Bessarabia (Basarabia in Romanian, Бесарабія in Ukrainian, Бессарабия in Russian, Бесарабия in Bulgarian, Besarabya in Turkish) 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. Romanian or Daco-Romanian ( dated: Rumanian or Roumanian; self designation limba română, ˈlimba roˈmɨnə is a Romance Ukrainian (in Ukrainian украї́нська мо́ва ukrayins'ka mova,) is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Bulgarian (български език IPA: ɛzˈik is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Eastern Europe is a general term that refers to the Geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the European continent. The Dniester (Дністер translit Dnister; Nistru is a river in Eastern Europe. Prut, or Pruth, (Прут is a 953 km long river in Eastern Europe. This was the name by which Imperial Russia designated the eastern part of the principality of Moldavia, ceded by the Ottoman Empire (to which Moldavia was a vassal) to Russia in the aftermath of the Russo-Turkish War, 1806-1812. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya Moldavia (Moldova is a geographic and historical region and former Principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between Eastern Carpathians The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish The Russo-Turkish War 1806 – 1812 was one of many wars fought between Imperial Russia and the Ottoman Empire. The western part of Moldavia united with Wallachia in 1859 in what would become the Kingdom of Romania. This article is about the region in what is now Southern Romania See also Kings of Romania The Kingdom of Roumania (or ' Romania ' in post-1969 and also current spelling was the old Romanian state based on a form of In 1918, slightly before the end of World War I, Bessarabia declared its independence from Russia and after three months united with the Kingdom of Romania. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Bessarabia was occupied by the USSR in 1940 (considered a consequence of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact), but changed hands several times during World War II. On June 26 1940, Romania received an Ultimatum from the Soviet Union, demanding the evacuation of the Romanian military and administration from The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Soviet annexation was internationally recognized in 1947. Its core part was reorganised as the Moldavian SSR, to which parts of the previous Moldavian ASSR were added. The Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic ( Moldovan: Република Советикэ Сочиалистэ Молдовеняскэ or Republica Sovietică Socialistă Moldavian ASSR or Moldovan ASSR (Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic Romanian Republica Autonomă Socialistă Sovietică Moldovenească) was an autonomous At the same time, some smaller parts of Bessarabia, in the south (Budjak) and north, were transferred to the Ukrainian SSR. Budjak or Budzhak is a historical region in the Odessa Oblast (province of Ukraine. The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic or the Ukrainian SSR was one of the 15 constituent republics that made up the Former Soviet Union from its In 1991, the Moldavian SSR was renamed the Republic of Moldova, and on 27 August the latter declared independence from the USSR. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova ( Republica Moldova) is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania Events 479 BC - Greco-Persian Wars: Persian forces led by Mardonius are routed by Pausanias, the Spartan

Contents 1 Geography 2 History 2.1 Ancient times 2.2 The Age of migrations 2.3 Principality of Moldavia 2.4 Annexation by the Russian Empire 2.5 Unification with Romania 2.6 Part of Romania 2.7 World War II 2.8 Part of the Soviet Union 2.9 Rise of independent Moldova 3 Population 4 Economy 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

Geography

The region is bounded by the Dniester river to the north and east, the Prut to the west and the lower Danube river and the Black Sea to the south. Prut, or Pruth, (Прут is a 953 km long river in Eastern Europe. The Danube (In Donau from earlier Danuvius, Celtic *dānu, meaning "to flow run" Slovak and Polish Dunaj The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey It has approximately 17,600 sq mi (45,600 km²). The area is mostly hilly plains with flat steppes. In physical Geography, a steppe ( German, from степь - "a flat and arid land" степ - /stɛp/ тал - tal дала - /dɑlɑ/ pronounced It is very fertile for agriculture, and it also has some lignite deposits and stone quarries. Lignite, often referred to as brown coal, or Rosebud coal by Northern Pacific Railroad, is a soft brown fuel with characteristics that put it somewhere People living in the area grow sugar beets, sunflowers, wheat, maize, tobacco, wine grapes and fruit. Sugar beet ( Beta vulgaris L a member of the Chenopodiaceae family is a plant whose root contains a high concentration of Sucrose. The sunflower ( Helianthus annuus) is an Annual plant in the family Asteraceae and native to the Americas, with a large flowering Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica Tobacco is an Agricultural product recognized as an addictive drug processed from the fresh Leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. This is a list of varieties of cultivated Grapes whether used for Wine, or eating as a Table grape, fresh or dried ( Raisin, currant, sultana The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. They also raise sheep and cattle. Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family Currently, the main industry in the region is agricultural processing.

The region's main cities are Chişinău, the capital of Moldova, Izmail, Bilhorod-Dnistrovs'kyi (historically called Cetatea Albă and Akkerman). Chişinău (kiʃi'nəw (also known as Kishinev, Кишинёв Kishinyov) is the capital and largest city of Moldova. For the class of Russian warships see Izmail class battlecruiser. "Akkerman" redirects here For other uses see Akkerman (disambiguation. Other towns of administrative or historical importance include: Khotyn, Lipcani, Briceni, Soroca, Bălţi, Orhei, Ungheni, Bender/Tighina, Cahul, Reni, and Kilia. Khotyn (Хотин see other names) is a City in Chernivtsi Oblast ( province) of western Ukraine, and is the administrative Lipcani ( Липканы, Lipkon) is a small town in Moldova, located on the banks of the Prut river, which forms the border with Romania Briceni ( Yiddish Brichon, Russian Brichany) is a city in Moldova. Soroca is a Moldovan city situated on the Dniester River about 160 km north of Chisinau. Bălţi, (pronounced) also spelled Beltsy ( Бельцы, Бєльці, Bielce is a city in Moldova. Orhei ( Yiddish: Uriv - אוריװ Russian Orgeyev - Оргеев is a town and an administrative region of Moldova with a population Ungheni (population 35157 is the seventh largest town in Moldova and since 2003 the seat of Raionul Ungheni. Bendery or Bender, also known as Tighina, is a city in Moldova. Cahul ( Russian: Kagul/Кагул) (population 35481 is a city and an administrative region in the south of Moldova. Kiliya (Кілія translit Kiliya, Килия translit Kiliya, Chilia (-Nouă Kilia also referred to as Kiliya or Novo

History

See also: History of Moldova and History of Moldavia

The name Bessarabia (Basarabia in Romanian) derives from the Wallachian Basarab dynasty, who allegedly ruled over the southern part of the area in the 14th century. Most of today's Moldova was part of the Principality of Moldavia from its founding in the 14th century until 1812 when it was ceded to the Russian Empire following Moldavia (Moldova is a geographic and historical region and former Principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between Eastern Carpathians Romanian or Daco-Romanian ( dated: Rumanian or Roumanian; self designation limba română, ˈlimba roˈmɨnə is a Romance This article is about the region in what is now Southern Romania Basarab redicts here For other uses see Basarab (disambiguation. The name originally applied only to the southern part of the territory, which roughly, but not exactly corresponds to Budjak. Budjak or Budzhak is a historical region in the Odessa Oblast (province of Ukraine. The Ottomans were the first to call it "Besarabya", when they established military presence the area in 1484 and 1538.

