PREZENŢA TRUPELOR SOVIETICE ÎN JUDEŢUL PUTNA ŞI ÎNTREŢINEREA LOR (1944-1946)
THE PRESENCE OF THE SOVIET ARMY IN PUTNA COUNTY AND THEIR MAINTENANCE (1944-1946)

Summary/Abstract: The part played by the Red Army in enforcing the communist regime throughout South -East Europe, including Romania, is well-known. The abuses made by the Soviet soldiers are also well-known but it will be impossible to ever determine the exact amount of the damage and the expenses made by and for the Red Army within our country. The current study presents, based on archive records, the living expenses for the Soviet soldiers in the county of Putna between 1944, 1945 and 1946. In order to support the Soviet troops, whether stationary or transiting, there were requisitions, provision of services with the bare hands or using the cattle, acquisitions of products, fodder, furniture and dinnerware. There are many unknown cases of services not paid for as the town or village halls hadn't kept a record of them. In addition to this, a great number of requisitions were made by the authorities on the demand of the Soviets or by the Soviet troops themselves directly from the inhabitants without any authority from the Romanian Government. The repeated attempts of the Romanian authorities to put things into order failed, as they were, in fact, powerless. The requisitions hardly covered the needs for supporting the Soviet troops. Throughout the county, there were huge expenses supporting them. The power bills, the water bills, the building support services, the rentals, the costs of transportation, food, car repairs, fodder and cattle, phone calls, burial services, all this exceeded the county's budget in 1945.

• Details
• Contents