#Collective defense, collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Polish People's Republic, Poland, between the Sovi ...
states in
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
(except Romania) and the
invasion of this country in August 1968, led to profound changes in the structure of 3rd Army Command. At that time, there began the formation of the new 81st Mechanized Division (at
Dej), the existing 11th and 18th Mechanized Divisions (from
Oradea
Oradea (, , ; ; ) is a city in Romania, located in the Crișana region. It serves as the administrative county seat, seat of Bihor County and an economic, social, and cultural hub in northwestern Romania. The city lies between rolling hills on ...
and
Timișoara
Timișoara (, , ; , also or ; ; ; see #Etymology, other names) is the capital city of Timiș County, Banat, and the main economic, social and cultural center in Western Romania. Located on the Bega (Tisza), Bega River, Timișoara is consider ...
) were strengthened, as was the 6th Tank Division (from
Târgu Mureș
Târgu Mureș (, ; ; German language, German: ''Neumarkt am Mieresch'') is the seat of Mureș County in the historical region of Transylvania, Romania. It is the list of cities and towns in Romania, 16th-largest city in Romania, with 116,033 ...
). In the next year (1969), it was appreciated that the fighting capacity of the 3rd Army Command grew by over 75% from the point of view of the personnel, and about 55% in regards to military equipment.
Doctrinal reasons, as well as the tense political-military situation in the 1980s, resulted in the organization of the Romanian Land Forces on four army headquarters. Starting with 5 April 1980, the 3rd Army Command changed its name again to 4th Army Command.
In 1989, the 4th Army Command was reported to consist of the 6th Tank Division (
Targu Mureș), named as
Horia, Cloșca și Crișan Division, the
11th Mechanised Division "Carei" (
Oradea
Oradea (, , ; ; ) is a city in Romania, located in the Crișana region. It serves as the administrative county seat, seat of Bihor County and an economic, social, and cultural hub in northwestern Romania. The city lies between rolling hills on ...
), and the
81st Mechanised Division "Someș" (
Dej), as well as smaller units: the 1st Mountain Bde, 5th Mountain Bde, and 37th Tactical Missile Brigade.
[165 Years of Existence of Romanian Artillery]
p. 222-223
The 11th Mechanised Division "Carei" reportedly consisted of the following units:
*21st Mech. Rgt. -Oradea : with TR-77 tanks, TAB-71M apc-s, MLI-84 ifv-s, TABC-79 recon vehicles, SU-76 sp guns, ZiS-3 76mm field guns, Md.1982 120mm mortars, ?? TAB-71AR with 82mm mortars, AG-9 rr-s, MR-4 quad 14,5mm aa hmg-s, DAC-443T and -665T trucks, TER-580 evacuation tank, TERA-71L recovery apc-s.
*23rd Mech. Rgt. -
Beiuș
Beiuș (; ) is a municipiu, city in Bihor County, Romania near the Apuseni Mountains. The river Crișul Negru flows through Beiuș, and the city administers a single village, Delani (''Gyalány'').
Between the late 18th and very early 20th centu ...
-same.
*19th Mech. Rgt. -
Arad -same.
*21st Tank Rgt. -
Oradea
Oradea (, , ; ; ) is a city in Romania, located in the Crișana region. It serves as the administrative county seat, seat of Bihor County and an economic, social, and cultural hub in northwestern Romania. The city lies between rolling hills on ...
: with TR-77 tanks, BTR-50PK and PU apc-s, TABC-79 recon vehicles, TAB-71A R-1451 command apc, MR-2 quad 14,5mm aa hmg-s, DAC-443T and -665T trucks, TER-580 evacuation tanks, MTP/BTR-50P recovery apc-s.
*26th Artillery Regiment -
Ineu
Ineu (; ) is a town in Arad County, western Transylvania, Romania. It is situated at a distance of from the county capital, Arad, it occupies a surface at the contact point of Crișul Alb Basin and Crișurilor Plateau. Ineu is the main entranc ...
: with M-30 122mm how., Md.1981 152mm how., APR-40 122mm mrls, SR-114 and DAC-444 trucks, TMA-83 arty tractors, TABC-79A-POMA and TAB-77A-PCOMA command vehicles.
