ALL ABOUT TRANSNISTRIA (I)
Alex
The country of nobody
Geographically Transnistria (Pridnestrovie) is bounded by the 800 km
bank of Nistru (Dniester), the 600 km bank of Bug and the 150 km of the
Black Sea seacoast [1]. By Transnistrian Romanians we understand all
people over Nistru, including Podolia, Dnieper and even Don; as well as
from Crimea, Caucasus and Siberia.
The origins of the Romanian population on the East of Nistru are to be
found in the symbiosis between tirageti (Getae from Tyras and Nistru),
that is among the subjects of Burebista that ruled Olbia at the Bug's
mouths and the Romans, whose tracks can be found at every turning.
Since very old times, an obvious process of ethnographic and
demographic interpenetration between Romanians and Ruthenians
(Ukrainians) started. It continued along the centuries through the
colonization and emigration of these two races. The Bolohoveni Knezes
ruled the population on the course of Sluchi River and the Upper Bug
River. They were also the ones that preceded the Cossacks [2]. The
Ukrainian historian V. B. Antonovichi wrote in 1885 that neither the
right, nor the left of Nistru "belonged to the Halicien or other
Russian princes" [3]. The body to body fight with the Slavic and
Turanian tribes did not impede the establishment of the Moldovan state
in the 14th century, the Baia principality joining other older Romanian
localities, some of them spread as far as Poland and Volhinia [4].
Among the Bolohoveni voievodes, Alexander from Belti and Gleb of
Ieremia were some of the most well-known. [5]. Yet, with debut of the
2nd millennium, this Romanianity was quite powerful, a fact proven by
Scandinavian sources from the 9th century, pointing out the presence of
"Blakumens" over Nistru, and by a Russian old chronicle mentioning
the same "volohove" in the region [6]. The Romanian element
experienced an excess of vitality and the phenomenon of Diaspora,
starting with a Crachiun in 1287 in Crimea, followed by a "Hungarian
Marioara" from Caffa in 1280, and in the 15th century - by the
"Hungarians" Radu, Stanciu, Stoica in the same colony [7].
In May 25, 1455 the inhabitants of the White Fortress (Cetatea Alba),
dissatisfied with the piratical actions of the Genoese from the Lerici
castle on the Dnieper river mouths, took possession of the fortress and
sent as captives the rulers of the White Fortress (who were Genovezi)
to the hospodar Petru Aron [8].
Podolia of the Stefan the Great was viewed by N. Iorga as belonging to
"actually nobody", although it successively nominally belonged to
the Tatar Knezes, the Big Principality of Lithuania and Poland.
Imperceptibly a "new" Moldova of over Nistru with an increasing
number of villages appeared. The Lerici fortress was occupied by
Moldova during 1455-1475.
Romanian Cossacks
Stefan Bathory in a letter to the Sublime Porte shows that the
territories between Bug and Dnieper were populated by a gathering of
Polish Litvans, Moscals and Romanians. Cossacks originated from both
Moscals and Romanians [8]. When saying Cossack, the Tartars meant
vagabond. Their hetman Dumitru Vishnovietcki was descending from a
sister of P. Rares. He claimed the chair of Moldova as well [9].
Following Ioan Voda the Terrible, the Cossacks attacked Moldova several
times bringing with them the "Domnisori (young hospodars)" - true
or fake sons over Nistru of the former hospodars of Moldova.
