Figure 1.--This photo was taken during the mid-1930s during a summer camp in Bukovina, a historical region in Central Europe, currently divided between Ukraine and Romania. The camp was organized by a Jewish humanitarian organization, the Oeuvre de Secours aux Enfants (OSE) founded during 1912 in Saint Petersburg. Most of these children were murdered as part of the Holocaust by the Romanian Army when the rentered Bukovina with the Germans (June 1941). Click on the image to see the rest of the children and for information about the OSE.

Bukovina ( Bukowina / Bucovina ) is a historic region stradeling northeastern Romania and western Ukraine. Bukovina is located along the eastern slopes of the Carpathian mountains. It was the center of the medieval Principality of Moldavia with Suceava as its capital (1388). The region is best known for the Painted Monasteries of Arbora, Dragomirna, Humor, Moldovita, Putna, Sucevita, and Voronet (15-16th centuries). They were built with the patronage of Stefan the Great and his son Petru Rares. They have beautiful exterior frescoes and today the monasteries are some of the greatest cultural treasures of modern Romania. Bukovina like the rest of Romania was seized by the Ottoman Empire. Bukovina was, however, the northern limit of Ottoman expansion and thus the Ottoman influence here was relatively limited. The Russians contested Ottoman expansion morth and occupied Bukovina (1769). The Austrians seized the th eprovince (1774) in the period before the Frnch Revolution. The Treaty of Constantinople recognized Austrian control (1775). Austria regarded Bukovina as a strategic link between Transylvania and Galicia, The Austrians administered as a district of the province of Galicia, mixed Polish/Ukranian population) (1786-1849). Austria as part of Revoultion of 1848 reforms, granted Bukovina status of an separate crown land and duchy (1849). With Austria's defeat in the Austro-Prussian War (1866), the Austrians reorganized their empire into the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary as part of the , in the Compromise of 1867. Bukovina and Galicia, remained under Austrian administration. Neighboring Transylvania with a substantial Hungarian population was transferred to Hungarian administratio. Bukovina was before World War I (1914-18) eastern-most province of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As a result, Bukovina became a battlefield between Austrian and Russian troops during World War I. Romania declared war on Germany and Austria (1917). Bukovina was occupied by the Austrians and Germans after Romania was defeated and occupied by the Central Powers. After the German/Austrian capitulation, Bukovina was awarded to Romania in the World War I settlements--the Treaty of St. Germain. Bukovina had a substantial Ukranian population. Romania prized it as the historical cradle of the Moldavian principality, especilly because of the beautiful examples of Romanian art and architecture--notably the painted monastaries. There was also a small Jewish population. Jewish merchants passing through Bukovina are mentioned in the historical record. Jews began settling there as represion in Western Europe increased (14th century). After Stalin signed an alliance with Hitler (NAZI-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact), Stalin seized northern Bukovina (June 28, 1940). Romanian and German troops would recoocpy Bukovina in the opening phase of Barbarossa (June 1941). The Jewish population was murderd by the Romanian Army as they moved east. After World War II, Stalin split of the province between Romania and the Soviet Union (Ukraine). The northern half of Bukovina is today the Chernivetska oblast of Ukraine. Southern Bukovina is now part of Suceava county, Romania.

Geography

Bukovina ( Bukowina / Bucovina ) is a historic region stradeling northeastern Romania and western Ukraine. Bukovina is located along the eastern slopes of the Carpathian mountains. The Carpathian Mountains consist of three geologically distinct bands: the outer flysch, the central crystalline, and the inner volcanic. The crystalline band in Burkovina has some valuable mineral resources. The great forrets of the region led to the name of the province.

