Contribution of the Cultural Association "ASTRA Bessarabia" to the creation of public libraries in the interwar Bessarabia

The cultural association “ASTRA Basarabia”, created with the participation of the Transylvanian Association for Romanian Literature and Culture of the Romanian People – ASTRA (Sibiu), played an important role in the revival of the national Romanian cultural values of Basarabia through community centers and libraries created in the period 1926–1935. In fact, the foundations of the ASTRA society were laid unofficially in Bessarabia in 1924, when the Romanian army created its first divisions in Akkerman, Bender and Izmail counties. The libraries created by the ASTRA Basarabia association were constantly supplemented with Romanian literature, which was donated by the School House, the Public Education structure, the Sibiu ASTRA association, private individuals, ministries, publishers, cultural associations, and also collected or acquired at their own expense. Cultural centers organized “courses for the illiterate”, conferences, educational and patriotic performances, etc. In general, the regional association organized a wide range of cultural events that brought together representatives of the intelligentsia, peasants, workers, as well as the youth of the province. Such personalities as Onisifor Gibu, Ioan Pelivan and Leon T. Boga played a major role in the extensive and fruitful work of this association in 1924–1935.