Monografia (document PDF) - Asociatia Tinerilor Istorici din Moldova

Presă şi cenzură în Basarabia. Documente şi comentarii
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Bessarabian press at the beginning of XX th century represents a complex and controversial
reflexion of the events that took place in this area, events that are still difficult to understand for
researchers. Due to socio-political changes occurred after revolution 1905-1907, official press lost
its control over media market of huge Imperia, including Bessarabian province. The evidences
discussed in this paper, identify a large amount of newspapers titles between years 1900-1918
(mostly in Russian language) that belonged to individuals.
The paper represents a synthetic and documentary perspective on history of Bessarabian
press in the context of imperial censorship. The phenomenon of press in tsarist imperia cannot be
perceived and studied adequately, if not compared with censorship institutes. Our mission is to
study and highlight the specifics of Bessarabian press at the beginning of XXt h century. We have
some reasons to fix these objectives:
• Lack of historical data about titles of newspapers appeared in Bessarabia between years
1900-1918;
• Identification of documentary sources, to identify the volume of information about press’
censorship in Bessarabia at the beginning of XX th century;
• Recognition of special conditions of applying the tsarist censorship law in Bessarabia, on the
basis of Manifest from October, 17, 1905.
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A history of Bessarabian press is required for knowledge of realities of the past. Current historical
dispute is based on novel documental testimonies, which were decoded from local archives
as well as from those of former Empire (Russian\Soviet), most of these archives become accessible
only after 1989. A history of Bessarabian press is required for knowledge of realities of the past.
The history of bessarabian press from XIXth century – beginnings of XXth is mostly a history of
official press of Tsarist administration, written in Russian language: Bessarabskie Oblastnye Vedomosti
(1854-1873), then Gubernskie Vedomosti (1871-1916); Bessarabskii Vestnik (1889-1898).
Only clerical press made an exception in this sense: for a short period, Kisinevskie Eparhialinye
Vedomosti (1867-1872) was edited in Romanian.
For fifty years – from the fourth decade of XIXth century – Tsarist censorship thwarted 7-8
attempts of Bessarabian noblemen to build a national press. The efforts of these noblemen were
beneficial for posterity, and unleashed, at the beginnings of XXth century, an extraordinary frame
of mind for ideas of social and national emancipation. In absence of own political organizations,
journalist activity became the main form of manifestation of national movement. The framework
for strategy of Bessarabia’s renaissance movement was elaborated through the national publications.
In spite of all restrictions and persecutions, a considerable number of publications in Romanian
language appeared in the course of one decade: Basarabia(1905); Basarabia(1906 – 1907);
Viaţa Basarabiei (1907); Basarabia Reînnoită(1907); Moldovanul (1907 – 1908); Luminătorul (1908
– 1917); Lira Basarabiei (1912); Făclia Ţării (1912); Glasul Basarabiei (1913 – 1914); Cuvânt Moldovenesc
review (1913 – 1914); the newspaper Cuvânt Moldovenesc (1914 – 1917); Şcoala Moldovenească
(1917); Soldatul Moldovean (1917); Pământ şi Voie (1917); Sfatul Ţării (1917).
The Romanian press from the beginnings of XXth century was a decisive factor in the struggle
for national awakening of Bessarabians and for liberation from despotic regime of Russian autocracy.
The chances for consolidation of Bessarabian press were valuated after 1918 when Bessarabia
became a part of Romanian state. Press was the only chance for cultural personalities and
for young talents to be heard, so all ideas and literary trends was explained and discussed in press.
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