Pushkin in Moldova: the persona non grata?

“Bessarabia known in the deep antiquity should be especially curious for us”. These Pushkin's words from “Notes to "the Gipsies" can quite become an epigraph to history about which the speech will go further.

We name Pushkin “our all” not in vain - it seems, the researchers have studied not every year but probably, every day of his life. But here is a paradox – not only the literary critics, historians and even economists but also politicians concern themselves with Pushkin now. Alexander Sergeevich got at the root when has written the lines (it doesn’t matter on what occasion), “I have raised myself a monument not made by hand”. With it, thank God, all is normal – the people read, read and will read! And here the strange story has happened with man-made monuments in one country which we once named as brotherly republic. Alexander Sergeevich has spent three years in exile there. Have you guessed whom we are talking about? Certainly about the Republic of Moldova.

Apparently, the independent republic has taken offense firmly at the poet who lived in XIX century. You bet! How has he dared to write such lines:
«The damned city of Kishinev!
Language will be tired to scold you.
Sometime on a guilty shelter
Of your soiled houses
The heavenly thunder certainly will burst,
And — I will not find your traces!...»

The true patriots of Moldova simply could be excited in the XXI century. What is going on? It is necessary to sort out immediately with the poet who is not the Moldavian at all … Here the idea has appeared in time: there is Pushkin street in the center of Kishinev. Is it admissible! It twice a bad heritage: a damned Soviet regime and abominable imperial regime – so to say “two in one”!

And here already the deputy of parliament and the leader of National Liberal Party Vitaly Pavlichenko gives an interview in which explains for especially slow on the uptake, “Pushkin is the great poet for Russia and also for the world literature but Romania has own national poets - Eminescu, Vieru. Therefore, of course, one of the most important and central streets in the second Romanian state should be street of Vieru. Pushkin street in the center of Kishinev doesn't correspond to the Romanian essence of our state”.

And further the wise politician who is on the watch of the national interests of independent Moldova develops the thought which is live causes the association with known speech of Ostap Ibragimovich Bender in memory, who said in a condition of deep ecstasy before the amazed inhabitants of Vasyuki,
“As for Pushkin, so it is necessary to find other place, more modestly which would correspond both to percent of the Russian minority in the Republic of Moldova and to its relation to these earths. It is necessary to change also the location of a bust of Pushkin, having moved it from the central park of Kishinev. The street of a name of Pushkin and his bust in park are the vestiges of a communistic regime in the Republic of Moldova. Everyone should be there where is his place and the Republic of Moldova is Romanian state instead of the Russian”.

But it is not enough to replace the street name - the problem is much more serious! In the central park of Kishinev there is a bust to the same Pushkin. There aren’t any forces to bear this mockery. That is why the initiative group which has nicknamed as “population of Kishinev and all Moldavian territories” has addressed to the mayor’s office with the offer to transfer the bust. In confirming of the correctness of this idea, the active public men didn't refer to a percentage parity – they have written that they feel big hostility to the poet because of his lines about “the damned city of Kishinev”.

And after all there are not simply words but the words so to say embodied in a stone: on a pedestal on which the bust to the great poet is established, any villains have beaten out the following inscription: “I wandered here, disclosing the desert with the northern lyre …” It is the direct provocation, the obvious undermining against independent Moldova! And consequently the voluntary group activists should begin to cry out at the top of the voice: “the province wasn't the desert at all but the district with own culture, life, folklore”. And so directly have written!

Thank God but the ideas of patriotically anxious public haven't developed into something else yet. Though give the time, as they say … There is no rest to Alexander Sergeevich in the independent Moldova. As in a saying: by hook or by crook.
But let’s put the emotions aside. Here is the official document:

“The appeal of the participants of conference of the organizations of the Russian compatriots of the Republic of Moldova to Parliament, the Government and the Ministry of culture of the Republic of Moldova of March 26, 2011

A.S.Pushkin’s museum in Kishinev is one of the unique monuments of architecture, culture and spirituality not only of Moldova and the CIS countries but also the whole world. Only in St. Petersburg and in Kishinev two original buildings have remained, where the great Russian poet lived and created – one of the greatest geniuses of the mankind. We are grateful to the Moldavian people that since 1948 the museum of the poet works and buildings of the beginning-second half of the XIX century are protected by the state as a common museum complex.

We are deeply convinced that the necessity of protection of the similar monuments which are under protection of the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova, public authorities always and certainly should be considered by working out, the statement and realization of any town-planning plans and business projects. We consider that other approach which imposed by some commercial interests in Kishinev and has already led recently to disappearance of some objects of a cultural heritage should be categorically excluded from the legislation and practice that it is necessary to recognize the decisions illegal and to prosecute their developers under the law. The building should be forbidden as not providing reliable safety of a historical or cultural monument.