*119th Recon Battalion -Oradea: with TABC-79 recon vehicles and DAC-444T trucks.
Present
Since 17 October 1990 the 4th Army Command has borne the honorary name of "Transylvania", which it also bore after the
Great Union
In Romanian historiography, the Great Union () or Great Union of 1918 () was the series of political unifications the Kingdom of Romania had with several of the Romanian historical regions, starting with Bessarabia on 27 March 1918, continuin ...
in the
Hungarian–Romanian War
The Hungarian–Romanian War (; ) was fought between Hungary and Kingdom of Romania, Romania from 13 November 1918 to 3 August 1919. The conflict had a complex background, with often contradictory motivations for the parties involved.
After the ...
. After 1992, five motorized infantry battalions were set up in the garrisons of
Satu Mare
Satu Mare (; ; ; or ) is a city with a population of 102,400 (2011). It is the capital of Satu Mare County, Romania, as well as the centre of the Satu Mare metropolitan area. It lies in the region of Maramureș, broadly part of Transylvania ...
,
Carei
Carei (; , ; /, , ) is a municipiu, city in Satu Mare County, northwestern Romania, near the border with Hungary. The city administers one village, Ianculești ().
Geography
The municipality of Carei is situated in the north-west of Romania, aw ...
,
Salonta
Salonta (; , colloquially , ; ) is a municipiu, city in Bihor County, in the geographical region of Crișana, north-western Romania, near the Hungarian border.
Population
According to the 2021 Romanian census, 2021 census, Salonta has a popu ...
,
Marghita
Marghita (; ; ; ''Margaretin'') is a city in Bihor County, Romania. It administers two villages, Cheț (''Magyarkéc'') and Ghenetea (''Genyéte'').
Geography
Marghita is located in the northern part of the county, north-east of the county sea ...
, and
Chișineu-Criș
Chișineu-Criș ( Hungarian: ''Kisjenő'') is a town in Arad County, Crișana, Romania.
Geography
The town is situated on the north-western side of the county, at a distance from Arad, the county seat. The administrative territory stretches over ...
. Between 1993 and 1995, as a consequence of the reorganization of the entire army, all existing mechanized and tank divisions were disbanded, and new headquarters were established: the 5th, 6th, and 7th Army Corps Commands, in
Timișoara
Timișoara (, , ; , also or ; ; ; see #Etymology, other names) is the capital city of Timiș County, Banat, and the main economic, social and cultural center in Western Romania. Located on the Bega (Tisza), Bega River, Timișoara is consider ...
,
Târgu Mureș
Târgu Mureș (, ; ; German language, German: ''Neumarkt am Mieresch'') is the seat of Mureș County in the historical region of Transylvania, Romania. It is the list of cities and towns in Romania, 16th-largest city in Romania, with 116,033 ...
, and
Dej. In May 1994, the territorial troops became subordinate to the Army Troops. On 1 August 1995, the 4th Army Command "Transylvania" had 3 Army Corps commands, 23 brigade-sized units, and a number of other formations and directly subordinate structures.
The Fourth Army was redesignated as the
4th Territorial Army Corps in 2000 and subsequently as the
4th Infantry Division in 2008.
References
Further reading
*Colectiv, Armata a IV-a Transilvania la 80 de ani, Editura Dacia, Cluj-Napoca, 1996, p. 11.
*Colectiv, Armata a 4-a "Transilvania" în cruciada eliberării Europei, vol.III, Editura Dacia, Cluj-Napoca, 1998, p. 16.
External links
Official website of the 4th Territorial Army Corps{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110820034634/http://www.clujarm.ro/ , date=20 August 2011
Website dedicated to the Romanian Army in WW II
4th
Fourth or the fourth may refer to:
* the ordinal form of the number 4
* ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971
* Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision
* Fourth (music), a musical interval
* ''The Fourth'', a 1972 Soviet drama
...
Military units and formations of Romania in World War II
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
Military units and formations established in 1916
Military units and formations disestablished in 2000