DOI 10.51255/2311–603X_2025_3_54
S. G. Nelipovich. The Romanian Campaign: Combat Losses (September 1916 — January 1917) //
Petersburg Historical Journal, no 3, 2025, pp. 54–74
Abstract:
The combat losses of the opposing armies are indicative not only of the casualties and the
intensity of the fighting, but also a factor in assessing the combat effectiveness of the troops. The article, which is based on documents from the State Military Historical Archive of Bulgaria (DVIA), the Russian State Military Historical Archive (RGVIA), the Austrian State Archive (ÖStA), the Bavarian Main State Archive (BayHSA), and information collected by researchers from different countries, identifies and clarifies the losses of the armies of Bulgaria, Romania, Austria-Hungary, the German, Ottoman and Russian Empires during the Romanian campaign (September 1916 — January 1917). The substantial losses sustained by the Romanian army in Transylvania, particularly in Dobrudzha, were a contributing factor to the defeat of the Romanian forces in the autumn and winter of 1916. This ultimately resulted in the loss of Wallachia and Bucharest. Researchers have not yet reached a consensus on the precise figure for the size of the losses suffered by the Romanian army, which is estimated to be between 300 thousand and 500 thousand men. The losses sustained by the Russian armies of the Romanian Front are documented for the first time (totalling up to 262 thousand men). The losses sustained by the armed forces of the Quadruple Alliance during the Romanian campaign of 1916 were significant, with a total of 167,000 casualties recorded. This was primarily attributable to the intensity of the hostilities. The Bulgarian army suffered significant losses, with estimates reaching up to 55,000 casualties.
Key words: World War I, Battles of 1916, Romanian campaign, Austro-Hungarian army, Bulgarian army, German army, Ottoman army, Romanian army, Russian army, fighting, combat losses, Dobrudzha, Danube, Transylvania, Carpathian Mounts.
Author:
Nelipovich, Sergey Gennadyevich — PhD in History, Institute of Russian History of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow, Russia).
E-mail: drfaust1963@yandex.ru
ORCID: 0009-0000-7847-0780
References:
Barrett, M. B. Prelude to Blitzkrieg: The 1916 Austro-German Campaign in Romania. Indianapolis, Indiana University Press, 2013. 399 p.
Boychev, P., Simeonov, R. Te zaginaha za Dobrudzsa. [Dead for Dobrudzha. In Bulg.]. Sofia, 2016. 882 p.
Djonev, A. Otivaha yunacite, otivaha: Pyatdeset i treti pehoten rezerven polk prez Pyrvata svetovna voyna (1915–1918 g.). [The Valiant Going, Going. The 55th Reserve Regiment during the First World War (1915–1918). In Bulg.]. Kjustendil; Dobrich, Faber, 2016. 194 p.
Dupuy, R. E., Dupuy, T. N. The Encyclopedia of military History. London, 1979.
Erickson, E. J. Ordered to Die: A History of Ottoman Army in the First World War. Greenwood, Bloomsbury Academic, 2001. 265 p.
Gahlen, G., Petrova, D., Stein, O. (Hrsg.) Die unbekannte Front. Der Erste Weltkrieg in Rumänien.
Frankfurt/M., Campus Verlag, 2018. 562 s.
Hristov, M. P. Uchastieto na 11-i marshevi / 73-i pehoten polk v Goliama voyna v perioda 1916–1918 g. [11th marsh / 73rd infantry regiment in Great War in time of 1916–1918. In Bulg.]. Dolna Mitropolia, 2022. 234 p.
Kiriţesku, C. Istoria rǎzboiului pentru ȋntegirea Romȃniei 1916–1919. Vol. 1. Bucuresti, Editura Stiintifica si Enciclopedica, 1989. 594 p.
Os’kin, M. V. Rumynskii pokhod 1916 goda. [The Romanian Campaign of 1916. In Russ.]. Мoscow, Russkie vityazi, 2020. 64 p.
Özdemir, H. The Ottoman Army 1914–1918: Disease and death on the battlefield. Utah, University of Utah Press, 2008. 288 p.
Romanescu, G. Marile bǎtǎlii ale romȃnilor. Bucuresti, Editura Sport-Turism, 1982. 279 p.
Romanescu, G., Tudor, G., Cucu, M., Popesku, I. Istoria infanteriei romȃne. Vol. II. Bucuresti, Editura
Stiintifica si Enciclopedica, 1985. 519 p.
Stanchev, S. Choveshki zagubi i tyahnoto popylvane prez voynite na Balgaria 1885–1945. [A Human Losses and their Replenishment in the Wars of Bulgaria 1885–1945. In Bulg.]. Sofia, Ivrai, 2003. 221 p.
Stone, N. The Eastern Front 1914–1917. London, Hodder and Stoughton, 1975. 348 p.
Vinogradov, V. N. Rumyniya v gody pervoi mirovoi voiny. [Romania in the Years of First World War. In Russ.]. Мoscow, Nauka, 1969. 370 p.