History

It was the center of the medieval Principality of Moldavia with Suceava as its capital (1388). The region is best known for the Painted Monasteries of Arbora, Dragomirna, Humor, Moldovita, Putna, Sucevita, and Voronet (15-16th centuries). They were built with the patronage of Stefan the Great and his son Petru Rares. They have beautiful exterior frescoes and today the monasteries are some of the greatest cultural treasures of modern Romania. Bukovina like the rest of Romania was seized by the Ottoman Empire. Bukovina was, however, the northern limit of Ottoman expansion and thus the Ottoman influence here was relatively limited. The Russians contested Ottoman expansion morth and occupied Bukovina (1769). The Austrians seized the th eprovince (1774) in the period before the Frnch Revolution. The Treaty of Constantinople recognized Austrian control (1775). Austria regarded Bukovina as a strategic link between Transylvania and Galicia, The Austrians administered as a district of the province of Galicia, mixed Polish/Ukranian population) (1786-1849). Austria as part of Revoultion of 1848 reforms, granted Bukovina status of an separate crown land and duchy (1849). With Austria's defeat in the Austro-Prussian War (1866), the Austrians reorganized their empire into the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary as part of the , in the Compromise of 1867. Bukovina and Galicia, remained under Austrian administration. Neighboring Transylvania with a substantial Hungarian population was transferred to Hungarian administratio. Bukovina was before World War I (1914-18) eastern-most province of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As a result, Bukovina became a battlefield between Austrian and Russian troops during World War I. Romania declared war on Germany and Austria (1917). Bukovina was occupied by the Austrians and Germans after Romania was defeated and occupied by the Central Powers. After the German/Austrian capitulation, Bukovina was awarded to Romania in the World War I settlements--the Treaty of St. Germain. Bukovina had a substantial Ukranian population. Romania prized it as the historical cradle of the Moldavian principality, especilly because of the beautiful examples of Romanian art and architecture--notably the painted monastaries. There was also a small Jewish population. Jewish merchants passing through Bukovina are mentioned in the historical record. Jews began settling there as represion in Western Europe increased (14th century). After Stalin signed an alliance with Hitler (NAZI-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact), Stalin seized northern Bukovina (June 28, 1940). Romanian and German troops would recoocpy Bukovina in the opening phase of Barbarossa (June 1941). The Jewish population was murderd by the Romanian Army as they moved east. After World War II, Stalin split the province between Romania and the Soviet Union (Ukraine). The northern half of Bukovina is today the Chernivetska oblast of Ukraine. Southern Bukovina is now part of Suceava county, Romania.

Economy

Bukovina was an overwealmingly agricultural province of the ausran Empire and then Romania. The province was heabily forested which played a role in the economy, the principal industry was wood crafts. Under Austrian rule some 40 percent of the land was forest. Some 30 percent of the land was cultivated, mostly grain (corn, rye, wheat, and oats), potatoes, seed grasses, and sugar beets. At the time of World War II, about 75 percent of the population was still employed in agriculture. There were some mineral resources, the crystalline band contained deposits of iron, manganese, lead, silver, and copper ores. The Carpathian foothills contain salt and cement deposits. Other than wood crafts, other industries flowed from agriculture, sugar refining, milling, brewing, tanning and shoemaking. Some increase in industrial development occured under Romanian rule after World War I when producers were protected by Romanian tariffs andno longer had to compete with with Austrian and Czech industries. We do not know much about the modern economy, but tourism is of some importance.

Religion

Romanians were primarily Eastern Orthodox. The Ukrainians were also Orthodox and struggled for equality with the majority Romanians. They were in the process of achieving it on the eve of World War I.

Ethnicity

We are not sure about the historic ethnicity of Bukovina. Data only becomes available with the advent of the Austrian era, after the Turks ceeded Bukovina to Austria. At the time the austrians took control, the province was sparsely settled abd dominated by great forests. Even with the Austrians there are varying estimaes. The dominant group was definitely Romanian (something like 60-85 percent). The rest was mostly Ukranians who the Austrians called Ruthenians (10-30 percent). The Ruthenian designation was part of an Austtian effort to discourage Ukranian nationlist sentiment within the Empire. Austrian imperial policy was to promote immigration to help develop their new sparsely populated privince. Religious toleration under Austrian rule was a factor in the immigration. The new immigrants included Germans, Hungarians, Jews, Poles, and Ukranians. The main immigrant group was Ukranias. At the time of World War II, the non-Romanian/Ukranian segment had grown to about 25 percent of the population. Primarily as a result of World War II the Ukranian and Romanian populations were separated and the other groups sharrply reduced. Hitler ordered The Germans Back to The Reich after Stalin announced plans to seize the prrovince. The Romanian Army with little encouragement from the Germans murdered most of the Jews (1941-42).

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Created: 5:02 PM 4/5/2014
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