ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the background to Romania's internment policies. It analyses the situation of the civilian prisoners held in Romania as reflected in the main Romanian newspapers and in reports from three different bodies. These bodies are neutral Swiss inspectors, delegates from the international committee of the red cross and members of a special inquiry set up by the Inter-Allied Military Mission in Hungary in 1919. During the period of Romania's neutrality, the Romanian press and public opinion showed relatively little interest in international debates on the question of the treatment of prisoners of warand civilian internees. The same indifferent attitude was shown towards soldiers and deserters from the belligerent armies who were interned in Romania. On 6 September 1916, the Romanian army was defeated by the German-Bulgarian armies on the southern front at Turtucaia. After the Turtucaia disaster, the Romanian army went on the defensive on the southern front, fighting to prevent a full-scale enemy invasion.
