Rădăuți (; german: Radautz; hu, Radóc; pl, Radowce; uk, Радівці, ''Radivtsi''; yi, ראַדעװיץ ''Radevits''; tr, Radoviçe) is a
town in
Suceava County
Suceava County () is a county ('' ro, județ'') of Romania. Most of its territory lies in the southern part of the historical region of Bukovina, while the remainder forms part of Western Moldavia proper.
The county seat is the historical town ...
, north-eastern
Romania. It is situated in the historical region of
Bukovina
Bukovinagerman: Bukowina or ; hu, Bukovina; pl, Bukowina; ro, Bucovina; uk, Буковина, ; see also other languages. is a historical region, variously described as part of either Central or Eastern Europe (or both).Klaus Peter Berge ...
. Rădăuți is the third largest urban settlement in the county, with a population of 23,822 inhabitants, according to the 2011 census. It was declared a municipality in 1995, along with two other cities in Suceava County:
Fălticeni
Fălticeni (; ''german: Foltischeni; hu, Falticsén;'' he, פלטיצ'ן yi, פאלטישאן) is a town in Suceava County, northeastern Romania. It is situated in the historical region of Western Moldavia. Fălticeni is the second largest urb ...
and
Câmpulung Moldovenesc
Câmpulung Moldovenesc (; formerly spelled ''Cîmpulung Moldovenesc'') is a town in Suceava County, northeastern Romania. It is situated in the historical region of Bukovina.
Câmpulung Moldovenesc is the fourth largest urban settlement in the ...
. Rădăuți covers an area of and it was the capital of former
Rădăuți County
Rădăuți County was one of the historic counties of Bukovina, Romania. The county seat was Rădăuți.
History
Following the Union of Bukovina with Romania decided by the General Congress of Bukovina on 15/28 November 191, the Rădăuți Coun ...
(until 1950).
Administration and local politics
Town council
The town's current local council has the following political composition, according to the results of the
2020 Romanian local elections
Local elections were held in Romania on 27 September 2020. Initially planned for June 2020, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic led the Government of Romania to postpone the elections to a date no later than 31 December 2020, and extending all ...
:
Geography
Rădăuți is situated in
Bukovina
Bukovinagerman: Bukowina or ; hu, Bukovina; pl, Bukowina; ro, Bucovina; uk, Буковина, ; see also other languages. is a historical region, variously described as part of either Central or Eastern Europe (or both).Klaus Peter Berge ...
, on a plain between the
Suceava and
Sucevița rivers, north-west from
Suceava, the county capital. The city is located in the depression with the same name, at altitude. It is one of the oldest settlements in Moldavia, known since the 15th century. The towns of
Siret
Siret (; german: Sereth; hu, Szeretvásár; uk, Серет, Seret; yi, סערעט, Seret) is a town, municipality and former Latin bishopric in Suceava County, northeastern Romania. It is situated in the historical region of Bukovina. Siret is ...
,
Solca
Solca (german: Solka; pl, Solka; hu, Szolka) is a town in Suceava County, northeastern Romania. It is situated in the historical region of Bukovina. Solca is the smallest town in the county and the third smallest town in Romania, with a populat ...
,
Milișăuți, and
Vicovu de Sus are located relatively close to the city, in the Rădăuți urban area of influence.
Demographics
Rădăuți reached its peak population in 1992, when more than 31,000 people were living within the city limits. As of 2016, the town of Rădăuți was the second most populated urban settlement in
Suceava County
Suceava County () is a county ('' ro, județ'') of Romania. Most of its territory lies in the southern part of the historical region of Bukovina, while the remainder forms part of Western Moldavia proper.
The county seat is the historical town ...
, after the county capital,
Suceava.
At the 2011 census, Rădăuți had a population of 23,822 inhabitants: 96.97% of inhabitants were
ethnic Romanians, 0.89%
Russians and
Lipovans, 0.88%
Roma
Roma or ROMA may refer to:
Places Australia
* Roma, Queensland, a town
** Roma Airport
** Roma Courthouse
** Electoral district of Roma, defunct
** Town of Roma, defunct town, now part of the Maranoa Regional Council
* Roma Street, Brisbane, a ...
, 0.54%
Ukrainians and 0.23%
Germans (Bukovina Germans
''Buchelanddeutsche''
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). 83.4% were
Romanian Orthodox, 9.1%
Pentecostal, 3.1%
Roman Catholic, 0.9% stated they belonged to another religion, 0.8% were
Greek-Catholic The term Greek Catholic Church can refer to a number of Eastern Catholic Churches following the Byzantine (Greek) liturgy, considered collectively or individually.
The terms Greek Catholic, Greek Catholic church or Byzantine Catholic, Byzantine Ca ...
and 0.7% each
Baptist
Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul com ...
and
Lipovan Orthodox.