Ioan Nicoara Potcoava was the first hetman chosen by the entire
Zaporojie Seche. He managed to occupy the throne of Moldova for a short
time and the same luck was tried by other Romanians leading Cossacks:
Alexandru and Constantin Potcoava [10], Petre Lungu, Petre Cazacu. The
supreme rang of Cossacks hetman was hold by Transnistrian Romanians as
well, some of which were Ion Grigore Loboda, Tihon Baibuza, Samoila
Chisca, Ion Sircu, Opara, Trofim Volosanin (the Romanian), Ion Sarpila,
Timotei Sgura, Dumitru Hunu and the legendary hero of Cossacks in the
fight for independence of Ukraine - Danila Apostol. During the XVI -
XVIII centuries, high ranks among Cossacks were held by the colonel
Toader Lobada, (in Pereiaslav), Martin Puscariu (in Poltava), Burla (in
Gdansk), Pavel Apostol (in Mirgorod), Eremie Ginju si Dimitrie Bancescu
(in Uman), Dumitrascu Raicea (in Pereiaslav), commander Varlam Buhatel,
Grigore Gamalie (in Lubensc), Grigore Cristofor, Ion Ursu (in Rascov),
Petru Apostol (in Lubensc). Other big commanders of Cossack units out
of "Transnistrian Dacians" were:
Topa, Scapa, Taranul, Moldovan, Munteanu, Procopie, Desalaga, Dragan,
Gologan, Polubotoc, Cociubei, Turculet, Chigheci, Grigoras, Bogdan,
Radul, Focsa, Basarab, Grigorcea, Borcea, etc. Many of them signed the
documents of Ukraine's union with Russia, as of January 18, 1654
[11], while others like the general Ciorba and the colonels Mindra,
Ghinea si Brinca entered the service of Russia [12].
The hospodars of Moldova dominated Transnistria
Following 1574, when Ion Voda Armeanul had mentioned about "our
country of Moldova over Nistru", following 1602, when the boyars [13]
had referred to their relatives over Nistru, in 1681 Gh. Duca became
"the despot of Moldova and Ukraine", the same period during which
documents started to be written in Romanian [16]. If till that year it
was only the ethnical border that passed over Nistru, Duca brought the
political border in the Transnistrian region, which had under its
administration all the territories between the Carpathians and the
Dnieper. After him Ukraine was ruled by Stefan Movila, Dimitrie
Cantacuzino and Ene Draghici, Simeon Palis and Sandu Coltea also
holding high positions [17].
As a consequence of Duca Voda's governance (that established princely
courts in Ticanova on Nistru and Nimirov on Bug) Moldova continued till
1765 to administer as well the left bank of Nistru [18].
Transnistria 's important centers were Movilaul, Dubasari, Silibria,
Iampol, Jaruga, Rascov, Vasilcau. In the new region formed by Russians
at Ocheakov (at whose construction Petru Schiopu participated with
15000 day laborers and 3000 carts) the following boyars benefited of
lands: Cantacuzino, Rosetti, Catargiu, Badiul, Sturza, Manuil,
Macaresu, Cucu, Boian, Iliescu, Sabau, Cananau, Craciun, Pascal,
Hagila, Sacara, Nicorita, Ghenadie, Dodon, Zurucila etc. The fortress
was stirred by Mihai Viteazul in 1600 and appeared starting back then
as one of the cities of Moldova). In a census from 1793, between Nistru
and Bug there were 67 villages, 49 out of which were Romanian [19].
The Transnistrian church subordinated since the old times to the
Romanian Church
The region was gravitating to Moldova from the church viewpoint as
well, so that in 1657 the metropolitan bishop of Suceava ordained Layar
Branovici as bishop in Cernigov [20]. In an act from Tighina as of 1769
the following specification was made with regards to the church
subordination: "the mitropolit of Proilavei (Brailei), of Tamarovei
(Reniului), of Hotin, of all the edges of Dunarii and Nistru and the
entire Ukraine of the khan" [21]. Several times the region between
Nistru and Bug was under the administration of Hushi bishopric. After
1792 (date at which Russians reached Nistru) from the church viewpoint,
Transnistria belonged to Ecaterinoslav, in front of which was the
Romanian Gavriil Banulescu-Bodoni, who after the annexation of
Bassarabia joined under the same metropolitan seat Chisinau, Hotin and
Oceacov "because the region of Oceacov, same as Bassarabia, was
inhabited by Moldovans, Vlahs, Greek, Bulgarians and colonists of
different nationalities, and very few Russians". In 1837 the diocese
of Cherson and Tauridia was established, the residence being in Odessa
[22]. On the left bank of Nistru and in some places of Cherson steppe
till Bug, there were locations with about 100 Moldovan Churches, while
the whole South of Russia till about Kiev was in the stage of
colonization only with two decades before Bessarabia's capture.
