| Alexei Mateevici | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 27, 1888 |
| Died | August 24, 1917 (aged 29) |
| Occupation | Greek language teacher |
| Language | Romanian |
| Ethnicity | Romanian |
| Alma mater | Theological Academy of Kiev |
| Notable work(s) | Limba noastră (Our Language) |
| Spouse(s) | Teodora Borisovna Novitski |
Alexe (or Alexei) Mateevici (March 27, 1888-August 24, 1917) was a Moldavian poet.
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He was born in the town Căinari, in Eastern Bessarabia, which was part of the Russian Empire, now in the Republic of Moldova. He studied at the theological school of Chişinău, and published his first poems (Ţăranii (Peasants), Eu cânt (I sing), Ţara (The Country) in the newspaper Basarabia, where he also published two articles on Moldavian folklore. Mateevici later published several articles on religion in Moldavia.
Mateevici went on to study at the Theological Academy of Kiev, from which he graduated in 1914. In that year he married Teodora Borisovna Novitski. He returned to Chişinău, and became a Greek language teacher at the theological school.
Mateevici was a strong supporter of the Romanian identity of the native population of Bessarabia. At a congress of Bessarabian teachers in 1917, he said
"Da, suntem moldoveni, fii ai vechii Moldove, însă facem parte din marele trup al românismului, aşezat prin România, Bucovina şi Transilvania. Fraţii noştri din Bucovina, Transilvania şi Macedonia nu se numesc după locurile unde trăiesc, ci-şi zic români. Aşa trebuie să facem şi noi!"
"Yes, we are Moldovans, sons of the old Moldavia, but we belong to the large body of the Romanian nation, that lives in Romania, Bukovina and Transylvania. Our brothers from Bukovina, Transylvania and Macedonia don't call themselves after the places they live in, but call themselves Romanians. That is what we should do as well!" [1]
In the summer of 1917 Mateevici wrote several poems including Văd prăbuşirea, Cântec de leagăn (Cradle Song), Basarabenilor, Frunza nucului, Unora. On July 17, he wrote the poem Limba noastră (Our Language), today the national anthem of the Republic of Moldova. Less than a month later he died of epidemic typhus.