Deportations from the Region of Chernivci (Ukraine) and Edinets District (Moldova)

during a Christian holiday. Kioresku from Malineshty, said prayers during the interview. Sandulyak from the same village, remembered about the closing of the churches and also a Romanian poem – “The cross”. E. Bizovi from Boyan, referred to the churches from the village and to the Christian customs and traditions.

We can also point out that in the discourse of the representatives of these rural communities, there is a lack of information about the other ethnical groups. The Ukrainians didn’t refer to the Romanians in their testimonies and the Romanians and Moldovans, didn’t remember anything about the Ukrainians. An exception was the remembering of E. Bizovi from Boyan, who mentioned the Poles and the Ukrainians, who participated with the Romanians from Boyan, at the religious ceremonies during the Soviet time.

In the discourse of the interviewed from all the visited villages, the Mayoralty is perceived as an institution which had repressive meaning. In Toporivtsy, the activity of the authorities was supported on the “striboks” (marksmen – A/N), who helped to arrest people. In Boyan and in other Romanian villages, are mentioned the so-called axe-handles (rom. “cozi de topor”), who were the local inhabitants who helped in arresting or betrayed their co-villagers. At the question who came for them or for those taken, the interviewed from the Romanian villages are not precise if these were militia troops or soldiers. As an exception, Mosoryuk from Mahala, specified that for her family came two militias. Those deported were transferred mainly to Sad-Hora/Sadagura rail station, near Chernivtsy, where they could wait till one week for the completion of the echelon. The same Mosoryuk and also Yuri, remembered that the guards had also big dogs. Also appears another rail station name – Noua Sulitsa/Novoselitsya.

The witnesses also indicate that the process of taking to Donbass, was a brutal one.

In the case of the Ukrainian villages, appears also the information about the NKVD’s car, which travelled by night – the “black raven”. Those who were judged were taken to Chernivtsy. This process is described in details by Tsibulyak.

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