Prime Minister about famine of 1946–1947: People endured losses that are hard to imagine, and many families never recovered

In 1946–1947, on the territory of today’s Republic of Moldova, the famine caused the deaths of tens of thousands of people and tore apart numerous families. These are not just numbers – they are lives and shattered destinies, they are our parents, grandparents and great‑grandparents, whose stories still live on in our collective memory. This message was delivered today by Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu, on the day of commemoration of the victims of the tragedy.

The official stressed that it is important to honor the victims of the famine in order to keep their memory and suffering alive.

“People suffered from hunger, cold and extreme deprivation. They endured losses that are hard to imagine, and many families never recovered after that period. Since 2022, in the Republic of Moldova, the victims of the 1946–1947 famine have been commemorated every year on the third Saturday of April, in order to keep their memory alive and to honor their suffering,” said Munteanu.

The famine of 1946–1947 was one of the greatest humanitarian catastrophes to strike the territory of today’s Republic of Moldova in the 20th century. According to data provided by the National Archives Agency, in just a few months more than 123,000 people died of hunger, which represented about 5% of the population of the Moldavian SSR. Proportionally, Soviet Moldova was the most affected region in the entire Soviet Union, with a mortality rate ten times higher than in Russia and five times higher than in Ukraine.

Throughout April, in the Republic of Moldova several commemorative events are held in memory of the victims of the organized famine of 1946–1947. The program includes photography exhibitions, documentary film screenings, workshops and thematic lessons designed to inform the public about this historical event and to help preserve collective memory. The commemorative actions will be carried out across the entire country and can be viewed online. The National Archives Agency has also presented an online exhibition about the tragedy.