On 19 September, after entering Petroșani on the 18th, the Germans took the Surduc Pass as the inexperienced General Muică - commander of the Romanian 11th Division - retreated back across the border. On 20 September, the Viennese newspaper Neue Freie Presse read: As far as one can say at present the Rumanians generally fight very well. Reports have reached us from the Hatszeg sector about Romanian units which, having lost half their effectives, still continued the battle. Similar facts have been observed in other sectors. That same day, the Romanian forces evacuated Petroșani. An Austro-Hungarian communique of the 20th announced the reoccupation of Petroșani. On the following day, a Berlin telegram announced that both sides of the Vulcan Pass had been taken. However, on the 22nd, the Romanians were still fighting at this point. In taking the Vulcan Pass, the Germans also captured 526 Romanian prisoners. On 22 September, two German battalions stormed the Vulcan Pass. These along with two batteries were the only German forces left in the area, after the other four battalions were shifted to Sibiu. Falkenhayn left Colonel Berger's Austro-Hungarian 144th Infantry Brigade in command at Petroșani. Sympathetic ethnic-Romanians living in the region immediately made General Culcer's headquarters aware that the bulk of the Germans had pulled out of the area. The Romanian general promptly took advantage of this development. Personally directing the operations of the 11th Division, Culcer attacked on 25 September, retaking Petroșani by the end of the day. Also on the 25th, the two mountains passes (Surduc and Vulcan) were likewise regained. A successful Romanian encircling movement rendered untenable the position of the Central Powers in the passes. To avoid being cut off in the defiles south of Petroșani, the Germans hastily retreated. Berlin and Vienna acknowledged the evacuation of the Surduc and Vulcan passes on 26 September. The Romanians encountered and overcame a formidable opposition on the part of the Germans. The Central Powers were driven back to Merișor. The Romanians captured several hundred prisoners and seven machine-guns. By Culcer's own admission, after taking Merișor, his troops massacred 80 German prisoners and several officers. Certain sources appear to be surprised by the Romanian success, that - after being overwhelmed by the artillery used against his forces during what was at the time General Falknehayn's main blow - Culcer was even able to make some headway against his opponents. The Germans sent the newly formed 301st Division to take charge at Petroșani. This division had no units other than a headquarters staff, its function being to provide an additional control element. From Bosnia, the Austro-Hungarians brought the 2nd Mountain Brigade, with five battalions. Although largely Austro-Hungarian in composition, it was a German general who was in command of this enlarged Central Powers force in the region. The Central Powers attack began on 30 September, starting the third and final battle for Petroșani. The Austro-Hungarian 144th Brigade fought at Petrila at the beginning of October. On 1 October, the Germans reached Petroșani. The fighting for Petroșani itself took place between 1 and 3 October. The Romanian communique of 4 October announced the Romanian withdrawal from the region, but not before destroying Petroșani's coal mines. The battle ended on 5 October, with both Petroșani and the Surduc Pass being recaptured by the Central Powers. The Romanians succeeded in destroying the town's vital coal mines before retreating.