Since late 14th century, what later became Bessarabia has been partly or wholly controlled by: the Principality of Moldavia, the Ottoman Empire (as suzerain of Moldavia, direct rule only in Budjak and Khotin), Russian Empire, Romania, the USSR, Ukraine, and Moldova. Moldavia (Moldova is a geographic and historical region and former Principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between Eastern Carpathians The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish Khotyn (Хотин see other names) is a City in Chernivtsi Oblast ( province) of western Ukraine, and is the administrative The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova ( Republica Moldova) is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania

Ancient times

Part of a series on the History of Moldova
Dacia
- Bastarnae
- Moesia Inferior
Tivertsi
Brodniks
Moldavia
- Eastern Moldavia
Bessarabia in the Russian Empire
Moldavian Democratic Republic
- Sfatul Ţării
- Union with Romania
Bessarabia in Greater Romania
Moldavian ASSR
- Moldovenism; Moldovan language
- Soviet occupation
Moldavian SSR
Moldova since 1989
- War of Transnistria
Moldavia • Bessarabia • Transnistria This box: view • talk • edit

Main article: History of Moldavia

The territory of Bessarabia has been inhabited by people for thousands of years. Most of today's Moldova was part of the Principality of Moldavia from its founding in the 14th century until 1812 when it was ceded to the Russian Empire following Dacia, in ancient geography was the land of the Dacians. It was named by the ancient Hellenes ( Greeks) " Getae " The Bastarnae were an important ancient people of uncertain but probably mixed Germanic-Celtic-Sarmatian ethnic origin who lived between the Danube and the Dnieper (Strabo Geography Moesia (Μοισία Moisía; Мизия Miziya; Moesia Мезија Mezija) was an ancient region and Roman province situated in the Tivertsi, aka Tivertsy, Tiverians ( Тиверцы in Russian, Тиверці in Ukrainian) is a tribe of Early East Slavs The Brodnici (or Brodniks) were a 13th-century people whose ethnicity is uncertain as various authors suggest they were Romanian, Slavic, mixed Moldavia (Moldova is a geographic and historical region and former Principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between Eastern Carpathians The Moldavian Democratic Republic (Republica Democratică Moldovenească was declared on December 16, 1917 by the National Council ( Sfatul Ţării Sfatul Ţării was in 1917-1918 the National Assembly of the Bessarabia Guberniya (province of Russian Empire, and then of the independent See also Kingdom of Romania, Bessarabia Background In 1812 according to the Treaty of Bucharest between the Ottoman and the Russian Empires Moldavian ASSR or Moldovan ASSR (Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic Romanian Republica Autonomă Socialistă Sovietică Moldovenească) was an autonomous Moldovenism is a term sometimes used to refer to the political view that asserts a Moldovans to be a distinct nation separate from Romanians. The history of the Moldovan language refers to the historical evolution of the Glottonym Moldavian / Moldovan. On June 26 1940, Romania received an Ultimatum from the Soviet Union, demanding the evacuation of the Romanian military and administration from The Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic ( Moldovan: Република Советикэ Сочиалистэ Молдовеняскэ or Republica Sovietică Socialistă The War of Transnistria involved armed clashes on a limited scale that broke out between Transnistrian Republican Guard militia and Cossack units supported by the Moldavia (Moldova is a geographic and historical region and former Principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between Eastern Carpathians Bessarabia ( Basarabia in Romanian, Бесарабія in Ukrainian, Бессарабия in Russian, Бесарабия in Bulgarian This is the History of Transnistria.See also the History of Europe and the History of present-day nations and states. Moldavia (Moldova is a geographic and historical region and former Principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between Eastern Carpathians The Indo-European culture spread in the region around 2000 BC. The 20th century BC is a Century which lasted from the year 2000 BC to 1901 BC The early inhabitants of the region included the Cimmerians, the Scythians and the Bastarnae, but also Thracian (Dacians, Getae) tribes of Costoboci, Carpi, Britogali, and Tyragetae. See Cimmeria (Conan or Cimmeria (Poem for the fiction of Robert E The Scythians or Scyths (Σκύθες Σκύθοι were an Iranian speaking people of horse-riding Nomadic pastoralists who dominated the Pontic The Bastarnae were an important ancient people of uncertain but probably mixed Germanic-Celtic-Sarmatian ethnic origin who lived between the Danube and the Dnieper (Strabo Geography "Thracians" also refers to modern inhabitants of Thrace, regardless of ethnicity Dacia, in ancient geography was the land of the Dacians. It was named by the ancient Hellenes ( Greeks) " Getae " The Getae ( Greek: Γέται singular Γέτης was the name given by the Greeks to several Thracian tribes that occupied the regions south of the The Costoboci were a Dacian tribe which lived in the areas known today as Maramureş and south-western Ukraine. The Tyrageti, Tyragetae, or Tyrangitae (, or, Strabo vii Ptol In the 7th century BC, Greek settlers established colonies in the region, mostly along the Black Sea coast and traded with the locals. The 7th century BC started the first day of 700 BC and ended the last day of 601 BC. The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey Also, Celts settled in the southern parts of Bessarabia, their main city being Aliobrix.

The first polity that included the whole of Bessarabia was the Dacian polity of Burebista in the 1st century BC. Burebista, is widely considered to be the greatest king of Dacia. The 1st century BC started the first day of 100 BC and ended the last day of 1 BC. After his death, the polity was divided into smaller pieces and was only unified in the Dacian kingdom of Decebalus in the 1st century AD. Decebalus or "The Brave One" was a king of Dacia (originally named Diurpaneus &mdashruled the Dacians 87 – 106 and is famous for fighting three The 1st century was the Century that lasted from 1 to 100 according the Julian calendar. This kingdom was defeated by the Roman Empire in 106 and southern Bessarabia was included in the empire. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The Romans built defensive earthen walls in Southern Bessarabia (Lower Trajan Wall) to defend the Scythia Minor province against invasions. Scythia Minor, "Lesser Scythia" (Μικρά Σκυθία Mikrá Skythia) was in ancient times the region surrounded by the Danube at the north and

The Roman Empire romanized parts of Dacia (via colonization and cultural influence) and some of the local tribes adopted the Latin language and customs. In Linguistics, romanization (or latinization, also spelled romanisation or latinisation) is the representation of a Word or Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. According to the theory of the Daco-Roman continuity the Latin culture and the Romance language (Romanian) would later spread to encompass the cultural area of the ancient Dacians, including the region of Bessarabia. Romanian or Daco-Romanian ( dated: Rumanian or Roumanian; self designation limba română, ˈlimba roˈmɨnə is a Romance Some Hungarian historians deny this and the continuity of Latin-speaking people north of the Danube. For more, see Origin of Romanians. The Romanians (also sometimes referred to along with other Balkan Latin peoples as Vlachs) are a people speaking Romanian, a Romance language

