#Exhibit of the Month

One of the great technical achievements that revolutionized the idea of time and space, opening a new era in the history of communication, is telegraphy. It is based on the transmission of electrical signals through a cable over long distances, allowing people to communicate instantly. The telegraph spread very quickly and a network of wires stretched around the world.

In 1837, the American painter and physicist Samuel Morse invented the first electromagnetic device for telegraphy, patented in 1840. To send messages by wire, Morse developed in 1838 a simple code of dots and dashes, which represented the letters of the alphabet, known as "Morse code ".

Both Morse code and the telegraph machine were improved over time, with the telegraph becoming the most widespread system of communication and information transmission for more than a century, until the advent of the Internet. The telegraph system consisted of a series of stations repeaters along the transmission line route. Each station had an operator who received and transmitted messages by telegraph. The Morse machine transmitted about 25 words per minute, which were recorded in code on a paper tape. The operator in charge of transmitting the message would decode it and write it on paper using a special typewriter.

In Bessarabia, the telegraph entered in 1860: on April 8, the Bender telegraph station began its activity, and on April 24, the one in Chisinau, following the construction of the first Odesa-Chisinau-Leova telegraph line. Currently, telegraph services have been discontinued. The only ones who still use coded communication are radio amateurs.

The Morse telegraph machine shown comes from the Osinoostrovsky electrotechnical plant, Soviet Union, and dates back to 1934. The exhibit was restored by Mihail Culașco.

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Events Archive

Book launch: "Prisoners of War: Chronicle of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905" by Simion Carp

July 18, 2023

On July 18, in the Blue Hall of the National Museum of History of Moldova, took place the book launch of Mr. Simion Carp, PhD of law and university professor, entitled "Prisoners of war: the chronicle of the Russian-Japanese from 1904-1905".

During the event, that atended notorious researchers and guests, after a brief presentation of the work by the author, the Ambassador of Japan in the Republic of Moldova, H.E. Yamada Yoichiro, who appreciated the work and impressed the audience with his message during which he reviewed the events of the beginning of the 20th century, bringing words of thanks to the author for presenting a large number of materials, from which it appears that the Japanese remained a model in history, by correct behavior with the soldiers of the Russian army, among whom were Bessarabians in Japanese captivity. Knowing this historical truth will contribute to strengthening the friendly relations between the Republic of Moldova and Japan.

According to the author, the work focuses on the experience of the Bessarabian military, who were captured during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 and held prisoner in Japan. A detailed analysis is provided of the military units in which these soldiers were enlisted, the battles in which they participated, and the places where those who fell in battle were buried. Their acts of heroism and battlefield realities are also highlighted. An important part of the work describes the conditions of detention of prisoners of war in camps in Japan and the efforts of the international community to ensure compliance with the Hague Convention of 1899. It is argued that the Japanese government treated captured Russian servicemen relatively well.

Mr. Simion Carp also presents the story of two Bessarabians, Anatolie and Iacob Tihai, who promoted Christianity in Japan in the 19th century. They were gifted with Christian education and helped Russian military prisoners considerably through their work in the Tokyo Christian Mission.

Finally, the paper discusses the repatriation of Bessarabian soldiers and their involvement in the struggle for the national cause after returning home. The biographies of these veterans who contributed to the creation of the first local military units and the Union of Bessarabia with Romania in 1918 are brought to attention. It is also emphasized that some of them became victims of the repressions under the communist regime.

The event eas organized by the "Ștefan cel Mare" Academy of the MIA of the Republic of Moldova in partnership with the National Museum of History of Moldova.