This story could begin in 2012, when I arrived in Moldova to work on an oral history project. Or maybe sometime in the ’80s, when I first learned about Moldova from my grandmother, who grew up in the region just before the Soviet Union swallowed it up. Or in 1941, when Soviet authorities deported her father to Siberia (they said he was involved in anti-Soviet activities) and her mother and sister to Kazakhstan. Or a few days later, when Germany invaded the Soviet Union and Nazi troops along with their Romanian allies marched into Moldova, beginning the mass murder and deportation of hundreds of thousands of Jews and Roma.
History is messy in Moldova and no one seems to agree on what happened, including the historians. There’s a lot of finger pointing, anger, divisive politics. I wanted to figure out how Moldova got this way — how any place does. For me, that’s where the story begins.
This project relies mainly on firsthand accounts. Memory isn’t always linear, so this story won’t follow a linear pattern either. It might go from the present day all the way back to 1900 or earlier, then wind its way into the ’30s and ’40s. It might jump from one family to another, and from one town to someplace halfway across the world.
I’d like for this to be an interactive project. As you’re reading along, please comment on anything you find engaging, surprising, confusing, unbelievable. If you disagree, tell me why. If you have a similar story, share it. If you’re curious about something, ask.
Tell me what to write next.
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