Bessarabia

• 1. Rivers And Steppes

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  The Dniester river flows along the eastern edge of Bessarabia, while the Prut river marks its western boundary. This historical region covers an area mostly composed of hilly plains and flat steppes. The land is very fertile, supporting agriculture that includes sugar beet, sunflower, wheat, maize, tobacco, wine grapes, and fruit. Lignite deposits and stone quarries exist within the soil. Sheep and cattle are raised across the countryside. Main cities include Chișinău, which served as the capital of the Russian Bessarabia Governorate before becoming the capital of modern Moldova. Bălți sits on the Răut river and is often called the Northern capital of Moldova. Bender, also known as Tighina, lies on the Dniester and is currently controlled by the unrecognized separatist region of Transnistria. Izmail occupies the southwest corner of Ukraine on the Danube. Bilhorod-Dnistrovs'kyi, historically Cetatea Albă or Akkerman, stands in southwestern Ukraine near Odesa.

• 2. Names And Origins

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  Traditional explanations suggest the name Bessarabia derives from the Wallachian Basarab dynasty, who allegedly ruled the southern part of the area in the 14th century. The name Basarab likely comes from Cuman or Pecheneg Turkic origins meaning father ruler. Some scholars question this theory, arguing the name was initially an exonym applied by Western cartographers. It appeared in local sources only in the late 17th century. Early Moldavian chronicler Miron Costin explicitly rejected the idea that it referred to Moldavian regions near the Black Sea as a cartographic confusion. Linguist Dan Alexe proposes the name has Iranian origin instead. He suggests Neagu Djuvara's proposed Cuman origin is not realistic. Alexe argues the name stems from ba sar ab, composed of ba (at, on, to), sar (head or preposition on), and ab (water). This would mean by the water or headwater, like where the Danube flows into the Black Sea. Many rivers in the Black Sea area have names stemming from Iranophone tribes containing the don particle for water or river, such as the Don, the Danube, the Dnieper, and the Dniester.

• 3. Imperial Conquest

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  The Treaty of Bucharest signed the 28th of May 1812 concluded the Russo-Turkish War of 1806-1812. The Ottoman Empire ceded land between the Pruth and the Dniester to the Russian Empire. That entire region became known as Bessarabia. In 1814, the first German settlers arrived and mainly settled in southern parts. Bessarabian Bulgarians began settling too, founding towns such as Bolhrad. Between 1812 and 1846, Bulgarian and Gagauz populations migrated via the River Danube after living under oppressive Ottoman rule. Turkic-speaking Nogai horde tribes inhabited Budjak Region from 16th to 18th centuries but were driven out prior to 1812. Administratively, Bessarabia became an oblast of the Russian Empire in 1818 and a guberniya in 1873. The Treaty of Adrianople concluded the Russo-Turkish War of 1828-1829, stating the entire Danube Delta would be ceded to the Bessarabian oblast. By 1834, Romanian was banned from schools and government facilities despite 80% of the population speaking it. Those who protested could be sent to Siberia.

• 4. Agrarian Struggles

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  At the beginning of World War I around 80% of the population worked in agriculture. The Sfatul țării envisioned distributing land freely to peasants, but Romanian pressure modified plans significantly. More radical than elsewhere, the reform provided lower payments and larger plots. Of 1.5 million dessiatin held by large landowners in 1917, over one third distributed to peasants while another third restored to previous owners. About 367.8 thousand peasant families remained landless as of 1931. Average household size dropped after division among heirs. Peasants paid for land received over following 20 years with little state support for equipment acquisition. Credit accessible only to more prosperous individuals proved insignificant overall. Region lacked qualified specialists and lagged behind in infrastructure due to few resources. Frequent droughts occurred in 1921, 1924, 1925, 1927-28, and 1935. Winemaking suffered greatly; most favored nation status awarded France inexpensive wine access while Soviet market blocked. Exports hindered by trade war started 1926. Great Depression caused prices to drop catastrophically not recovering until decade end. By 1940, 70% of peasants were in debt to large landowners and moneylenders.

• 5. Soviet Ultimatum

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  The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact signed the 23rd of August 1939 recognized Bessarabia as belonging to Soviet sphere of interest under secret Annex Article 4. On the 26th of June 1940 USSR issued 24-hour ultimatum demanding immediate cession of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina under threat of war. Romania given four days to evacuate troops and officials. Two provinces had area inhabited by about 3.75 million people half Romanians according to official Romanian sources. Romania yielded two days later beginning evacuation. From June 28 to July 3 groups of local Communists and Soviet sympathizers attacked retreating forces and civilians choosing leave. Many minorities including Jews ethnic Ukrainians joined attacks. Romanian Army casualties reported consisted of 356 officers and 42,876 soldiers dead or missing during seven days. Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic established August 2 on most territory merged with western parts former Moldavian ASSR. After Soviet takeover many Bessarabians accused supporting deposed Romanian administration executed or deported to Siberia and Kazakhstan. Total deportees from Soviet Moldova to Siberia in June 1941 was 31,699 while 8,374 mostly Romanians deported from Chernivtsi oblast Ukraine.

• 6. Post-Soviet Conflict

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  With weakening Soviet Union first non-sanctioned demonstrations held February 1988 in Chișinău. At first pro-Perestroika they soon turned anti-government demanding official status for Romanian language instead Russian. On the 31st of August 1989 following 600,000-strong demonstration four days earlier Romanian became official language Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic. However implementation delayed many years. First free elections held 1990 Parliament won by opposition Popular Front. Government led Mircea Druc one Popular Front leaders formed. Moldavian SSR became SSR Moldova later Republic Moldova. Republic independent the 27th of August 1991 taking unchanged boundaries Moldavian SSR. Short war early 1990s resulted Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic proclaimed Transnistria extending authority municipality Bender right bank Dniester river. Part Gagauz-inhabited areas southern Bessarabia organized 1994 autonomous region within Moldova. Population statistics show conflicting figures regarding national distribution across centuries. Russian census 1897 recorded total 1,935,412 inhabitants with 920,919 Romanians 47.6% and 379,698 Ukrainians 19.6%. Some scholars believed census enumerator instructions counted everyone understanding state language as that nationality regardless everyday speech.