Black Army (Moldova)

In 1944, Bessarabia was again incorporated into the Soviet Union as the Moldavian SSR . Intensive Sovietization, the collectivization of agriculture, the breakdown of traditional ties with Romania , and political repression caused widespread discontent, especially among individual peasants. The situation was aggravated and aggravated by the post-war famine ^[1] .

In July 1949, the USSR Ministry of State Security was carried out in Operation South — a massive deportation of “unreliable” social and political characteristics of Moldovan families. Rumors have spread about the upcoming continuation of this action. Irreconcilable anti-Soviet elements went over to armed resistance.

A few days after the deportation, the anti-communist peasants in Balti district, Gavril Andranovich, Ion Bors, Vladimir Cazacu and Vladimir Teodorovich, decided to create an armed group, Armata Neagra , the Black Army . Initially, its leader was Andranovich, who enjoyed the authority of a strong host.

The organization quickly expanded, and other anti-Soviet-minded peasants joined it, including those who were in an illegal situation. After the imminent death of Andranovich in a shootout with the police, Gavril Bodiu became the leader, who by then was hiding from the authorities because of the murder of a state tax agent. In October 1949 , Bodiu also died. A peasant from the village of Kondretesh, Theodor Koshkodan, his sister Maria Buruiane, her son George Buruian, and Ion Ganya moved to the leadership of the Black Army. A prominent role was still played by Bors and Teodorovich ^[2] .

The most active attacks were carried out in the spring of 1950 . On May 1, the Black Army disrupted an official celebration in the village of Kurtoaya . On May 19, Theodor Koshkodan, Gheorghe Buruyane, Ion Ganya and Sergiu Antoch attacked functionaries of the CPSU (B.) In the village of Voluchynets. On May 21, in the village of Kornova, rebels attacked the police and seized weapons. A series of attacks on shops, cooperative trading points and bank branches were carried out, causing serious material damage. At the same time, seized state and cooperative property was often distributed among rural residents.

On June 6, 1950, Ion Bors, Ion Koshkodan, Jr., Vasile Pleshka, Khariton Chelpan bombarded the car of functionaries of the Korneshta District Committee of the CPSU (B). On June 18, in the village of Leordaya, Theodor Koshkodan prohibited organizing a collective farm , threatening to kill activists. On July 6, Theodor Koshkodan, Ion Bors, Vladimir Teodorovich, Vasile Pleshka and Khariton Chelpan murdered the chairman of the council in the village of Flamanzeni ^[3] .

By the summer of 1950, the Black Army numbered up to 50 armed fighters, the total number of those involved reached 100 people. State security bodies saw it as a serious danger. Many militants died in armed clashes. The peasants who assisted the Black Army were subjected to severe persecution. There were several operations to seize the leaders. This was done by recruiting messengers who were guaranteed amnesty and a large monetary reward. Subsequently, these promises were usually not kept, informants were arrested on general grounds and sentenced to lengthy terms.

Theodore Koshkodan, Ion Koshkodan Jr., Ion Bors were shot by sentence. Maria Buruyane, Gheorghe Buruyane, Vladimir Teodorovich and a number of others served time in the GULAG . About 40 people received 25-year terms. The last process — over two dozen sympathizers — was conducted in February 1951 ^[4] .

Maria Buruyane, for whom there were no violent acts, was released in the summer of 1956 . Vladimir Teodorovich, one of the founders and commanders of the Black Army, after serving a sentence, returned to his native place in 1972 .

One of the fighters, Simion Margarint, had been hiding for 25 years with a sympathetic peasant woman, Elizabeth Vartosh. In 1972, he met with Teodorovich who had returned. Margarin was discovered by the authorities in 1975 , arrested while trying to resist, but was released two weeks later and accepted into the collective farm. Notable for good work and deep religiosity. He died in 1988 ^[5] .

In the Soviet period, the Black Army was regarded as a criminal organization. It was ranked among the Baltic Forest Brothers , the Ukrainian OUN / UPA , the Belarusian Black Cat , although it was much less well known ^[6] .

Since the end of the 1980s, and especially in independent Moldova, the attitude has changed - the “Black Army” has become regarded as a peasant resistance to the totalitarian regime.

An armed anti-Soviet formation resembling the “Black Army” is depicted in the Valeriu Gazhiyu Korshun film, the prey is not divided . However, the end of the real Armata Neagra was completely different than in the film version.

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