Early history
Jews are mentioned from very early in the Principality of Moldavia, but they did not represent a significant number. They main activity in Moldavia was
commerceCommerce is a division of trade or production which deals with the exchange of goods and services from producer to final consumer. It comprises the trading of something of economic value such as goods, services, information, or money between two or more entities...
, but they could not compete with
GreeksThe Greeks , also known as Hellenes, are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions, who can also be found in diaspora communities around the world....
and
ArmeniansThe Armenians are a nation and ethnic group which originated in the Caucasus and the Armenian Highland. It is estimated that there are 8 million Armenians around the world. There is a large concentration of Armenians in the Caucasus, especially in Armenia, and there is a significant presence in...
, which had the knowledge of the
LevantThe Levant describes, traditionally, the Eastern Mediterranean at large, but can be used as a geographical term that denotes a large area in Western Asia formed by the lands bordering the eastern shores of the Mediterranean, roughly bounded on the north by the Taurus Mountains, on the south by...
ine commerce and relationships. Several times, when Jewish merchants created monopolies in some localities in north of Moldavia, Moldavian rulers sent them back to
GaliciaGalicia may refer to:Geographic regions* Galicia , an autonomous community in northwestern Spain** Gallaecia, a province of the Roman Empire** Kingdom of Galicia, a medieval kingdom** Kingdom of Galicia and Portugal, a medieval kingdom...
and
PodoliaThe region of Podolia is an historical region in the west-central and south-west portions of present-day Ukraine, corresponding to Khmelnytskyi Oblast and Vinnytsia Oblast. Northern Transnistria, in Moldova is also a part of Podolia...
. One such example was during the reign of Petru Şchioul (1583 - 1591), who favored the English merchants led by
William HarborneWilliam Harborne of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk was a diplomat, businessman, and English Ambassador to the Ottoman empire, appointed by Queen Elizabeth I of England.-Establishment of the British Embassy in Constantinople:...
.
In the 18th century, more Jews started to settle in Moldavia. Some of them were in charge of the
DniesterThe Dniester is a river in Eastern Europe.-Geography:The Dniester rises in Ukraine, near the city of Drohobych, close to the border with Poland, and flows toward the Black Sea. Its course marks part of the border of Ukraine and Moldova, after which it flows through Moldova for , separating the...
crossings, replacing Moldavians and Greeks, until the Captain of
SorocaSoroca is a Moldovan city situated on the Dniester River about 160 km north of Chişinău. It is the administrative center of Soroca District.- History :The city has its origin in the medieval Genoese trade post of Olchionia, or Alchona...
demanded their expulsion. Others traded with spirits (
horilka), first brought in from
UkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south. The city of Kiev is both the capital and the largest city of...
, afterwards building local
velniţas (pre-industrial distillatories) on
boyarA boyar or bolyar was a member of the highest rank of the feudal Moscovian, Kievan Rusian, Bulgarian, Wallachian, and Moldavian aristocracies, second only to the ruling princes , from the 10th century through the 17th century.The rank has lived on as a surname in Russia and Finland, where it is...
manors. The number of Jews has raised significantly during the Russo-Turkish War (1806–1812), when Podolia-Moldavia border was open.
When this war ended, in 1812, Bessarabia (eastern half of the Principality of Moldavia) was annexed by the Russian Empire.
Status
The 1818 Statutory Law (
Aşezământul) of the
Governorate of BessarabiaBessarabia was an oblast and later a guberniya in the Russian Empire. It was the part of the Ottoman-vassal Principality of Moldavia annexed by Russia by the Treaty of Bucharest following the Russo-Turkish War, 1806-1812...
mentions Jews as a separate state (social class), which further was divided between merchants, tradesmen, and land-workers. Unlike the other states, Jews were not allowed to own agricultural land, with the exception of "empty lots only from the property of the state, for cultivation and for building factories". Jews we allowed to keep in control the sell of spirits on government and private manors, to hold "mills,
velniţas, breweies, and similar holdings", but were explicitly disallowed to "rule over Christians". During the 1817 census, there were 3,826 Jewish families in Bessarabia (estimated at 19,000 people, or 4.2% of the total population).
Rural colonies
Over the next generations, the Jewish population of
BessarabiaBessarabia is a historical term for the geographic entity in Eastern Europe bounded by the Dniester River on the east and the Prut River on the west...
grew significantly. Unlike most of the rest of the
Russian EmpireThe Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia, and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, in Bessarabia, Jews were allowed to settle in fairs and cities. Tsar Nicolas I issued an ukaz with allowed Jews to settle in Bessarabia "in as higher number", giving settled Jews 2 years free of taxation. At the same time, Jews from Podolia and Kherson Governorates were given 5 years free of taxation if they crossed the Dniester and settle in Bessarabia.
