Bessarabian Jews
Encyclopedia
Early history
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
are mentioned from very early in the Principality of Moldavia, but they did not represent a significant number. Their main activity in Moldavia was commerce
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
, but they could not compete with Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
and Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
, who had the knowledge of the Levant
Levant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
ine commerce and relationships. Several times, when Jewish merchants created monopolies in some localities in north of Moldavia, Moldavian rulers sent them back to Galicia and Podolia
Podolia
The 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 Şchiopul (1583 - 1591), who favored the English merchants led by William Harborne
William Harborne
William 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 English Embassy in Constantinople:...
.
In the 18th century, more Jews started to settle in Moldavia. Some of them were in charge of the Dniester
Dniester
The Dniester is a river in Eastern Europe. It runs through Ukraine and Moldova and separates most of Moldova's territory from the breakaway de facto state of Transnistria.-Names:...
crossings, replacing Moldavians and Greeks, until the Captain of Soroca
Soroca
Soroca is a Moldovan city situated on the Nistru 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
Distilled beverage
A distilled beverage, liquor, or spirit is an alcoholic beverage containing ethanol that is produced by distilling ethanol produced by means of fermenting grain, fruit, or vegetables...
(horilka), first brought in from Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, afterwards building local velniţas (pre-industrial distillatories) on boyar
Boyar
A boyar, or bolyar , was a member of the highest rank of the feudal Moscovian, Kievan Rus'ian, Bulgarian, Wallachian, and Moldavian aristocracies, second only to the ruling princes , from the 10th century through the 17th century....
manors. The number of Jews increased significantly during the Russo-Turkish War (1806–1812), when the 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 Governorate
Bessarabia was an oblast and later a guberniya in the Russian Empire. It was the eastern part of the 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 was further divided into 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 were allowed to keep and control the sale 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
Bessarabia is a historical term for the geographic region 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 Empire
Russian Empire
The 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. Tzar Nicolas I issued an ukaz (decree) that 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 Tzarist authorities to create 17 Jewish agricultural colonies:
In Soroca CountySoroca CountySoroca was a county of Moldova. The seat was Soroca....
- Dumbrăveni (now part of VădeniVădeni, SorocaVădeni is a commune in Soroca district, Moldova. It is composed of two villages, Vădeni and Dumbrăveni....
commune) - BrăciovaBricevaBriceva is a village in the commune Tîrnova, Donduşeni District, Moldova.-History:The village was established as a Jewish agricultural colony in 1836, and maintained Jewish majority until World War II.-Notable people:* Kalman. Aharon...
(Bricevo, now Briceva, part of TârnovaTîrnova, DonduşeniTîrnova, also spelled Târnova is a commune in Donduşeni district, Moldova. It is composed of three villages: Tîrnova, Briceva, and Elenovca ....
commune in Donduşeni district) - MărculeştiMarculestiMărculeşti is a city in Floreşti district, in the northern Moldova, with a population of 2,081 at the 2004 census.-External links:*...
(Starăuca/Starovka, for some period) - VârtojaniVertiujeniVertiujeni is a commune in Floreşti district, Moldova. It is composed of a single village, Vertiujeni.-External links:*...
(Vertiujeni, Şteap for some period) - Liublin (later Nemirovka, now Nimereuca)
- Căpreşti
- ZguriţaZguritaZguriţa , pronunciation Zguritsa, is a commune in Drochia district, in the north of Moldova. It is composed of a single village, Zguriţa...
- Meremăuca (Maramonovka/Moara Noua)
- ConstantinovcaConstantinovcaConstantinovca is a commune in Edineţ district, Moldova. It is composed of two villages, Constantinovca and Iachimeni....
In Orhei CountyOrhei CountyOrhei was a county of Moldova from 1998 to 2003. Its population in 2003 was 300,400. Its capital was Orhei.-External links:* , Statoids.com...
- ŞibcaŞipca, ŞoldăneştiŞipca is a commune in Şoldăneşti district, Moldova. It is composed of a single village, Şipca....
(now Şipca) - Nicolaevca-Blagodaţi (now Neculăieuca)
- Teleneştii NoiTelenestiTeleneşti is a city in Moldova, located 91 kilometres to the north of the capital city, Chişinău. Teleneşti is the administrative center of the eponymous district. Three villages are administered by the city: Mihălaşa, Mihălaşa Nouă and Izvoraş...
