"Tribute at Oarba de Mureș"

A commemorative march titled "In the Footsteps of the Romanian Heroes Fallen on the Western Front – Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic", organized by Romania’s Ministry of National Defence, reached the Heroes' Cemetery in Oarba de Mureș on Wednesday, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, CE Report quotes Agerpres

Oarba de Mureș was the site of one of the bloodiest battles involving Romanian forces during the war, where over 6,700 soldiers were killed, wounded, or went missing. Some sources place the number of casualties at more than 11,000. The battle, fought in autumn 1944, was a crucial part of the campaign for the liberation of Northern Transylvania.

Brigadier General Gabriel-Ovidiu Ursachi emphasized the enduring legacy of those sacrifices, stating: “The cemeteries of heroes are silent testimonies to the courage and sacrifice of Romanian soldiers. Oarba de Mureș is not only a place of sorrow, but also a symbol of courage to the point of sacrifice.”

Colonel Dan-Mihai Dincă, director of the National Office for the Cult of Heroes, highlighted the strategic and symbolic importance of the battle, adding: “We honour the strength and heroism of over 230,000 Romanian troops who fought to liberate Transylvania between September and October 1944.”

The commemorative march began at Oarba de Mureș and will continue to Romanian military cemeteries in Budapest, Zvolen, and Brno. The journey is both a tribute and a reminder of the cost of freedom and the continuing relevance of patriotism.

Lieutenant Colonel George Olteanu, wounded in Afghanistan in 2011, echoed this sentiment during a ceremony in Bucharest: “Patriotism is not lost. It lives in the hearts of our military and our people.”