Huşi

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"Husi" redirects here. For other uses, see Husi (disambiguation).

Municipiul Huşi

County

Vaslui County

Status

Municipality

Mayor

Tudor Stafie, National Liberal Party, since 2004

Population (2002)

33,320

Geographical coordinates

46°40′27″N, 28°3′35″E

Web site

http://www.husi.ro/

Huşi is a city in the Vaslui County, Romania, formal capital of the disbanded Fălciu County in the informal region of Moldavia, Romanian Orthodox episcopal see, and home of some of the best vineyards of Romania. The city is located on a branch of the Iaşi-Galaţi railway, nine miles west of the Prut River and the frontier with the Republic of Moldova. In 2000, the city's population was 33,320 - over double the 1900 population of 15,404.

[edit] History

One theory states that Huşi has been founded in the 15th century by a colony of Hussites, from whom its name would have been derived; it was disputed by renowned scholars such as Nicolae Iorga and the bishop Melchisedec, who argued that the name of the city is older, originating with the boyar Hus (name also rendered as Husul or Husea), who owned land in the area.

The first document mentioning the city is a letter of December 17, 1487, sent by the Prince of Moldavia, Stephen III the Great, to the influential Saxon traders of Braşov; the text indicates that the letter had been sent from Huşi. Soon after, Huşi became one of the favorite places of residence of Stephen III, a fact which led to a noted rise in economical and political status for the following period.

Princes who succeeded Stephen - such as Bogdan III cel Orb, Petru Rareş, Iliaş, Alexandru Lăpuşneanu, and Ioan Vodă cel Cumplit - also chose Huşi as one of their favorite residences (taking in view both its wines and the strategic location which allowed an efficient overseeing of several anti-Ottoman campaigns).

In 1598, during the reign of Ieremia Movilă, Huşi was established as an episcopal see of the Eastern Orthodox Church, although the Huşi cathedral had in fact been built by Stephen III (1491) as the church of his palace there. After 1598, the bishops became the owners of the city and its lands, and were thus the main agents behind the city's development.

View of the city

In 1711, Huşi was the place of signing for the Treaty of the Pruth that ended the Russo-Turkish War.

[edit] Jewish history of Huşi

Main article: History of the Jews in Romania

According to local tradition, the first Jewish immigrants would have come to Huşi some time after 1484 (documents mention "five families, among them Frisof, Stofler and Gronic"); in 1747 there were about 1,042 Jews in city; cca. 2,500 in 1859; 3,587 in 1897; 2,514 in 1930; 2,100 in 1942; 2,000 in 1992. In 2005, Huşi was home to only 25 Jews (0-15 years old: 1 person; 16-35 years old: 3 persons; 36-60 years old: 6 persons; over 60 years old: 10 persons), the result of successive waves of aliyah after World War II. The current president of the Jewish community is Iosif Leibovici.

The Jews of Huşi have had an important role in the economic development of the city, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries, at a time when the city was considered one of the most important in Moldavia.

The first synagogue (Beth-Hanidras, the Great Synagogue) was built in the 18th century. In 1943 there were five synagogues (Beth-Hanidras, Ceauşul Mare, Blănari, Croitorilor, Postelnici). Only one synagogue serves the Jewish community nowadays. The first Jewish cemetery was founded in 1680, on Călăraşi Street. The second cemetery was opened in 1880, and it is still in use.