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50 bani and 10 lei 2017 - 100 Years since Ecaterina Teodoroiu became the first Female Combat Officer of the Romanian Army
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23.75 mm diameter, 6.1 g, brass - 80% copper, 15% zinc, 5% nickel, flat edge, with inscription ROMANIA (two times)
Obverse: ROMANIA, coat of arms of Romania, face value 50 BANI, year 2017, an image of the war medal Virtutea Militară (Military Virtue)
Reverse: portrait and inscription ECATERINA TEODOROIU

Issuing date: 15th of September 2017

Mintage: 5000 coins

37 mm diameter, 31.103 g, 99.9% silver, reeded edge
Obverse: ROMANIA, coat of arms of Romania, face value 50 BANI, year 2017, an image of the war medal Virtutea Militară (Military Virtue)
Reverse: portrait and inscription ECATERINA TEODOROIU

Issuing date: 15th of September 2017

Mintage: 200 coins


Ecaterina Teodoroiu was born in 1894 at Vădeni, close to Tîrgu Jiu, in the county of Gorj. Although the legend of the heroine is well known by the Romanians, the information available on Internet about Ecaterina Teodoroiu is surprisingly scarce and deficient in reliable details.

The following facts may generally be lined out about Ecaterinei Teodoroiu:

- before Romania's entry into the World War I she was a member of "Cercetașii României" (Romania's Scouts, established in May 1914);

- after Romania's joining the Entente she was a voluntary nurse in the hospital of Tîrgu Jiu;

- she voluntarily went to the frontline, joining the Gorj 18th Regiment, where her brother was corporal;

- during the German offensive on the Jiu River she fought arm in hand against invaders;

- she participated to the fight of the Jiu bridge, when the Bavarians tried to occupy the city of Tîrgu Jiu but were stopped by militia, guards, scouts and town's folk until the arrival of regular Romanian troops; it is believed that here Ecaterina got the surname of "heroine from Jiu";

- she was taken prisoner, managing to evade after assaulting the military escort with a pistol she had hidden;

- she was wounded in battle and recovered in hospital located in Iași;

- in 1917 she has received "Virtutea Militară clasa a II-a" medal [Military Virtue 2nd Class], in silver, for her heroic exploits on the frontline in the fall of 1916; she has received the medal from king Ferdinand personally; as well, she was promoted as honorific sub-lieutenant;

- after recovery she joined the 43th/58th Infantry Regiment; in August 1917 the Regiment moves to the frontline in Vrancea county (southern Moldavia); - during a German attack Ecaterina died heroically while leading her platoon.

Ecaterina Teodoroiu fell in battle during the last day of the Oituz operation (26th of July/ 8th of August 1917 - 9th/ 22nd of August 1917), in Muncelu sector. The Order of the Day (Mentioned in Dispatches) given by commander of Infantry Regiment 43/59 marked: "Ecaterina Teodoroiu reached the height of the most brave defenders of her country [...]. She who, in her talkative bravery, died in the very fleeting moments when she was baring her head in order to urge the soldiers by saying: <<Forward boys, don't give way, you are with me>>, is entitled from this moment forth to the eternal honor of all Romanians" [1].

The studio, military uniform photograph of the heroine was taken at Iași, in the workshop of photograph L. Marcovici on the Lăpușneanu Street.

References

1. Agrigoroaiei I., Mărăști, Mărășești, Oituz. 100 de ani. Reflecții din presa vremii. Editura Alfa, Iași, 2017.


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