As a result, the merchant activity was not enough to sustain all Jews. Which led to the Tsarist authorities to create 17 Jewish agricultural colonies:
- Lomacinţa in Hotin County
Hotin County was a county in the Principality of Moldavia , the Governorate of Bessarabia , the Moldavian Democratic Republic , and the Kingdom of Romania ....
,
- Meremăuca, Liublin, Vârtojani, Căpreşti, Sguriţa, Brăciova, Dumbrăveni
Dumbrăveni, before 1945 Ibaşfalău , is a town in the north of Sibiu County, in the centre of Transylvania, central Romania...
, Starăuca, and Teleneştii Noi in Soroca CountySoroca was a county of Moldova. The seat was Soroca....
- Alexăndreni and Valea lui Vlad in Bălti County
Bălţi was a county of Moldova from 1998 to 2003. Its population in 2003 was 500,900. Its capital was Bălţi.-External links:* , Statoids.com...
- Sibca and Nicolaevca-Blagodaţi in Orhei County
Orhei was a county of Moldova from 1998 to 2003. Its population in 2003 was 300,400. Its capital was Orhei.-External links:* , Statoids.com...
- Grăteşti and Constantinovca
Constantinovca is a commune in Edineţ district, Moldova. It is composed of two villages, Constantinovca and Iachimeni....
in Lăpuşna CountyLăpuşna was an administrative region of Moldova until February 2003. Major cities of the region included Troita, Batar, Cara-Biber, and Hînceşti....
- Romanăuţi in Tighina County
Tighina County was, until February 2003, a major subdivision of Moldova with its capital at Căuşeni. It bordered Ukraine, Transnistria, Lăpuşna County and Chişinău County....
10,589 Jews were settled in these villages, forming 1,082 Jewish households. This plan has been borrowed from the ideas of Emperor Joseph II of Austria in regard to Bukovina Jews, but it became impractical as there Jews preferred to leave Bukovina than to settle in villages. The impression that Jews would not stay in the rural areas was proved wrong by the Russian Tsar, as his colonization at first seemed a success. However, after several years, Jews settled in these rural colonies in Bessarabia preferred merchant activities with cattle, leather, wool, tobacco, while their agricultural land was mostly rented out to Christian peasants. After more years, many of these Jews moved to fairs, and sold their land to Moldavians. During the 1856 census, there were 78,751 Jews in Bessarabia (or ca. 8% of the total population of 990,000).
Late 19th century and early 20th century
- 1889: There were 180,918 Jews of a total population of 1,628,867 in Bessarabia, or 11.11%
- 1897: The Jewish population
Jewish population refers to the number of Jews in the world. Precise figures are difficult to calculate because the definition of "Who is a Jew" remains a source of controversy.-Total population:...
had grown to 225,637 of a total of 1,936,392, or 11.65%
- 1903: Chişinău
Chişinău , is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc. The city is the most economically prosperous locality in Moldova, and its largest transportation hub...
(then known as Kishinev), in RussianThe Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia, and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
Bessarabia had a Jewish population of 50,000, or 46%, out of a total of approximately 110,000. Jewish life flourished with 16 Jewish schools-Background and History:According to an article in the Jewish Quarterly Review entitled "The Jewish Sunday School Movement in the United States" and printed in 1900, “the exact beginning of the American Jewish Sunday Schools is obscured by uncertainty and difficulty of opinion…”though it is largely...
and over 2,000 pupils in Chişinău alone.
Kishinev pogrom
February 16, 1903:
Kishinev pogromThe Kishinev pogrom was an anti-Jewish riot that took place in Chişinău, then the capital of the Bessarabia province of the Russian Empire on April 6-7, 1903.-First pogrom:...
.
In 1903, a young
ChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God.The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to...
Russian boy, Michael Ribalenko, was found murdered in the town of Dubossary (sometimes spelled Dubossary, or
DubăsariDubăsari is a city in Transnistria, Moldova, with a population of 23,650. The city is currently under the administration of the breakaway government of the "Transnistrian Moldovan Republic", and functions as the seat of the Dubăsari sub-district, Transnistria, Moldova.-Name:The origin of the name...
in
RomanianRomanian or Daco-Romanian is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova. It has official status in Romania, Republic of Moldova, and the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina in Serbia...
), about 25 miles north-east of Kishinev; the town is situated on the left bank of the river
DniesterThe Dniester is a river in Eastern Europe.-Geography:The Dniester rises in Ukraine, near the city of Drohobych, close to the border with Poland, and flows toward the Black Sea. Its course marks part of the border of Ukraine and Moldova, after which it flows through Moldova for , separating the...
, and formally was not a part of Bessarabia. Although it was clear that the boy had been killed by a relative (who was later found), the government chose to call it a ritual murder plot by the Jews. The mobs were incited by
Pavel KrushevanPavel Aleksandrovich Krushevan was a journalist, editor, publisher and an official in the Imperial Russia. He was an active Black Hundredist and was known for his far-right, ultra-nationalist and openly antisemitic views and was the first publisher of infamous fraud The Protocols of the Elders of...