In 270, the Roman authorities began to withdraw their forces from Dacia, due to the invading Goths and Carps. Events By Place Roman Empire Quintillus briefly holds power over the Roman Empire and is succeeded by Aurelian. The Goths ( Gothic: Gothic usvg|14px|u]]Gothic asvg|14px|a]]Gothic s The Carpi or Carpians were a Dacian tribe that were originally located on the Eastern slopes of the Carpathian Mountains, in what is now Bacău County The Goths, a Germanic tribe, poured into the Roman Empire through the southern part of Bessarabia (Budjak), which due to its geographic position and characteristics (mainly steppe), was swept by various nomadic tribes. The Goths ( Gothic: Gothic usvg|14px|u]]Gothic asvg|14px|a]]Gothic s Budjak or Budzhak is a historical region in the Odessa Oblast (province of Ukraine. In physical Geography, a steppe ( German, from степь - "a flat and arid land" степ - /stɛp/ тал - tal дала - /dɑlɑ/ pronounced From the 5th century it was overrun in turn by the Huns, the Avars, and the Bulgars. The Huns were an early confederation of Central Asian equestrian nomads or semi-nomads with a Turkic core of aristocracy The Caucasian Avars are a modern people of Caucasus, mainly of Dagestan. The Bulgars (also Bolgars or proto-Bulgarians) were a seminomadic people probably of Turkic descent originally from Central Asia, The influence of the Roman Empire (East Roman) did not die out until 567. Events By Place Europe Liuva I succeeds Athanagild as king of the Visigoths.

The Age of migrations

Main article: History of Moldavia

From the 3rd century until the 11th century, the region was invaded numerous times by the Goths, Huns, Avars, Bulgars, Slavs (South, i. Moldavia (Moldova is a geographic and historical region and former Principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between Eastern Carpathians The 3rd century is the period from 201 to 300 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. The Goths ( Gothic: Gothic usvg|14px|u]]Gothic asvg|14px|a]]Gothic s The Huns were an early confederation of Central Asian equestrian nomads or semi-nomads with a Turkic core of aristocracy The Caucasian Avars are a modern people of Caucasus, mainly of Dagestan. The Bulgars (also Bolgars or proto-Bulgarians) were a seminomadic people probably of Turkic descent originally from Central Asia, e. Bulgarian, and Eastern), Magyars, Pechenegs, Cumans and Mongols. Hungarians (or Magyars, magyarok are an Ethnic group primarily associated with Hungary. The Pechenegs or Patzinaks ( Turkish: Peçenekler, Hungarian: Besenyő, Greek: Patzinaki/Petsenegi or Πατζινάκοι/Πετσενέγοι/Πατζινακίται Cumans (Кумани Byzantine: Kuman or Cuman, Kunok Turkic: Kumanlar) were a nomadic Turkic people who inhabited a The territory of Bessarabia was encompassed in dozens of ephemeral kingdoms which were disbanded when another wave of migrants arrived. Those centuries were characterized by a terrible state of insecurity and mass movement of people. The period was later known as the "Dark Ages" of Europe. This article is about the phrase "Dark Age(s" as a characterization of the Early Middle Ages in Western Europe

In 561, the Avars captured Bessarabia and executed the local ruler Mesamer. Following Avars, Slavs started to arrive in the region and establish settlements. Then, in 582, Onogur Bulgars settled in south-eastern Bessarabia and northern Dobruja, from which they moved to Moesia under pressure from the Khazars and formed the nascent region of Bulgaria. Moesia (Μοισία Moisía; Мизия Miziya; Moesia Мезија Mezija) was an ancient region and Roman province situated in the "Kazar" redirects here for the Marvel Comics character see Ka-Zar; for the village in Azerbaijan see Xəzər. The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian With the rise of the Khazars' state in the east, the invasions began to diminish and it was possible to create larger states. According to some opinions, the Southern part of Bessarabia remained under the influence of the First Bulgarian Empire until to the end of 9th century. The First Bulgarian Empire (Първo Българско царство Părvo Bălgarsko Tsarstvo) was a Medieval Bulgarian state founded in AD 632 The 9th century is the period from 801 to 900 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era.

Between the 8th and 10th centuries, the southern part of Bessarabia was inhabitated by people from Balkan-Dunabian culture^[1] (the culture of the First Bulgarian Empire). The 8th century is the period from 701 to 800 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. Between the 9th and 13th centuries, Bessarabia is mentioned in Slav chronicles as part of Bolohoveni (north) and Brodnici (south) voivodeships, believed by some authors to be Vlach principalities of the early Middle Ages. The 9th century is the period from 801 to 900 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. The Brodnici (or Brodniks) were a 13th-century people whose ethnicity is uncertain as various authors suggest they were Romanian, Slavic, mixed Vlachs is a blanket term covering several modern Latin peoples descending from the Latinised population in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe

The Tatar invasions of 1241 and 1290 led to a retreat of a big part of the population to the Eastern Carpathians and to Transylvania. Apparently, only one group east of the Prut river did not retreat to mountain regions at the time of the Tatar invasions. In later middle-age chronicles it is mentioned as the Tigheci "republic", situated near the modern town of Cahul in the southwest of Bessarabia, preserving its autonomy even during the later Principality of Moldavia. Cahul ( Russian: Kagul/Кагул) (population 35481 is a city and an administrative region in the south of Moldova.

The last large scale invasions were those of the Mongols of 1241, 1290 and 1343. Sehr al-Jedid (near Orhei), an important settlement of the Golden Horde, dates from this period. Orhei ( Yiddish: Uriv - אוריװ Russian Orgeyev - Оргеев is a town and an administrative region of Moldova with a population This article refers to the medieval Turkic state For the Irish rock band see The Golden Horde (band.

Principality of Moldavia

Main article: History of Moldavia

After the 1360s the region was gradually included in the principality of Moldavia, which by 1392 established control over the fortresses of Cetatea Albă and Chilia, its eastern border becoming the river Dniester. Moldavia (Moldova is a geographic and historical region and former Principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between Eastern Carpathians A principality (or princedom) is a monarchical feudatory or Sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of Prince Moldavia (Moldova is a geographic and historical region and former Principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between Eastern Carpathians "Akkerman" redirects here For other uses see Akkerman (disambiguation. Kiliya (Кілія translit Kiliya, Килия translit Kiliya, Chilia (-Nouă Kilia also referred to as Kiliya or Novo The Dniester (Дністер translit Dnister; Nistru is a river in Eastern Europe.

In the latter part of the 14th century, the southern part of the region was for several decades part of Wallachia. "Akkerman" redirects here For other uses see Akkerman (disambiguation. Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. This article is about the region in what is now Southern Romania The main dynasty of Wallachia was called Basarab, from which the current name of the region originated. Basarab redicts here For other uses see Basarab (disambiguation.