(now within Teleneşti)
In Chişinău CountyChişinău CountyChişinău was a county of Moldova from 1998 to 2003. Its population in 2003 was 382,400. Its capital was Chişinău.-External links:* , Statoids.com...
- GrătieştiGrătieştiGrătieşti is a commune in Sectorul Rîşcani of Chişinău municipality, Moldova. It is composed of two villages, Grătieşti and Hulboaca....
and Hulboaca - under joint administration (both now part of Grăteşti commune within Rîşcani sector of ChişinăuChisinauChișinău 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...
)
In Bălţi CountyBălţi CountyBălți was a county of Moldova from 1998 to 2003. Its population in 2003 was 500,900. Its capital was Bălți.-External links:* , Statoids.com...
- AlexăndreniAlexăndreniAlexăndreni is a commune in Sîngerei district, Moldova. It is composed of five villages: Alexăndreni, Grigoreşti, Heciul Vechi, Ţipleşti and Ţipleteşti...
(now part of Alexăndreni commune in Sîngerei district) - Valea lui Vlad (now part of DumbrăviţaDumbrăviţa, SîngereiDumbrăviţa is a commune in Sîngerei district, Moldova. It is composed of three villages: Dumbrăviţa, Bocancea-Schit and Valea lui Vlad. Valea lui Vlad is a former Jewish agricultural colony....
commune in Sîngerei district)
In Tighina CountyTighina CountyTighina County was, until February 2003, a major subdivision of Moldova with its capital at Căuşeni. It bordered Ukraine, Transnistria, Lăpuşna County and Chişinău County....
- Romanăuţi (Romanovca) (now within city limits of BasarabeascaBasarabeascaBasarabeasca is a city in Moldova. It is the capital of Basarabeasca District.-Geography:The city, formerly an urban-type settlement, is located on the border with Ukraine. It is 94 km to the south of Chişinău, 25 km from Cimislia, and 25 km from Comrat...
)
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 Tzar, 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 populationJewish populationJewish population refers to the number of Jews in the world. Precise figures are difficult to calculate because the definition of "Who is a Jew" is a source of controversy.-Total population:...
had grown to 225,637 of a total of 1,936,392, or 11.65% - 1903: ChişinăuChisinauChișinău 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...
(then known as Kishinev), in RussianRussian 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...
Bessarabia had a Jewish population of 50,000, or 46%, out of a total of approximately 110,000. Jewish life flourished with 16 Jewish schoolsHebrew schoolHebrew school can be either the Jewish equivalent of Sunday school - an educational regimen separate from secular education, focusing on topics of Jewish history and learning the Hebrew language, or a primary, secondary or college level educational institution where some or all of the classes are...
and over 2,000 pupils in Chişinău alone.
Kishinev pogrom
February 16, 1903: Kishinev pogromKishinev pogrom
The 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 Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Russian boy, Mikhail Ribalenko, was found murdered in the town of Dubossary (sometimes spelled Dubossary, or Dubăsari
Dubasari
Dubăsari is a city in Transnistria, with a population of 23,650. The city is 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 town name is the plural...
in Romanian
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
), about 25 miles north-east of Kishinev; the town is situated on the left bank of the river Dniester
Dniester
The Dniester is a river in Eastern Europe. It runs through Ukraine and Moldova and separates most of Moldova's territory from the breakaway de facto state of Transnistria.-Names:...
, 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 Krushevan
Pavel Krushevan
Pavel 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 The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.Born...
, the editor of the Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
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 blood
Blood libel
Blood libel is a false accusation or claim that religious minorities, usually Jews, murder children to use their blood in certain aspects of their religious rituals and holidays...
in preparation of matzo
Matzo
Matzo or matzah is an unleavened bread traditionally eaten by Jews during the week-long Passover holiday, when eating chametz—bread and other food which is made with leavened grain—is forbidden according to Jewish law. Currently, the most ubiquitous type of Matzo is the traditional Ashkenazic...
).
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 pogrom
Pogrom
A pogrom is a form of violent riot, a mob attack directed against a minority group, and characterized by killings and destruction of their homes and properties, businesses, and religious centres...
