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77 Years Since the Largest Wave of Stalinist Deportations in Bessarabiatranslated

July 5, 2026 · 1 min read

On the night of July 5–6, 1949, a second wave of deportations of Bessarabians took place, following the 1941 deportation.

Nearly 36,000 people, two-thirds of whom were women and children, were loaded onto cattle trains without minimal sanitary conditions or luggage, bound for Siberia or Kazakhstan.

The purpose of the deportations was to enforce collectivization and eliminate the resistance of peasants who refused to join kolkhozes.

According to former Romanian Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Vasile Soare, Romanians were the third-largest ethnic group in Soviet labor camps, after Germans and Japanese.

A third wave of deportations occurred on April 1, 1951, targeting 5,917 members of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Bessarabia.

Commemorative Events To honor the memory of the victims of Stalinist deportations, authorities in the Republic of Moldova will hold a commemorative ceremony on Monday at the Monument to the Victims of the Communist Regime’s Deportations in Chisinau, located on Railway Avenue, during a rally dedicated to the Day of the Victims of Stalinist Deportations.

President Maia Sandu of the Republic of Moldova and Parliament President Igor Grosu are expected to attend the event.

Source: Агентство Basilica (română) · Read the full story →

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💬 Comments (6) 🌐 Show original

Sophie Moreau

Sad friend. Bunica mea povestea cum au luat-o pe mătușa ei cu doi copyii mici în noaptea aceea de iulie 1949, far niciun bagaj, direct în vagoanele pentru vite spre Kazahstan. And it is organized at the Monumentul de pe Aleea Gării, it is now in place and it is carefully organized.

Христо Христов

Yes, bunica lui Sophie povestea exactly what she wrote in the article - two three women and children, without luggage, directly in the wagon for life. Mi se pare important că se face meetingul luni la Monumentul de pe Aleea Gării, să nu se uite ce-au pățit ătăranii care nu voiau colhozuri.

Lukas Weber

There's no one on the outside, it's on the family's side. Bunica povestea că au dus-o pe verișoara ei cu trei copii mici exact asa, in vagoane de vite spre Siberia, fără or haină în plus. Bine că se face mitingul luni la monumentul de pe Aleea Gării, măcar să nu se uite ce-au păţit ţăranii care nu voiau colhozuri.

Sebastian Hoffmann

Yes, that's exactly how my own grandmother from Bessarabia told it - they came in the middle of the night and put people in the cattle cars with nothing but what they were wearing. It's good that at least the memorial march will take place on Monday at the monument on Aleea Gării, so that the young people don't completely forget. Were there many in your village who never came back?

Pierre Girard

My aunt experienced the same thing in 49, taken away with her two little ones without anything. It’s good that the miting takes place on Monday at Alleé Gării, at least we’re still talking about it. Do you know if your family was ever able to come back?

Emily Young

My great-aunt on my mom’s side was among those taken in July ’49 with her two little girls, no bags, straight into the cattle cars for Kazakhstan. The part about two-thirds being women and children still hits hard. Glad they’re holding the gathering Monday at the monument on Aleea Gării so the girls learn what really happened.