, the editor of the
Russian languageRussian is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages, and the largest native language in Europe...
anti-Semitic newspaper "Bessarabian", and the vice-governor Ustrugov. They used the age-old calumny against the Jews (that the boy had been killed to
use his bloodBlood libels are false and sensationalized allegations that a person or group engages in human sacrifice, often accompanied by the claim that the blood of the victims is used in various rituals and/or acts of cannibalism...
in preparation of
matzoMatza is a cracker-like flatbread made of white plain flour and water. The dough is pricked in several places and not allowed to rise before or during baking, thereby producing a hard, flat bread...
).
Viacheslav Plehve, the Minister of Interior, supposedly gave orders not to stop the rioters. However the pogrom lasted for three days, without the intervention of the police. Forty seven (some say 49) Jews were killed, 92 severely wounded, 500 slightly wounded and over 700 houses destroyed. Despite a world outcry, only two men were sentenced to seven and five years and twenty-two were sentenced for one or two years. This
pogromA pogrom is a form of riot directed against a particular group, whether ethnic, religious, or other, and characterized by killings and destruction of their homes, businesses, and religious centers...
is considered the first state-inspired action against Jews in the 20th century and was instrumental in convincing tens of thousands of Russian Jews to leave to the West and to
PalestinePalestine is a conventional name used, among others, to describe a geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands.As a geographical term, Palestine can also refer to 'ancient Palestine,' an area...
.
Many of the younger Jews, including
Mendel PortugaliMendel Portugali was one of the leading figures in the Second Aliya and a founder of the Hashomer movement.- Biography :Mendel Portugali was born in 1888, in Kalarash, Bessarabia, then part of the Russian Empire...
, made an effort to defend the community.
Moldavian Democratic Republic
In the
Sfatul ŢăriiSfatul Ţării was in 1917-1918 the National Assembly of the Governorate of Bessarabia of the disintegrating Russian Empire, which proclaimed the independent Moldavian Democratic Republic in December 1917, and then union with Romania in April 1918.-Russian participation in World War I:In August...
, Bessarabian Jews were represented by:
- Isac Gherman, 60 years old, lawyer from Chişinău
Chişinău , is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc. The city is the most economically prosperous locality in Moldova, and its largest transportation hub...
- Eugen Kenigschatz, 58, lawyer, Chişinău
- Samuel Lichtmann, 60, civil servant
- Moise Slutski, 62, physician, Chişinău
- Gutman Landau, 40, civil servant
- Mendel Steinberg
The former four abstained from vote for the
Union of Bessarabia with RomaniaOn , Bessarabia proclaimed union with the Kingdom of Romania.-Governorate of Bessarabia:The 1812 Treaty of Bucharest between the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empires provided for the Russian annexation the eastern half of the territory of the Principality of Moldavia, including Khotyn and Budjak...
on , while the latter two were absent.
Greater Romania
- 1920: The Jewish population had grown to approx. 267,000.
- 1930: Romanian census registers 270,000 Jews
The Holocaust
- 1941: The Einsatzkommando
Einsatzkommando refers to a sub-group of the five Einsatzgruppen mobile killing squads — 3,000 men — responsible for systematically killing Jews and Soviet political activists behind the Wehrmacht lines of Operation Barbarossa...
s, GermanGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
mobile killing units drawn from the NaziNazism, known officially in German as National Socialism , is the totalitarian ideology and practices of the Nazi Party or National Socialist German Workers’ Party under Adolf Hitler, and the policies adopted by the dictatorial government of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945.Nazism is often considered...
SS and commanded by Otto OhlendorfOtto Ohlendorf was a German SS-Gruppenführer and head of the interior division of the SD. He was convicted of and executed for war crimes committed during World War II.-Early life:...
entered Bessarabia. They were instrumental in the massacre of many Jews in Bessarabia, who did not flee in face of the German advance.
- July 8, 1941: Mihai Antonescu
Mihai Antonescu was a Romanian politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister during World War II.-Early career:...
, deputy prime minister Romania's ruler at the time, made a declaration in front of the Ministers' Council:
- ....With the risk of not being understood by some traditionalists which may be among you, I am in favour of the forced migration of the entire Jew element from Bessarabia and Bukovina
Bukovina is a historical region on the northern slopes of the northeastern Carpathian Mountains and the adjoining plains...
