STARVATION OF POSTWAR MOLDOVA WITHIN THE SOVIET REGIME (1946–1947)

• Main Author: Anatol ŢĂRANU
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Academy of Sciences of Moldova 2016-04-01
• Series: Akademos: Revista de Ştiinţă, Inovare, Cultură şi Artă
• Subjects: famine; malnutrition; drought; the soviet regime; requisition; cannibalism; food dystrophy
• Online Access: http://akademos.asm.md/files/117_125_Infometarea%20Moldovei%20postbelice%20sub%20regimul%20sovietic%20(1946%E2%80%931947).pdf

This study reveals the proportions of famine phenomenon in the years 1946–1947 in Soviet Moldova and the reasons that caused this disaster for the population of the republic. The attention is drawn to the natural causes of hunger: severe drought and economic ruin as a result of war. Simultaneously subjective causes of the famine and unprecedented population mortality caused by this disaster are elucidated. It concludes that the Soviet political regime is responsible for triggering famine and human mortality through unbalanced policies of food requisition from peasant families. It stipulates the organized nature of the postwar famine in Moldova through Soviet State policy of forced collection of food.