Presidential Library collections: Russia and Romania – 140 years of diplomatic relations

Diplomatic relations between Russia and Romania were established 140 years ago - on October 15, 1878. Russia liberated the territory of the present-day Romania from the colonial oppression and was the first state to promote the development and self-determination of its people.

The history of bilateral relations between our country and Romania includes a wide variety of archival documents, books and illustrations. They build up the “Russia – Romania: From the History of Relations” collection, which is available on the portal of the Presidential Library.

The collection of materials about the war deals with the difficulties that the Russian troops encountered while settling in the modern Romania. "On April 26-27 heavy rains hit many areas. On April 28 the bridge collapsed near Ploiești preventing further movement. The cavalry forded the river. <...> During the last days of April, the Ungheni-Iași road was destroyed by torrential rains. Some troops had to go on foot”.

“Forgotten photographs of the Russo-Turkish War” gallery also casts light on the events of 1877-1878. It presents the works of the Russian photographer A. D. Ivanov and Franz Dushek - the court photographer of the Prince Сarol I of Romania.

However, it was prior to 1878 that Russia had cooperated though not with Romania, but with the principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia, which later made part of it (the latter with its capital in the city of Iași).

It is worth remembering Dimitrie Cantemir - the ruler of the principality of Moldavia, who made an alliance with Peter I in 1711, but shortly afterwards lost power and moved to Russia, where he became the prince and founder of the dynasty of Russian aristocrats. The poet and diplomat A. D. Cantemir was the representative of that dynasty. “Works, Letters and Selected Translations of the Prince Antioch Dmitrievich Cantemir” can be found on the portal of the Presidential Library.

Since early 19th century, the territories, which are part of the present-day Romania, used to be under the Russian rule. In particular, from 1829 to 1834, Wallachia and Moldavia were governed by an outstanding statesman and military leader Pavel D. Kiselyov. The book entitled  “Count P. D. Kiselyov and His Time” written by A. P. Zablotsky-Desyatovsky reads: "Count Kiselyov, who was experienced in military and administrative affairs, took an active part in the eastern policy during 1828-1834, was trusted by three sovereigns, proved many times during the long service the noble character, honest thoughts and sharp mind, and learned the progressive ideas of the epoch, could certainly be the best representative of a sound, honest and reasonable policy".

“The Medical and Topographic Survey of the Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia” (1835) by S. Dobronravov, which is available in the Electronic Reading Room of the Presidential Library, reads about the improvements carried out to the capital [Bucharest] by Adjutant-General Kiselyov. Many streets were paved with stone, wooden pavements were repaired, sewage canals and the whole city were clean and neat.

In addition, the constitutions of Danube principalities were adopted under Kiselyov. Though they are not available on the portal of the Presidential Library, “The Collection of Constitutional Acts” of 1906 features the Constitution of Romania effective at that time. The document was particularly democratic.

Noteworthy accounts about Romania were written by L. D. Trotsky. His book “Essays on the Political Romania” of 1922, which can be found in the collections of the Presidential Library, apart from politics, is replete with rich ethnographic material about the life of Romania in 1913: "The Romanian language finds its roots in the Latin, but Slavic words make up 20-30 per cent of it. Distinctive Slavic, sometimes familiar Russian words, which stand out from the main Latin speech, come as a surprise to Russian people”.

Further, according to the account of the revolutionary, a rather high percentage of public servants in Bucharest (coachmen, waiters, porters, messengers) could speak Russian language.

Those, who would like to learn about ‘the skoptsy’, whom Trotsky called perhaps the main attraction of Bucharest, may read A. P. Syrku’s “Russian Mystic Sects in Romania” of 1879, which can be found in the Electronic Reading Room of the Presidential Library.

It is also curious that in the late 19th century Romania became one of the centers of Russian political emigration. However, according to Trotsky, by the beginning of World War I, only a few important restaurateurs, a university rector and a head of the Bucharest statistics office remained there.

In 1916 Romania entered World War I on the side of Russia and the Entente. During World War II it became the member of the Allies in 1944. After the war and until 1989, it had been the Socialist Romania. N. Kolokolchikov’s “Romanian Flavour: Events of the December Revolution”, which is available in the Electronic Reading Room of the Presidential Library, sheds light on the Revolution of 1989, which marked the beginning of a new page in history of the country.

The modern research work by Ye. V. German entitled “Prospects for the Russian-Romanian Foreign Economic Cooperation in the Context of Economic Reforms in Romania” reads that nowadays relations between Russia and Romania have great potential.