Great Union Day

Great Union Day

Great Union Day, also called Unification Day or National Day, is a Romanian national holiday celebrated on 1 December. It marks the Great Union in 1918 when Transylvania, Bassarabia, and Bukovina joined the Romanian Kingdom. This important day was declared after the Romanian revolution and remembers the Great National Assembly in Alba Iulia, where delegates from ethnic Romanians declared the Union of Transylvania with Romania.

Before 1947, the holiday was celebrated on 10 May. This date was special because it was when King Carol I first arrived in Romania in 1866. During the communist time from 1948 to 1989, the holiday was observed on 23 August. In 1990, the holiday was moved to 1 December to honor the date of the Great Union.

History

Main article: Great Union

Background

Main article: Unification of Moldavia and Wallachia

Modern Romania began after the unification of Moldavia and Wallachia by prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza on 24 January 1859. This event is now celebrated as the Day of the Unification of the Romanian Principalities.

Great National Assembly of Alba Iulia

Main article: Great National Assembly of Alba Iulia

See also: 1918 Romanian National Assembly election

On 1 December 1918, the Great National Assembly of Alba Iulia met in Alba Iulia. They voted to unite parts of Transylvania, Banat, Crișana, and Maramureș with Romania.

The next day, a new government was formed. On 11 December 1918, King Ferdinand I signed a law to make this union official.

Declaration of the holiday

Resolution 903 of the Council of Ministers in 1948 had marked 23 August as the national holiday. In 1990, a new law moved the holiday to 1 December. This change was made by a parliament led by the National Salvation Front and approved by the president Ion Iliescu. The date of 1 December remembers the unification in 1918.

First celebration

The first celebration of this holiday took place in Alba Iulia. The event was very political, with some leaders being interrupted during their speeches.

National Military Parade

Every year, a big military parade is held to celebrate this special day. It is called the National Military Parade (Romanian: Parada Militară Națională) and takes place in Bucharest at either Piața Constituției or near the Arcul de Triumf on Șoseaua Kiseleff. There are also parades in Alba Iulia and other big cities.

The President of Romania attends the parade in Bucharest. The president meets with leaders of the Romanian Armed Forces and then watches soldiers march by. Music plays as the soldiers and vehicles pass by. The parade ends with more music and soldiers.