THE PRESENCE OF THE GREAT GENERAL HEADQUARTERS IN BÂRLAD (NOVEMBER 1916 – MARCH 1917)

During the withdrawal and the refuge to Moldavia, numerous people, personalities from politics, culture and various institutions took shelter in Bârlad, as well as in other Moldavian localities. For a short period of time (from November 1916 to March 1917) the importance of the town was bigger than its size – it became a military base and a political factor, regarded as a real military capital of the unoccupied part of Romania. Here were to be found the Romanian Great General Headquarters and its Russian counterpart for the troops sent to the Romanian front, as well as the Royal Headquarters (located in Zorleni, at the personal property of King Ferdinand) and the French Military Mission coordinated by General Henri Berthelot. In the Moldavian city of Bârlad there were also other important institutions such as the Russian Fourth Army General Headquarters, the Romanian First Army Command, hospitals, military schools, various services and institutions.