An exhibition dedicated to the „French Military Missions to Romania”, which presents the more than 160-year-long history of Romania – France diplomatic, military and medical relations by means of national heritage items opened on Wednesday at the National Museum of Romanian History (MNIR) in the presence of French ambassador Laurence Auer, according to Agerpres.

„France and Romania share many pages of history, including the military campaigns of the 19th and 20th centuries during which the French soldiers fought and died on Romanian soil. According to research so far, we estimate that the number of French soldiers who died in Romania is between 698 and 893. And we continue researching,” said Auer.

The French diplomat went on to say that the study of the history of French military missions to Romania „allows us to better understand all the dimensions of the long-standing Franco-Romanian friendship, but also the symbolism of the arrival of French troops to Romania at the end of February.”

„France acted as part of NATO’s Response Force, thus contributing to maintaining European security. Of course, this decision also comes down to a bilateral commitment and confirms our long and strategic relationship of friendship and trust,” the ambassador pointed out.

Laurence Auer mentioned that this year marks the 100th anniversary of the awarding of the French Cross of War to the cities of Galati, Giurgiu and Iasi, and announced that the exhibition will tour the country, starting with Iasi city’s Braunstein Palace, next month.

Minister of National Defence Angel Tilvar reviewed the history of the French missions to Romania, „the landmark moments when the solidity of military relations between Romania and France left its definitive imprint on our shared present and which we are grateful for.”

Tilvar pointed out that France remains for Romania „a key European and Euro-Atlantic actor (…) we constantly rely on.”

Alto attending the event, presidential advisor with the Department for Culture, Denominations and National Minorities Sergiu Nistor, and MNIR general director Ernest Oberlander-Tarnoveanu evoked the history of Romanian-French relations and their deep significance.

Produced by the National History Museum of Romania in partnership with the Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the French Embassy and the French Institute, the exhibition is organized to mark the commemoration of the signing on November 11, 1918 of the Armistice of Compičgne which put an end to WWI hostilities on the Western Front, as well as Veterans Day, which is also celebrated on November 11.

The exhibition curated by Dr. Cristina Paiusan-Nuica and Dr. Cornel-Constantin Ilie of the MNIR, includes items such as: the set of dueling pistols received by Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza from Emperor Napoleon III of France, the bicorn hat, epaulettes and handgun of General Henri Berthelot, French orders and medals preserved by the museum.

The exhibition will be open until December 4.

The United Principalities and then the modern state of Romania were created with French diplomatic and military support, the first step being the liberation of the Romanian Principalities by the French army during the Crimean War (1853-1856), followed by the support offered by Emperor Napoleon III for the Union of the Principalities under the rule of Alexandru Ioan Cuza (1859-1866).

The first French military mission arrived in the Principalities in 1860, and between 1860 and 1869, French officers served as technical advisors and participated in the organization and unification of the Romanian Army according to the French model.

The second French military mission, led by General Henri Mathias Berthelot, arrived in Romania in the fall of 1916 and was responsible for helping reorganize the Romanian Army and for organizing field and civilian hospitals in efforts to stop the typhoid fever epidemic that killed tens of thousands. The rigor and competence of General Berthelot and the entire French military mission contributed to the great victories in the summer of 1917 and to lifting the morale of the entire Romanian nation in a tragic moment.

AIGLE, the third French military mission, came to Romania on February 28, 2022 as part of NATO’s Rapid Reaction Force, amid the tense situation caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, continuing the tradition begun by the French state more than a century and a half ago.

Agerpres