A lesser-known patron, unfairly forgotten today, the Bessarabian boyar Vasile Stroiescu 11 noi 1845-15 April 1926

A less well-known patron, unfairly forgotten today, is the Bessarabian boyar Vasile Stroiescu, who, having a huge fortune through business done in the Tsarist Empire, financed Romanian culture, education and the press in all the Romanian provinces temporarily under the occupation of foreign empires.

Vasile Stroescu was born on November 11, 1845, in the village of Trinca, Edineţ district, Hotin county, in Bessarabia, during which, following the Russian-Turkish peace treaty in Bucharest, from May 16, 1812, the province of Bessarabia, until March 27, 1917, was under Russian rule. Vasile Stroescu came from an old Romanian family, important and recognized since the end of the 17th century. He studied at the Regional High School in Chisinau, at the high school in Kamenes-Podolski, then at the Richelieu High School in Odessa. He studied law at the Universities of Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Berlin. He then traveled through Europe and Africa. Graduated in law, he is appointed as a judge at the Court of Hotin. Here he met the writer Alexandru Hâjdeu, and later, in Romania, the poet Octavian Goga. He was a specialist in law, but he was passionate about history, literature and agricultural sciences. He inherited from his parents several estates, with a total area of ​​25,000 ha, and large herds of cattle, studs of horses, flocks of sheep, numerous mansions. He put all these fortunes at the service of the country, for the benefit of the peasantry “which he loved, guided and helped”

He invested a lot in the culture of the Romanians from Transylvania, which was temporarily under the occupation of the Austro-Hungarian empire. He knew the languages: French, Italian, German, English, as well as Slavic languages.

He initiated a national movement in Bessarabia in 1910, in Balti. Vasile Stroescu together with the unionist leader Ioan Pelivan organized joint actions regarding the spread of Romanian and unionist culture in Bessarabia. On May 24, 1910, the Romanian Academy proclaimed him an Honorary Member. In Chisinau in 1913, the magazine “Cuvânt Moldovenesc” appeared, edited by Nicolae Alexandri and Pan Halippa, who were supported by Vasile Stroescu with the sum of 10,000 rubles and a paper wagon. In 1917, Vasile Stroescu was in America in San Francisco, when he learned of the outbreak of the Russian Revolution. Vasile Stroescu sent a letter to the National Party in Chişinău (March 24, 1917) returning immediately to participate and contribute to the realization of the great achievements of his dream, the union of all Romanians. The special activity of the great philanthropist Vasile Stroescu, a Patron Saint of Romanians from Transylvania, is confirmed by the data of the Register of Philanthropic Actions of Vasile Stroescu”. From the 216 churches and 96 schools built and repaired as well as other charitable financial actions, we have the opportunity to further present the financial support given to churches and schools in Alba County, especially from the period of 1910-1911-1912-1913.

The amounts donated are colossal for those times. The newspaper “U” from Blaj, from April 23, 1910, writes the following: “Vasile Stroescu, the great and forever immortal benefactor of the Romanian nation, illustrated himself again with a tribute, which will forever perpetuate his memory among us”

On April 15, 1926, Vasile Stroiescu left for the eternal. He took part in the national funeral, the entire government was present at his catafalque, led by General Averescu. King Ferdinand and Queen Maria sent wreaths, as did the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and the Senate of the Country. He was buried at the Saint Friday Cemetery in Bucharest. Perhaps it would be worthwhile for Transylvanian Romanians to raise a statue to Vasile Stroiescu as a token of gratitude or at least for the state institutions to take him as a model for the perseverance to do it through culture, as a premise.