, which must be thrown over the border. Also, I am in favor of the forced migration of the UkrainianUkrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group primarily living in Ukraine, or more broadly—citizens of Ukraine...
element, which does not belong here at this time. I don't care if we appear in history as barbarianBarbarian is a term for an uncivilized person, often used pejoratively, either in a general reference to a member of a nation or ethnos, typically a tribal society as seen by an urban civilization either viewed as inferior, or admired as a noble savage...
s. The Roman EmpireThe Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean. The term is used to describe the Roman state during and after the time of the first emperor,...
has made a series of barbaric acts from a contemporary point of view and, still, was the greatest political settlement. There has never been a more suitable moment. If necessary, shoot with the machine gun. (This quote can be found in "The Stenograms of the Ministers' Council, Ion Antonescu's Government", vol. IV, July-September 1941 period, Bucharest, year 2000, page 57) (Stenogramele şedinţelor Consiliului de Miniştri, Guvernarea Ion Antonescu, vol. IV, perioada iulie-septembrie 1941, Bucureşti, anul 2000, pagina 57).
The killing squads of
Einsatzgruppe DEinsatzgruppen were SS paramilitary groups that took part in the systematic killing of mostly civilians throughout occupied Eastern Europe during World War II.-Background:...
, together with special non-military units attached to the German
WehrmachtWehrmacht was the name of the unified armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe ....
and
Romanian ArmiesIn November 1940, after a brief period of nominal neutrality under King Carol II, the Kingdom of Romania joined the Axis Powers. Soon after, Romania became a member of the Axis under the government of Ion Antonescu. "When it's a question of action against the Slavs, you can always count on...
were involved in many massacres in Bessarabia (over 10,000 in a single month of war, in June-July 1941), while deporting other thousands to
TransnistriaTransnistria, during World War II, was a region of the USSR, occupied by Romania, during the maximum eastward expansion of the Axis Powers, from August 19 1941 to January 29 1944...
.
The majority (up to 2/3) of Jews from Bessarabia (207,000 as of the last census of 1930) fled before the retreat of the Soviet troops. However, 110,033 people from Bessarabia and Bukovina (the latter included at the time the counties of Cernăuţi, Storojineţ, Rădăuţi, Suceava, Câmpulung, and Dorohoi - some other 100,000 Jews) - all except a small minority of the Jews that did not flee in 1941 - were deported to
Transnistria (World War II)Transnistria, during World War II, was a region of the USSR, occupied by Romania, during the maximum eastward expansion of the Axis Powers, from August 19 1941 to January 29 1944...
, a region which was under Romanian military control during 1941-1944.
In
ghettosDuring World War II ghettos were established by the German Nazis to confine Jews and sometimes Gypsies into tightly packed areas of the cities of Eastern Europe turning them into de-facto concentration camps...
organized in several towns, as well as in
campsNazi Germany, under Adolf Hitler, maintained concentration camps throughout the territories it controlled. The first Nazi concentration camps were greatly expanded in Germany after the Reichstag fire in 1933, and were intended to hold political prisoners and opponents of the regime...
(there was also a comparable number of Jews from Transnistria in those camps) many people died from starvation or bad sanitation, or were shot by special Nazi units right before the arrival of Soviet troops in 1944. The Romanian military administration of Transnistria kept very poor records of the people in the ghettos and camps. The only exact number found in Romanian sources is 59,392 died in the ghettos and camps from the moment those were open until mid 1943
http://www.worldwar2.ro/generali/?language=ro&article=96. This number includes all internees regardles of their origin, but does not include those that perished on the way to the camps, those that perished between mid 1943 and spring 1944, as well as those that perished in the immediate aftermath of the Romanian army's taking control of Transnistria (see for example Odessa massacre), many other thousands.
In June-July 1941, cca. 10,000 (mostly civilians) were killed during the military action in the region in 1941 by German Einzatsgruppe D units and on some occasions by some Romanian troops. In
SculeniSculeni is a commune in Ungheni district, Moldova. It is composed of four villages: Sculeni, Blindeşti, Floreni and Gherman....
, several dosens local Jews were killed by the Romanian troops. In Bălţi cca. 150 local civilians were shot by Einzatsgruppe (the young women were also raped), and 14 Jewish POWs by the Romanians. In
MărculeştiMărculeşti is a city in Floreşti district, in the northern Moldova, with a population of 2,081 at the 2004 census....
, 486 Soviet POWs of Jewish origin (many conscripted locals), who were left behind by the Soviet army because of wounds, in order to avoid being surrounded, were shot. Cca. 40 corpses of Jews were found damped at the outskirts of Orhei, executed either by the German or Romanian units.
From 1941 to 1942, 120,000 Jews from Bessarabia, all of Bukovina, and the Dorohoi county in Romania proper, were deported to ghettos and concentration camps in
Transnistria (World War II)Transnistria, during World War II, was a region of the USSR, occupied by Romania, during the maximum eastward expansion of the Axis Powers, from August 19 1941 to January 29 1944...
, with only a small portion returning in 1944. The ones who died did so in the most inhuman and horrible conditions. (In the same ghettos and camps there were many Jews from that region as well, responsibility for whose death lies on the Romanian authorities that occupied it during 1941-1944.)