History
The mention of "Radomir's village" (as part of a review of
boyar
A boyar or bolyar was a member of the highest rank of the feudal nobility in many Eastern European states, including Kievan Rus', Bulgaria, Russia, Wallachia and Moldavia, and later Romania, Lithuania and among Baltic Germans. Boyars were sec ...
property in the area) in a 1392 document (''uric'') is generally believed to be the town's first mention, and indication of the origin of the name ''Rădăuți'' (other theories state that the settlement had its origins in earlier periods, and that the name is a
Slavic-influenced derivative of the
Latin word ''Rottacenum'', as allegedly used by soldiers in the
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
* Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...
garrison in
Siret
Siret (; german: Sereth; hu, Szeretvásár; uk, Серет, Seret; yi, סערעט, Seret) is a town, municipality and former Latin bishopric in Suceava County, northeastern Romania. It is situated in the historical region of Bukovina. Siret is ...
). The oldest mention of Rădăuți as such dates from 1413, in a document issued by Moldavian Prince
Alexandru cel Bun
Alexander the Good ( ro, Alexandru cel Bun or ''Alexandru I Mușat''; c. 1375 – 1 January 1432) was a Voivode (Lord) of Moldavia, reigning between 1400 and 1432, son of Roman I Mușat. He succeeded Iuga to the throne, and, as a ruler, ini ...
.
By the middle of the 14th century, Rădăuți was already a flourishing settlement, the seat of a prominent
Eastern Orthodox church during the times of
Bogdan I
Bogdan I, or Bogdan the Founder ( ro, Bogdan Întemeietorul), was the first independent ruler, or voivode, of Moldavia in the 1360s. He had initially been the voivode, or head, of the Vlachs in the Voivodeship of Maramureș in the Kingdom of H ...
(1359–1365), and subsequently a
bishopric
In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...
. Around the St. Nicholas church (
Bogdana Monastery
Bogdana Monastery is a Romanian Orthodox monastery in the town of Rădăuți, northern Romania. Its church is the oldest still standing religious building in Moldavia. The monastery was built by Bogdan I of Moldavia (1359–1365) sometime arou ...
), archaeologists have uncovered a
habitation layer preceding Bogdan's period of rule, one which could point to the existence of a local center prior to the
foundation of Moldavia
The founding of Moldavia ( ro, Descălecatul Moldovei) began with the arrival of a Vlach (Romanian) voivode (military leader), Dragoș, soon followed by his people from Maramureș, then a voivodeship, to the region of the Moldova River. Drag ...
.
Awarded the
privilege of organizing
fairs, Rădăuți evolved due to its favorable location midway between the
Carpathian Mountains and the tableland area (with traders from both regions establishing contact in the local market). The fairs at Rădăuți have been dated to the time of
Stephen the Great (a document from 1481; however, since the mention includes details of Stephen's intervention in solving a commercial dispute, it is possible that the fairs were well established by then).
Rădăuți has a cathedral, built in 1402, with the tombs of several Moldavian princes.
Rădăuți was also the seat of a Greek bishopric, moved to
Chernivtsi
Chernivtsi ( uk, Чернівці́}, ; ro, Cernăuți, ; see also other names) is a city in the historical region of Bukovina, which is now divided along the borders of Romania and Ukraine, including this city, which is situated on the u ...
in 1786.
[
Rădăuți was one of the largest cities of the Duchy of ]Bukovina
Bukovinagerman: Bukowina or ; hu, Bukovina; pl, Bukowina; ro, Bucovina; uk, Буковина, ; see also other languages. is a historical region, variously described as part of either Central or Eastern Europe (or both).Klaus Peter Berge ...
during the period of Habsburg administration (1775–1918). During that time it saw a high level of German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
(especially Swabian
Swabian or Schwabian, or ''variation'', may refer to:
* the German region of Swabia (German: "''Schwaben''")
* Swabian German, a dialect spoken in Baden-Württemberg in south-west Germany and adjoining areas (German:"''Schwäbisch''")
* Danube S ...
) immigration, which would later form the basis for the Bukovina Germans
''Buchelanddeutsche''
, native_name_lang =
, image =
, image_caption =
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in the whole region.
Jewish history of Rădăuți
A Jewish community was present before the Habsburg takeover, and is attested to have been overseen by a '' starost''.
Many Jews fleeing the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
The Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria,, ; pl, Królestwo Galicji i Lodomerii, ; uk, Королівство Галичини та Володимирії, Korolivstvo Halychyny ta Volodymyrii; la, Rēgnum Galiciae et Lodomeriae also known as ...
(as well as other Habsburg areas) from intense persecution and anti-Semitism
Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism.
Antis ...
during the Middle Ages settled in Rădăuți. The community was allowed a degree of self-administration, and witnessed a period of prosperity and cultural effervescence during the 19th century.
The majority of Rădăuți's Jewish population was exterminated during the Holocaust. Persecutions became widespread around 1938, when Jews were harassed and attacked by authorities under the Octavian Goga
Octavian Goga (; 1 April 1881 – 7 May 1938) was a Romanian politician, poet, playwright, journalist, and translator.
Life and politics
Goga was born in Rășinari, near Sibiu.
