#Exhibit of the Month

The work In Memoriam. In Memory of the Heroes Who Fell at the Nistru (1992) was developed within the Center for Culture and Military History and published under the auspices of the Government of the Republic of Moldova, the Bureau for Reintegration, and the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Moldova. Authors: Gheorghe Bălan, Vitalie Ciobanu, Gheorghe Cojocaru.

This work provides a retrospective of the events that led to the outbreak of the war on the Nistru, accompanied by photographs of the heroes who lost their lives in the battles to defend the independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova.

On March 2, 1992, the political conflict in the Nistru region escalated into a true fratricidal war. Under the fabricated pretext of "defending Russia's southern borders," political adventurers from the former Soviet metropolis encouraged Transnistrian separatism by arming secessionist paramilitary groups. At the same time, thousands of mercenary Cossacks and prisoners released early from jails, along with tanks and missiles, were sent against Independent Moldova, in a desperate attempt to revive the fallen empire.

Russia's undeclared war against the Republic of Moldova left behind hundreds of dead and wounded, shattered families, and villages in ruins. More than 50,000 peaceful residents from the conflict zone were forced to flee their homes, seeking refuge from the horrors of war.

For the sake of freedom and the future, Moldova's defenders faced death, enduring the hardships and humiliations of war.

During the Nistru war, 198 soldiers of the National Army and 89 personnel from the Ministry of Internal Affairs lost their lives, while 40 combatants went missing without a trace, and nearly 300 were left disabled.

Virtual Tour

Exhibitions

"The National Bank of Romania’s Treasure in Moscow – A Century-Old Claim"

November 16 – December 5, 2024

The National Bank of Romania and the Romanian Cultural Institute "Mihai Eminescu" in Chișinău, in partnership with the National Museum of History of Moldova, invite the public to the opening of the exhibition-event "The National Bank of Romania's Treasure Sent to Moscow and Unrecovered - A Century-Old Claim" on November 16, 2024, at 12:00 PM, in Hall 1 of the museum.

This exhibition delves deeply into the historical and economic implications of a pivotal episode in Romania's history. Through exclusive documents and rare insights, visitors will gain a comprehensive perspective on this unique event in Romania's modern history, when Romania's gold reserve was entrusted to an ally, only to find the guarantees and commitments unmet, despite their alignment with international norms of the time.

The event will also feature presentations of two major scholarly works:

• "The Fate of Romania's Treasure. Arguments from Russian Archives" by Ilie Schipor
• "The National Bank of Romania's Treasure Sent to Moscow and Unrecovered" by Cristian Păunescu

The exhibition was previously showcased at the European Parliament on March 5, 2024. That same month, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for the return of Romania's national treasure, a notable success for Romanian diplomacy.

Specialists from the National Bank of Romania will present remarkable insights about this singular episode in modern history, wherein a nation's gold reserve was entrusted to an ally under guarantees that went unfulfilled, despite strict adherence to the international standards of the time.

The exhibition will be open to the public from November 16 to December 5, 2024, in Hall 1 of the National Museum of History of Moldova, located at 121A August 31st Street, Chișinău.