The remainder of the 270,000 Jewish community of the region survived World War II. Mostly these were Bessarabian Jews that wisely retreated before the departure of the Soviet troops in mid-July 1941. However, the only good thing that can be said about their fate during 1941-1944 was that they survived, because the conditions under which they traveled to the interior of the USSR (e.g. to Uzbekistan) in the summer of 1941, and their conditions of life at the arrival were very bad. Cca 15,000 Jews from Cernăuţi, and further 5,000 from elsewhere in
BukovinaBukovina is a historical region on the northern slopes of the northeastern Carpathian Mountains and the adjoining plains...
were saved by the then major of the city
Traian PopoviciTraian Popovici was a Romanian lawyer and mayor of Cernăuţi during World War II, known for saving 20,000 Jews of Bukovina from deportation.Popovici was born in Ruşii Mănăstioarei village of Suceava county...
. Nevertheless, he was not able to save everyone, and cca 20,000 Bukovinian Jews were deported to
Transnistria (World War II)Transnistria, during World War II, was a region of the USSR, occupied by Romania, during the maximum eastward expansion of the Axis Powers, from August 19 1941 to January 29 1944...
. At the end of the war, the remaining Jewish community of Bukovina decided to move to
IsraelIsrael officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
.
As a result of the departure of the
RomanianThe Romanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian ; they are the majority inhabitants of România.In one prominent interpretation of the census results in Moldova, Moldovans are counted as Romanians, which would...
intellectuals in 1940 and 1944, of the Bukovinian Germans in 1940-41, of the surviving Bukovinian Jews in 1945, and of the forceful repatriation of Bukovinian Polish to Poland, Cernăuţi, one of the cultural and university "jewels" of both
Austria-HungaryAustria–Hungary, also known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the k.u.k. Monarchy, or Dual State, was a monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in Central Europe...
and
RomaniaRomania is a country located in Southeastern and Central Europe, North of the Balkan Peninsula, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea. Almost all of the Danube Delta is located within its territory...
ceased to exist as such, its population (already 100,000 in 1930) being greatly reduced. After the war, some Bukovinian Ukrainians from the countryside, as well as a few Ukrainians from
PodoliaThe region of Podolia is an historical region in the west-central and south-west portions of present-day Ukraine, corresponding to Khmelnytskyi Oblast and Vinnytsia Oblast. Northern Transnistria, in Moldova is also a part of Podolia...
and
GaliciaGalicia is a historical region in East-Central Europe, currently divided between Poland and Ukraine, named after the Ukraіniаn city of Halych. The nucleus of historic Galicia is formed of three regions of western Ukraine: Lviv, Ternopil and Ivano-Frankivsk.-Tribal area:The region has a turbulent...
moved to the city. However, these were also generally excluded from the Soviet apparatus and higher positions in the economy and administration, which was formed mostly by people known to be loyal to the Soviet system sent from eastern Ukraine or from other parts of the USSR.
Present day
- 1993: By the end of this year, there were an estimated 15,000 Jews in the Republic of Moldova. In the same year 2,173 Jews emigrated to Israel
Israel officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
. There were two Jewish periodical publications, both published in Kishinev (Chişinău). The one most widely circulated was Nash golos —Undzer kol ("Our Voice"), in YiddishYiddish is a non-territorial High German language of Jewish origin, spoken throughout the world...
and Russian.
Demographics
| Jews in Bessarabia |
| County |
1817 census |
1856 census |
1897 census |
1930 census |
1941 census |
1942 |
1959 census |
1970 census |
1979 census |
1989 census |
2002, 2004
census |
| Hotin County Hotin County was a county in the Principality of Moldavia , the Governorate of Bessarabia , the Moldavian Democratic Republic , and the Kingdom of Romania ....
|
N/A |
N/A |
~54,000 |
35,985 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A1 |
N/A1 |
N/A1 |
N/A1 |
N/A1 |
UkrainianUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south. The city of Kiev is both the capital and the largest city of...
part |
| N/A2 |
N/A2 |
N/A2 |
N/A2 |
1072 |
MoldovaMoldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east and south....
n part |
| Soroca County Soroca was a county of Moldova. The seat was Soroca....
|
N/A |
N/A |
~31,000 |
29,191 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A3 |
N/A3 |
N/A3 |
N/A3 |
1243 |
| Bălţi County Bălţi was a county of Moldova from 1998 to 2003. Its population in 2003 was 500,900. Its capital was Bălţi.-External links:* , Statoids.com...
|
N/A |
N/A |
~17,000 |
31,695 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A4 |
N/A4 |
N/A4 |
N/A4 |
4594 |
| Orhei County Orhei was a county of Moldova from 1998 to 2003. Its population in 2003 was 300,400. Its capital was Orhei.-External links:* , Statoids.com...