Goga was an active member in the Romanian nationalis ...
government; they were confirmed by anti-Semitic legislation passed by the Ion Gigurtu
Ion Gigurtu (; 24 June 1886 – 24 November 1959) was a far-right Romanian politician, Land Forces officer, engineer and industrialist who served a brief term as Prime Minister from 4 July to 4 September 1940, under the personal regime of King Car ...
cabinet, and, in late 1940, exceptionally violent following the establishment of the National Legionary State. In October 1941, all Jews present in Rădăuți (more than 10,000) were deported to concentration camp
Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simp ...
s in Transnistria.
Bogdana Monastery
The Princely Church at Rădăuți contained the graves of Bogdan I
Bogdan I, or Bogdan the Founder ( ro, Bogdan Întemeietorul), was the first independent ruler, or voivode, of Moldavia in the 1360s. He had initially been the voivode, or head, of the Vlachs in the Voivodeship of Maramureș in the Kingdom of H ...
and his son Lațcu, both Voivodes/ Princes of Moldavia, as well as a later ruler, Roman I of Moldavia. Is the oldest monastery from Moldova
Moldova ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Moldova ( ro, Republica Moldova), is a Landlocked country, landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The List of states ...
and Bucovina
Bukovinagerman: Bukowina or ; hu, Bukovina; pl, Bukowina; ro, Bucovina; uk, Буковина, ; see also other languages. is a historical region, variously described as part of either Central or Eastern Europe (or both).Klaus Peter Berge ...
(1365). Inside the monastery there are 14 tombs (like Bogdan I (1359–1365), Lațcu Voievod (1365–1373), Roman I (1391–1394), Ștefan I (1394–1399), Bogdan, the brother Alexandru cel Bun, Bogdan, son of Alexandru cel Bun and others.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Rădăuți is twinned with:
Natives
* Avigdor Arikha
Avigdor Arikha ( he, אביגדור אריכא; April 28, 1929 – April 29, 2010) was a Romanian-born French–Israeli artist, printmaker and art historian.
Biography
Victor Długacz (later Avigdor Arikha) was born to German-speaking Jewish pare ...
- Israeli painter
* Emil Armin - American artist
* Alexandru Bodnar - athlete
* Heinrich Gärtner - cinematographer
* Irina Lauric - sprint canoeist
* Iacov Putneanul - Metropolitan
Metropolitan may refer to:
* Metropolitan area, a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories
* Metropolitan borough, a form of local government district in England
* Metropolitan county, a typ ...
* Saint Bishop Leontie of Rădăuți
* Benedict Menkes - Romanian biologist
* Dan Pagis
Dan Pagis (October 16, 1930 – June 29, 1986) was an Israeli poet, lecturer and Holocaust survivor.
Biography
Dan Pagis was born in Rădăuţi, Bukovina in Romania and imprisoned as a child in a concentration camp in Ukraine. He escaped in 1 ...
- Israeli Hebrew poet and literature researcher
* Lothar Rădăceanu
Lothar or Lotar Rădăceanu (born ''Lothar Würzer'' or ''Würzel''; May 19, 1899 – August 24, 1955) was a Romanian journalist and linguist, best known as a socialist and communist politician.
Biography
Early life and politics
Born to an ...
- journalist, linguist, socialist, and communist politician
* Ștefan Rusu - Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling
* Matei Vișniec - Romanian poet and playwright living in France
Gallery
File:Primăria din Rădăuţi.jpg, The Town Hall
File:Fosta prefectură și hotel, Rădăuți (3).JPG, Former prefecture building in Union Square
File:Colegiul Național Eudoxiu Hurmuzachi, Rădăuți.JPG, Eudoxiu Hurmuzachi High School
File:Școala Regina Elisabeta, Rădăuți.JPG, Queen Elizabaeth Elementary School
File:Muzeul de etnografie din Radauti.jpg, The Ethnographic Museum
File:Banca din Rădăuţi.jpg, The Romanian Commercial Bank
File:60-0383-2 radauti.JPG, CFR train passing through the town
File:BogdanI.JPG, Bogdan I Equestrian Statue, by
File:Manastirea Bogdana.jpg, Bogdana Monastery
File:Catedrala din Rădăuţi.jpg, The Orthodox Cathedral
File:Biserica Naşterea Sfintei Fecioare Maria din Rădăuţi.jpg, The Roman Catholic Church
File:Templu151.JPG, The Jewish Temple
References
External links
*
Rădăuți Town Hall official site
*
Rădăuți Online - Unofficial site
*
Rădăuți Info - Unofficial site
*
Eudoxiu Hurmuzachi National High School, Rădăuți
*
The Cultural Authority of Rădăuți
*
Bogdana Monastery official site
*
Gazeta de Monitor - Local newspaper about Rădăuți
*
Suceava County site - Rădăuți web page
*
Photo Gallery - Old photos of Rădăuți
{{DEFAULTSORT:Radauti
Cities in Romania
Bukovina-German people
Jewish communities in Romania
Duchy of Bukovina
Localities in Southern Bukovina
Capitals of former Romanian counties
Ținutul Suceava
Holocaust locations in Romania
Populated places in Suceava County
Polish communities in Romania