The world community recalls the victims of the Holocaust today. The international day of the memory appears on the calendar on the 27th of January to commemorate the liberation by the Soviet troops of the prisoners of the largest concentration camp of death Auschwitz-Birkenau. Nazi concentration camps were deployed in the territory controlled by the Third Reich, more of them – the ghetto. This fascist system of extermination of people on a national basis did not bypass the lands of present-day Pridnestrovie. More than a dozen ghettos and camps operated here. Mass executions of Jewish people and the local population took place in Tiraspol, Rybnitsa, Dubossary, and Bendery. Tens of thousands of people died. Monuments have been built on the sites of the tragic events, to the pedestals of which flowers are brought annually in memory of the innocently killed, and meetings-requiems are held. Commemorative and mourning events were organized today. This year, the Bendery Jewish cemetery has become the central gathering point for those who considered it their duty to honor the memory of the victims of the Holocaust who died in the territory of Pridnestrovie. A monument was built here on the instructions of the PMR President Vadim Krasnoselsky to the people of Bendery, who were shot by the German-Romanian occupiers, as well as those who fell on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War.
The architects of the Department for the Development of the Urban Environment of the Bendery State Administration have been working on the memorial project since October last year. The creative team was headed by Igor Shvydkoy, the group included Zoya Klevan, Kristina Kirilchenko, Dmitry Khadzhi. There is a minor made of black granite – a seven-segment candlestick, symbolizing the tree of life in the central part of the composition (there is a similar element on the State Flag of Israel). An important component of the complex is a panorama of events related to the execution of representatives of Jewish nationality and the battles that took place at the foot of the Bendery fortress. There are also 14 plates with the names of the dead. Information provided by the Jewish community of Bendery. The new granite composition is located next to a commemorative sign built in October 2019, reminiscent of the children from Jewish families shot in Bendery (author of the monument Alexander Soborov). As a result, a single complex was created dedicated to the memory of those who are commonly called victims of the Holocaust. The opening ceremony of the memorial wall was held with participation of the President of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic. Among the invitees are the heads of state authorities and administration of Pridnestrovie, representatives of foreign embassies, Jewish communities, religious organizations and associations of various states.
The memory of those who died during the German-Romanian occupation of Jewish people, a thousand of whom were killed on the site of the current Jewish cemetery in Bendery, was honored with a minute of silence in the course of the rally.
Addressing the participants of the commemorative event, the President of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic Vadim Krasnoselsky urged with all his might to resist any manifestations of fascism and Nazism, not to hush up the past and what is happening today, in order to prevent a repetition of the tragedy. The President expressed gratitude to everyone who participated in the creation of the memorial opened today, and to those who arrived at the memorial ceremony.
Chairman of the Jewish Community of the Republic of Moldova Alexander Bilinkis spoke at the meeting-requiem, emphasizing the significance of today's event and appreciating the work carried out in Pridnestrovie to preserve the memory of the victims of the Holocaust. He spoke about plans to create monuments in other cities. He also informed about the forthcoming opening of the Jewish Center in Bendery. The building is allocated in Kotovsky street. There will be a synagogue, a Sunday school, a museum of the history and life of Jews.
Head of the Moscow Jewish Religious Community Yosef Susaykov read out a welcome address on behalf of Chief Rabbi of Russia Adolf Shayevich. The Head of the Congress of Jewish Religious Organizations and Associations of Russia, Schwalb Pinchas focused in his speech on the events of 77 years ago, connected with the release of prisoners of fascism. He spoke of the gratitude of the Jewish people to the Soviet soldier-liberator and of gratitude to all those who today continue to fight the evil whose name is fascism, preserving the memory of the most terrible pages of history. Chief Rabbi of the Union of Religious Jewish Communities of the Republic of Belarus Mordechai Reihinstein quoted the Torah. He expressed gratitude to the leadership and people of Pridnestrovie for their careful and respectful attitude to history, emphasizing that it is extremely important to learn and remember the lessons of the past.
The representative of the Israeli embassy Cristina Rotaru conveyed the greetings of Yoel Lion, Acting Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Israel to the Republic of Moldova, who expressed regret that he could not personally attend the opening ceremony of the monument.
People's Artist of the Russian Federation Alexander Rosenbaum, who arrived in Pridnestrovie to participate in commemorative events, said that he learned about today's event from a conversation with the President of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic Vadim Krasnoselsky that took place about six months ago during an air flight. According to the artist, his great-grandmother was from these places. Alexander Rosenbaum considers that there are his ancestors among those who are buried in the Bendery Jewish cemetery. He spoke about the tragedy of the middle of the last century, calling its perpetrators non-humans and expressing confidence that not a single crime would go unpunished.
The memorial prayer for the Jewish children innocently killed during the Second World War, the Jewish soldiers and residents of the city of Bendery of Jewish nationality was held by the Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community of the Republic of Moldova Daniel Isakson Shimshon.
The memorial wall is the fourth monument built in Bendery to representatives of the Jewish nationality, whose lives were tragically cut short during the Great Patriotic War.
