ALL ABOUT TRANSDNISTRIA (IV) may 16 2005 - 15:38 (ro.altermedia.info)

EPISODE IV: A ROMANIAN STATE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE BIG ROMANIA

The previous episode

The Ukrainian opposition at establishing of MASSR

Following the Declaration on August 3, 1923 of the Soviet Government on nationalities and the free usage of the native language and as a result of the decisive tendencies of Ukrainization, in September 3 the delegates of Romanian villages met in Balta. The Ukrainians opposed the idea of an autonomous republic [57].

Still, in October 12, 1924 the Moldovan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic is created [58] inside Ukraine, Balta being the capital, and since 1928 - Tiraspol, with the western border fixed declaratively on Prut. In Birzula in April 1925, the Pan-Moldovan congress fixed the borders and the Constitution recognized by Ukrainians in May 10.

With an area of 8.434 km2 (in 1934) and a population of 615.500 inhabitants out of which 60% Romanians, the new republic covered the rayons: Balta, Birzula, Camenca, Crut, Dubasari, Grigoriopol, Ananiev, Ocna Rosie, Ribnita, Slobozia, and Tiraspol. It had been created to stir the interest of the discontented people from Bassarabia. Vintila Bratianu thought with lucidity that “the establishment of a Romanian state between Russia and us would allow the development in the USSR of a Romanian national life” [59].

The Tiraspol in Latin alphabet

The inheritance left by Tzarism was scaring: illiterate population, no native language schools, national consciousness extinguished, most of the people having forgotten their origins and who they were, language in the state of gobbledygook language [60]. It is worth mentioning that in the MASSR the native language had been given its real name, as it results out of the pages of the weekly “Plugarul rosu” (The Red plough-man) of August 21, 1924 (which appeared since July 1): “it has been decided that in schools, as well as in places of Romanian culture, the Romanian language will be used” [61].

There were open Romanian schools (145 of gymnasium type and 18 – lyceum type), institutes (an agronomic, a pedagogical and a polytechnic), with an overall Romanian school population of 24.200 out of which 800 students. In 1933 the Latin alphabet was introduced. There appeared publications like: : ,,Plugarul rosu”, ,,Moldova Socialista”, ,,Comsomolistul Moldovei”, ,,Moldova literara”, ,,Octombrie”, ,,Scinteia leninista”. There was also a radio station in Tiraspol, the state choir “Doina”, a state theatre and a Romanian department at the Theater School from Odessa, an institute of scientific researches. The young republic had a General Congress of Soviets, local Parliament, Government and even a president of the republic [62].

The return to the “Moldovan language” had been made with the gun

In 1937, though, the intellectuality of the MASS had been accused of making the class enemies’ game [63] and savagely exterminated – starting with the entire government of the republic and ending with the hearty Transnistrian writers, some of which were: Nicolae Smochina, Toader Malai, Nicolae Turcanu, Simion Dumitrescu, Petre Chioru, Mihai Andreescu, Mitrea Marcu, Alexandru Caftanachi, Iacob Doibani, Ion Corcin, Dumitru Batrincea, Nistor Cabac. The Stalinist atrocities had even arrived the killing of 167 men out the 168 from the village of Toma Jalba (Butor – Grigoriopol rayon) [64].

Because of forced collectivization and closing of churches (which ended in 1938) a real exodus over Nistru (Dniester) took place. It was so intense, that a camp for Transnistrian refuges was created. Also, the number of intellectuals originating from over Nistru was so big, that in Chisinau, Cluj and Iasi appeared their newspapers: “Tribuna romanilor” [65] lead by St. Bulat, “Transnistria” edited by Ilia Zaftur, and “Moldova Noua” edited by N. Smochina. The Russian frontier guards were shooting with no mercy the ones which they found crossing Nistru river. Such events were usual, but in February 23, 1932 a real massacre took place, as 40 men, women and children were killed. This massacre became a subject of discussion in Parliament and the internal and international media.

Before June 28, 1940 and the following days they talked about the reunion of the territories between Bug and Nistru with the MASSR. The RATAU agency was informing from Balta about the meeting dedicated to supporting “the meeting of the Bassarabian people with the Transnistrian people”. Echoes of the intention of the CC of CP from the USSR as of June 11, 1940 could be found on the pages of Socialist Moldova as of July 13, 1940: “with big joy we found out that the Soviet of People’s Commissars from CC of the Union CP have supported the demand of Moldova’s organizers and have proposed the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to support the request of Moldova’s organizers to bring together the inhabitants of Bassarabia with the inhabitants of MASSR and to organize the MSS Confederative Republic”.

