List of massacres in Romania

The following is a list of massacres that have occurred in the territory of present-day Romania (numbers may be approximate):

NameDatePresent locationDeathsNotes
Siculeni massacre7 January 1764Csík-Mádéfalva, Principality of Transylvania, Habsburg monarchy (today Siculeni, Harghita County)400 SzékelysMemorial plaque unveiled on the spot in 1899 mentions 200 victims.
Revolt of Horea, Cloșca and Crișanlate 1784Grand Principality of Transylvania, Habsburg Monarchy (today primarily Hunedoara County, Alba County, and Arad County, to a lesser extent also Brașov County, Sibiu County, Cluj County, Timiș County)About 4,000 victims Mostly Hungarian nobles and Hungarian civilians in towns were targeted in a total of 133 settlements. Further thousands were forcedly converted to Romanian Orthodoxy.[1]
Mihalț massacre2 June 1848Michelsdorf, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Mihalț, Alba County)12 armed Romanian peasantsAfter an illegal attack on a noble estate in the village, thousands of armed peasants from Obreja, Cistei, and Crăciunelu de Jos gathered to refuse the entry of the imperial investigative committee, and the entry of the official regiment sent by Anton von Puchner, commander in chief of the Austrian troops in Transylvania. The resulting armed clash killed 12 Romanian peasants and 1 Hungarian soldier. This was the first Transylvanian armed conflict in 1848 and played a major role in the exacerbation of political-ethnic differences in the region.
Nadab massacre10 September 1848Nadab, Arad County, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Nădab, Arad County)3 ethnic RomaniansHungarian troops killed ethnic Romanian civilians after they opposed conscription.[2]
Aranyoslóna massacre12 September 1848Aranyoslóna30 RomaniansHungarian troops massacred ethnic Romanian civilians after they tried to avoid conscription.
Geoagiu massacreOctober 1848Gergesdorf, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Geoagiu, Hunedoara County)85 ethnic Hungarians[3]: 424 Mostly civilians
Bucerdea Vinoasă massacreOctober 1848Botschard, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Bucerdea Vinoasă, Alba County)73 ethnic Hungarians[3]: 424 Mostly civilians
Stremț massacreOctober 1848Nussschloss, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Stremț, Alba County)25 ethnic Hungarians[4]Local noble families
Alba Iulia massacreOctober 1848Karlsburg, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Alba Iulia, Alba County)42 ethnic HungariansCivilians[3]: 337 
Grindeni massacreOctober 1848Gerendkeresztúr, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Grindeni, Mureș County)200 ethnic HungariansCivilians[3]: 424 
Lunca Mureșului massacreOctober 1848Holten, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Lunca Mureșului, Mureș County)60 ethnic HungariansCivilians[3]: 424 
Hațeg massacreOctober 1848Wallenthal, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Hațeg, Hunedoara County)15 ethnic HungariansCivilians massacred on the order of the Romanian Orthodox priest.[3]: 376 
Ocna Mureș massacreOctober 1848Miereschhall, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Ocna Mureș, Alba County)90 ethnic HungariansCivilians living in the town[3]: 376 
Micăsasa massacreOctober 1848Feigendorf, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Micăsasa, Sibiu County)150 ethnic HungariansAll locals except for one family were massacred[5]
Sângătin massacre14 October 1848Kleinenyed, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Sângătin, Sibiu County)140–175 ethnic HungariansMostly civilians
Zlatna massacre22–24 October 1848Kleinschlatten, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Zlatna, Alba County)8–10 Romanian spearmen
700 ethnic Hungarians
All the Hungarian civilians fled from the town but were raided near the village Presaca Ampoiului and were all massacred. The town was completely destroyed.[3]: 420 [6]: 682 [7]
Ighiu massacre29 October 1848Grabendorf, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Ighiu, Alba County)200 ethnic HungariansThe entire Hungarian population of the village, except for the Hungarian priest was massacred.[3]: 420 
Bochia massacre30 October 1848Boklya, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Bochia, Arad County)30 ethnic Hungarians[3]: 424 Mostly civilians
Unirea massacre13 November 1848Oberwinz, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Unirea, Alba County)200 ethnic Hungarians[3]: 424 The whole village was destroyed and most civilians massacred
Aiud massacre8–17 January 1849Straßburg am Mieresch, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Aiud, Alba County)800–1,000 ethnic HungariansMostly civilians. The whole city with the ancient Bethlen College was burned and destroyed.[6]: 682  Mass rape and torture.[8]
Iara massacre15 and 17 January 1849Jahren, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Iara, Cluj County)150 ethnic Hungarians and 33 ethnic RomaniansCivilians[3]: 433 
Benic massacreJanuary 1849Unter-Hahnenberg, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Benic, Alba County)400 ethnic Hungarians[3]: 424 By the order of the Romanian Greek Catholic priest, the entire Hungarian population was wiped out[6]: 695 
Heria massacreJanuary 1849Brenndorf, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Heria, Alba County)18 ethnic Hungarians
