De la Universitatea austriacă a Bucovinei la Universitatea românească din Cernăuți (1918–1920)
From the Austrian University of Bukovina to the Romanian University of Chernivtsi (1918–1920)

Summary/Abstract: The Duchy of Bukovina as part of the Austrian state underwent important ethno-social, political, confessional, educational and spiritual metamorphoses during the 144 years of Austrian administration (1774–1918). During this long period, the Romanian national identity was supported by the Church, cultural associations and societies, schools and lyceums, which encouraged the knowledge of history, language, faith and specific Romanian customs. The most important institution for the preservation of the Romanian identity was the school, but higher education in Romanian did not exist in Bukovina. This prompted young Bukovinians to study at faculties in Europe, but especially in the Habsburg Empire, which later became the Austro-Hungarian Empire.The issue of establishing a University in Chernivtsi was frequently raised by the Romanian Bukovinian elites, even after the revolution of 1848. On December 23, 1873, the deputy Anton Kochanowski, who was also the mayor of Chernivtsi, asked for the foundation of a university in Chernivtsi in the Bukovina Diet. The Vienna Parliament accepted the establishment of a German University (Franz-Josephs-Universität) in Chernivtsi.On November 9, 1918, the most important institutions in Chernivtsi were taken under the control of the Romanian National Council. Bukovina returned to Romania following the decision of the Council of the Country on October 14/27, 1918, a decision confirmed by the Peace Treaty with Austria, signed at Saint-Germain-en-Laye (September 10, 1919). As a consequence of this state of affairs, Bukovina, like Transylvania, underwent a complex process of reorganization of the university institutions. The first step was the installation of Romanian leadership at the universities of Cluj and Chernivtsi. The Universities of Cluj and Chernivtsi were transformed into Romanian universities by decree-laws and were reorganized according to the European, Franco-German model, adding new departments and institutes, in order to bring them as close as possible to similar institutions in Iași and Bucharest.The festive inauguration ceremonies of the University of Chernivtsi took place on October 23–25, 1920, in the presence of King Ferdinand I and Queen Maria. This solemn event was attended by representatives of the Royal Family, some members of the Government, representatives of the Church, the Academy, the Universities, the Army, academics and foreign diplomats. The celebrations were a symbolic moment that reaffirmed the intellectual, pedagogical and cultural mission of the University, its role in building elites and spreading Romanian national culture.

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