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 Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
.
Many of the younger Jews, including Mendel Portugali
Mendel Portugali
Mendel 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 Călărași, Bessarabia, then part of the Russian Empire, actual Republic of Moldova....
, made an effort to defend the community.
Moldavian Democratic Republic
In the Sfatul ŢăriiSfatul Tarii
Sfatul Țării 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 ChişinăuChisinauChișinău 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...
- 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 Romania
Union of Bessarabia with Romania
On , the Sfatul Ţării, or National Council, of 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 Russian annexation of the eastern half of the territory of the Principality...
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 EinsatzkommandoEinsatzkommandoDuring World War II, the Nazi German Einsatzkommandos were a sub-group of five Einsatzgruppen mobile killing squads—up to 3,000 men each—usually composed of 500-1,000 functionaries of the SS and Gestapo, whose mission was to kill Jews, Romani, communists and the NKVD collaborators in the captured...
s, GermanGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
mobile killing units drawn from the NaziNazismNazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
SS and commanded by Otto OhlendorfOtto OhlendorfOtto Ohlendorf was a German SS-Gruppenführer and head of the Inland-SD , a section of the SD. Ohlendorf was the commanding officer of Einsatzgruppe D, which conducted mass murder in Moldova, south Ukraine, the Crimea, and, during 1942, the north Caucasus...
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 AntonescuMihai AntonescuMihai 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 BukovinaBukovinaBukovina is a historical region on the northern slopes of the northeastern Carpathian Mountains and the adjoining plains.-Name:The name Bukovina came into official use in 1775 with the region's annexation from the Principality of Moldavia to the possessions of the Habsburg Monarchy, which became...
, which must be thrown over the border. Also, I am in favor of the forced migration of the UkrainianUkrainiansUkrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
element, which does not belong here at this time. I don't care if we appear in history as barbarianBarbarianBarbarian and savage are terms used to refer to a person who is perceived to be uncivilized. The word is often used 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 EmpireRoman EmpireThe Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
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 D
Einsatzgruppen
Einsatzgruppen were SS paramilitary death squads that were responsible for mass killings, typically by shooting, of Jews in particular, but also significant numbers of other population groups and political categories...
, together with special non-military units attached to the German Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
and Romanian Armies
Romania during World War II
Following the outbreak of World War II on 1 September 1939, the Kingdom of Romania officially adopted a position of neutrality. However, the rapidly changing situation in Europe during 1940, as well as domestic political upheaval, undermined this stance. Fascist political forces such as the Iron...
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 Transnistria
Transnistria (World War II)
Transnistria Governorate was a Romanian administered territory, conquered by the Axis Powers from the Soviet Union during Operation Barbarossa, and occupied from 19 August 1941 to 29 January 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
Transnistria (World War II)
Transnistria Governorate was a Romanian administered territory, conquered by the Axis Powers from the Soviet Union during Operation Barbarossa, and occupied from 19 August 1941 to 29 January 1944...
, a region which was under Romanian military control during 1941-1944.
In ghettos
Ghettos in occupied Europe 1939-1944
During World War II, ghettos in Nazi-occupied Europe were set up by the Third Reich in order to confine Jews and sometimes Gypsies into tightly packed areas of the cities...
organized in several towns, as well as in camps
Nazi concentration camps
Nazi Germany maintained concentration camps throughout the territories it controlled. The first Nazi concentration camps set up in Germany were greatly expanded after the Reichstag fire of 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 1943http://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 Sculeni
Sculeni
Sculeni is a commune in Ungheni district, Moldova. It is composed of four villages: Sculeni, Blindeşti, Floreni and Gherman.It is also a border checkpoint to Romania.-Notable people from Sculeni:* Andrei Eşanu, historian* Eliezer Zusia Portugal, rabbi...
, several dozen 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 Mărculeşti
Marculesti
Mărculeşti is a city in Floreşti district, in the northern Moldova, with a population of 2,081 at the 2004 census.-External links:*...
