Romania Stamps
1945
With the signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938 which ceeded most of Czechosolvakia to Germany, King Carol II, King of Romania realised that the western powers of Britain and France were not going to support him if he stood up against Hitler. Romania and Germany signed an economic agreement in 1939 but this agreement did not protect Romania from German agression.
The Molotov-Ribbentrop pact (August 23, 1939) between Germany and the Soviet union further undermined Romania's position as it secretly ceeded Romanian Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina to the Soviet Union as well as Northern Transylvania to Hungary and Southern Dobruja to Bulgaria all of which were symapthetic to the Fascist's. Following the loss of these territories King Carol II was forced to adbicate in favour of his 18 year old son, Michael I (25th Oct 1921 to 5th Dec 2017).
Although Michael I was the king, power lay in the hands of Ion Antonescu who went on to join the Axis powers of Germany, Italy and Japan on 23rd Nov 1940. From early 1941 onwards Romania was a military dictatorship. When the Germans invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941 the Romanians joined the conflict alongside the Germans to fight the Soviets. The reward for their assistance was to regain control over Bessarabia and Northern Bucovina.
As the tide of the war turned in 1943 the Romanian resistance sought peace with the Allies and King Michael I went on to arrest Antonescu and form a new governemnt on 23rd Aug 1944. Romania had effectively switched sides with the Romanian Army now supporting the Red Army against Germany and Hungary.
Michel 827 to 830
"Red Cross"
Issued 10th Feb 1945. These stamps measure 22 x 29mm, were printed on watermarked 8 paper and are perf K13½.
Michel 831 to 834
"King Michael I"
"& The Foundation Building in Bucharest"
Issued 10th Feb 1945. These stamps were printed on watermarked 8 paper and are perf K14¼:14.
Michel Block 26
"King Michael I"
"& The Foundation Building in Bucharest"
Issued 1st Mar 1944. This minisheet measures 74 x 60mm is printed on watermarked 8 paper.
Mi 835
Michel 836 to 846
"Pictures from Transylvania"
Issued Feb 1945. These stamps are printed on watermarked 8 paper and are perf K14¼:14.
Michel 847 to 852
"Anti-Fascist Resistance Fighters"
Issued 30th Apr 1945. These stamps are printed photogravure on watermarked 8 paper and are perf K14¼:14 except Michel 849 which is perf line 13½.
Michel Block 27
"ARLUS"
Issued 30th Apr 1945. This minisheet measures 76 x 60mm and the stamps are imperforate.
Mi 853
Mi 854
Michel 855 to 858
"ARLUS"
Issued 20th May 1945. These stamps commemorate The Congress of the Romanian Society for the Promotion of Relations with the Soviet Union (ARLUS). They are printed photogravure on watermarked 8 paper and are perf K14¼:14 except Michel 857 and 858 which are perf line 13½.
Michel Block 28
"Anti-Fascist Resistance Fighters"
Issued 20th May 1945. This minisheet commemorates The Congress of the Romanian Society for the Promotion of Relations with the Soviet Union (ARLUS). It measures 60 x 75mm and the stamps are imperforate.
Michel 861 to 863
"Trade Union Association"
Issued 30th Jun 1945. These stamps measure 33 x 28mm, are printed photogravure on watermarked 8 paper and are perf line 13½.
Michel 864 to 866
"Trade Union Association (II)"
Issued 30th Jun 1945. These stamps measure 33 x 28mm, are printed photogravure on watermarked 8 paper and are imperforate.
Michel 867 to 873
"Postal Services"
Issued 20th Jul 1945. These stamps measure 42.5 x 26mm, are printed photogravure on watermarked 8 paper and are perf frame 13¼:13.
Michel 874 to 878
"The People's Sports"
Issued 5th Aug 1945. These stamps are printed photogravure on watermarked 8 paper and are perf comb 13¼:13.
Michel 879 to 883
"The People's Sports (II)"
Issued 5th Aug 1945. These stamps are printed photogravure on watermarked 8 paper and are imperforate.
Michel 884
"The People's Sports (III)"
Issued 5th Aug 1945. This stamp is printed photogravure on watermarked 8 paper and is perf K13½.
Michel 885 to 896
"1st Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Militia"
Issued 25th Aug 1945. These stamps are printed photogravure on watermarked 8 paper and are perf K13¼:13.
Michel 897
"Children's Welfare Fund"
Issued 23rd Aug 1945. This stamp is printed photogravure on watermarked 8 paper and is perf K13¾:14¼.
Michel 898 and 899
"Labour"
Issued 23rd Aug 1945. These stamps are printed photogravure on watermarked 8 paper and is perf K13¾:14¼.
Michel 900 and 901
"50th Anniversary of The Mathematic Revue Foundation"
Issued 5th Sep 1945. These stamps are printed photogravure on watermarked 8 paper and is perf K13½.
Michel 902
"50th Anniversary of the Saligny bridge"
Issued 28th Sep 1945. This stamp is printed photogravure on watermarked 8 paper and is perf 14¼:14.
Michel 903 to 907
"Engineering Congress, Bucharest"
Issued 1st Oct 1945. These stamps are printed photogravure on watermarked 8 paper and are perf comb 14¼:14.
Michel 908 to 912
"Engineering Congress, Bucharest (II)"
Issued 1st Oct 1945. These stamps are printed photogravure on watermarked 8 paper and are imperforate.
Michel 913 and 914
"Engineering Congress, Bucharest (III)"
Issued 1st Oct 1945. These stamps are printed photogravure on watermarked 8 paper and are imperforate.
Michel Block 29
"Engineering Congress, Bucharest (IV)"
Issued 11th Oct 1945. This minisheet measures 75 x 55mm and the stamp is imperforate.
Mi 915
Michel Block 30
"Engineering Congress, Bucharest (IV)"
Issued 21st Oct 1945. This minisheet measures 75 x 55mm and the stamp is perf K12½.
Mi 916
Michel 917 and 920
"World Trade Union's Congress - Paris"
Issued 5th Dec 1945. These stamps are printed photogravure on watermarked 8 paper and are perf K14¼:14 except for Michel 918 which is perf Line 13½.
Michel 929 and 973
"King Michael I"
Issued Mar 1945 to 1947. These stamps are printed photogravure on watermarked 8 paper and have various perfs.
