Începuturile resovietizării Basarabiei şi starea de spirit a populaţiei (martie-septembrie 1944)
The beginning of re-sovietisation of Bessarabia and the mood of the population (March-September 1944)

Summary/Abstract: In March 1944, the Red Army reached the Dniester River, i.e. the Eastern frontier of Romania at that time. It is interesting from this point of view to see the dynamics of change in the popular perception toward the Romanian administration from the one hand and Soviet Union, at the other hand. The article stresses the fact that the population of Bessarabia greeted the coming back of Romanian authorities in June‐July 1941 as the first year of Soviet occupation brought Communist repressions in the region, culminating with the mass deportation of June 12‐13 1941. During this deportation, around 32 000 persons from Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina have been displaced to Siberia and Kazakhstan. In late 1943 and early 1944, one can notice certain changes in the public perception of both Romania and Soviet Union among the local population. In other words, Romania’s image is tending to be negative as there are no guarantees that it could retain its control on Bessarabia; the image of Soviet Union is improving, basically because there were rumors circulating that Moscow would give up its repressive policies pursued during June 1940‐June 1941 and the collectivization process will be halted. Moreover, as Stalin rehabilitated the Russian Orthodox Church in 1943, there were expectations that the churches will be accepted to function and the population will not be prohibited from praying. Another important aspect discussed in the article, based on the new archival documents from KGB and party archives in Chisinau recently disclosed, is that in May – August 1944, a great part of central and northern Bessarabia as well as a part of Transnistria, has been evacuated partially or entirely from the 25 km area near the frontline. The Soviet authorities promised the peasants that their houses and properties will be protected, but the documents are suggesting that in reality they tolerated and sometimes even encouraged the plundering of properties. This situation brought the local population in deep despair and stimulated them to resist against the new regime.

• Details
• Contents