Abrud massacre9 and 17 May 1849Großschlatten, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Abrud, Alba County)1,100–1,200 ethnic HungariansMass torture and rape. Casualties were mostly miners and officers and their families.[3]: 433 
Buceș massacre9 May 1849Bucsesd, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Buceș, Hunedoara County)200 ethnic Hungarians
Butyin massacre6 August 1848Butyin, Arad County, Grand Principality of Transylvania, Austrian Empire (today Buteni, Arad County)8 ethnic RomaniansEthnic Romanians killed for opposing the plundering by Hungarian troops.[9]
Massacres during the Peasants' RevoltMarch–April 1907Western Moldavia and southern Wallachia, Kingdom of Romaniacca. 11,000 peasantsPeasants rebelling against economic conditions killed in various places across the country
1916 Galați massacre13 June 1916Galați, Covurlui County, Kingdom of Romania (today Galați, Galați County)9 workersWorkers participating in an anti-war demonstration shot by the army[10][11]
Lăzarea massacre22 September 1916Gyergyószárhegy, Austria-Hungary (today Lăzarea, Harghita County)8 Hungarian civiliansThe leadership of the village was shot in a mass grave without trial, further 57 civilians only escaped because a high-ranking officer arrived and stopped the massacre.[12]
Beliș massacre [ro]8 November 1918Jósikafalva, Austria-Hungary (today Beliș, Cluj County)41–50 civiliansMostly ethnic Romanians
Theater's Square massacre13 December 1918Bucharest, Kingdom of Romaniaup to 102 workersStriking workers shot by the army
Tărcaia and Grădinari massacres [ro]19 April 1919Köröstárkány and Kisnyégerfalva, Hungarian Soviet Republic (today Tărcaia and Grădinari, Bihor County)108 ethnic HungariansAll civilians.[13]
Lupeni massacre6 August 1929Lupeni, Hunedoara County, Kingdom of Romania22 workersStriking workers shot by the army and the gendarmerie
Grivița massacre16 February 1933Bucharest, Kingdom of Romania7 workersStriking workers shot by the army and the gendarmerie
1940 Galați massacre30 June 1940Galați, Covurlui County, Kingdom of Romania (today Galați, Galați County)80 to 400 Bessarabian and Jewish refugeesBessarabians returning home and Jewish Romanians wanting to escape the anti-Semitic regime shot while waiting to cross into the Soviet Union
Dorohoi pogrom1 July 1940Dorohoi, Dorohoi County, Kingdom of Romania (today Dorohoi, Botoșani County)53 JewsJewish community in Dorohoi claims the death toll between 165 and 200.[14]
Nușfalău massacre8 September 1940Szilágynagyfalu, Northern Transylvania, Kingdom of Hungary (today Nușfalău, Sălaj County)11 ethnic Romanians
Treznea massacre9 September 1940Treznea, Northern Transylvania, Kingdom of Hungary (today Treznea, Sălaj County)93 ethnic Romanians and Jews
Ip massacre14 September 1940Ip, Northern Transylvania, Kingdom of Hungary (today Ip, Sălaj County)157 ethnic Romanians158, including an unborn child[15]
Jilava massacre26 November 1940Jilava, Ilfov County, Kingdom of Romania64 political detainees
Bucharest pogrom22 January 1941Bucharest, Kingdom of Romania120 JewsOther five Jews were missing and presumed dead.[16]
Iași pogrom29 June - 6 July 1941Iași, Iași County, Kingdom of Romania13,266 JewsUnder the direction of Marshal Ion Antonescu, one third of the city's Jewish population was exterminated
Aita Seacă massacre4 September 1944Szárazajta, Northern Transylvania, Kingdom of Hungary (today Aita Seacă, Covasna County)[17][18] |
Luduș massacre5–13 September 1944Marosludas, Northern Transylvania, Kingdom of Hungary (today Luduș, Mureș County)15 Jews and 2 ethnic Romanians
Sărmașu massacre17 September 1944Nagysármás, Northern Transylvania, Kingdom of Hungary (today Sărmașu, Mureș County)126 Jews
Hărcana massacre [ro]24 September 1944Hărcana, Northern Transylvania, Kingdom of Hungary (today Hărcana, Cluj County)18 ethnic Romanians
Various massacres by the Maniu GuardSeptember–October 1944Northern Transylvania, Kingdom of Hungary49 ethnic HungariansMihăileni, Gheorgheni, Sândominic, Zimbor, Aghireș, Huedin
Moisei massacre [ro]14 October 1944Majszin, Northern Transylvania, Kingdom of Hungary (today Moisei, Maramureș County)29 ethnic RomaniansTwo men were also seriously injured.[19]
Eugen Grigore caseJuly 1974Ciurea, Iași County, Socialist Republic of Romania24 RomaniAround 50 other people were also injured.[20]
Romanian Revolution of 198916–25 December 1989Main Romanian cities, Socialist Republic of Romania1,104
Ethnic clashes of Târgu Mureș19–21 March 1990Târgu Mureș, Mureș County, Romania5Hundreds of people were also wounded.
June 1990 Mineriad13–15 June 1990Bucharest, Romania6–100
September 1991 Mineriad25–28 September 1991Bucharest, Romania4
Hădăreni riots20 September 1993Hădăreni, Mureș County, Romania3
2012 Bucharest hair salon shooting5 March 2012Bucharest, Romania5A 51-year old man killed 2 people and injured another 8 people in a salon in Bucharest.
Gheorghe Dinca killings25 July 2019Caracal, Romania2A 65-year old man is suspected to kill 2 minor girls.
Săpoca Hospital massacre18 August 2019Săpoca, Buzău County, Romania7A 38-year-old man hospitalised at The Săpoca Hospital killed 5 people and hurt 8 with an infusion stand
Bascov killings9 August 2022Bascov, Argeș County, Romania5A 52-year-old mentally ill man killed 5 members of his family.[21]
Timișoara killings29 June 2023Timișoara, Timiș County, Romania2A 38-year old man killed 2 elder people.

See also

References