Under the information available for us, the firm "Basconslux" (3, Tigina Str., Kishinev, the director is N.Madan) has received the permissions, also including the Ministry of culture of the Republic of Moldova, for the building of multilevel housing estate in height from 4 to 12 floors directly near the walls of A.S. Pushkin’s museum. Thus neither the model, nor the documentation, conditions of building and consequences aren’t publicly announced, not coordinated and hidden from museum and public administration. The firm is neither legally, nor financially guarantees the safety of a museum complex, recognizing thus that “the shabby structure of the XIX century” can collapse completely as a result of the construction work intended for 4-5 years.

As of March 26, 2011, a serious damage to the foundation’s firmness and museum’s walls is already caused during the difficult construction work with the use of heavy machinery. The cracks and crevices are multiplied and go deep on ceilings, between ceilings and walls in the halls of constant expositions, storehouse of funds and office building. The tile falls from the roof. Meanwhile, the works will soon begin on digging of deep foundation pits for the laying of the foundations, service lines that will lead to inevitable catastrophic infringement of stability of soil, including the structure of A.S. Pushkin’s museum.

The participants of the conference of the Russian compatriots of the Republic of Moldova ask Parliament, the Government and the Ministry of culture of the Republic of Moldova to take measures immediately suspending the construction works near the museum and to provide their renewal only after public discussion and on the basis of an expert substantiation of safety of works and also under condition of signing of the guarantee agreement between the developer on one hand and the Ministry of culture of the Republic of Moldova and administration of A.S. Pushkin’s museum from another hand, which would oblige the firm, carrying out the construction works, to take all necessary measures including the application of corresponding "sparing" technologies for the maintenance of safety of invaluable object of national and world cultural property”.

There is no surprise. Since we have remembered about a bust in the Central park, so we will address to a theme of monuments which, as it is known, visually characterize an epoch. All news agencies of Moldova have informed with great pomp that a monument to the first Moldavian who has tasted coffee will appear soon in the country. It is undoubtedly historical event – that to discuss here!

Even the details are known in accuracy: in 1509 logofet Teutul has gone to Turkey with the diplomatic commission. There he had a possibility to communicate with the sultan. During the conversation logofet has tried the unknown drink. Here is how mass-media has informed on this moment pathetically: “he was the true Moldavian and consequently he has drunk at a gulp the offered cup of coffee, than the Turkish sultan was very amazed”. The bronze prototype of the future monument is already established before the entrance of one of institutions of a network of cafe.

And, probably, the same apology for patriots who demanded to take away Pushkin's bust, now joyfully state: “Already in the near future one of capital streets will be decorated with a monument underlining the color and soul of the great Moldavian people”.

But let’s return to Pushkin. Here the tourist has arrived to the republic, drank coffee (not only invigorates but also make on the necessary mode) and thought over: what to look in this not so big but actually rather interesting country. Like it or not but you’ll have to remember about Pushkin – how to avoid him even if it would be much desirable. When the tourist will decide to specify what kind of travel tours across Moldova can be, so he finds out a travel tour “Pushkin in Moldova” on the website of “Grand Riviera”.

Also he got to know the following: “The great Russian poet A.S. Pushkin has been sent by imperial administration for three years from the capital of Russia. On September 21, 1820 he arrived in Kishineu and stopped in the house of general Inzov in which there is A.S. Pushkin's museum today. For three years he created the poems " The Gipsies", “The Black shawl"," To Ovidiy ", "The true Greek woman, don't cry ","To Baratynsky from Bessarabia", "To Raevsky", "to General Pushkin", "Gavriliada", the first part of the well-known novel in verses "Evgeny Onegin" and other works which have entered into a treasury of the world literature. In Kishineu Pushkin communicated with local cultural elite, namely the writers K.Stamati, the Donich family and other persons, recognized by the classics of the Romanian literature.

Pushkin traveled much across Moldova and in particular he liked to visit the mansion Zamfir Ralli - Arbore in the village Dolna, in Nisporeni Codri. A picturesque place is approximately in 55 km to the west of Kishineu with which the great Russian poet A.Pushkin has fallen in love and often visited when he was in Bessarabia in the exile in 1820-1823.

Here he gets acquainted closer with the culture and traditions of the Moldavians, has made friends with Rally-Arbore‘s family, in the mansion of whom he has stopped for some time.

Here Pushkin has fallen in love with the Gipsy Zamfira to whom some poems has devoted. The visitors can see the mansion of Rally-Arbore located in the center of a small park, decorated with a bust of the Russian poet in village Dolna, “the Spring of Zamfira” and other places of Pushkin”.

That is, the Pushkin places exist however and the tourists are attracted there. However, why attract – any cultural person will visit that places with a great interest. If, of course, Moldova will keep something except “a monument, not made by hand”, which Alexander Sergeevich, as it is known, has constructed to himself.