, 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
Transnistria (World War II)
Transnistria Governorate was a Romanian administered territory, conquered by the Axis Powers from the Soviet Union during Operation Barbarossa, and occupied from 19 August 1941 to 29 January 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 Bukovina
Bukovina
Bukovina is a historical region on the northern slopes of the northeastern Carpathian Mountains and the adjoining plains.-Name:The name Bukovina came into official use in 1775 with the region's annexation from the Principality of Moldavia to the possessions of the Habsburg Monarchy, which became...
were saved by the then mayor of the city Traian Popovici
Traian Popovici
Traian 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
Transnistria (World War II)
Transnistria Governorate was a Romanian administered territory, conquered by the Axis Powers from the Soviet Union during Operation Barbarossa, and occupied from 19 August 1941 to 29 January 1944...
. At the end of the war, the remaining Jewish community of Bukovina decided to move to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
As a result of the departure of the Romanian
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
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-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
and Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
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 Podolia
Podolia
The 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 Galicia 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 IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. There were two Jewish periodical publications, both published in Kishinev (Chişinău). The one most widely circulated was наш голос Nash golos —אונדזער קול Undzer kol ("Our Voice"), in YiddishYiddish languageYiddish is a High German language of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, spoken throughout the world. It developed as a fusion of German dialects with Hebrew, Aramaic, Slavic languages and traces of Romance languages...
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 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 | Ukrainian Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia... part |
| N/A2 | N/A2 | N/A2 | N/A2 | 1072 | Moldova Moldova Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part... n part |
|||||||
| Soroca County 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 County Bălți was a county of Moldova from 1998 to 2003. Its population in 2003 was 500,900. Its capital was Bălți.-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 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 Lapusna 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 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 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.- History :... |
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 County Cetatea Alba County Cetatea-Albă was a county of Romania, in Bessarabia, with the capital city at Cetatea-Albă.-Neighbours:The county neighboured Odessa Oblast of USSR to the east, the Black Sea to the south-east, the counties of Tighina to the north, Ismail to the south and Cahul to the west.-Administration:The... |
N/A | N/A | ~11,000 | 11,390 | N/A | N/A | Ukrainian Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia... part |
|||||
| N/A10 | N/A10 | N/A10 | N/A10 | 110 | Moldova Moldova Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part... n part |
|||||||
| Total | 19,130 | 78,751 | 225,637 | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | |
Notes:
1 4 districts of Chernivtsi Oblast
Chernivtsi Oblast
Chernivtsi 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 Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
2 Briceni and Edineţ districts of Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
3 Ocniţa, Donduşeni, Drochia, Soroca, and Floreşti districts of Moldova
4 Rîşcani, Glodeni, Făleşti, Sîngerei, and Ungheni districts, and municipality of Bălţi
Balti
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...
in Moldova
5 Rezina, Şoldăneşti, Teleneţti, Orhei, Dubăsari
Dubasari district
Dubăsari district is a district in the east of Moldova, with the administrative center at Cocieri. As of January 1, 2011, its population was 35,200.This does not include the 715 people that live in the village of Roghi, which is controlled by the breakaway Tiraspol authorities.-History:The...
,and Criuleni districts of Moldova
6 Călăraşi, Nisporeni, Străşeni, Ialoveni, Hînceşti districts, and municipality of Chişinău
Chisinau
Chișinău 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...
in Moldova
7 Anenii Noi, Căuşeni, Cimişlia and Basarabeasca districts, and municipality of Tighina (Bender)
Bender, Moldova
Bender or Bendery, also known as Tighina is a city within the internationally recognized borders of Moldova under de facto control of the unrecognized Transnistria Republic since 1992...
in Moldova
8 Leova, Cantemir, Cahul and Taraclia districts, and Gagauzia
Gagauzia
Gagauzia , formally known as the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Găgăuzia , is an autonomous region of...
in Moldova
9 9 districts and 2 cities of Odessa Oblast
Odessa Oblast
Odesa Oblast, also written as Odessa Oblast , is the southernmost and largest oblast of south-western Ukraine. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Odessa.-History:...
of Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
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 CountyHotin CountyHotin 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-TârgBriceniBriceni 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-TârgEdinetEdineț is a town in the north of Moldova. It is the administrative center of the eponymous district. The town is located 201 km north of the national capital, Chișinău. It is located at . The town administers also two suburban villages, Alexăndreni and Gordineştii Noi...
, 5,341, Lipcani-TârgLipcaniLipcani is a town in Briceni District, Moldova. It is also a border crossing between Moldova and Romania.- Overview :Lipcani is 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...
