Armenians in Moldova

Last updated
Armenians in Moldova
Total population
1,000–3,000
Regions with significant populations
Chișinău, Tiraspol
Languages
Armenian, Romanian, Russian
Religion
Armenian Apostolic Church
Related ethnic groups
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Armenians in Romania, Armenians in Russia, Armenians in Turkey, Armenians in Ukraine.

Armenians in Moldova are the ethnic Armenians that live in Moldova. They settled in the Principality of Moldavia since the Late Middle Ages, and were well known as a merchant community. They prospered, and built a number of Armenian churches. Since the 18th century, however, their numbers decreased due to assimilation and emigration to other countries. During Soviet occupation, the number of Armenians increased a little, both during the 1950s-1980s, and when new immigrants came from Armenia, Azerbaijan during First Nagorno-Karabakh War in late 1980s. But after the fall of the Soviet Union, it decreased again.

Contents

Population

At the 1930 Romanian Census, there were 1,511 Armenians in the nine counties of Bessarabia, including 583 in Lăpuşna County (490 in the city of Chişinău, 66 in the city of Hînceşti), 407 in Cetatea Albă County (366 in the city of Cetatea Albă), 242 in Bălți County (158 in the city of Bălţi), 73 in Ismail County (40 in the city of Izmail), 60 in Soroca County (14 in the city of Soroca), 58 in Tighina County (46 in the city of Tighina), 42 in Orhei County, 38 in Cahul County (22 in the city of Cahul), and 8 in Hotin County.

According to estimates, in the Soviet era, the Armenian community of Moldova was 5,000 strong.

At the 2004 Moldovan Census, Armenians were not among the 8 major reported ethnic groups, hence they numbered less than 2,000 in the territory controlled by the central government. In the Tiraspol-controlled areas, there were 980 Armenians, including 785 in Transnistria (360 in the city of Tiraspol), and 195 in other localities under Tiraspol control (173 in the city of Tighina). In the main part of Moldova, Armenians live mostly in the capital Chişinău, and a small community in Bălţi.

History

Bessarabia

Manuc Bei's Mansion in Hincesti AIRM - Doors Open Day @ mansion of Manuc Bei - dec 2015 - 06.jpg
Manuc Bei's Mansion in Hîncești

The first Armenians in Moldova arrived in 14th century from Little Armenia in Cilicia, when their Kingdom with capital in Sis felt in 1375 to the Muslims, and Armenians spread through the Mediterranean Basin. Some of them arrived in the Principality of Moldavia, and from there some made to the Kingdom of Poland. As well-acquainted with the commerce between Europe and Levant, Armenians were successful in Moldavia, and already during the reign of Alexander the Good had established themselves as a community. At one time they were persecuted due to competition they made to Moldavian merchants. However, Moldavians were always tolerant to their Christian, albeit separate Church. Most of Armenians settled in fairs, as merchants, and some in villages as renters. They were well known for preserving their traditions and church. [1]

According to ancient Armenian historical documents, Armenian churches were built as early as 1350 in Botoşani, in 1380 in Cetatea Albă, in 1395 in Huşi, and a number of others in 1551. [2] Later, in the 17th century, more Armenians moved and settled in Moldova from Poland to escape the Catholic domination of their church.

After their number has decreased very much over time, in the early 20th century, there were only 2,000 Armenians in Bessarabia. [3] In 1930, there were 1,511. [4] Nowadays, there are less than 2,000 Armenians in Moldova, mostly in Chişinău, Bălţi, and Tighina (173).

Transnistria

In the 18th century, Raszków (now Rașcov) was the location of one of the Armenian communes in Poland. [5]

When the Russian Empire annexed present southern Transnistria in 1792, Empress Catherine II of Russia ordered building a city on the eastern bank of the Dniester river, named by royal decree Grigoriopol. Some believe it was so named after Grigory Potyomkin, other that it was named after Gregory the Illuminator (Sourb Grigor Lousavoritch), the patron saint of the Armenian nation. Armenian settlers were brought in to found and build this city. Later, Armenians moved on to more prosperous regions, such as the capital city Chişinău, and the city of Odesa in neighboring Ukraine, amongst others.

Today, only 62 Armenians remain in the Grigoriopol sub-district, Transnistria, but its history is still strongly linked to the region's early Armenian settlers. Today there are 785 Armenians in Transnistria, including 360 in Tiraspol.

See also

Related Research Articles

The history of Moldova can be traced to the 1350s, when the Principality of Moldavia, the medieval precursor of modern Moldova and Romania, was founded. The principality was a vassal of the Ottoman Empire from 1538 until the 19th century. In 1812, following one of several Russian–Turkish wars, the eastern half of the principality, Bessarabia, was annexed by the Russian Empire. In 1918, Bessarabia briefly became independent as the Moldavian Democratic Republic and, following the decision of the Parliament, united with Romania. During the Second World War it was occupied by the Soviet Union which reclaimed it from Romania. It joined the Union in 1940 as the Moldavian SSR, until the dissolution of the USSR. In 1991 the country declared independence as the Republic of Moldova.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bessarabia</span> Historical region in Moldova and Ukraine

Bessarabia is a historical region in Eastern Europe, bounded by the Dniester river on the east and the Prut river on the west. About two thirds of Bessarabia lies within modern-day Moldova, with the Budjak region covering the southern coastal region and part of the Ukrainian Chernivtsi Oblast covering a small area in the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic</span> Republic of the Soviet Union (1940–1991)

The Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic or Moldavian SSR, also known as the Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic, Moldovan SSR, Soviet Moldavia, Soviet Moldova, or simply Moldavia or Moldova, was one of the 15 republics of the Soviet Union which existed from 1940 to 1991. The republic was formed on 2 August 1940 from parts of Bessarabia, a region annexed from Romania on 28 June of that year, and parts of the Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, an autonomous Soviet republic within the Ukrainian SSR.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bender, Moldova</span> Municipality in Transnistria, 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 Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (Transnistria) (PMR) since 1992. It is located on the western bank of the river Dniester in the Romanian historical region of Bessarabia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Administrative divisions of Moldova</span>

Moldova is divided administratively into two levels:

The history of the Jews in Bessarabia, a historical region in Eastern Europe, dates back hundreds of years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic</span> Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic of the Soviet Union

The Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, shortened to Moldavian ASSR, was an autonomous republic of the Ukrainian SSR between 12 October 1924 and 2 August 1940, encompassing the modern territory of Transnistria as well as much of the present-day Podilsk Raion of Ukraine. It was an artificial political creation inspired by the Bolshevik nationalities policy in the context of the loss of larger Bessarabia to Romania in April 1918. In such a manner, the Bolshevik leadership tried to radicalize pro-Soviet feelings in Bessarabia with the goal of setting up favorable conditions for the creation of a geopolitical "place d'armes" (bridgehead), in an attempt to execute a breakthrough in the direction of the Balkans by projecting influence upon Romanian Bessarabia, which would eventually be occupied and annexed in 1940 after the signing of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Municipiu</span> Administrative unit of Romania, corresponding to a major city

A municipiu is a level of administrative subdivision in Romania and Moldova, roughly equivalent to city in some English-speaking countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lăpușna County (Romania)</span> County in Romania

Lăpușna County was a county in the Kingdom of Romania between 1925 and 1938 and between 1941 and 1944.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Transnistria</span>

This is the history of Transnistria, officially the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), an unrecognised breakaway state that is internationally recognised as part of Moldova. Transnistria controls most of the narrow strip of land between the Dniester river and the Moldovan–Ukrainian border, as well as some land on the other side of the river's bank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolis of Chișinău and All Moldova</span> Christian Orthodox Church in Moldova, under the Moscow Patriarchate

The Metropolis of Chișinău and All Moldova, also referred to as the Moldovan Orthodox Church, is an autonomous metropolitanate under the Russian Orthodox Church. Its canonical territory is the Republic of Moldova.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demographic history of Transnistria</span>

A demographic history of Transnistria shows that Transnistria has been home to numerous ethnic groups, in varying proportions, over time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Religion in Transnistria</span> Overview of religion in Transnistria

Official statistics of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, or Transnistria, show that 91 percent of the Transnistrian population adhere to Eastern Orthodox Christianity, with 4 percent adhering to the Catholic Church. Roman Catholics are mainly located in Northern Transnistria, a region with a notable Polish minority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Bălți</span>

Bălți is the second largest city in Moldova. It is located in the northern part of the country, within the historical region of Bessarabia, with which the city's own history is closely intertwined.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orhei County (Romania)</span> County in Romania

Orhei was a county in the Kingdom of Romania between 1925 and 1938, and again between 1941 and 1944, with the seat at Orhei.

This article discusses the administrative divisions of the Kingdom of Romania between 1941 and 1944. As a result of the Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina, Second Vienna Award and the Treaty of Craiova, territories that had previously been part of Romania were lost to the Soviet Union, Hungary and Bulgaria respectively. By September 1940 the administrative system set up in 1938 based on 'ținuturi' (regions) was disbanded and the former counties (județe) were reintroduced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cahul County (Romania)</span> County in Romania

Cahul County was a county of the Kingdom of Romania between 1925 and 1938 and between 1941 and 1944, in the historical region of Bessarabia, the successor of Cahul County.

The Moldovan resistance during World War II opposed Axis-aligned Romania and Nazi Germany, as part of the larger Soviet partisan movement. The Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (MSSR), presently Moldova, had been created in August 1940 after a Soviet annexation, and liberated by Romania during Operation Barbarossa. Moldovan resistance straddled across a new administrative border: in 1941–1944, Bessarabia was reincorporated within Romania as a semi-autonomous governorate, while areas across the Dnister were administered into a separate Transnistria Governorate. Shortly after the German–Romanian invasion of June–July 1941, the Communist Party of Moldavia (PCM) ordered the creation of a partisan network. The order was largely ineffective in creating an organized movement due to the rapid disintegration of Soviet territorial structures in Bessarabia. Some early organizers opted to abandon their posts, and Soviet attempts to infiltrate experienced partisans across the front line were often annihilated by the Special Intelligence Service. Nevertheless, partisan formations were still able to stage large-scale attacks on the Romanian infrastructure, at Bender and elsewhere. While Romanian documents identified categories of locals influenced by communist ideas as a passive component of the resistance, various modern commentators point to the overall unpopularity of communism in Bessarabia as accounting for the movement's marginality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bessarabia Governorate (Romania)</span> Romanian autonomous province existent during World War II

The Bessarabia Governorate was an administrative unit of Romania during World War II.

References

  1. ↑ Ion Nistor, Istoria Basarabiei, Cartea Moldovenească, Chişinău, 1991, p. 199
  2. ↑ AGBU: Moldova Home to Armenians since the 14th century Archived November 22, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ Ion Nistor, p.199
  4. ↑ 1930 Romanian Census results
  5. ↑ Stopka, Krzysztof (2010). "Ormianie". In Kopczyński, Michał; Tygielski, Wojciech (eds.). Pod wspólnym niebem. Narody dawnej Rzeczypospolitej (in Polish). Warszawa: Muzeum Historii Polski, Bellona. pp. 118–119. ISBN   978-83-11-11724-2.


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