ALL ABOUT TRANSNISTRIA (II) may 6 2005 - 15:17 (ro.altermedia.info)

CHAPTER II. THE CAPITAL OF A COUNTRY HAS THE NAME OF A ROMANIAN TRANSNISTREAN

The previous episode…

In 1772 the Russians arrived at Bug, in 1792 at Nistru (Dniester) and in 1812 at Prut. At each of these stages Russia managed to obtain clauses regarding the right of Christian subjects left under Turkish suzerainty to move within its borders in order to colonize them. The Tzars did not want the South of Ukraine to remain unpopulated. So in 1739 Constantin and Dumitrascu Cantemir (sons of the one that governed in 1711 and left Moldova with 4000 Moldovans) led the Moldovan voluntaries in the fights with Turks and signed in September 5 a convention with Russia, obtaining that way the recognition of the country’s independence [25]. When the Russians withdrew, they took with them over 100.000 souls to be colonized.

Ecaterina the second would have moved us all to the East of Nistru

In 1769-1774 at Ecaterina the second court, projects “to transplant the population of both Principalities” were designed, while in 1792 it was reported that “two thirds of Moldova’s inhabitants” were placed between Nistru and Bug, with the intention to give autonomy, as well as A. I. Mavrocordat as a hospodar, to this “New Moldova” [26]. Offering exemption from military service and taxes, covering the travel expenses, ensuring autonomy, Romanian Churches, Romanian magistrates, schools in native language, book printing in Romanian and even seals with the head of ure ox, Ecaterina the second attracted Romanians from principalities and Transilvania and in 1783 managed to settle even over the river Bug 2000 families with 15 Romanian Churches [27].

Colonization was conducted even around Kiev, but also in the South of Russia, 25-40 families being brought in for colonization. The shepherds from Ardeal settled in Crimea, at Azov Sea till Caucas or in Dombas. The employees from the direction of the studies office, under the supervision of A. Galopentia, during the ethnographic and folkloric researches made over Bug during 1942-1944, found in the town of Melitopol from the Azov Sea, a unique restaurant from the locality bearing the name Bucharest [28].

Having a preference for ancient names, Ecaterina the second built strong fortresses on the left bank of Nistru: Tiraspol in front of Tighina and Ovidipol in front of the White Fortress [29]. The biggest majority of Transdniestrians being Romanian, e.g. Erhani, Soltani, Busila, Codreanu, Munteanu, Brasoveanu, Ardeleanu, Esanu were the working hand at rising Odessa, but also local leaders. Banulescu was the one who sanctified the foundation of Odessa city and contributed with the plan of organizing the city, while Manole was an architect at the governor’s office. Among the firms of Odessa there appeared the shoemaker Stirbei, the sewer Sturza, the restaurant Catargi, while the suburb “Moldovanca” populated with Romanians became an entire city with a population of over 40.000 [30].

Romanians put the basis of the Russian culture

In 1796 in Dubasari or Movilau the first volume of poetry in Romanian was printed (original poetry and translations by I. Cantacuzino) [31]. In 1799 the Russian Pavel Sumacov noted that in Ovidiopol, Tiraspol, Grigoriopol, Dubasari, Malaiesti the majority of inhabitants were Moldovan [32].

The Romanian culture influenced both the culture of Ukrainians and Russians through the Romanians that found their meaning in Russia. Petru Movila became the metropolitan bishop of Kiev and the founder of the Russian Academy. The Romanian monk Paul Berinda is the founder of Russian lexicography. Milescu Spataru, besides the diplomatic and scientific activity, was the teacher of Petru the Great. Dimitrie Cantemir conducted a fruitful scientific activity, being as well the personal counselor of the king. Herascu (Hirastov) was a literary man and the first curator of the university from Moscow [33].

Dosoftei became the bishop of Azov, while Antonie (he crossed the Nistru with those over 100.000 Moldovans in 1739) - the metropolitan bishop of Chernigov and Bielgorod. Mihai Strilbitki from Moldova moved his typography to Dubasari, then to Movilau. Ioan Silviu Nistor in the history of “Romanians from Transdniestria” reminds of a Romanian Turcu, as the author of the Russian criminal code, of Mihail Voloshaninov as the organizer of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Grigore Voloseninov (the Romanian), also diplomat of Russia [34]. The Russian literature recognizes that the modern Russian poetry started with Antioh Cantemir. Through D. Cantemir, through Spataru Milescu (who in China at stopovers ordered the Cossacks to sing him “Danube, Danube”), through Leon Donici and others, Transdniestria obtained great cultural personalities [35].

In 1737 in Russia was born Nic Bantins Camenschi, follower of a Moldovan boyar, who became an honorary member of the Russian University and Academy [36]. Mihai Frunza, military genius of Russian Army, dead in 1925 at the age of 40, was the one whose name was given to the capital of Kirgizian SSR (Frunze) and to the military academy of USSR. He was born in Turkestan, as a result of colonization of Bessarabians and Transnistreans in 1878 in the region [37]. In 1854 was passing away Al. Strurza, philosopher of religions. N. Donici established in 1908 “The observer of physical astronomy” in Dubasarii Vechi [38]. The Russian Government refused the offer of Mihail Stroescu (the brother of the philanthropist V. Stroescu) to finance the inauguration of a cathedra of Romanian language at the University from Odessa.