Kremlin ordered the data gathering for making a decision as regards the territorial-administrative structure of MSSR. Such a report dated July 15, 1940 and signed by A. Scerbacov, considering the ethnical, historical, economic aspects, proposes the surrendering out of Bassarabian rayons - only the Hotin (which together with Cernauti were going to belong to Ukraine), and out of MASSR – to surrender to Ukraine only the rayons Balta and Pesceansc. The future Moldova was going to have 5 regions: Balti, Chisinau, Akkerman and Tiraspol with the rayons Ananiev, Valea Hotului, Grigoriopol, Dubasari, Camenca, Codima, Cotovsc, Ocna Rosie, Ribnita, Slobozia, Tiraspol and Cerneansc. The region of Tiraspol would have had 518.385 inhabitants [67].

The leadership of the former MASSR also proposes to surrender to Ukraine, besides Northern Bucovina, only Hotin, Cetatea Alba and Chilia, and from the east of Nistru – to surrender only the rayons Codilna, Balta and Pesciana [68].

The tearing of Transnistria

Kiev, through the president of the Supreme Soviet of Ukraine, M. Greciuha, required in July 22 that to Ukraine is annexed, besides Northern Bucovina, Hotin, Akkermann, Chilia and Ismail, Bolgrad, other eight rayons of the MASSR (Codima, Balta, Pesciana, Ananiev, Valea Hotului, Ocna Rosie, Cerneansc, Kotovsk)[69]. Although as a result of the analysis of the Ukraine’s and MASSR’s proposals, A. Gorkin, secretary of the presidium of the Supreme Soviet proposed to G. Malenkov, secretary of CC of CPSU to adopt the MSSR’s version [70] , in August 1940 the Supreme Soviet had adopted the law of establishing MSSR in the version proposed by Ukraine [71].

In May 10, 1941 it were rejected the demands to pass from within Ukraine’s borders to Moldova’s ones of the citizens from the following Transnistrian localities: Timcov (rayon Codima) Stanislavca (rayon Kotovsc), Culmea Veche (rayon Kotovsc), Grebenichi and Slaveano-Serbca (rayon Grosu) and accepted only demands from Dorotcaia Noua and Sadovo villages (rayon Ocna Rosie) [72].

Here are some of the localities of the former MASSR that were transferred to Ukraine: Lunga, Hirtop, Visterniceni, Bors, Dabija, Carlesti, Serpa, Culmea Veche and Noua (rayon Birzu); Valea Hotului, Tocila, Grecu, Perisori, Handrabura, Salpani (rayon Nani); Pasat, Holmu, Pirlita, Pasatel, Mironi, Banzari, Bursuci, Mosneanca, Raculova, Herbina (rayon Balta), Budai, Buza, Strimba, Brosteni, Slobozia, Buchet, Timcau, Ploti, Serbi (rayon Crutii); Ocna Rosie, Claveni, Tiscolung, Tiscol, Odaie, Ideia, Cosari, Dihori, Mironi, Slobozia, Dubau, Tibuleanca, Sahaidac, Topala, Ciorna, Perlicani, Basarabia, Bahta, Malaiesti, Ilie, Brinza, Untilovca, Gavanosu (rayon Ocna Rosie). Many Romanian names had been changed: Birzu into Kotovsk, Marculeni in Dimovka, Volosca into Pisariovka, Intunecata into Svetloe, Nani into Ananiev, Vrabie into Vradievka, Valea Hotului into Dolinskoie, Malai into Karataevka, Urita into Elenovka etc [73].

The names of Moldovans have been “Ukrainezed” as well: Sandu, Rusu, Buzatu, Cherdevara have become over night: Sandulenko, Rusulenko, Buzatenko, Kerdevarenko [74].

Viorel Dolha

http://ro.altermedia.info/index.php?p=2170

Translated from Romanian by V. Ursu

NOTES:

[57].Ibid., p.61
[58].M.Bruhis, Rusia,Romania,Basarabia, Chisinau ,1992, p.343
[59].I.S.Nistor, ,,Istoria romanilor din Transnistria” , p.68
[60].L.Lari, Labirintul basarabean, in Indemn la inaltare in istorie (The Bessarabian labyrinth, spur to in history) , Chisinau 1990, p.185
[61].V.Mindricanu, in periodical Nistru, 2/1990,p.69
[62].I.S.Nistor, ,,Istoria romanilor din Transnistria”, p.65
[63].L.Lari, Labirintul basarabean …, p.185
[64].N.Dabija, in periodical Literatura si Arta, Chisinau, 22/1996
[65].I.Datcu, Basarabia, 11-12, 1993, p.191
[66].E.St.Holban, Figuri basarabene (Bassarabian figures), Basarabia 1/1992
[67].A.Varatec, Dezintegrarea Basarabiei la 1940 (The disintegration of Bassarabia in 1940), Revista Istorica,1-2/1992, p.154
[68] XXX Pactul Molotov-Ribbentrop ,p.82,Chisinau 1992
[69]. XXX Ibid.,p.90
[70].XXX Ibid.,p.83
[71].XXX Ibid.,p.93
[72].XXX Ibid.,p.110
[73].N.Dabija, Literatura si Arta, Chisinau 1996
[74].Ibid.

(to be continued)