Administrative divisions of the Kingdom of Romania (1941–44)

This article discusses the administrative divisions of the Kingdom of Romania between 1941 and 1944. As a result of the Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina (28 June-4 July 1940), Second Vienna Award (30 August 1940) and the Treaty of Craiova (7 September 1940), territories that had previously been part of Romania were lost to the Soviet Union, Hungary and Bulgaria respectively. By September 1940 the administrative system set up in 1938 based on 'ținuturi' (regions) was disbanded and the former counties (județe) were reintroduced.

In 1941, the Romanian participation in the Invasion of the Soviet Union led to the recapture of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina. Transnistria, with the major Black Sea port of Odessa, was occupied by the Romanian army in the autumn of 1941 and was kept under Romanian administration without being formally annexed.

Kingdom of Romania in 1941–44

As in the 1926-1938 period, Romania had two levels of administrative sub-divisions. The first level division was the County (Judeţ) and the City with Municipal Status (Municipiu). Counties were divided into Districts (Plasa) and Urban Districts (Oraş), which constituted the second level. The Government of Romania was represented at County level and in Bucharest municipality by a prefect and at District level by a pretor. Between 1941 and 1944 these positions were usually occupied by middle-ranking officers of the Romanian army.

The City of Bucharest had the unique status of being both a City with Municipal Status and the Capital of Romania (Capitala României) and was legally distinct from the other Counties and Cities.

In addition, the territories regained from the Soviet Union were organized into 2 large Governorates (Guvernăminte) led by high-ranking officers of the Romanian army: the Governorate of Bukovina (capital at Cernăuți) and the Governorate of Bessarabia (capital at Chișinău). Another Governorate was created in Transnistria with the capital established firstly at Tiraspol (1941–42), then moved to Odessa (1942–44). Unlike Bessarabia and Bukovina, Transnistria was not considered to be an integral part of Romania in 1941-44 and the Soviet second-level administrative divisions, the 'raions', were kept intact.

Administrative map of the Kingdom of Romania in May 1942

Listed below are the administrative sub-divisions of Romania in May 1942. Capitals of Counties are shown in parentheses. Note: District names coincide with the names of their capitals if not otherwise specified (e.g.:Plasa Ștefan Vodă-Rădăuţi)

I. Romania proper

II. Governorate of Bukovina

The Governorate of Bukovina in 1942

III. Governorate of Bessarabia

The Governorate of Bessarabia in 1942

IV. Governorate of Transnistria (under Romanian administration)

The Governorate of Transnistria

References

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