PRINTRE „PRIETENII DUȘMANI”. SITUAȚIA LEGAȚIEI ROMÂNIEI DIN BRATISLAVA (AUGUST 1944 – APRILIE 1945)
AMONG “FRIENDS TURNED INTO ENEMIES”. THE SITUATION OF THE ROMANIAN LEGATION FROM BRATISLAVA (AUGUST 1944 – APRIL 1945)

Summary/Abstract: This paper details the situation of the Romanian Legation in Bratislava after the political and military turn of August 1944. Romania and Slovakia were partners in the Tripartite Pact and had worked closely together until then. Without a declaration of war, the Romanian political turn brought them face to face in the final confrontations of World War Two. Slovakia’s dependence of Nazi Germany and the failure of the national uprising profoundly affected the status of the Romanian diplomats in Bratislava. Led by Gheorghe Elefterescu, the diplomatic mission was prevented from leaving Slovak territory and was kept in a state of permanent insecurity. Quite numerous, diplomatic and contract staff lost their diplomatic status and had great financial difficulties during the winter of 1944–1945. The Slovak authorities and hostile Germans violated the international legal norms of the time. The efforts of the Romanian diplomacy and the mediation of the Swiss Legation in Bratislava could not change the situation of the former Legation. The uncertain status worsened after the loss of any connection between Bratislava and Bucharest in February–April 1945. Only after the arrival of Romanian and Soviet troops, the staff of the former diplomatic mission was rescued and brought back to the country.

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