Donating revolutionary history memorabilia: A noble act

– Through the hard war years, soldiers in the past still keep many revolutionary history memorabilia. To them, these are extremely valuable artifacts, but with the desire that many people, especially the young generation, partly understand arduous sacrifices and the fierceness of the war, they decided to donate artifacts for the Provincial Museum. It is truly a noble act, contributing to arousing a heroic past and spreading patriotism to all generations to come.

In the middle of April 2021, having the opportunity to go to the Provincial Museum to visit the exhibition of historical artifacts during the struggle against the US, we were attracted by the time-tinted radio placed in the glass case. Ms. Luong Thuy Hong, officer of the Museum Division under the Provincial Museum, said that this is an artifact donated by Soldier Nguyen Van Tap, Cua Nam block, Chi Lang ward, Lang Son city. From that information, we found the owner of the radio. This year, he is at the age of eighty, but when asked about the donated artifact and memories of the battlefield, he still intact remembers the spirit of Uncle Ho’s soldier. During the years of fighting (1961 – 1977) against the US, the Radio Cassette National was his “best friend”, said Mr. Tap. Every day, thanks to it, they timely grasped news on battlefields and had proactive plans ready for all situations. The war has receded but for him, the radio is an important memento. However, with the expectation that many people will see artifacts proving the heroic resistance of our army in the struggle against the US, in 2015, he presented this precious souvenir to the Provincial Museum. On major holidays every year such as April 30, September 2 …, his former teammates and children and grandchildren come to the museum to visit revolutionary history artifacts.

The officer of the Provincial Museum cleaned donated revolutionary history artifacts

Not only Mr. Tap, a few years ago, Mr. Hoang Doan Duc’s family, Na Yeu village, Tan Lap commune, Bac Son district also donated to the Provincial Museum with memorabilia associated with a war time such as  Grade III Resistance Medal, the commemorating medal of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association, soldiers’ belongings such as cloth hammocks, mosquito nets … Ms. Hoang Thuy Dooc, Mr. Duc’s wife said that that time, her husband treasured artifacts attached to the years of struggling against the US. In 2016 (before his death), with the desire to have more people know the artifacts related to soldiers in the struggle against the US, better understand the history of the Vietnamese revolution, her husband decided to donate the memorabilia to the Provincial Museum. Her family is very supportive of this.

The above cases are just two of many cases where veterans or those who participated in the revolution voluntarily donate revolutionary history artifacts to the Provincial Museum. According to the synthesis from the Provincial Museum, from 2010 up to now, the unit has received more than 1,000 donated documents and artifacts. Typically, the artifacts are drinking water bottles (bi đông); diaries; rifles; arquebuses; typewriters and so on.

For each soldier, they are extremely valuable artifacts that cannot be exchanged, but because they want those “memory fragments” to live forever, they voluntarily donate these artifacts to the Provincial Museum. The donation of  the revolutionary history memorabilia has contributed to helping many people, especially young people today, not only know about the war through lessons in books, but also partly understand arduous sacrifices and the fierceness of the war over those vivid artifacts.

It can be seen that the donation of revolutionary history artifacts to the Provincial Museum has contributed to enriching and diversifying the number of artifacts in the museum. These are truly noble acts, contributing to arousing a heroic past of the whole nation and spreading patriotism and pride to all generations to come.

“Over the past time, those who have donated artifacts to the museum are all people with meritorious service to the revolution, the donated memorabilia are very valuable to the museum. The artifacts are scientifically documented and displayed. In particular, the museum appreciates and acknowledges that act by issuing certificates to donors. We hope that in the coming time, more valuable artifacts will be donated to the museum to serve the historical exhibition and propaganda”. Mr. Nong Duc Kien, Director of the Provincial Museum