In the 15th century, the entire region was a part of the principality of Moldavia. Stephen the Great ruled between 1457 and 1504, a period of nearly 50 years during which he won 32 battles defending his country virtually against all his neighbours (mainly the Ottomans and the Tatars, but also the Hungarians and the Poles), while losing only two. Stephen III of Moldavia or Stephen III (c 1433 - July 2, 1504) also known as Stephen the Great ( Romanian: Ştefan During this period, after each victory, he raised a monastery or a church close to the battlefield honoring Christianity. Many of these battlefields and churches, as well as old fortresses are situated in Bessarabia (mainly along the Dniester river).

In 1484, the Turks invaded and captured Chilia and Cetatea Albă (Akkerman in Turkish), and annexed the shoreline southern part of Bessarabia, which was then divided into two sanjaks (districts) of the Ottoman Empire. Sanjak and Sandjak (other variants sinjaq sanjaq) are the most common English transcriptions of the Turkish word sancak In 1538, the Ottomans annexed more Bessarabian land in the south as far as Tighina, while the central and northern parts of Bessarabia were already formally a vassal of the Ottoman Empire as part of the principality of Moldavia. Bendery or Bender, also known as Tighina, is a city in Moldova. A vassal (also called feodary or fedary) in the terminology that both preceded and accompanied the feudalism of Medieval Europe,

Between 1711 and 1812, the Russian Empire occupied the region five times during its wars against Ottoman and Austrian Empires. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish For the history of these states before 1804 see Holy Roman Empire, Habsburg Monarchy, and articles on each of the component countries. Between 1812 and 1846, the Bulgarian and Gagauz population migrated to the Russian Empire via the Danube, after living many years under oppressive Ottoman rule, and settled in southern Bessarabia. The Bulgarians (българи balgari) are a South Slavic people generally associated with the Republic of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian language The Gagauz is predominantly Eastern Orthodox Turkic ethnic group in southern Moldova ( Gagauzia) and southwestern Ukraine ( The Danube (In Donau from earlier Danuvius, Celtic *dānu, meaning "to flow run" Slovak and Polish Dunaj Turkic-speaking tribes of the Nogai horde also inhabited the Budjak Region (in Turkish Bucak) of southern Bessarabia from the 16th to 18th centuries, but were totally driven out prior to 1812. Budjak or Budzhak is a historical region in the Odessa Oblast (province of Ukraine.

Annexation by the Russian Empire

Main article: Bessarabia in the Russian Empire

By the Treaty of Bucharest of May 28, 1812 — concluding the Russo-Turkish War, 1806-1812 — the Ottoman Empire ceded the eastern half of the Principality of Moldavia to the Russian Empire. The Treaty of Bucharest between the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire, was signed on May 28, 1812 in Bucharest at the end Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Year 1812 ( MDCCCXII) a leap year started on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year The Russo-Turkish War 1806 – 1812 was one of many wars fought between Imperial Russia and the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya That region was then called Bessarabia.

In 1814, the first German settlers arrived and mainly settled in the southern parts and Bessarabian Bulgarians became settling in the region, founding towns such as Bolhrad. The Bessarabian Bulgarians (бесарабски българи besarabski bǎlgari) are a Bulgarian minority group of the historical region of Bessarabia Bolhrad or Bolgrad (Болґрад Bolhrad; Bulgarian and Болград Bolgrad; Bolgrad is a small City in Odessa Oblast

Administratively, Bessarabia became an oblast of the Russian Empire effective 1818 and a guberniya after 1873. Oblast (во́бласць oblast о́бласт oblast о́бласть област/ oblast; oblasť област о́бласть is a type of Administrative division Guberniya (губе́рния) (also gubernia, guberniia, gubernya) was a major administrative subdivision of Imperial Russia, usually

By the Treaty of Adrianople that concluded the Russo-Turkish War of 1828-1829 the whole delta of Danube was added to the Bessarabian oblast. The Peace Treaty of Adrianople (also called the Treaty of Edirne) concluded the Russo-Turkish War 1828-1829 between Russia and the Ottoman Empire The Russo–Turkish War of 1828–1829 was sparked by the Greek War of Independence. A delta is a Landform where the mouth of a River flows into an Ocean, Sea, Estuary, Lake or another river The Danube (In Donau from earlier Danuvius, Celtic *dānu, meaning "to flow run" Slovak and Polish Dunaj

At the end of the Crimean War, in 1856, by the Treaty of Paris, two districts of southern Bessarabia were returned to Moldavia, causing the Russian Empire to lose access to the Danube river. The Crimean War, also known in Russia as the Eastern War (Восточная война Vostochnaya Vojna) (March 1854–February 1856 was fought The Treaty of Paris of 1856 settled the Crimean War between Russia and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the Kingdom of Sardinia, France The Danube (In Donau from earlier Danuvius, Celtic *dānu, meaning "to flow run" Slovak and Polish Dunaj

In 1859, Moldavia and Wallachia united to form the Kingdom of Romania in 1866, which included the southern part of Bessarabia. Year 1859 ( MDCCCLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Moldavia (Moldova is a geographic and historical region and former Principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between Eastern Carpathians This article is about the region in what is now Southern Romania See also Kings of Romania The Kingdom of Roumania (or ' Romania ' in post-1969 and also current spelling was the old Romanian state based on a form of

The Romanian War of Independence was fought in 1877–78, with the help of the Russian Empire as an ally. See also Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878 The Romanian War of Independence was fought in 1877 against the Ottoman Empire. Year 1877 ( MDCCCLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1878 ( MDCCCLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Although the treaty of alliance between Romania and the Russian Empire specified that the Russian Empire would respect the territorial integrity of Romania and not claim any part of Romania at the end of the war, by the Treaty of Berlin, the southern part of Bessarabia was again annexed by Russia. The Treaty of Berlin was the final Act of the Congress of Berlin ( June 13 - July 13, 1878) by which the United Kingdom, Austria-Hungary

The Kishinev pogrom took place in the capital of Bessarabia on April 6, 1903 after local newspapers published articles inciting the public to act against Jews; 47 or 49 Jews were killed, 92 severely wounded and 700 houses destroyed. This article is part of the History of the Jews in Bessarabia. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus Year 1903 ( MCMIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar or a Common year starting The anti-Semitic newspaper Бессарабец (Bessarabetz, meaning "Bessarabian"), published by Pavel Krushevan, insinuated that a Russian boy was killed by local Jews. Another newspaper, Свет (Svet, "Light"), used the ages-old blood libel against the Jews (alleging that the boy had been killed to use his blood in preparation of matzos). Blood libels are sensationalized allegations that a person or group engages in Human sacrifice, often accompanied by the claim that the Blood of victims is used in Matza (also Matzah, Matzoh, or Matsah) מַצָּה in Ashkenazi matzo or matzoh, and in Yiddish, matze