4,693, Secureni-Târg, 4,200, Suliţa-Târg 4,152, ClişcăuţiClişcăuţiClişcăuţi 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-SatEdinetEdineț is a town in the north of Moldova. It is the administrative center of the eponymous district. The town is located 201 km north of the national capital, Chișinău. It is located at . The town administers also two suburban villages, Alexăndreni and Gordineştii Noi...
, 398, other localities 5,614. Total: 35,985 - Soroca CountySoroca CountySoroca was a county of Moldova. The seat was Soroca....
: SorocaSorocaSoroca is a Moldovan city situated on the Nistru 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, ZguriţaZguritaZguriţa , pronunciation Zguritsa, is a commune in Drochia district, in the north of Moldova. It is composed of a single village, Zguriţa...
, 2,541, BricevaBricevaBriceva is a village in the commune Tîrnova, Donduşeni District, Moldova.-History:The village was established as a Jewish agricultural colony in 1836, and maintained Jewish majority until World War II.-Notable people:* Kalman. Aharon...
, 2,431, Otaci-TârgOtaciOtaci is a town on the South-Western bank of the Dniester River, which at that point forms the northeastern border of Moldova....
2,781, Mărculeşti-ColonieMarculestiMărculeşti is a city in Floreşti district, in the northern Moldova, with a population of 2,081 at the 2004 census.-External links:*...
, 2,319, Vadu-Raşcu, 1,958, Vârtejeni-ColonieVertiujeniVertiujeni is a commune in Floreşti district, Moldova. It is composed of a single village, Vertiujeni.-External links:*...
, 1,834, Căpreşti-Colonie, 1,815, Dumbrăveni, 1,198, Floreştii-NoiFlorestiFlorești can refer to:*Moldova:**Florești, a city in Moldova**Florești district, in Moldova** Florești, a village in Cobusca Veche Commune, Anenii Noi district** Florești, a village in Buciumeni Commune, Ungheni district* Romania:...
372, Cotiujenii MariCotiujenii MariCotiujenii Mari is a commune in Şoldăneşti district, Moldova. It is composed of three villages: Cotiujenii Mari, Cobîlea station and Cuşelăuca.-Notable people:* Simeon G...
367, Dondoşani-GarăDonduseniDonduşeni 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.-Demographics:...
, 277, Liublin-Colonie 274, TârnovaTîrnova, EdineţTîrnova is a commune in Edineţ district, Moldova. It is composed of a single village, Tîrnova....
, 236, Ocniţa-GarăOcniţaOcniţa is a city and the administrative center of Ocniţa District, Moldova....
, 200, other localities 5,171. Total: 29,191 - Bălţi CountyBălţi CountyBălți was a county of Moldova from 1998 to 2003. Its population in 2003 was 500,900. Its capital was Bălți.-External links:* , Statoids.com...
: BălţiBaltiBalti 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, FăleştiFăleştiFăleşti is a city and the administrative center of Făleşti District, Moldova. The geographical coordinates are 47° 34' 25" North, 27° 42' 33" EastThe population of Făleşti, Moldova is 17,800 according January 2011 est.-External links:...
, 3,263, Răşcani-Târg 2,055, Ungheni-TârgUngheni----Ungheni 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.- History :The first historical...
, 1,368, Valea-lui-Vlad, 1,281, Sculeni-TârgSculeniSculeni is a commune in Ungheni district, Moldova. It is composed of four villages: Sculeni, Blindeşti, Floreni and Gherman.It is also a border checkpoint to Romania.-Notable people from Sculeni:* Andrei Eşanu, historian* Eliezer Zusia Portugal, rabbi...
, 1,204, Pârliţa-TârgPârlitaPârlita may refer to several entities in Romania:*Pârlita River *Pârlita River *Pârlita, the former name of Victoria village, Nufăru Commune, Tulcea County...
, 1,064, Alexandreni-TârgAlexăndreniAlexăndreni is a commune in Sîngerei district, Moldova. It is composed of five villages: Alexăndreni, Grigoreşti, Heciul Vechi, Ţipleşti and Ţipleteşti...
