The starvation policy, applied in Bessarabia in the first years of the second Soviet occupation, which culminated in the famine organized in 1946-1947, is presented in a documentary film, released Thursday evening, at the National Library. The protagonists of "Killed by starvation" documentary are survivors of the famine in the north, centre and south areas, who have relived their suffering by describing the horrors they went through with their family in those not easy times. Survivors' testimonies were supplemented with documents from that historical period and comments of specialists in the field, IPN reports.
"Through this film we tried to identify what were the causes, the purpose, the methods by which the Bessarabians were starved, how they survived. And we endeavoured to demonstrate once again by what methods the memory of the Bessarabians was erased and why in every settlement we have common graves of those who died of hunger. And in fact, most of the time, either there are stones on them, or fences, or even a country road”, declared Mariana Țăranu, doctor of history, one of the authors of the film.
In the Library hall there was displayed the exhibition "Times that God did not want ...", which includes photographs of that time, the great majority of them unpublished, reflecting the Soviet policy of constant impoverishment of the local people through monetary taxes, taxes in kind, but also through difficult chores.
During the launching event, the Moldovan authorities have been urged to officially recognize the existence of the famine organized in 1946-1947. It has also been requested that the country's authorities condemn this tragedy and set a day to commemorate the victims of the famine.
"We call upon the authorities of the Republic of Moldova and here we refer to the Presidency, Parliament, Government, to recognize the famine as a crime against humanity. To find the political courage and wisdom to condemn this crime against humanity. And given the fact that the greatest number of victims died in the spring of 1947, in April-May, we propose that the third Saturday of April be instituted as a day to commemorate the victims of the organized famine, noted Mariana Țăranu.
In addition to the appeal addressed to the leadership of the Republic of Moldova, the event organizers also urged the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia and the Metropolitan Church of Chisinau and all Moldova to show wisdom and Christian faith and to assume the responsibility to identify together with the locals the common graves by the edge of cemeteries, to clean the places and, if possible, to put up a cross.