The soviet academician L. S. Berg, stated: “The Moldovans that live in Moldova, Bessarabia and till the neighboring provinces, Podolia, Herson, and in a smaller number – in the Ecaterinoslav province, are Romanians”, while Take Ionescu with regards to Russia “is our natural enemy”” [39].

The toponymy confirms the Romanian character of Transdniestria

Here is a number of names of localities over Nistru: Singuri, Volosovca, Cioban, Beseni, Volosschie, Caracinti-Valahi, Cotiujani, Usita, Voloscovti, Birliadca (near Bug’s springs); Glodoasa, Troianca, Mamaica, Adabasi, Alexandria, Perepelitino, Santuia, Malai (near Kirovograd); Buric, Fundescleevca, Varsati, Curecni (between Cigirin and Novomirgorod); Babanca, Burta, Tecucica (near Novoarhanghelsk); Razmerita, Selari, Moldovca, Moldovscaia, Odaia, Moldovanca (near Olviopol); Arcasi, Cantacuzinca, Moldovca Brasoveanovca, Paduret, Urita, Serbani, Arnautovca (near Voznerensk); Baraboi, Gradinita, Dobrojeni, Grosulovo, Moldovanca (near Odessa); Cosuri, Gusa, Sura-Bondureni, Buda, Soroca, Chisleac, Bursuci, Odaeva, Sura (near Gaisin) etc.

Th. Burada remarked in Cherson province in 1893 the following Moldovan villages: Iasca, Gradinita, Sevartaica, Belcauca (in the direction of Ovideopol), Malaiesti, Floarea, Tei, Cosarca, Buturul, Perperita, Goiana, Siclia, Corotna, Cioburceni, Speia, Caragaciu, Taslic, Dorotcaia, Voznisevsca (on Bug), Moldovca si Cantacuzinovca. The same Macedo-Romanian Burada in 1906 found the following Romanian villages in Podolia: Lescovat, Ruda, Ivanet, Rogozna, Studenita, Usita, Lipciani, Serebia, Busa, Cosnita, Grusca, Ocnita, Camenca, Lapusna, Saratei, Ribnita, Botusani, Pietrosul, Slobozia, Domnita, Balta, Mosneagul, Senina, Bursucul [40].

Also back then, according to official data there were 532.416 Romanians in Cherson and Podolia, 11.813 - in Ecaterinoslav, and 4.015 in Tauridia (Crimea). The real data though were estimated up to 1.200.000. Starting with the middle of the 14^th century, there were over 400 purely Romanian villages in Transdniestria [41].

Alexis Nour (who identified in Transdniestria a locality “Nouroaia”) named the last villages of the compact Romanian region: towards East – Golodosi – at about the same parallel with Chernauti and Sherbani – at a parallel with Iasi, but at a distance of 200-250 km from Nistru [42]. He found in Kiev a lyceum with the name of a person who was maintaining it with huge donations “Pavel Galagan”. The ones from the families Funduclea enjoyed the same fame (a street from Kiev had the same name): Cordunean, Frunzetti, Macarescu, Bontas, Gredescu etc. [43]

Out of the names of waters from Transdniestria, we recall the following ones: Tiligul, Ingul, Inguletul, Baraboi, Volosica, Balacliica, Berezan, Cuciurean, Tigheci, Putred, Soroca, Ocnita, Dirla, Udici, Sahaidac (old name for wallet), Moldovca, Busa, Tatrani, Humor, Merla, Usita etc. [44]

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Viorel Dolha

Translated from Romanian by V. Ursu

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NOTES:

[25]. M. Iacobescu, Din istoria Bucovinei (From the history of Bucovina), Bucuresti 1993, p.35.
[26]. N. Iorga, Romanii de peste Nistru (Romanians over Nistru), ,,Basarabia”, 11/1992, p.89.
[27]. I.S. Nistor, ,,Istoria romanilor din Transnistria”, p. 27.
[28]. A. Ratiu, Avertismentul, ,,Neamul Romanesc” (The warning “The Romanian Nation”), 1/1991, p.29.
[29]. D.A. Lazarescu, ,,Imaginea Romaniei prin calatori” (The image of Romania through travelers), Bucuresti 1986, vol. II, p. 102.
[30]. A. Nour, Basarabia, 1/1992, p.82.
[31]. XXX Istoria Romaniei in date (XXX The history of Romanians in data), p.156.
[32]. N. Iorga, ,,Istoria romanilor prin calatori” (The history of Romanians through travelers), Bucuresti 1981, p.445.
[33]. St. Ciobanu, Cultura romaneasca in Basarabia, p.250.
[34]. I.S. Nistor, ,,Istoria romanilor din Transnistria”, p32.
[35]. Al. Matcovski, ,,Basarabia”, 5/1990, p.143.
[36]. Ibid., 11/1991, p.157.
[37]. I.S. Nistor, ,,Istoria romanilor din Transnistria”, p.109.
[38]. St.Holban, Prin veacurile involburate…(Through whirling centuries…), in’Basarabia’, 5/1992
[39].F.Bichir, ,,Baricada”,178, p.6
[40].N.Iorga, Romanii de peste Nistru (Romanians over Nistru), in ,,Basarabia” 11/1992,p92[41].I.S.Nistor, ,,Istoria romanilor din Transnistria”, p.35
[42].A.Nour,in ,,Basarabia”, 1/1991, p. 82
[43].Ibid., p.85
[44].I.S.Nistor, ,,Istoria romanilor din Transnistria”, p.35

(to be continued)