Women in Romania’s First World War

In August 1916 the Kingdom of Romania (Wallachia and Moldova) entered World War One, which by 1918 led to a union with Transylvania and Bessarabia. This book considers the contribution of women to the achievement of the Romanian national project, includingthe role of bourgeoisie and middle-class women, the position of women in rural areas, and love, sex, and eroticism in wartime. Alin Ciupala also presents portraits of feminine personalities, among them Queen Mary with her participation in the organization of campaign hospitals, her role in supplying the civil population with food and necessary goods, and her presence among the soldiers and in foreign propaganda in favor of Romanian causes. Another example is Ecaterina Teodoroiu, the only woman in Romania to served as an officer, who died on the battlefield leading soldiers under her command.

Beyond women’s contribution to the war, the book examines the effects of World War One on gender roles in Romania . Feminist leaders expected that a wartime ‘training service’ would entitle women to a life withfull rights as citizens. Yet after the war, the situation returned to “normal,” and women largely continued to be excluded from the public sphere.