After the 1905 Russian Revolution, a Romanian nationalist movement started to develop in Bessarabia. See also Russian Revolution (1917 The 1905 Russian Revolution also known as the Failed Russian Revolution of 1905 was an empire-wide struggle of In the chaos brought by the Russian revolution of October 1917, a National Council (Sfatul Ţării) was established in Bessarabia, with 120 members elected from Bessarabia by some political and professional organizations and 10 elected from Transnistria (the left bank of the Dniester River, inhabited mostly by Moldovans). The October Revolution (Октябрьская революция Oktyabrskaya revolyutsiya) also known as the Soviet Revolution Sfatul Ţării was in 1917-1918 the National Assembly of the Bessarabia Guberniya (province of Russian Empire, and then of the independent Transnistria, also known as Trans-Dniester, Transdniestria, and Pridnestrovie (full name Pridnestrovian Moldovans, or Moldavians (original name Moldoveni; Молдовень in the Moldovan Cyrillic script, used nowadays only in Transnistria

On January 14, 1918, during the disorderly retreat of two Russian divisions from the Romanian front, Chişinău was sacked. Events 1129 - Formal approval of the Order of the Templar at the Council of Troyes. Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Romanian Campaign was a campaign in the Balkan theatre of World War I, with Romania and Russia allied against the armies of the Central The Rumcherod Committee (Central Executive Committee of the Soviets of Romanian Front, Black Sea Fleet and Odessa Military District) proclaimed itself the supreme power in Bessarabia. Rumcherod (Румчерод was a short-lived organ of Soviet power in the South-Western Ukraine and Bessarabia that functioned during May 1917&ndashMay The term Central Executive Committee refers to governing bodies with executive power of various parties, Governments or private Organizations A soviet (сове́т, "council" originally was a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia. The Romanian Campaign was a campaign in the Balkan theatre of World War I, with Romania and Russia allied against the armies of the Central The Black Sea Fleet (Черноморский Флот is a large sub-unit of the Russian (and formerly Soviet) Navy, operating in the Black Sea ODESSA which stands for the German phrase O rganisation d er e hemaligen SS - A ngehörigen which in turn translates The Russian commander of the region, General Dmitriy Shcherbachev, unable to control Bessarabia due to the Bolshevik revolution, allegedly called upon the Romanian Army for help (Russian historian dispute this fact). On 16 January a Romanian division entered Chişinău, and on the following day Tighina on the shore of the river Dniester. Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate. Bendery or Bender, also known as Tighina, is a city in Moldova. The Dniester (Дністер translit Dnister; Nistru is a river in Eastern Europe. The three-day Soviet rule in Bessarabia ended.

Ten days later, on January 24, 1918, Sfatul Ţării declared Bessarabia's independence as the Moldavian Democratic Republic. Events 41 - Gaius Caesar (Caligula, known for his eccentricity and cruel Despotism, is Assassinated by his disgruntled Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Sfatul Ţării was in 1917-1918 the National Assembly of the Bessarabia Guberniya (province of Russian Empire, and then of the independent The Moldavian Democratic Republic (Republica Democratică Moldovenească was declared on December 16, 1917 by the National Council ( Sfatul Ţării

Unification with Romania

Main article: Union of Bessarabia with Romania

The county councils of Bălţi, Soroca and Orhei were the earliest to ask for unification with the Kingdom of Romania, and on April 9 [O. See also Kingdom of Romania, Bessarabia Background In 1812 according to the Treaty of Bucharest between the Ottoman and the Russian Empires Bălţi, (pronounced) also spelled Beltsy ( Бельцы, Бєльці, Bielce is a city in Moldova. Soroca is a Moldovan city situated on the Dniester River about 160 km north of Chisinau. Orhei ( Yiddish: Uriv - אוריװ Russian Orgeyev - Оргеев is a town and an administrative region of Moldova with a population S. March 27] 1918, in the presence of the Romanian Army,^[2] Sfatul Ţării voted in favour of the union, with the following conditions:

1. Sfatul Ţării would undertake an agrarian reform, which would be accepted by the Romanian Government. Sfatul Ţării was in 1917-1918 the National Assembly of the Bessarabia Guberniya (province of Russian Empire, and then of the independent
2. Bessarabia would remain autonomous, with its own diet, Sfatul Ţării, elected democratically
3. Sfatul Ţării would vote for local budgets, control the councils of the zemstva and cities, and appoint the local administration
4. Conscription would be done on a territorial basis
5. Local laws and the form of administration could be changed only with the approval of local representatives
6. The rights of minorities had to be respected
7. Two Bessarabian representatives would be part of the Romanian government
8. Bessarabia would send to the Romanian Parliament a number of representatives equal to the proportion of its population
9. All elections must involve a direct, equal, secret, and universal vote
10. Freedom of speech and of belief must be guaranteed in the constitution
11. All individuals who had committed felonies for political reasons during the revolution would be amnestied. Zemstvo ( Russian: Земство was a form of Local government instituted during the great liberal reforms performed in Imperial Russia by Alexander

86 deputies voted in support, 3 voted against and 36 abstained.

The first condition, the agrarian reform, was debated and approved in November 1918. Sfatul Ţării also decided to remove the other conditions and made unification with Romania unconditional. Sfatul Ţării was in 1917-1918 the National Assembly of the Bessarabia Guberniya (province of Russian Empire, and then of the independent ^[3] This vote has been judged illegitimate, since there was no quorum: only 44 of the 125 members took part in it (all voted "for"). ^[4]

In the autumn of 1919, elections for the Romanian Constituent Assembly were held in Bessarabia; 90 deputies and 35 senators were chosen. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya Guberniya (губе́рния) (also gubernia, guberniia, gubernya) was a major administrative subdivision of Imperial Russia, usually On December 20, 1919, these men voted, along with the representatives of Romania's other regions, to ratify the unification acts that had been approved by Sfatul Ţării and the National Congresses in Transylvania and Bukovina.

The union was recognized by France, United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan in the Treaty of Paris of 1920, which however never came into force, because Japan did not ratify it. The 1920 Treaty of Paris was an act signed by Romania and the Principal Allied Powers of the time (France United Kingdom Italy and Japan whose purpose The United States refused to sign the Treaty on the grounds that Russia was not represented at the Conference. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending ^[5] Soviet Russia (and later, USSR) did not recognize the union, and by 1924, after its demands for a regional plebiscite were declined by Romania for the second time, declared the Bessarabia to be Soviet territory under foreign occupation. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita ^[6]

Part of Romania

Main article: Greater Romania

A Provisional Workers' & Peasants' Government of Bessarabia was founded on May 5, 1919, in exile at Odessa, by the Bolsheviks. See " România Mare " for other meanings The Greater Romania (România Mare generally refers to the territory of Romania in the years Events 553 - The Second Council of Constantinople begins 1215 - Rebel Barons renounce their allegiance to King John Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common ODESSA which stands for the German phrase O rganisation d er e hemaligen SS - A ngehörigen which in turn translates The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists ( Большевик Большевист (singular, derived from bolshe, "more" were a faction

On May 11, 1919, the Bessarabian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed as an autonomous part of Russian SFSR, but was abolished by the military forces of Poland and France in September 1919 (see Polish-Soviet War). Events 330 - Byzantium is renamed ''Nova Roma'' during a dedication ceremony but is more popularly referred to as Constantinople Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Bessarabian Soviet Socialist Republic or Bessarabian SSR (Бессарабская Советская Социалистическая Республика Бессарабская Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common After the victory of Bolshevist Russia in the Russian Civil War, the Ukrainian SSR was created in 1922, and in 1924 the Moldovan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was established on a strip of Ukrainian land on the left bank of the Dniester River with a significant Moldovan population . Bolshevist Russia or Bolshevik Russia is a common term for the Bolshevik side in the Russian Civil War, or more specifically the Russian The Russian Civil War (1917–1923 was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic or the Ukrainian SSR was one of the 15 constituent republics that made up the Former Soviet Union from its Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1924 ( MCMXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Moldavian ASSR or Moldovan ASSR (Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic Romanian Republica Autonomă Socialistă Sovietică Moldovenească) was an autonomous The Dniester (Дністер translit Dnister; Nistru is a river in Eastern Europe.

