x
At the beginning of the 19th century, following connections made with Western countries established largely through students studying abroad, especially in Paris, the ideas of the French Revolution, the 1848 revolutions and the wish for independence began to seep into the Romanian principalities. In 1848, Romanian revolutionaries raised the question of equal rights for Jews and equality of political rights for all residents of all religions, and they rose up against the Regulamentul Organic(Organic law) which was considered to be foreign legislation. In the 38-point program of the Moldovan revolutionaries, written by Mihail Kogălniceanu stated, among other things, that equal civil and political rights were to be given to all of the citizens, regardless of their religion. Russia suppressed the attempted revolution and the revolutionaries themselves were expelled.
In Wallachia, the revolutionaries succeeded in taking power for three months; (from June 11 until September 13, 1848).Their leadership committee sent requests to the rulers including demands regarding Jewish issues such as the right to vote to be granted to all landowners regardless of religion or nationality; and that the State would bear the costs for the religious denominations.
In the "Proclamation of Islaz," the revolutionary declaration of June 11, 1848, article 21 mentioned the : "emancipation of Israelites and political rights for fellow patriots of other faiths". The 22 provisions of the declaration were considered the basis for the future constitution. The revolutionary government which signed the proclamation explained that the principles included are roooted "in the old laws and customs of the land". In another proclamation, the Jews were called upon to take up arms to help "the great deed" (the Revolution), and many responded to the call. The Jew Bernth Popper replied with a proclamation of his own: "Now when your homeland is also our homeland, when you extend your hand in brotherhood, we will stand by you, strong and courageous, we will know how to fight with you and even die for our beloved homeland."
In addition to the revolutionaries Ion Brătianu, Constantin Rosetti and Ion Heliade Rădulescu, a number of Jews played an important role in this movement; among them the painters Daniel Rosenthal, (the only victim of the revolution), and Barbu Iscovescu, and the bankers Davicion Bally and Hillel Manoah, financial contributors to the revolution.
With the invasion of the Czar, the Sultan and their armies, the leaders repressed the uprising and returned to the Organic law. The situation of the Jews deteriorated; they were almost completely forbidden to live in rural areas, to hold public positions, and were considered as foreigners. But even though the failed revolution symbolized a shattered hope for the Jews; for the first time they ceased to be perceived by general society as a religious entity far removed from political matters, and therefore the 1848 revolution is perceived as the beginning of the struggle for emancipation.
The end of the Crimean War between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire in 1856 brought about a change in attitude toward the situation of the Jews in Romania. From then on, the issue was the subject of the constant interest of these superpowers. In conjunction with formation of the principles of reorganization within the Principalities, there were also discussions regarding the amelioration of the legal status of the Jews. At the Constantinople Conference, held on February 11, 1856, the Allied countries (France, England, Austria and Turkey), recognized for the first time - albeit indirectly - the equal civil and political rights of the Jews.
The Congress of Paris (February 25-March 30, 1856),which was a continuation of the Constantinople Conference, marked a transition to France's influence when Napoleon III became the "Judge of Europe". Despite this, the Treaty of Paris signed at the end of the Congress was disappointing, and despite the struggles and intervention of foreign elements, especially the French government, the Jews of the Romanian principalities did not gain political rights at this Congress.
The demand of Romanian Jews for equal rights found a sympathetic ear with Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza, who, with the help of France accomplished the unification of the Principalities, (January 24, 1859). Under his rule, a new constitution was adopted, identical for the two principalities, and the legal status of the Jews greatly improved. The new constitution, passed on December 6, 1864, and adopted into law a year later, allowed the Jews to be citizens. This was how Cuza proved that in his eyes the Jews were; "Romanians of the Jewish religion.", and that the process of emancipation should be accelerated. However, this promise was broken immediately after Cuza was removed from power.
