Memory, identity, commemoration: The combat actions to defend the territorial integrity and independence of the Republic of Moldova (2 March - 21 July 1992) in Moldova’s public space
Memory, identity, commemoration: The combat actions to defend the territorial integrity and independence of the Republic of Moldova (2 March - 21 July 1992) in Moldova’s public space

Summary/Abstract: This article examines the commemorative practices surrounding the 1992 Transnistrian War as a key arena in which collective memory, national identity, and political legitimacy are constructed and contested in the Republic of Moldova. Grounded in the theoretical frameworks of Maurice Halbwachs, Pierre Nora, Jan and Aleida Assmann, Paul Connerton, James Young, and Jeffrey Olick, the study argues that commemoration in Moldova operates simultaneously as an instrument of state legitimation and as a site of competing narratives of the past. Adopting a qualitative, multi-method approach—combining documentary and legal analysis, participant observation, and discourse analysis—the research investigates the legal framework, monuments, public rituals, and media representations associated with remembrance on both banks of the Dniester River. This qualitative design follows sociological approaches to cultural memory as social practice, enabling contextual interpretation of symbolic and discursive forms of commemoration. The findings show that official commemorations in Chișinău institutionalize communicative memory into cultural memory, reinforcing discourses of sovereignty and Romanian identity, while Transnistrian commemorative practices perpetuate a pro-Russian narrative of victimhood, self-defense, and resistance. This fragmentation of memory across the Dniester reflects Moldova’s broader political and cultural divisions, demonstrating that remembrance remains a deeply politicized process. The article concludes that fostering inclusive and dialogic forms of memory is essential for advancing reconciliation and democratic consolidation in a post-conflict society.

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