#Exhibit of the Month

We find ourselves in the month of April, as we prepare to celebrate Easter-a moveable religious holiday rich in festive rituals and ceremonial activities that place this event at the very heart of Christian spiritual life. The spirit of the Resurrection is beautifully complemented by ten Easter-themed postcards from the heritage of the National Museum of History of Moldova, printed a century ago. These pieces were added to the museum's postcard collection over a decade ago following a successful acquisition; as the fund for Easter-themed illustrations is modest, we are in a constant search for new additions.

These postcards are "extraordinary" in terms of their postal, typographical, and chromatic effects-the primary reason for revisiting this genre of greetings. Unlike "classic" postcards, these are smaller in size (6.5 cm x 11 cm), made of cardboard (with the exception of one piece made of photographic paper in black and white), and feature "vivid" colors. Printed in Romania and Germany, they bear the marks of having been sent and circulated through the post.

The name of the holiday originates from the verb persach, meaning "to pass," a term adopted by the Jews from the Egyptians. It entered the Romanian language through the Byzantine-Latin form Paschae, signifying the "passage through death to life, the victory of life, and liberation from the bondage of sin." Easter is a holiday of tolerance and forgiveness, representing a bridge between the present and the past. The significance of this celebration is conveyed through its symbols, which are also featured on these postcards: Hand-painted eggs, the Easter Bunny and the Lamb, traditional sweet breads (cozonac and pască), biblical scenes related to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Easter table also features pască-a ritual food reminiscent of ancient, bloodless "reconciliation" sacrifices. Its preparation is the exclusive task of women, the givers of life, as the leavened dough is considered "alive."

The most significant component of the Easter holiday, however, is the Light. The Ceremony of the Holy Light is associated with the miracle of the light appearing on Easter Sunday at Christ's Tomb in Jerusalem. The candle, often depicted in these images, carries a powerful message; it is with the Resurrection candle that we return home after the midnight religious service. Furthermore, the Easter Bunny represents the rebirth of nature, so eagerly awaited after a harsh winter.

Unlike Christmas, when the announcement and ritual integration of the community into sacred time was the duty of caroling groups, at Easter, "one does not go from house to house." Instead, the ritual meal is organized within each family, symbolizing a direct communion with God.

Virtual Tour

Exhibitions

"The Famine of 1946-1947. History and Memory in Gagauzia"

The National Museum of History of Moldova

April 7-30, 2026

During the period April 7-30, 2026, the National Museum of History of Moldova hosts the photo-documentary exhibition "The Famine of 1946-1947. History and Memory in Gagauzia", dedicated to one of the most tragic pages in the history of the totalitarian-communist regime. The opening will take place on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., in the upstairs lobby of the National Museum of History of Moldova.

The exhibition reveals the premises, causes and dramatic consequences of the famine of 1946-1947 in the south of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, contributing to a better understanding of this scourge in Gagauz communities.

The famine of 1946-1947 in the Moldavian SSR was caused by natural and political factors. The severe drought of 1945-1946 compromised the harvests and drastically reduced grain production. However, the decisive role was played by the repressive economic policies of the Soviet state, which imposed mandatory deliveries of agricultural products to the state on peasant households. The consequences were dramatic: about 200,000 people lost their lives, representing about 10% of the population.

Starting with the autumn and winter of 1946, deaths due to dystrophy and physical exhaustion were recorded daily in rural and urban localities in the south of the Moldavian SSR. The situation in the region reached alarming proportions. For example, in just 15 days in December 1946, 70 people died in the Vulcănești district. In the Ceadâr-Lunga district, 15 deaths were recorded in the village of Tomai, 25 in Chiriet-Lunga, 13 in Beșghioz and 21 in Gaidai. In January 1947, the number of victims increased dramatically: 893 in Vulcănești, 825 in Congaz, 567 in Taraclia and 770 in Ceadâr-Lunga. On February 11, 1947, an official report on the situation in the Cahul region noted that, in the villages with Gagauz population, in January and February, up to 30% of the population had perished, and urgent measures were requested to prevent further loss of human life. The exhibition brings to the public attention the testimonies, photographs and documents, many of them presented for the first time, coming from the patrimony of the National Museum of History of Moldova, the Museum of History of the village of Avdarma and the funds of the National Archives Agency.

"The Famine of 1946-1947. History and Memory in Gagauzia" represents an attempt to recover collective memory and an act of symbolic justice dedicated to the victims of the Great Famine in the Moldavian SSR. Their memory is evoked in the localities of Gagauzia ATU starting with 2019, on October 19. Since 2022, the entire society of the Republic of Moldova marks this tragedy on the third Saturday of April.

The exhibition was elaborated within the project "The Famine of 1946-1947. History and Memory in Gagauzia", initiated by the History Museum of the village of Avdarma in collaboration with the National History Museum of Moldova, within the National Program "Access to Culture 2025" of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova.

The exhibition "The Famine of 1946-1947. History and Memory in Gagauzia" will be open to the public between April 7-30, 2026, in the upstairs hall of the National Museum of History of Moldova (Chisinau, 31 August 1989 Street, 121A).

#Exhibit of the Month

Easter-Themed Postcards

"The Famine of 1946-1947. History and Memory in Gagauzia"

The National Museum of History of Moldova

April 7-30, 2026

#Exhibit of the Month