World War II

The Soviet Union did not recognize incorporation of Bessarabia into Romania and throughout the entire interwar period engaged in constant, fruitless diplomatic disputes with the government of Romania over this territory. ^[7] The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed on August 23, 1939. Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. By Article 4 of the secret Annex to the Treaty, Bessarabia fell within the Soviet interest zone.

In spring 1940 Western Europe was overrun by Nazi Germany, and the attention of the world was focused on those events. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. On June 26, 1940, the USSR issued an ultimatum to Romania, demanding immediate cession of Bessarabia and northern Bukovina. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. An ultimatum (the last one is a Demand whose fulfillment is requested in a specified period of time and which is backed up by a threat to be followed through in case Romania was given four days to evacuate its troops and officials. The two provinces had an area of 51,000 km² (20,000 square miles), and were inhabited by about 3. 75 million people, half of them Romanians, according to official Romanian sources. Two days later, Romania yielded and began evacuation. During the evacuation, from June 28 to July 3, groups of local Communists and Soviet sympathizers attacked the retreating forces, and civilians who chose to leave. Events 1098 - Fighters of the First Crusade defeat Kerbogha of Mosul. Events 324 - Battle of Adrianople Constantine I defeats Licinius, who flees to Byzantium. Many members of the minorities (Jews, ethnic Ukrainians and others) joined in these attacks. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Ukrainians (Українці Ukrayintsi,) are an East Slavic Ethnic group primarily living in Ukraine, or more broadly— Citizens ^[8] The Romanian Army was also attacked by the Soviet Army, which entered Bessarabia before the Romanian administration finished retreating. The casualties reported by the Romanian Army during those seven days consisted of 356 officers and 42,876 soldiers dead or missing. ^[9]

On August 2, the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic was established on most of the territory of Bessarabia, merged with parts of the former Moldavian ASSR. Events 338 BC - A Macedonian army led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the The Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic ( Moldovan: Република Советикэ Сочиалистэ Молдовеняскэ or Republica Sovietică Socialistă Moldavian ASSR or Moldovan ASSR (Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic Romanian Republica Autonomă Socialistă Sovietică Moldovenească) was an autonomous Bessarabia was divided between the Moldavian SSR (70% of the territory and 80% of the population) and the Ukrainian SSR. The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic or the Ukrainian SSR was one of the 15 constituent republics that made up the Former Soviet Union from its Bessarabia's northern and southern districts (nowadays Budjak and parts of the Chernivtsi oblast) were alloted to Ukraine, while some territories (4,000 sq. Budjak or Budzhak is a historical region in the Odessa Oblast (province of Ukraine. Chernivtsi Oblast (Чернівецька область translit km) on the left (eastern) bank of the Dniester (present Transnistria), previously part of Ukraine, were allotted to Moldavia. Transnistria, also known as Trans-Dniester, Transdniestria, and Pridnestrovie (full name Pridnestrovian Following the Soviet takeover, many Bessarabians, who were accused of supporting the deposed Romanian administration, were executed or deported to Siberia and Kazakhstan. Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving Kazakhstan, also Kazakstan ( Қазақстан, Qazaqstan, qɑzɑqˈstɑn Казахстан, Kazakhstán,) officially the

Between September and November 1940, the ethnic Germans of Bessarabia were offered resettlement to Germany, following a German-Soviet agreement. The Bessarabia Germans are an Ethnic group and part of the Black Sea Germans, who lived in Bessarabia (today part of Moldova and Fearing Soviet oppression, almost all Germans (93,000) agreed. Most of them, among them the parents of the current German President Horst Köhler, were resettled to the newly annexed Polish territories. Horst Köhler ( born 22 February 1943) is a German politician ( CDU) and economist who serves as the current President of Germany.

On June 22, 1941 the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union commenced with Operation Barbarossa. Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Axis powers also known as the Axis alliance Axis nations Axis countries or sometimes just the Axis were those Countries Operation Barbarossa ( Unternehmen Barbarossa) was the Codename for Nazi Germany 's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II In Bessarabia and northern Bukovina, Romanian troops attacked along the Germans. The Soviets employed scorched earth tactics during their forced retreat from Bessarabia, destroying the infrastructure, and transporting movable goods to Russia by railway. A scorched earth policy is a military strategy or operational method (possibly more often referred to as a tactic but this is not entirely correct as there is a difference between At the end of July, after a year of Soviet rule, the region was once again under Romanian control.

As the military operation was still in progress, there were cases of Romanian troops "taking revenge" on Jews in Bessarabia, in the form of pogroms on civilians and murder of Jewish POWs, resulting in several thousand dead. A pogrom is a form of Riot directed against a particular group whether ethnic religious or other and characterized by destruction of their Homes Businesses The supposed cause for murdering Jews was that in 1940 some Jews welcomed the Soviet takeover as liberation. At the same time the notorious SS Einsatzgruppe D, operating in the area of the German 11th Army, committed summary executions of Jews under the pretext that they were spies, saboteurs, Communists, or under no pretext whatsoever. The ( German for "Protective Squadron" abbreviated SS - or ( Runic)- was a major Nazi organization under Adolf Hitler and the Einsatzgruppen ( German: "task forces" "intervention groups" were Paramilitary groups formed by Heinrich Himmler and Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening an enemy oppressor or employer through subversion obstruction disruption and/or destruction Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based

The political solution of the "Jewish Question" was apparently seen by the Romanian dictator Marshal Ion Antonescu more in expulsion rather than extermination. The Jewish question was an issue for discussions and debate particularly in western and Central Europe, during the French Revolution and into the A dictator is an Authoritarian ruler (eg Absolutist or autocratic) who assumes sole and absolute power without hereditary ascension such as an Absolute "Antonescu" redirects here For other persons with that surname see Antonescu (surname. That portion of the Jewish population of Bessarabia and Bukovina which did not flee before the retreat of the Soviet troops (147,000) was initially gathered into ghettos or concentration camps, and then deported during 1941-1942 in death marches into the Romanian-occupied Transnistria, where the "Final Solution" was applied. A ghetto is described as a "portion of a city in which members of a minority group live especially because of social legal or economic pressure Internment is the imprisonment or confinement of people commonly in large groups without trial This term is also occasionally used as a popular (albeit technically incorrect title for the Funeral March movement of the Chopin Piano Sonata No Transnistria, during World War II, was a region of the USSR, occupied by Romania, during the maximum eastward expansion of the Axis Powers The Final Solution ( Die Endlösung) was Nazi Germany 's plan and execution of its systematic Genocide against European Jewry during World