, 1,018, Corneşti-TârgCornestiCorneşti 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* Corneşti, a village in Gârbău Commune, Cluj County...
338, GlodeniGlodeniGlodeni 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.-Twin Towns - Sister Cities:Glodeni is twinned with: Botoşani, Romania Sharhorod, Ukraine...
, 212, other localities 5,663. Total: 31,695 - Orhei CountyOrhei CountyOrhei 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 CountyLapusna CountyLăpuşna was an administrative region of Moldova until February 2003. Major cities of the region included Troita, Batar, Cara-Biber, and Hînceşti....
: - Tighina CountyTighina CountyTighina 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 CountyCahul CountyCahul 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.- History :...
: LeovaLeovaLeova 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.- Notable people:...
, 2,324, CahulCahul-Demographics:According to the last Moldovan census from 2004 there were 35,488 people living within the city of Cahul and 1,317 people within Cotihana....
, 803, BaimacliaBaimaclia, CantemirBaimaclia is a commune in Cantemir district, Moldova. It is composed of three villages: Baimaclia, Acui and Suhat....
, 509, other localities 798. Total: 4,434 - Ismail County: Chilia-Nouă, 1,952, IsmailIzmailIzmail is a historic town near the Danube river in the Odessa Oblast of south-western Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Izmail Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast....
, 1,623, Bolgrad, 1,215, ReniReni, UkraineReni is a small town in the Odessa Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Reniysky Raion , and is located in the Bessarabian historic district of Budjak. The settlement was founded around 1548, acquiring city status in 1821.The current estimated population is around...
, 1,170, other localities 346. Total: 6,306 - Cetatea Albă CountyCetatea Alba CountyCetatea-Albă was a county of Romania, in Bessarabia, with the capital city at Cetatea-Albă.-Neighbours:The county neighboured Odessa Oblast of USSR to the east, the Black Sea to the south-east, the counties of Tighina to the north, Ismail to the south and Cahul to the west.-Administration:The...
: Cetatea Albă 4,239, TarutinoTarutyneTarutyne is a town in southwestern Ukraine. It is the seat of the Tarutynskyi Raion of Odessa Oblast and is in the historical region of Budjak in southern Bessarabia....
, 1,546, Tatar-Bunar, 1,194, Bairamcea, 805, VolintiriVolintiriVolintiri is a commune in Ştefan Vodă district, Moldova. It is composed of a single village, Volintiri....
420, Arciz, 342, SărataSarataSarata is a town in the Odessa Oblast of south-western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Sarata 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 Transnistria
Transnistria
Transnistria is a breakaway territory located mostly on a strip of land between the Dniester River and the eastern Moldovan border to Ukraine...
), including:
- 2,649 in ChişinăuChisinauChișinău 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...
, - 411 in BălţiBaltiBalti 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)Bender, MoldovaBender or Bendery, also known as Tighina is a city within the internationally recognized borders of Moldova under de facto control of the unrecognized Transnistria Republic since 1992...
, - 548 in other localities under Chişinău control, and
- 7 in suburbs of Tighina (Bender) under Tiraspol control.
There were also 867 Jews in Transnistria
Transnistria
Transnistria is a breakaway territory located mostly on a strip of land between the Dniester River and the eastern Moldovan border to Ukraine...
, including
- 573 in TiraspolTiraspolTiraspol is the second largest city in Moldova and is the capital and administrative centre of the unrecognized Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic . The city is located on the eastern bank of the Dniester River...
, - 166 in RîbniţaRîbnitaRîbnița, also spelled Râbnița is a city in Moldova. The city is under the administration of the breakaway government of the Transnistria. 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...
, and - 128 in other localities.
See also
- History of the Jews in MoldovaHistory of the Jews in MoldovaThe History of the Jews in Moldova reaches back centuries in history. Bessarabian Jews have been living in the area for quite some time.-Early history:* 1889: There were 180,918 Jews of a total population of 1,628,867 in Bessarabia....
- Jewish agricultural colonies in the Russian EmpireJewish agricultural colonies in the Russian EmpireJewish agricultural colonies in the Russian Empire were first established in Kherson Governorate in 1806. The Ukase of December 9, 1804 allowed Jews for the first time in Russia to purchase land for farming settlements . Jews were provided exemption from military service, tax abatements, and...