Day of Gratitude and Sorrow

Tiraspol celebrates the Day of Liberation of the city from the German-Romanian invaders for the 80th time. Commemorative events began with the laying of flowers at the Memorial of Glory. Top officials of the state, parliamentarians, social activists, youth and children laid flowers at the Eternal Flame and memorial plaques with the names of Soviet soldiers killed in the Great Patriotic War. Residents of Tiraspol call this day a day of gratitude and sorrow.

The guests of honor at the Memorial are children of war. Anatoly Sergeevich Khvostik, despite being 90 years old, came with flowers to the Eternal Flame. The day of the liberation of Tiraspol is a great holiday for him. The Armed Forces veteran said that his older brother died in the Great Patriotic War in 1943 during the liberation of Ukraine from the fascist invaders. Father of Anatoly Sergeevich fought in the First World War, asked to go to the front in the Second World War, but due to his disability he was not accepted to the front.

Romanian bombers attacked the airfield in Tiraspol on the night of June 22, 1941, according to the Pridnestrovian historical portal. The entire territory of Pridnestrovie was occupied by the German-Romanian invaders after heavy fighting, by August 13. Mass repressions and executions of the Jewish population were carried out, and Soviet activists were arrested in August-September 1941. Robberies and executions of people were legalized, all agricultural products were declared “the property of the Romanian state”. More than 4 thousand city residents were killed during the occupation.

The territories of present-day Pridnestrovie were liberated by April 1944 as a result of the Odessa offensive operation. One of the decisive strategic operations of the spring of 1944 was carried out from March 26 to April 14, 1944 by the troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front. The 228th, 92nd and 118th rifle divisions of the 37th Army of the 3rd Ukrainian Front entered the liberated city on April 12, 1944. A red Soviet flag with a hammer and sickle was raised over the half-burnt theater building.

The memory of the fallen Soviet soldiers and officers was honored with a minute of silence at the Memorial of Glory today. The Chairman of the Supreme Council of the PMR, Alexander Korshunov, addressed the Pridnestrovians and Tiraspol residents on behalf of the Supreme Council and himself personally on the Day of the Liberation of Tiraspol from the German-Romanian invaders.

The leadership of the republic and the city, deputies of the Supreme Council, the public laid flowers at the Memory Wall with the names of those killed during the armed conflict of 1992, at the sculpture of the Sorrowful Mother and at the monument to the defenders of the PMR, honoring the memory of all who gave their lives for peace on Pridnestrovian soil.

The Events in honor of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Tiraspol continued with an athletics relay race, which is being held for the 75th anniversary this year. The State Theater of Drama and Comedy will host a theatrical concert “Spring of Liberation” today. A field kitchen, exhibitions, master classes and a concert will be organized in Catherine Park in the evening.

The PMR President Vadim Krasnoselsky after laying flowers visited with an inspection the exhibition hall of the future state museum dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. The object was also inspected by the Chairman of the Supreme Council Alexander Korshunov. The museum block should be ready to receive visitors for the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, according to the official website of the head of state. IT is planned in honor of the date to renovate the capital’s Memorial of Glory and other memorial places in the cities and villages of Pridnestrovie.