History

Prior to 1917, Bessarabian intelligentsia was divided between noblemen, conservatives, democrats, and socialists. Vasile Stroescu, a rich but very modest filantop boyar, managed to persuade all major factions to leave internal fights and at four day meeting (–) the National Moldavian Party was created. In April 1917 the party leadership was elected. It was headed by Vasile Stroescu, having among its members Paul Gore

Paul Gore (politician)

Paul Gore was a Bessarabian politician and historian.He was the president of the National Moldavian Party.- Works :* Însemnare despre cei de una credinţă din Basarabia ;...

 (a renowned conservative), Vladimir Herţa, Pan Halippa

Pan Halippa

Pantelimon "Pan" Halippa was a Bessarabian and later Romanian journalist and politician. One of the most important promoters of Romanian nationalism in Bessarabia and of this province's union with Romania, he was president of Sfatul Ţării, which voted union in 1918...

 (a renowned socialist), Onisifor Ghibu

Onisifor Ghibu

Onisifor Ghibu was a Romanian teacher of pedagogy, member of the Romanian Academy, and politician.-Early life:...

. Among the leaders of the party were general Matei Donici

Matei Donici

Matei Donici was a writer, general, and politician from Bessarabia. He was a leader of the National Moldavian Party.- Bibliography :...

, Ion Pelivan

Ion Pelivan

Ion Gheorghe Pelivan was a Moldovan politician.- Biography :In 1898, Ion Pelivan graduated from the Teological Seminary in Chişinău and in 1903 he graduated from Dorpat University...

, arhimandrit Gurie Grosu

Gurie Grosu

Gurie Grosu was a Bessarabian priest and the first Metropolitan of Bessarabia.- Biography :Gurie Grosu was born on January 1, 1877 in Nimoreni and died on November 14, 1943 in Bucharest...

, Nicolae Alexandri

Nicolae Alexandri

Nicolae N. Alexandri was a Bessarabian politician.- Biography :Nicolae N. Alexandri graduated from Saint Petersburg State University. He was the first editor in chief of Cuvânt moldovenesc....

, Teofil Ioncu

Teofil Ioncu

Teofil Ioncu was a Bessarabian politician.- Bibliography :*Gheorghe E. Cojocaru, Sfatul ţării: itinerar, Civitas, Chişinău, 1998, ISBN 9975-936-20-2...

, P. Grosu, Mihail Minciună

Mihail Minciună

Mihail Minciună was a Bessarabian politician.- Bibliography :*Gheorghe E. Cojocaru, Sfatul ţării: itinerar, Civitas, Chişinău, 1998, ISBN 9975-936-20-2...

, Vlad Bogos, F. Corobceanu, Gheorghe Buruiană

Gheorghe Buruiană

- Bibliography :*Gheorghe E. Cojocaru, Sfatul ţării: itinerar, Civitas, Chişinău, 1998, ISBN 9975-936-20-2*Mihai Taşcă, Sfatul Ţării şi actualele autorităţi locale, "Timpul de dimineaţă", no. 114 , June 27, 2008 - External links :* *...

, Simeon Murafa, Al. Botezat, Alexandru Groapă

Alexandru Groapă

-Bibliography:*Gheorghe E. Cojocaru, Sfatul ţării: itinerar, Civitas, Chişinău, 1998, ISBN 9975-936-20-2*Mihai Taşcă, Sfatul Ţării şi actualele autorităţi locale, "Timpul de dimineaţă", no. 114 , June 27, 2008 -External links:**-Notes:...

, Ion Codreanu

Ion Codreanu (parliamentary)

Ion Stepanovici Codreanu was a Moldovan politician.- Biography :In 1917, Codreanu was a founding member of the National Moldavian Party...

, Vasile Gafencu

Vasile Gafencu

Vasile Gafencu was a Bessarabian politician.He was the father of Valeriu Gafencu , nicknamed The Saint of Prisons.- Bibliography :*Gheorghe E...

.

The party, which demanded autonomy, had a newspaper called Cuvânt moldovenesc

Cuvânt moldovenesc

- History :The first edition was printed on June 5, 1914 and last on January 7, 1919. The first editor in chief was Nicolae Alexandri, rempalced on April 2, 1917 by Pan Halippa. Among the authors were: Simion Murafa, Ion Pelivan, M. Ciachir, Gh. Stîrcea, T. Inculeţ...

, to which some refugees from Bukovina

Bukovina

Bukovina is a historical region on the northern slopes of the northeastern Carpathian Mountains and the adjoining plains.-Name:The name Bukovina came into official use in 1775 with the region's annexation from the Principality of Moldavia to the possessions of the Habsburg Monarchy, which became...

 and Transylvania

Transylvania

Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...

 also contributed. The cornerstone of the National Moldavian Party program was to obtain political, administrative, church, school, and economic autonomy for Bessarabia. They did not hesitate to send members of the respective profession to the various congresses held in Bessarabia throughout 1917, and became very influential.

Ghibu and George Tofan

George Tofan

George Tofan was a writer and official from Austro Hungary, Moldavian Democratic Republic, and Romania. He was the editor in chief of Şcoala magazine ; also, George Tofan was a journalist and official in Chişinău.-Biography:...

 were part of a group of Transylvanian and Bukovinian intellectuals which arrived in Bessarabia in the wake of the February Revolution

February Revolution

The February Revolution of 1917 was the first of two revolutions in Russia in 1917. Centered around the then capital Petrograd in March . Its immediate result was the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II, the end of the Romanov dynasty, and the end of the Russian Empire...

 to help organize schools in Romanian, to print books and newspapers, and to help the Bessarabians in the strife for reorganization of the political and cultural life. Intellectuals from Bukovina, Transylvania, and the Romanian Old Kingdom

Romanian Old Kingdom

The Romanian Old Kingdom is a colloquial term referring to the territory covered by the first independent Romanian nation state, which was composed of the Danubian Principalities—Wallachia and Moldavia...

 fleeing the war to Bessarabia, helped with the printing of Cuvânt moldovenesc, started various language, history, culture, and sciences courses, and set up a People's University (Universitatea Populară) in Chişinău

Chisinau

Chișinău is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc...

.

The party was remplaced by the Bessarabian Peasants' Party

Bessarabian Peasants' Party

The Bessarabian Peasants' Party was an agrarian political party active in Romania, founded in Chişinău, Bessarabia, on 23 August 1918.- Overview :...

, founded in Chişinău

Chisinau

Chișinău is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc...

on 23 August 1918.