'A cry for help' from the historical evidence of Vinh prison.

A few traces of the past remain…

Located on Dao Tan Street (Vinh City), next to the grounds of the Soviet Nghe Tinh Museum, the guard postVinh PrisonStanding quietly amidst the bustling traffic of the city, this structure, surrounded by countless billboards and bearing the marks of decay, is hardly recognizable as an important historical landmark of the nation.

In stark contrast to the time-worn ruins of the upper part of the guard post, the lower part is painted a pristine white and looks modern. Right behind the guard post, a large café and soft drink shop has opened, seemingly occupying the entire space and somewhat obscuring the presence of this important historical structure.

In the middle of the guard post was a small sign that read: "Vinh Prison Guard Post, part of the Vinh Ancient Citadel National Historical and Cultural Relic Complex. The People's Committee of Cua Nam Ward strictly prohibits any encroachment, damage to the relic, writing, drawing, or hanging advertising signs on the relic." This sign evoked a sense of sadness in many who read it.

To better understand the Vinh Prison, the book "Vinh Prison" published by the Propaganda Department of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee in 2005 affirms that Vinh Prison was established in 1804 and was where the feudal and colonial authorities imprisoned many generations of patriotic and revolutionary fighters. Fierce struggles against the harsh regime took place here. They transformed the prison into a revolutionary school, organizing Party cells within the prison, such as comrades Ho Tung Mau, Nguyen Duy Trinh, Le Canh Ton, Le Canh Nhuong…

During the French colonial period, Vinh Prison was one of the key prisons in the colonial system, alongside Hoa Lo (Hanoi), Kham Lon (Saigon), and Thua Phu (Hue). During the Nghe Tinh Soviet Uprising, the French colonialists consistently employed repression and terror as their primary strategy. They believed in arresting the wrong people rather than letting any escape. Therefore, Vinh Prison was overcrowded with revolutionaries; from 1930 to 1932, it had the highest number of political prisoners.

To manage the prison's security, four guard posts were built. Each post was 6 meters high, octagonal in shape, with each side measuring 2 meters, constructed of bricks 0.35 meters thick, and divided into two levels, each with loopholes. Guards took turns standing watch. There were two types of guards at Vinh Prison: the Green Uniform Guards and the Green Uniform Guards. The Green Uniform Guards were responsible for maintaining internal order, only guarding the outside and the four guard posts. They only intervened when an alarm sounded, such as when prisoners broke out, protested, or engaged in other acts of resistance. The Green Uniform Guards were responsible for providing food, water, and bathing facilities for the prisoners.

The courageous examples of generations of political prisoners at Vinh Prison further fill us with pride and profound gratitude to the patriotic fighters. And as a testament to that arduous period of struggle, the Vinh Prison guard post stands as a bridge connecting the past, present, and future. More than ever, it is time to give this historical site due attention.

We need to take drastic measures to "save" these historical relics.

In the document: "Vinh Prison Relic – The Place of Imprisonment of Patriotic and Revolutionary Fighters during the Period 1925 – 1945" by the Department of Culture and Information of Nghe An (now the Department of Culture and Sports of Nghe An).)And the Soviet-Nghe Tinh Museum's 2002 study confirmed: "Currently, Vinh Prison only has one guard post left, but it is no longer intact."

Stemming from the significance of Vinh Prison, at many scientific conferences, especially the meeting of veteran revolutionaries in 1995, many delegates expressed the opinion that: Restoring Vinh Prison is impossible because many cultural buildings have now been constructed in the area where Vinh Prison used to be.

Therefore, it is necessary to protect the guard post of Vinh Prison and build a memorial, erecting a commemorative plaque to remember the events and those who were imprisoned there. At the same time, a display room for images and artifacts should be built to serve the purpose of educating and promoting revolutionary traditions to the general public.

Projects such as constructing a photo and artifact exhibition hall and a memorial monument were implemented and inaugurated on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Nghe Tinh Soviet (September 12, 1930 - September 12, 2005). However, according to the document "Vinh Prison Relic - A Place of Imprisonment for Patriotic and Revolutionary Fighters during the 1925-1945 Period," the Vinh Prison guard post relic has not yet been officially recognized and classified, and therefore does not have state protection for the caretaker.

Archival documents atSoviet Museum of Nghe TinhIt clearly states: "Over the years, the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee have recognized the great significance of the Vinh Prison historical site, and therefore, have developed many plans to promote its use. One of these plans is to classify the site as a historical monument to prepare the dossier for the Vinh Prison Project."

Although this wish has not yet come true, the guard post of Vinh Prison has been recognized as one of the items belonging to the National Historical Monument of Vinh Ancient Citadel.

Working at the Nghe An Provincial Relics Management Board, I learned that in 1998, Vinh Ancient Citadel was classified as a National Historical Monument by the Ministry of Culture and Information in Decision No. 95-QD/BVHTT, dated January 24, 1998.

Among them, the Vinh Prison guard post is one of nine items belonging to the Vinh Citadel complex, including: the front gate, left gate, right gate; the commemorative stele, the Ho Chi Minh memorial; the guard post; the northeastern wall; the bomb crater; the northern wall; the southern wall; and the moat, all of which are recognized as part of the Vinh Citadel historical site. This affirms the role and position of this site in the system of important historical sites of Nghe An province in particular and the whole country in general.

Creating a harmonious space around the historical site will contribute to preserving its cultural value, while also attracting the attention of locals and tourists, making it not only a historical destination but also a place of spiritual significance for future generations.

To enhance the connection between historical and contemporary relics, representatives from the Provincial Relics Management Board also expressed their wish that, after introducing Vinh Prison to visitors through its exhibition rooms, the Nghe Tinh Soviet Museum should guide visitors to the Vinh Prison guard post. This would not be difficult, as the guard post remains located right next to the museum grounds.

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Hopefully, in the near future, measures to protect these historical relics will be implemented more decisively, giving the Vinh Prison guard post a new look. This will help prevent the site from falling into oblivion. This also serves as a commitment that history is not only recorded through titles but must also be preserved and maintained through genuine care and attention."

Nghe An Provincial Relics Management Board