“I regard as my homeland the whole stretch of land where Romanian is spoken, and as national history the history of the whole of Moldavia before it was torn apart, of Wallachia, and of our brothers in Transylvania.”Mihail Kogălniceanu · Cuvânt pentru deschiderea cursului de istorie națională · 1843 · Cuvânt pentru deschiderea cursului de istorie națională, Cuvântul introductiv
The homeland is not the political border, but every place where Romanian is spoken.
Kogălniceanu redefines the notion of homeland in linguistic and cultural terms, not political ones. In 1843, when Moldavia and Wallachia were separate states and Transylvania belonged to the Habsburg Empire, he asserts national unity. For instance, his course on national history included all Romanian provinces, which was an act of political courage.
Why it matters It shows that national identity can be built on language and culture, not just political borders, and that this vision can unite communities separated by history.