|
N/A |
N/A |
~26,000 |
... |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A5 |
N/A5 |
N/A5 |
N/A5 |
975 |
| Lăpuşna County Lăpuşna was an administrative region of Moldova until February 2003. Major cities of the region included Troita, Batar, Cara-Biber, and Hînceşti....
|
N/A |
N/A |
~53,000 |
... |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A6 |
N/A6 |
N/A6 |
N/A6 |
2,7086 |
| Tighina County Tighina County was, until February 2003, a major subdivision of Moldova with its capital at Căuşeni. It bordered Ukraine, Transnistria, Lăpuşna County and Chişinău County....
|
N/A |
N/A |
~16,000 |
... |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A7 |
N/A7 |
N/A7 |
N/A7 |
4377 |
| Cahul County Cahul County was a county of Bessarabia. In the middle ages, its territory belonged to the Fălciu County, but after the annexation of Bessarabia by the Russian Empire in 1812 it became a county by itself....
|
N/A |
N/A |
~11,000 |
4,434 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A8 |
N/A8 |
N/A8 |
N/A8 |
678 |
| Ismail County |
N/A |
N/A |
6,306 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A9 |
N/A9 |
N/A9 |
N/A9 |
N/A9 |
Cetatea Albă CountyJudeţul Cetatea-Albă was a county of Romania, in Bessarabia, with the capital city at Cetatea-Albă.-Neighbours:Neighbours of the county were Odessa Oblast of USSR to the east, countries of Tighina to the north and Ismail to the south and Cahul to the west. She was situated to Black Sea from...
|
N/A |
N/A |
~11,000 |
11,390 |
N/A |
N/A |
UkrainianUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south. The city of Kiev is both the capital and the largest city of...
part |
| N/A10 |
N/A10 |
N/A10 |
N/A10 |
110 |
MoldovaMoldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east and south....
n part |
| Total |
19,130 |
78,751 |
225,637 |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
Notes:
1 4 districts of Chernivtsi OblastChernivtsi Oblast , is an oblast in western Ukraine, bordering on Romania and Moldova. It has a large variety of landforms: the Carpathian Mountains and picturesque hills at the foot of the mountains gradually change to a broad partly forested plain situated between the Dniester and Prut rivers....
of UkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south. The city of Kiev is both the capital and the largest city of...
2 Briceni and Edineţ districts of MoldovaMoldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east and south....
3 Ocniţa, Donduşeni, Drochia, Soroca, and Floreşti districts of Moldova
4 Rîşcani, Glodeni, Făleşti, Sîngerei, and Ungheni districts, and municipality of BălţiBalti can refer to:* Balti language, a language spoken in Baltistan in Pakistan and Ladakh in Kashmir* Balti people, Muslims of Ladakhi/Tibetan origin from Baltistan in Pakistan and Ladakh in Kashmir...
in Moldova
5 Rezina, Şoldăneşti, Teleneţti, Orhei, DubăsariDubăsari district is a district in the east of Moldova, with the administrative center at Cocieri. As of January 1, 2005, its population was 34,015, of which 32,754 were Moldovans , 611 Russians, 521 Ukrainians, 45 Gagauzians, 16 Bulgarians, 9 Jews, 2 Poles, and 57 others...
,and Criuleni districts of Moldova
6 Călăraşi, Nisporeni, Străşeni, Ialoveni, Hînceşti districts, and municipality of ChişinăuChişinău , is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc. The city is the most economically prosperous locality in Moldova, and its largest transportation hub...
in Moldova
7 Anenii Noi, Căuşeni, Cimişlia and Basarabeasca districts, and municipality of Tighina (Bender) in Moldova
8 Leova, Cantemir, Cahul and Taraclia districts, and GagauziaGagauzia , formally known as the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Găgăuzia , is an autonomous region of...
in Moldova
9 9 districts and 2 cities of Odessa OblastOdessa Oblast, also written as Odesa Oblast , is an oblast of south-western Ukraine...
of UkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south. The city of Kiev is both the capital and the largest city of...
10 Ştefan Vodă district of Moldova
Sources:
- Recensământul General al Populaţiei României din 29 Decemvrie 1930. Vol. II: Neam, Limbă Maternă, Religie. Bucureşti 1938.
- Moldovan Census (2004)
According to the 1930 Romanian Census, Jews were distributed in Bessarabia as follows:
- Hotin County
Hotin County was a county in the Principality of Moldavia , the Governorate of Bessarabia , the Moldavian Democratic Republic , and the Kingdom of Romania ....
: Hotin, 5,781, Briceni-TârgBriceni is a city in northern Moldova. It is the seat of Briceni District.At the 2004 census, the city had a population of 8,765...
, 5,354, Edineţi-TârgEdineţ is a city in the north of Moldova. It is the administrative center of the eponymous district. The city is located 201 km north of the national capital, Chişinău. It is located at . The city administers also two suburban villages, Alexăndreni and Gordineştii Noi...