In 1717 Mihai Racovita, the hospodar of Moldova, certified through an
act an offering of estate made over Nistru to Apostol Leca [24].
Viorel Dolha *
Translated from Romanian by V. Ursu
NOTES
[1]. A. Nour, Basarabia, 1/1992 p. 82.
[2]. G. Bratianu, ,,Traditia istorica despre intemeierea statelor
romanesti" (The historical tradition about the establishment of
Romanian states), Bucuresti 1980, p. 170.
[3]. A. Boldur, Teritoriul Moldovei fata de principatele...(The
territory of Moldova in comparison to the principalities...),
,,Patrimoniu" , 4/1991, p. 14.
[4]. S. Mehedinti, Fruntaria Romaniei spre rasarit (The Romania's
borders to the East), ,Neamul Romanesc" (periodical "The Romanian
Nation"), Chisinau , 1/1991, p. 6.
[5]. I.S. Nistor, ,,Istoria romanilor din Transnistria " (The history
of Romanians from Transnistria), Bucuresti 1995, p.13.
[6]. E. Lozovan, Romanii orientali de la Nistru la Vladivostok (The
Eastern Romanians from Nistru to Vladivostok), ,,Neamul Romanesc, p.
31, 1/1991.
[7]. Ghe. Bratianu, ,,Traditia istorica despre ...", p.170.
[8]. I. Nistor, ,,Basarabia", 10/1990, p.159.
[9]. N. Iorga, ,,Istoria romanilor pentru poporul romanesc" (The
history of Romanians for the Romanian people), Chisinau 1992, p.103
[10]. A. Boldur, ,,Istoria Basarabiei" (The history of Bessarabia),
Bucuresti 1992, p. 177.
[11]. D. Pocitarencu, Cetatea Thighina (The fortress Tighina),
,,Patrimoniu" 2/1991, p.22, Chisinau.
[12]. I.S. Nistor op.cit., p. 16.
[13]. E.St. Holban, Figuri basarabene (Bessarabian figures),
,,Basarabia", 3/1992, p.89.
[14]. A. Crihan, Bsarabia, 10/1991, p.69.
[15]. XXX ,,Istoria Romaniei in date" (The history of Romanians in
data), Chisinau 1992, p. 138.
[16]. N. Iorga, Istoria romanilor prin calatori (The history of
Romanians through travelers), Bucuresti 1981, p. 276.
[17]. I.S. Nistor, op.cit., p.19.
[18]. N. Iorga, Romanii de peste Nistru (Romanians over Nistru),
,,Basarabia", 11/1992, p.87.
[19]. E. Lozovan, Romanii orientali...(Eastern Romanians...), ,,Neamul
Romanesc", 1/1991, p.32.
[20]. I.S. Nistor, op.cit., p.23.
[21]. E.St. Holban, Figuri basarabene (Bessarabian Figures),
,,Basarabia", 1/1992.
[22]. I.S. Nistor, op.cit., p. 26.
[23]. St. Ciobanu, Cultura romaneasca in Basarabia (The Romanian
Culture in Bessarabia), Chisinau 1992, p. 23.
[24]. E.St. Holban, Prin veacurile involburate...(Through the whirling
centuries...), ,,Basarabia", 1/1992.
Horst Veckner
contextul in care tematica pare aceeasi, chiar si titlul; toata postarea
asta putea fi facuta in cadrul aceluiasi subiect.
Sa avem putin respect fata de ceilalti membrii ai grupului.
"Alex" <georgescu_alex...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
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