Historical Overview of the PMR (Transnistria, Transdniestr, Transdnestr, Pridnestrovie)

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1792	Foundation of Tiraspol by Russian General Aleksandr Vassilievich Suvorov.
Until	1792/93 The Southern area of today`s Pridnestrovie belongs to the Ottoman Empire, inhabited by Tatars, Moldovans and Ukrainians. The Northern part belongs to the Kingodom of Poland, inhabited by Moldovans, Ukraininas, Jews and Poles. Bessarabia (west of the Dniestr) also belongs to the Ottoman Empire, inhabited mainly by Romanians.
Since 1812	Complete territorial cession of Bessarabia and Pridnestrovie to Russia. Begin of Russian immigration.
7.11.1917	Great Socialist October Revolution. The Bolsheviks under Lenin take over power in Petrograd.
1918	Bessarabia is attached to Romania. The area east of the Dniestr is attached to the Soviet Union.
30.12.1922	Foundation of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics (USSR).
21.1.1924	Death of Lenin.
1924	Foundation of Moldavian Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic (MASSR), consisting of the area of today`s Pridnestrovie and parts of South-Western Ukraine. Capital city until 1929: Balta, afterwards Tiraspol.
2.8.1940	A part of the MASSR is joined with Romanian province Bessarabia to form the Moldavian Socialist Soviet Republic (MSSR). The area east of the Dniestr joins the Ukrainian Soviet Republic.
19.8.1941	The MSSR is conquered by the Axis Powers and annexed to Romania (ally of the Third Reich). First use of the term »Transnistria«.
1941-1944	The area East of the Dniestr is used by the German occupation troops under Romanian administration as a Ghetto for mainly Romanian and Ukrainian Jews. The number of deported people is estimated with 150.000 ††??? to 185.000.
12.4.1944	Liberation of Tiraspol by the Soviet Red Army.
February 1947	Paris Peace Treaties. Romania looses Bessarabia which is attached to the USSR as part of the MSSR.
5.3.1953	Death of Stalin. Post war period Due to topsoil the MSSR becomes the granary of the Soviet Union. Moldavian wines and cognacs become fashionable in the USSR.
Since March 1988	The magazine »Nistru« makes the revivals of Romanian language a subject of discussion. The idea is taken up by the population. Slogans such as »Suitcase - Trainstation - Russia« and »Russian for the Dniestr, Jews into the Dniestr« are used. The idea of a reunification with Romania is born.
August 1989	The Supreme Soviet of the MSSR in Chisinau plans new laws favoring Romanian language. The Russian and Ukrainian population hold manifestations on the left side of the Dniestr. Strikes in Tiraspol, Bendery and Rybnitsa. Insecurity in Turkish region of Gagausia.
31.8.1989	Romanian is made official language, Latin script is introduced.
23.6.1990	The Supreme Soviet of the MSSR in Chisinau nullifies the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of 1939 and therefor revokes the annexation of Bessarabia by the Soviet Union.
2.8.1990	An extraordinary congress forms the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Socialist Soviet Republic (PMSSR). Igor Nikolaevich Smirnov is voted chairman of a provisional Supreme Soviet.
November 1990	Three people die due to acts of violence by Moldavian militia on the territory of Pridnestrovie.
17.3.1991	A referendum for the preservation of the Soviet Union in nine of 15 Soviet Republics ends positively. The MSSR tries to inhibit the population from voting. The referendum is held in the PMSSR and Gagausia under the protection of the 14th Soviet Army.
31.3.1991	Dissolution of the Warsaw Pact.
23.5.1991	MSSR is renamed in Republic of Moldova.
3.8.1991	Radio PMR begins its broadcast.
19.8.1991	Gagausia declares its independence.
27.8.1991	The Republic of Moldova declares independence from USSR.
2.11.1991	The Republican Guards for Defence of the Borders and the Infrastructure of the PMSSR is founded.
5.11.1991	PMSSR is renamed in Pridnestrovie (Pridnestrovskaya Moldavskaya Respublica).
1.12.1991	98 % of all participants in a referendum vote for independence of the PMR. Igor Nikolaevich Smirnov is elected as president for the first time.
