The Interruption of the British-Romanian Relations in 1941
Jan. 1, 2017
Keywords:
World War II
Germania nazistă
Nazi Germany
Afaceri Externe
Foreign Affairs
Ion Antonescu
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Abstract
The study analyses the withdrawals of the British Legation from Bucharest and of the Romanian Legation from
London.
The research was undertaken at the Central Historical National Archives of Romania in Bucharest where the author
studied the microfiches of the Public Record Office of the Great Britain, Foreign Office, Political, 371/29992,
371/29993 and 371/29994.
The United Kingdom declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939.
The British Legation could not gather military, political and economical information as the new regime in Romania
had invited the troops of Nazi Germany in the country. As the British found themselves implied only in formal
activities, they decided to withdraw the Legation on February 15, 1941 and the Romanian Government acted on
reciprocal basis but few Romanians returned from the London staff.
The study deals with the preparations needed to withdraw the two Legations and the modalities required for the
British and Romanian staffs for departure.
General Ion Antonescu, Romanian Prime-Minister and de facto ruler of the country, was more than pleased with
the British proposal of the interruption of bilateral relations.