Elena Alistar was born on June 1, 1873, Vaisal commune, Ismail County. According to some historical sources, she was of Bessarabian origin. She was born in a family of priestVasile Balan. Her mother was Elisabeta Balan. She graduated from the primary school of Congaz of Cahul County, and then, attended the Chișinău Eparchial School. There she met the young theologian Dumitru Alistar. They married. After a while, her husband became a priest and she followed him. Since 1890, she worked as a teacher in the such villages as Văleni, Roșu, Zîrnești, Cahul, Rezeni and Chișinău. After her husband death, she was encouraged by the journalist Mihai Vântu to left for Iași, Romania. In 1909-1916, she attended the Medical Faculty of the University of Iași. She was arrested for "nationalistic activity" together with the members of Daniel Ciugureanu group. The group has claimed the need for force liberation of Bessarabia from the Russian influence. In 1916, she was recruited by the army as a military doctor. She continued to practice medicine at Costiujeni Hospital near Chișinău. She was the member of the Moldavian National Party and was elected as an MP from the Cetatea Albă County for the Sfatul Țării. She was the single woman elected as MP known today who actively took part in the political events that led to Bessarabia unification with Romania. On 27 March 1918, voted the Union of Bessarabia with Romania. Elena Alistar founded the Women's Cultural League of Bessarabia. She was the president of the People's Party, founded by Maresal Averescu, who was also originally from Izmail, Budjak - Historical Bessarabia, Babele commune, which is now in Ukraine. The newspaper "New Romania" was founded and headed by Onisifor Ghibu, in which have been published many articles signed by Elena Alistar. In 1927, she established in Bessarabia the Romanian Women Group. She became famous for her activity for the Romanian Women Orthodox Society which operates under the patronage of Mrs. Alexandrina Cantacuzino. After June 28, 1940, she fled to Romania. After a short stay in Iași, she was arrested by the Communist regime and sent to Pucioasa, Dâmbovița County where she died in 1955. In the few years, she was reburied at the Bellu Cemetery in Bucharest.
Works
Elena Alistar - Mișcarea feministă din Basarabia. Începuturi și realizări. Spre un viitor mai frumos. In: Mișcarea Feministă. 1. Nr. 1 : 2.