, 5,341, Lipcani-TârgLipcani is a small town in Moldova, located on the banks of the Prut river, which forms the border with Romania. The border with Ukraine is also only a few kilometers to the north. Lipcani is located in the Bessarabia region. The closest large urban centres are Chernivtsi in Ukraine, Suceava in...
4,693, Secureni-Târg, 4,200, Suliţa-Târg 4,152, ClişcăuţiClişcăuţi may refer to several places in Moldova:* Clişcăuţi, a village in Hincăuţi Commune, Edineţ district* Clişcăuţi, a village in Prepeliţa Commune, Sîngerei district...
452, Edineţi-SatEdineţ is a city in the north of Moldova. It is the administrative center of the eponymous district. The city is located 201 km north of the national capital, Chişinău. It is located at . The city administers also two suburban villages, Alexăndreni and Gordineştii Noi...
, 398, other localities 5,614. Total: 35,985
- Soroca County
Soroca was a county of Moldova. The seat was Soroca....
: SorocaSoroca is a Moldovan city situated on the Dniester River about 160 km north of Chişinău. It is the administrative center of Soroca District.- History :The city has its origin in the medieval Genoese trade post of Olchionia, or Alchona...
, 5,417, ZguriţaZguriţa , pronunciation Zguritsa, is a commune in Drochia district, in the north of Moldova. It is composed of a single village, Zguriţa...
, 2,541, Briceva, 2,431, Otaci-TârgOtaci is a town on the right bank of the Dniester River, which at that point forms the northeastern border of Moldova....
2,781, Mărculeşti-ColonieMărculeşti is a city in Floreşti district, in the northern Moldova, with a population of 2,081 at the 2004 census....
, 2,319, Vadu-Raşcu, 1,958, Vârtejeni-Colonie, 1,834, Căpreşti-Colonie, 1,815, DumbrăveniDumbrăveni, before 1945 Ibaşfalău , is a town in the north of Sibiu County, in the centre of Transylvania, central Romania...
, 1,198, Floreştii-NoiFloreşti can refer to:*Moldova:**Floreşti, a city in Moldova**Floreşti district, in Moldova** Floreşti, a village in Cobusca Veche Commune, Anenii Noi district** Floreşti, a village in Buciumeni Commune, Ungheni district* Romania:...
372, Cotiujenii MariCotiujenii Mari is a commune in Şoldăneşti district, Moldova. It is composed of three villages: Cotiujenii Mari, Cobîlea station and Cuşelăuca....
367, Dondoşani-GarăDonduşeni is a city in the north of Moldova. It is the administrative, economic, and cultural center of Donduşeni District. Its postal code is MD-5100. The population at the 2004 census was 9,801....
, 277, Liublin-Colonie 274, TârnovaTârnova may refer to several places in Romania:* Târnova, a commune in Arad County* Târnova, a commune in Caraş-Severin County...
, 236, Ocniţa-GarăOcniţa is a city and the administrative center of Ocniţa District, Moldova....
, 200, other localities 5,171. Total: 29,191
- Bălţi County
Bălţi was a county of Moldova from 1998 to 2003. Its population in 2003 was 500,900. Its capital was Bălţi.-External links:* , Statoids.com...
: BălţiBalti can refer to:* Balti language, a language spoken in Baltistan in Pakistan and Ladakh in Kashmir* Balti people, Muslims of Ladakhi/Tibetan origin from Baltistan in Pakistan and Ladakh in Kashmir...
, 14,229, FăleştiFăleşti is a city and the administrative center of Făleşti District, Moldova. One village is administered by the city, Fabrica de Zahăr....
, 3,263, Răşcani-TârgRăşcani may refer to several villages in Romania:* Răşcani, a village in Dăneşti Commune, Vaslui County* Răşcani, a village in Şuletea Commune, Vaslui County...
2,055, Ungheni-TârgUngheni is the seventh largest city in Moldova and, since 2003, the seat of Ungheni District.There is a bridge across the Prut and a border checkpoint to Romania. There is another border town with the same name in Romania, on the other side of the Prut River.The first historical mention of Ungheni...
, 1,368, Valea-lui-Vlad, 1,281, Sculeni-TârgSculeni is a commune in Ungheni district, Moldova. It is composed of four villages: Sculeni, Blindeşti, Floreni and Gherman....
, 1,204, Pârliţa-TârgPârlita or Pîrlita may refer to:*Pârlita River *Pârlita River *Urluiu, a commune...
, 1,064, Alexandreni-Târg, 1,018, Corneşti-TârgCorneşti may refer to several places.In Romania:* Corneşti, Cluj, a commune in Cluj County* Corneşti, Dâmboviţa, a commune in Dâmboviţa County* Corneşti, a village in Filipeşti Commune, Bacău County...
338, GlodeniGlodeni is a city in the northeast of Moldova; it is the seat of Glodeni District. Its population is 10,146. One village, Stîrcea, is administered by the city....
