ADS 2019

Romania

Arsen Arzumanyan | Bucharest

The oldest record of the presence of Armenians on the present territory of Romania, more precisely in the historical principality of Moldavia, is a 10th century inscription on a tombstone in Cetatea-Albă, dated A.D. 967. The Armenians of Moldavia, generally speaking, were traders, craftsmen and well-off people. Due to their privileges and skills in trading, they contributed to Moldavia’s prosperity. One of the most important documents in the history of the community, which could be considered the “birth certificate” of the Armenians in this region, is a hrisov (princely edict) of Moldavian Prince Alexandrucel Bun, dated 30 July 1401, where he names an Armenian bishop as the head of the church in Suceava, the capital of Moldavia. 

In the Transylvania region, Armenian presence is known from the 13th century. A document signed by King Ladislau IV in 1281 speaks of Terra Armenorum and Monasterium Armenorum. In 1700, the foundation of Armenopolis or Hayakaghak (today Gherla) signifies the strength and presence of Armenians in Transylvania, which is followed by a second Armenian town, Elisabetopolis (today Dumbrăveni). In 1799, both of these Armenian settlements became “free royal towns” by an imperial decree.  

During the 14th century Armenians settled in Wallachia, the historical and geographical region of Romania, situated north of the lower Danube and south of the southern Carpathian mountains. After 1500, there are mentions of Armenians in Dobrogea region, between the lower Danube River and the Black Sea. 

Indeed, over many centuries, Armenians have played a significant role in the development of these regions. The list of famous Armenians in Romania is very long. However, over time, the Armenian presence and character of these towns, where once prosperous and influential communities thrived, have disappeared due to historical developments and assimilation.  

The modern history of the Armenian community is connected with the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire, when thousands of survivors reached Romania for safety. Today, the small community, numbering about 3000, is concentrated in few cities, mainly in the capital Bucharest.  

The Armenian Apostolic Church has played an important role in the life of the community in Romania for centuries. There have been more than 20 churches in historical regions of Romania. The Diocese of the Armenian Church is well known for one of the Primates, the Romania-born Bishop Vazken Baljian, who became Catholicos of All Armenians in 1955 in Holy Etchmiadzin. Today, the Armenian Church in Romania, currently headed by Bishop Datev Hagopian, is headquartered in the complex of the Cathedral of Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, which was consecrated in 1915 and resembles the cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin in Armenia. The complex has a library and a diocesan museum, a cultural centre and serves as the headquarters of the Union of Armenians of Romania.  

The Union of Armenians in Romania is the only community organisation in the country today. It was founded in 1919 in order to assist the Armenians who had taken refuge in Romania from the Ottoman Empire. UAR ceased to function during the Communist regime in Romania. It was resurrected after 1990, with the aim of preserving the cultural and spiritual heritage of the Armenians living in Romania.  

The Constitution of Romania and the electoral law state that the historical national minorities in the country have the right to participate in the local and parliamentary elections and are allocated a mandate for an elected deputy. Between 1990 and 1996, Varujan Vosganian, the president of UAR, was elected as a Deputy in the Romanian House of Deputies, representing UAR. Following the 1996 elections, the UAR has had two representatives in the parliament: Varujan Vosganian as Senator, elected on the Union of Right-Wing Forces ticket, and Varujan Pambuccian, UAR vice-president, as Deputy of the UAR in the Romanian House of Deputies. Since 1992, the Deputy of the UAR has also held the presidency of the Group of National Minorities in the House of Deputies. 

The Union of Armenians in Romania has branches in many cities of Romania: Bucharest, Pitești, Constanța, Tulcea, Suceava, Botoșani, Iași, Roman, Bacău, Galați, Focșani, Gherla, Dumbrăveni, Cluj-Napoca and Baia Mare. UAR is engaged in many community activities, especially the well-known annual “Armenian Street Festival” in Bucharest since 2013 that attracts thousands of people and many other festivals in the rest of the branch communities.  

The Armenian community in Romania enjoys many rights, including annual state financial support to UAR, which is included in the country’s annual budget act. The Armenian periodicals and a significant number of books have been published under the auspices of “Ararat” Publishing house, which is also financed by the Romanian state. The Sunday school is included in the official state school network and Armenian language teachers are paid by the Ministry of Education. The state also supports the church and pays salaries to the clergy. 

The community has also had prolific publishing activities over the last 120 years. More than 30 newspapers and magazines of significance for the Armenian community have been published in Romania over the decades, in both Armenian and Romanian. Today, “Ararat”—which had started in 1924 but ceased between 1942 and 1990—and “Nor Gyank”, published uninterruptedly since 1950, continue to be published under the auspices of the Union of Armenians in Romania. 

Dr. Arsen Arzumanyan is a scholar of the history of Armenians in Romania and was one of the ADS 2019 researchers in Romania.

[further reading]