A unique Crimean Tatar national identity in Dobruja began to emerge in the last quarter of the 19th century. When Ismail Gasprinski, considered by many to be the father of Crimean Tatar nationalism, visited Köstence (Constanţa) in 1895 he discovered his newspaper Tercüman was already in wide circulation.
The emergence of a distinct Crimean Tatar national identity in Dobruja coincided with the rise of Ismail Gasprinski's influence as a figure promoting Crimean Tatar nationalism. The discovery of his newspaper Tercüman in circulation during his visit to Köstence (Constanţa) highlights this growing sense of national identity.