The reinstatement of historical names of localities - the initial stage of reforming territorial - administrative delimitation of Republic of Moldova

Abstract

The name is one of the essential defining elements of a local identity. Through his name the local community identifies and individualizes itself in relation to other communities of the same gender. The present study emphasizes the idea that the toponymic reforms initiated in 1812 after the annexation of Eastern Moldova by the Russian Empire and those from the Soviet period were used as a tool to form a new collective identity and to erase the historical memory. This was put into practice by providing new names to the localities and administrative-territorial units and the liquidation of names of places that could raise “unwanted” cultural and historical associations of population. The initial phase of the territorial-administrative reform in Moldova was defined by a return to national and historical names of localities and to the legitimacy of toponyms and anthroponyms in their traditional and correct forms which was a relevant achievement.