Constantin Bratescu
Encyclopedia
Constantin Brătescu was a Romanian
Major-General during World War II
. In 1941, he served first as Chief Propaganda Section General Staff (Romania's Propaganda Minister
) and then as a Romanian liaison officer
to the German Military Mission, meaning that he served as a German military officer
during Operation Barbarossa
and the Axis
Invasion of the Soviet Union
. Starting in 1942 Bratescu was a Romanian General Officer (at the rank of Major-General) and commanded the 1st Cavalry Division throughout the campaign against the Soviets, fighting in such engagements as Operation Barbarossa
, Operation Blue
, and the Battle of Stalingrad
. Following the surrender of Friedrich Paulus
' 6th Army at the Battle of Stalingrad, Bratescu became a prisoner of war
and was held captive from 1943 to 1948. Finally, in 1948, he was released after five years of imprisonment and subsequently retired from active service. Bratescu ultimately died twenty-three years later, in 1971, at the age of seventy-nine.
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
Major-General during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1941, he served first as Chief Propaganda Section General Staff (Romania's Propaganda Minister
Ministry of propaganda
An agency or ministry of propaganda is the part of a government charged with generating and distributing propaganda.Though governments routinely engage in propaganda, ministries with the word "propaganda" in their name have become progressively more rare since the end of World War II, as a result...
) and then as a Romanian liaison officer
Liaison officer
A liaison officer or LNO is a person that liaises between two organizations to communicate and coordinate their activities. Generally, they are used to achieve the best utilization of resources or employment of services of one organization by another. In the military, liaison officers may...
to the German Military Mission, meaning that he served as a German military officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
during Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
and the Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
Invasion of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Starting in 1942 Bratescu was a Romanian General Officer (at the rank of Major-General) and commanded the 1st Cavalry Division throughout the campaign against the Soviets, fighting in such engagements as Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
, Operation Blue
Operation Blue
Case Blue , later renamed Operation Braunschweig, was the German Armed Forces name for its plan for a 1942 strategic summer offensive in southern Russia between 28 June and November 1942....
, and the Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
. Following the surrender of Friedrich Paulus
Friedrich Paulus
Friedrich Wilhelm Ernst Paulus was an officer in the German military from 1910 to 1945. He attained the rank of Generalfeldmarschall during World War II, and is best known for having commanded the Sixth Army's assault on Stalingrad during Operation Blue in 1942...
' 6th Army at the Battle of Stalingrad, Bratescu became a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
and was held captive from 1943 to 1948. Finally, in 1948, he was released after five years of imprisonment and subsequently retired from active service. Bratescu ultimately died twenty-three years later, in 1971, at the age of seventy-nine.