8.12.1991	Due to the initiative of Boris Yeltsin the Soviet Republics of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Brest (Belarus).
17.12.1991	Re-foundation of the Dniestr-Cossacks in the PMR.
21.12.1991	Dissolution of the Soviet Union. Foundation of the CIS in Alma-Ata (now Almaty, Kazakhstan). Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan join the three founding republics.
25.12.1991	Resignation of Mikhail Gorbachev as Soviet Head of Government.
2.3.1992	Moldova, governed by president M.I. Snegur, resolves military action against Pridnestrovie (PMR), first victims in civil war in Dubossary - armed conflict erupts.
5.3.1992	The Don-Cossacks declare support for the PMR.
April 1992	The 14th Russian Army under General Y. Netkachev gets involved in fighting.
19.6.1992	„Tragedy of Bendery« - approximately 300 deaths within a view days.
June 1992	As a reaction to Bendery, Moscow sends General A.I. Lebed under whose command the 14th Army turns around the civil war.
21.7.1992	Signing of a truce.
1.8.1992	Cease Fire. 792 deaths and 899 wounded on the side of the PMR. There are no official numbers from Moldova.
9.8.1992	First transmission of TV PMR.
4.2.1993	OSCE starts its mission in Chisinau to mediate in the conflict.
21.4.1993	Start of show trial against the group Ilascu which is accused on state terrorism.
24.6.1993	Foundation of the company Sheriff in Tiraspol.
9.12.1993	Verdict in the Ilascu-case. Ilascu faces execution by shooting, the other members are sentenced to longtime imprisonment.
27.8.1994	Implementation of the PMR-Ruble.
13.2.1995	OSCE opens branch in Tiraspol.
26.3.1995	Successful referendum for keeping the 14th Russian Army in Pridnestrovie.
2.9.1995	Fifth anniversary of the PMR`s foundation. The Pridnestrovian anthem is played for the first time.
25.12.1995	The new constitution of the PMR is adopted after a positive referendum.
22.12.1996	I.N. Smirnov is once again elected president. Turnout is 55 %, 70 % vote for Smirnov.
8.5.1997	OSCE procures the „Primakov-Memorandum“ (a.k.a. Moscow Memorandum) which should normalize the relations between Moldova and the PMR. The memorandum is signed by both parties.
6.7.1999	Dissolution of death penalty in the PMR.
26.3.2000	V.W. Putin is elected Russian president for the first time.
1.12.2001	I. N. Smirnov is elected president for the third term.
6.4.2003	A referendum about privatization of land comes to nothing due to lack of participation.
November 2003	Russia initiates the »Kozak-Memorandum« which is supported by the Ukraine. It intends a Pridnestrovian autonomous status with a federation with Moldova. The Memorandum fails.
Summer 2004	Pridnestrovian authorities prohibit education in Moldovan language with latin script. Moldova responds with a economical blockade. The PMR suspends delivery of electricity to Moldova.
21.8.2004	OSCE warns of a new armed conflict between Moldova and Pridnestrovie.
2.6.2005	The Ukraine and Moldova request support from the European Commission at their international borders. EUBAM (European Union Border Assistance Mission) is founded.
2.9.2005	Day of the Republic. 15 years of Pridnestrovie.
3.3.2006	The Ukraine and Moldova change custom laws resulting in a economical blockade against the PMR.
17.9.2006	The seventh referendum for independence in the PMR shows a clear result. 97 % of all voters want independence and a »free integration« with Russia.
10.12.2006	I. N. Smirnov is elected president for the fourth term.
11.3.2007	Nadeshda Bondarenko from opposing Pridnestrovian Communist Party is imprisoned for three days on count of planing of a mass demonstration.
13.3.2007	Victor Neumoin, chairman of Patriotic Party of the PMR is murdered in Tiraspol.
23.4.2007	B.N. Yeltsin dies in Moscow.
30.5.2007	Rumours of a possible resignation of president Smirnov are denied by pridnestrovian news agency Tiras.ru.
28.7.2007	15 years mission of the russian peace keepers in the PMR.