, 212, other localities 5,663. Total: 31,695
- Orhei County
Orhei was a county of Moldova from 1998 to 2003. Its population in 2003 was 300,400. Its capital was Orhei.-External links:* , Statoids.com...
:
- Lăpuşna County
Lăpuşna was an administrative region of Moldova until February 2003. Major cities of the region included Troita, Batar, Cara-Biber, and Hînceşti....
:
- Tighina County
Tighina County was, until February 2003, a major subdivision of Moldova with its capital at Căuşeni. It bordered Ukraine, Transnistria, Lăpuşna County and Chişinău County....
:
- Cahul County
Cahul County was a county of Bessarabia. In the middle ages, its territory belonged to the Fălciu County, but after the annexation of Bessarabia by the Russian Empire in 1812 it became a county by itself....
: LeovaLeova is a city in Moldova, located 92 km southwest of the national capital, Chişinău. It is the administrative center of Leova District. The city is situated on the east bank of the river Prut bordering Romania.- References :* *...
, 2,324, CahulCahul is a city in southern Moldova. The city is the administrative center of Cahul District; it also administers one village, Cotihana.-Etymology and names:...
, 803, BaimacliaBaimaclia may refer to several places in Moldova:*Baimaclia, a commune in Cantemir district*Baimaclia, a commune in Căuşeni district...
, 509, other localities 798. Total: 4,434
- Ismail County: Chilia-Nouă
Chilia may refer to:* Kilia, a town in Ukraine* Chilia, a village in Bârgăuani Commune, Neamţ County, Romania* Chilia, a village in Făgeţelu Commune, Olt County, Romania* Chilia, a village in Homoroade Commune, Satu Mare County, Romania...
, 1,952, IsmailIsmail may refer to:*Ismail , the given name*Ishmael, or Ismail, Islamic prophet, son of Ibrahim*Isma'il ibn Jafar, Imam of Ismaili Shia's *Ismail Samani , Samanid amir of Transoxiana and Khorasan...
, 1,623, Bolgrad, 1,215, ReniReni can refer to:* Guido Reni, Italian Baroque painter* Alan Wren, drummer for The Stone Roses* Reni, Ukraine, a city in southern Ukraine, near the confluence of Prut and Danube rivers* Reni,best name ever...
, 1,170, other localities 346. Total: 6,306
- Cetatea Albă County
Judeţul Cetatea-Albă was a county of Romania, in Bessarabia, with the capital city at Cetatea-Albă.-Neighbours:Neighbours of the county were Odessa Oblast of USSR to the east, countries of Tighina to the north and Ismail to the south and Cahul to the west. She was situated to Black Sea from...
: Cetatea Albă 4,239, TarutinoTarutino may refer to:*Tarutino, Russia, a village in Central Russia*The Battle of Tarutino in the 1812 French invasion of Russia that occurred near the village*The town of Tarutyne, Ukraine, called Tarutino in Russian...
, 1,546, Tatar-Bunar, 1,194, Bairamcea, 805, VolintiriVolintiri is a commune in Ştefan Vodă district, Moldova. It is composed of a single village, Volintiri....
420, Arciz, 342, SărataSarata is a town in the Odessa Oblast of south-western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Saratsky Raion , and is part of the Bessarabian historic district of Budjak....
, 316, other localities 2,528. Total: 11,390
According to the 2004 Census, there are 4,000 Jews in the Bessarabian part of Moldova (excluding
TransnistriaTransnistria, also known as Trans-Dniester or Transdniestria is a disputed region in Eastern Europe, located mostly in a strip between the Dniester River and Ukraine...
), including:
- 2,649 in Chişinău
Chişinău , is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc. The city is the most economically prosperous locality in Moldova, and its largest transportation hub...
,
- 411 in Bălţi
Balti can refer to:* Balti language, a language spoken in Baltistan in Pakistan and Ladakh in Kashmir* Balti people, Muslims of Ladakhi/Tibetan origin from Baltistan in Pakistan and Ladakh in Kashmir...
,
- 385 in Tighina (Bender),
- 548 in other localities under Chişinău control, and
- 7 in suburbs of Tighina (Bender) under Tiraspol control.
There were also 867 Jews in
TransnistriaTransnistria, also known as Trans-Dniester or Transdniestria is a disputed region in Eastern Europe, located mostly in a strip between the Dniester River and Ukraine...
, including
- 573 in Tiraspol
Tiraspol is the second largest city in Moldova and is the capital and administrative centre of the de facto independent Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic . The city is located on the eastern bank of the Dniester River...
,
- 166 in Rîbniţa
Rîbniţa, also spelled Râbniţa is a city in Transnistria, Moldova. According to the 2004 Census in Transnistria, it has a population of 53,648. Rîbniţa is situated in the northern half of Transnistria, on the left bank of the Dniester, and separated from the river by a concrete dam...
, and
- 128 in other localities.
External links