STUDENȚII ȘI MIȘCAREA DE RENAȘTERE NAȚIONALĂ DIN RSS MOLDOVENEASCĂ: NOIEMBRIE 1989

Abstract

The National Revival Movement at the end of the 1980s of the last century experienced episodes that deeply marked the subsequent development of events in the Moldavian SSR. One such episode is the event of November 7, 1989 and the one that naturally followed it on November 10 of the same year. In the present study, the author analyzes, based on unpublished archive documents, the forms, methods and degree of involvement of students in the National Movement of the Moldavian SSR, identifying two stages. The first stage, which chronologically coincides with the year 1988, is characterized by the self-organization of the students and their organized involvement within the institution, rather by the organization of literary- artistic cenacles, discussions on important documents, issued by the state and the party, etc. Towards the end of 1988, the „studious youth” became radicalized through the events of November and broke away from the Komsomol, creating the Student League – an alternative organization to represent them. The second stage is identified with the year 1989 and is more resonant. The students walked out of the universities (or were persuaded to walk out), being attracted and involved in the protest actions of the Democratic Movement and the Popular Front of Moldova. The „street students” participated in all the resounding protest actions with an active and retributive character, the peak of their involvement in the National Movement protests being those of November 7 and 10, 1989. After the authorities undertook more coercive „measures”, directing the entire arsenal of tools and methods of „persuasion” against them, the students were „pacified” and returned to study hall and dormitories.