The Attitude of the Administration of Bessarabia Towards the Subjects of the Austro-Hungarian Empire Living in the Territory of Its Province During WWI

After the annexation of the territory between the Pruth and Dniester Rivers in 1812 by Russia, the north of Bessarabia was settled by Rusin immigrants from Bukovina, which had been annexed by Austria in 1774. Many of the settlers, who remained in Bessarabia permanently, accepted Russian citizenship. At the beginning of the 20th C. over 250 thousand Rusins lived in Bessarabia. Unfortunately these figures are relative and do not show the true number of migrants. Several researchers indicate that there was a massive settlement of Rusins to Bessarabia from the Austro-Hungarian Empire before the beginning of WWI. According to the census of 1897, 23 157 foreigners resided in Bessarabia. 15 994 were Austro-Hungarian subjects (basically Rusins). The situation for the Austro-Hungarian subjects on the territory of Bessarabia changed before and during WWI, when their status automatically changed into being subjects of a state which was at war with Russia. On the whole, in the Province of Bessarabia the attitude toward the Rusins, as to the other Slavs, who were subjects of a state which was at war with Russia, was totally liberal. The Rusins, who registered themselves at the time as Little Russians, were considered as representatives of the Russian nation. Along with this it was not forbidden to apply for and receive Russian citizenship - as before the war as well as after it began. Even when Bessarabia was a zone of the front, the local authorities, at the request of the landowners, did not deport the Rusins, as subjects of Austro-Hungary, from Bessarabia.

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