Tiraspol, 12 April. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. 12 April is one of the most respected holidays by Tiraspol residents. 74 years ago by 3 am the city had been completely liberated from the German invaders. Early in the morning the inhabitants of Tiraspol took to the streets and greeted gleefully their liberators.
Since then, every year, as was in the victorious 1944, Tiraspol residents gather on 12 April to express their gratitude to the liberators and honour the memory of the heroes. Today, hundreds of citizens came to Tiraspol's Memorial of Glory to take part in a requiem rally. It was attended by the first president of the PMR Igor Smirnov, deputy prime minister Stanislav Kasap, vice speaker Galina Antyufeeva, as well as members of the government, veterans of the Great Patriotic War.
The occupation of Tiraspol lasted over 970 days and nights. During this time the Nazis tortured, hanged and shot more than 4,000 people.
At the cost of huge sacrifices the victory was forged, the chairman of the Council of Veterans of War, Labor and Armed Forces, first-class pilot Vladimir Lebedev noted in his speech.
"The joy of victory and pride in the heroes overshadows the pain of loss. Thousands of Tiraspol residents fought on the fronts; several thousand of them were killed; five were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The veterans remember well the day of liberation: the offensive breakthrough of the Red Army was so strong that, despite the fierce resistance of the Nazis, the city had been liberated by 3 o'clock in the morning," a veteran of the Great Patriotic War said.
The years of occupation are the most terrible period in the history of Tiraspol, and 12 April marked the beginning of a new peaceful life, Stanislav Kasap noted in his turn, addressing veterans of the Great Patriotic War and townspeople.
"Today, almost seven and a half decades later, it is difficult for us to imagine the hardships experienced by soldiers who fought for the liberation of their native land with weapons in their hands. And for this, I want to express special gratitude to them. And to those who can't celebrate with us the 74th spring of liberation - our low bow and eternal memory," said Kasap.
The first President of the PMR also expressed his gratitude to the liberators. According to Igor Smirnov, it was the unity and solidarity that made the victory of the Soviet people over Nazism closer, and those qualities will always be a guarantee of confrontation with this plague.
"The city is the most important witness of history. And it's not for nothing that museums are being created to mark the great feat that has continued since the time of Alexander Suvorov. It is necessary to understand that we must defend our right to live in our native land, that we must defend our right to speak Moldovan, Ukrainian and Russian, and any language, to respect culture. This is the strength of our city," Igor Smirnov underscored.
Unfortunately, fascism returned to Pridnestrovie a few decades later. In 1992, when the nationalists of Moldova treacherously attacked Pridnestrovie, the citizens of the country had to take up arms. Brought up in the spirit of the heroism and courage of Soviet soldiers, on the example of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers, the people defended their land.
The city's liberation day will forever remain the brightest holiday for the people of Tiraspol, a day of remembrance of the courage of Soviet soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of their people.
In memory of those killed during the Great Patriotic War, a minute of silence was declared. The flower-laying ceremony concluded the rally at the Memorial of Glory.
