Holom2021

“Children of the Nation”. An Overview of Aid and Benefits Paid to WWI Orphans as Reflected in Data from the Official Gazette of the Kingdom of Romania (1918-1939)

Elena Crinela Holom

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Article information

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Abstract

The present article is an overview of the main legislation, decisions, and guidelines included in the Official Gazette (Monitorul Oficial) of the Kingdom of Romania between 1918 and 1939 to support war orphans. As descendants of parents who had fallen on the battlefield, war orphans, called, after the French model, “wards of the nation,” became a responsibility of the state. Adopted in September 1920, the Law for the establishment of the National Office for war invalids, orphans, and widows enshrined the role of the state in coordinating all legislation and measures in areas such as health services, welfare, and education. In time, the state assumed roles in the control over and administration of all bodies, services, institutions, and offices created for the protection of those who suffered in the aftermath of the wars. However, the data in the Kingdom of Romania’s Official Gazette show that the implementation of state programs for the protection of war orphans was often problematic and patchy. War orphans remained a highly vulnerable social group, especially in times of instability such as the economic crisis of 1929-1933.

Keywords:

war orphans, WWI, the Official Gazette (Monitorul Oficial), the Kingdom of Romania, legislation, pensions, welfare, interwar period

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References

Primary sources

Monitorul Oficial (MO) (1918) 240 (10/23 January); 247 (18/31 January); 267 (9/22 February); 16 (19 April/2 May); 54 (2/15 June); 73 (23 June/6 July); 75 (26 June/9 July);

MO (1919) 237 (18/31 January); 252 (8/21 February); 254 (10/23 February); 260 (17 February/2 March); 274 (6/19 March); 19 (10 May); 39 (6 June); 73 (18 July); 75 (20 July); 97 (17 August); 205 (31 December);

MO (1920) 98 (4 August); 119 (September 2); 154 (October 15); 200 (December 11); 217 (December 31);

MO (1921) 220 (January 4); 32 (May 14); 83 (July 19); 193 (December 27);

MO (1922) 234 (January 17); 252 (February 8); (11) April 14; 20 (April 29); 121 (September 3); 179 (November 16);

MO (1923) 18 (April 26); 148 (October 5);

MO (1924) 49 (March 5); 246 (November 7);

MO (1925) 50 (March 4); 62 (March 18); 152 (July 14); 153 (July 15); (179) August 18; 252 (November 140);

MO (1926) 68 (March 23);

MO (1927) 97 (May 5);

MO (1928) 15 (January 20); 105 (May 15); 262 (November 23); 281 (December 16);

MO (1929) 152 (July 13);

MO (1930) 148 (July 7); 154 (July 14); 192 (August 28); 210 (September 19);

MO (1933) 30 (February 7); 35 (February 16); 56 (March 14); 63 (March 27); 72 (April 12); 87 (April 13); 97 (April 28); 141 (June 23);

MO (1936) 95 (April 25); 148 (June 29); 197 (August 26); 241 (October 15);

MO (1937) 54 (March 6); 72 (March 27); 77 (April 2); 157 (July 12);

MO (1938) 165 (July 21);

MO (1939) 146 (June 28).

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