INTELECTUALITATEA DIN BASARABIA INTERBELICĂ

Summary. Bessarabia is a cursed land that has produced valuable individuals, constantly seeking its identity while being a pawn between great empires. Often overshadowed by Romanian intellectuals, Bessarabian writers strove to make their mark, despite the deep-rooted Russian influence.After over a century of separation from the Motherland, Bessarabian intellectuals had the missionto promote Romanian culture and awaken national consciousness. Bessarabia was seen as the leastRomanian province, and its literature was considered provincial. One of the prominent figures ofinterwar Bessarabia was Sergiu Matei Nica. His articles present a portrait of the Bessarabian intelectuals, with their aspirations and flaws. Our objective is to provide an overview of the intellectual elitein Bessarabia, based on the articles of Sergiu Matei Nica.Key words: Bessarabia, the Interwar Period, Sergiu Matei Nica, Bessarabian Intellectuals, Provincialism.