After three years of relative peace, the German-Soviet front returned in 1944 to the land border on the Dniester. The Dniester (Дністер translit Dnister; Nistru is a river in Eastern Europe. On August 20, 1944 the ca. Events 636 - Battle of Yarmouk: Arab forces led by Khalid ibn al-Walid take control of Syria and Palestine Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 3,400,000 men strong Red Army began a major summer offensive codenamed Jassy-Kishinev Operation. The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya The Soviet armies overran Bessarabia in a two-pronged offensive within five days. In pocket battles at Chişinău and Sărata the German 6th Army of ca. Chişinău (kiʃi'nəw (also known as Kishinev, Кишинёв Kishinyov) is the capital and largest city of Moldova. Sarata ( Ukrainian, Bulgarian, and Сарата Sărata) is a town in the Odessa Oblast ( province) of south-western Ukraine The 6th Army was a German Field army which saw action in World War I and World War II. 650,000 men, newly reformed after the Battle of Stalingrad, was obliterated. The Battle of Stalingrad is a commonly used name in English sources for several large operations by Germany and its allies and Soviet forces conducted with the Simultaneously with the success of the Russian attack, Romania broke the military alliance with the Axis and changed sides. On August 23, 1944, Marshal Ion Antonescu was arrested by King Michael, and later handed over to the Soviets. Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Michael King of the Romanians, Prince of Hohenzollern (born October 25, 1921) reigned as King of the Romanians (Maiestatea

Part of the Soviet Union

Main article: Moldovan SSR

The Soviet Union regained the region in 1944, and the Red Army occupied Romania. The Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic ( Moldovan: Република Советикэ Сочиалистэ Молдовеняскэ or Republica Sovietică Socialistă By 1947, the Soviets had imposed a communist government in Bucharest, which was friendly and obedient towards Moscow. The Soviet occupation of Romania lasted until 1958. The Soviet occupation of Romania refers to the period from 1944 to August 1958 during which the Soviet Union maintained a significant military presence in Romania The Romanian communist regime did not openly raise the matter of Bessarabia or Northern Bukovina in its diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union.

Between 1969 and 1971 , a clandestine National Patriotic Front was established by several young intellectuals in Chişinău, totaling over 100 members, vowing to fight for the establishment of a Moldavian Democratic Republic, its secession from the Soviet Union and union with Romania.

In December 1971, following an informative note from Ion Stănescu, the President of the Council of State Security of the Romanian Socialist Republic, to Yuri Andropov, the chief of KGB, three of the leaders of the National Patriotic Front, Alexandru Usatiuc-Bulgar, Gheorghe Ghimpu and Valeriu Graur, as well as a forth person, Alexandru Soltoianu, the leader of a similar clandestine movement in northern Bukovina (Bucovina), were arrested and later sentenced to long prison terms. Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov (Ю́рий Влади́мирович Андро́пов Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov) ( &ndash 9 February 1984 was a Soviet politician Gheorghe Ghimpu (1937-2000 was a Moldovan politician and a political prisonier in the former Soviet Union. Bukovina (Bucovina Буковина/ Bukovyna; German and Polish: Bukowina; see also other languages) is a historical region on the

Rise of independent Moldova

Main articles: Moldovan SSR and Moldova

With the weakening of the Soviet Union, in February 1988, the first non-sanctioned demonstrations were held in Chişinău. The Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic ( Moldovan: Република Советикэ Сочиалистэ Молдовеняскэ or Republica Sovietică Socialistă Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova ( Republica Moldova) is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania At first pro-Perestroika, they soon turned anti-government and demanded official status for the Moldavian (Romanian) language instead of the Russian language. (Перестройка) is the Russian term (now used in English for the economic reforms introduced in June 1987 by the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev

On August 31, 1989, following a 600,000-strong demonstration in Chişinău four days earlier, Moldavian (Romanian) became the official language of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic. Events 1056 - Byzantine Empress Theodora becomes ill dying suddenly a few days later without children to succeed the Throne Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) However, this was not implemented for many years.

In 1990, the first free elections were held for Parliament, with the opposition Frontul Popular (People's Front) all but winning them. A government led by Mircea Druc, one of the leaders of Frontul Popular, was formed. Mircea Druc (born 25 July 1949, in Pociumbăuţi, Raionul Rîşcani) is a Moldovan and Romanian politician who served as The Moldavian SSR becomes SSR Moldova, and later the Republic of Moldova.

The Republic of Moldova became independent in 1991; its boundaries (those established on August 2, 1940) remained unchanged. Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova ( Republica Moldova) is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania Events 338 BC - A Macedonian army led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Population

The population before World War II consisted of Romanians, Ukrainians(Ruthenians), Russians, Bulgarians, Gagauz, Germans, and Jews. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Romanians (dated Rumanians or Roumanians; Romanian: români or historically and today rather seldom and only regional rumâni Ukrainians (Українці Ukrayintsi,) are an East Slavic Ethnic group primarily living in Ukraine, or more broadly— Citizens The term Ruthenians (Русини Rusyny) is a culturally loaded term and has different meanings according to the context in which it is used The Russian people (Русские— Russkie) are an East Slavic Ethnic group, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries The Bulgarians (българи balgari) are a South Slavic people generally associated with the Republic of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian language The German people (Deutsche are an Ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent and speaking the German language as PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ According to the census data of the Russian Empire, during the 19th century the ethnic Romanians decreased from 86% (1817) to 56% (1897). The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya

Russian Census 1817, (total 482,000 inhabitants)

• 83,848 Romanian families (86%)
• 6,000 Ruthenian families (6,5%)
• 3,826 Jewish families (1,5%)
• 1,200 Lipovan families (1,5%)
• 640 Greek families (0,7%)
• 530 Armenian families (0,6%)
• 241 Bulgarian families (0,25%)
• 241 Gagauz families (0,25%)

Russian Census 1856, (total 990,000 inhabitants)

• 736,000 Romanians (74%)
• 119,000 Ukrainians (12%)
• 79,000 Jews (8%)
• 47,000 Bulgarians and Gagauz (5%)
• 24,000 Germans (2. Year 1817 ( MDCCCXVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Lipovans or Lippovans (Lipoveni Липовани Липоване липованци are the Old Believers, mostly of Russian ethnic origin who settled Year 1856 ( MDCCCLVI) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year 4%)
• 11,000 Gypsies (1. The Romani people (singular Rom, plural Roma as a Noun; also known as Romanies or Roma people) are an ethnic group with origins 1%)
• 6,000 Russians (0. 6%)

1889: 1,628,867. Year 1889 ( MDCCCLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

Russian Census 1897,^[10] (total 1,935,412 inhabitants). Year 1897 ( MDCCCXCVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Some scholars believed that "[. . . ] the census enumerator generally has instructions to count everyone who understands the state language as being of that nationality, no matter what his everyday speech may be. " ^[11] By language:

• 920,919 Moldavians and Romanians (47. 6%)
• 379,698 Ukrainians (19. 6%)
• 228,168 Jews (11. 8%)
• 155,774 Russians (8%)
• 103,225 Bulgarians (5. 3%)
• 60,026 Germans (3. 1%)
• 55,790 Turks (Gagauzes) (2. 9%)

Romanians Census 1930, (total 3,105,530 inhabitants)

county	Romanians	Ukrainians	Russians	Gagauz	Bulgarians	Jews	Germans	inhabitants
Cetatea Albă	62,949	70,095	58,922	7,876	71,227	11,139	55,598	341,176
Ismail	72,020	10,665	66,987	15,591	43,375	6,306	983	225,509
Cahul	100,714	619	14,740	35,299	28,565	4,434	8,644	196,693
Tighina	163,673	9,047	44,989	39,345	19,599	16,845	10,524	306,592
Lăpuşna	326,455	2,732	29,770	37	712	50,013	2,823	419,621
Orhei	242,983	2,469	10,746	1	87	18,999	154	279,282
Bălţi	270,942	29,288	46,569	8	66	31,695	1,623	386,721
Soroca	232,720	26,039	25,736	13	69	29,191	417	315,774
Hotin	137,348	163,267	53,453	2	26	35,985	323	392,430
Iaşi and Fălciu (parts)	124,500	*	*	*	*	5,000	*	132,023
Total	1,735,000	315,000+	352,000	99,000	164,000	210,000	82,000	2,995,821
%	58%	11%	12%	3%	5%	7%	3%	100%

Notes: (1) parts of Iaşi (Ungheni) and Fălciu counties were in Bessarabia; (2) * = data counted at others for these counties

Data of the 1939 was not completely processed before the Soviet occupation. Year 1930 ( MCMXXX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Romanians (dated Rumanians or Roumanians; Romanian: români or historically and today rather seldom and only regional rumâni Ukrainians (Українці Ukrayintsi,) are an East Slavic Ethnic group primarily living in Ukraine, or more broadly— Citizens The Russian people (Русские— Russkie) are an East Slavic Ethnic group, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries The Bulgarians (българи balgari) are a South Slavic people generally associated with the Republic of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian language PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The German people (Deutsche are an Ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent and speaking the German language as Estimates of the total population at 3. 5 million.

1970: 69% of Bessarabia's population were Moldovan and 98% of them declared Moldovan language (Romanian language) as their native language. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. History and politics Romanian or Daco-Romanian ( dated: Rumanian or Roumanian; self designation limba română, ˈlimba roˈmɨnə is a Romance

1989: There were 88,419 Bessarabian Bulgarians according to official data from Republic of Moldova

1992: 4,305 immigrants to Israel from the Republic of Moldova constituted 7. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) The Bessarabian Bulgarians (бесарабски българи besarabski bǎlgari) are a Bulgarian minority group of the historical region of Bessarabia Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) 1 percent of all the immigrants to Israel from the former U. S. S. R. in this year.

2004: There were 65,072 Bessarabian Bulgarians according to the census not including Bulgarians in Transnistria. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The Bessarabian Bulgarians (бесарабски българи besarabski bǎlgari) are a Bulgarian minority group of the historical region of Bessarabia

Economy

• 1911: There were 165 loan societies, 117 savings Banks, forty three professional savings and loan societies, and eight Zemstvo loan offices; all these had total assets of about 10,000,000 rubles. Year 1911 ( MCMXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year There were also eighty nine government savings banks, with deposits of about 9,000,000 rubles.
• 1918: Railway mileage was only 657 miles, the main lines converged on Russia and were broad gauge. Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Rolling stock and right of way were in bad shape. There were about 400 locomotives, with only about one hundred fit for use. There were 290 passenger coaches and thirty three more out for repair. Finally, out of 4530 freight cars and 187 tank cars, only 1389 and 103 were usable. The Romanians reduced the gauge to a standard 4ft 8-1/2in, so that cars could be run to the rest of Europe. Also, there were only a few inefficient bridges of boats. Romanian highway engineers decided to build ten bridges: Cuzlău, Ţuţora, Lipcani, Şerpeniţa, Ştefăneşti-Brănişte, Cahul-Oancea, Bădărăi-Moara Domnească, Sărata, Bumbala-Leova, Badragi and Fălciu (Fălciu is a locality in Romania. Ţuţora is a commune in Iaşi County, Romania. In 2002 it had a population of 2119 Lipcani ( Липканы, Lipkon) is a small town in Moldova, located on the banks of the Prut river, which forms the border with Romania Ştefăneşti may refer to several places in Moldova: Ştefăneşti a village in Tănătarii Noi Commune Raionul Căuşeni Cahul ( Russian: Kagul/Кагул) (population 35481 is a city and an administrative region in the south of Moldova. Moara Domnească may refer to several villages in Romania: Moara Domnească a village in Găneasa Commune Ilfov County Moara Sarata ( Ukrainian, Bulgarian, and Сарата Sărata) is a town in the Odessa Oblast ( province) of south-western Ukraine Leova is a town in Moldova, located 92 km southwest of the Moldavian capital Chişinău. Fălciu (formerly Fălciu Tîrg and Fălciu-Târg) is a commune in Vaslui County, Romania. Its correspondent in Bessarabia is Cantemir). Of these, only four were ever finished: Cuzlău, Fălciu, Lipcani and Sărata.

See also

• Moldova
• History of Moldova
• History of Moldavia
• Odessa Oblast
• Chernivtsi Oblast
• History of the Jews in Bessarabia
• Bessarabian Bulgarians
• Dazdie
• Moldavian wine
• Hotin County

References

Thilemann, Alfred. Steppenwind: Erzahlungen aus dem Leben der Bessarabien deutschen (The Wind from the Steppe: Stories of the Life of the Bessarabian Germans). Stuttgart, West Germany: Heimatmuseum der Deutschen aus Bessarabien, 1982

External links

• Charles Upson Clark. 1927. "Bessarabia: Russia and Roumania on the Black Sea". (An electronic version of the book).
• Bessarabia Germans from Russia Web Site
• Camps, Ghettos and Massacre sites in Romania-Bessarabia 1941-1942
• Jews in Bessarabia on the eve of WWII
• Massacres, deportations & death marches from Bessarabia, from July 1941
• Scholtoi - a village in the North of Bessarabia
• Hannowka - a German village in Bessarabia 1896-1940 (website in German)
• "40th Anniversary of Annexation of Bessarabia and Northern Bucovina", George Ciorănescu, Radio Free Europe report, July 23, 1980. This article is about the radio broadcast service For the REM Events 1632 - Three hundred colonists bound for New France depart from Dieppe France. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar)
• "The Problem of Bessarabia and Northern Bucovina during World War II", George Ciorănescu, Radio Free Europe report, December 2, 1981. Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981
• Bessarabia - Homeland of a German minority

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