The hour and minute hands of the distinctive Swiss watch stopped at 1:15 am, the exact moment lawyer Phan Anh passed away on June 28, 1990. Thirty-five years later, the watch is preserved at the Vietnam Military History Museum. President Ho Chi Minh's portrait on the dial remains clearly visible.

The watch recalls the remarkable story of an intellectual who served in the Tran Trong Kim government but, following the August Revolution, was appointed by President Ho Chi Minh as Minister of National Defense of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

Speaking during the recent program “Nguoi Giu Lua Ky Uc” (Keepers of Memory) organized by the Vietnam Military History Museum, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Tran Thanh Hang, a former officer in the museum's Collections Department, recalled that during her 34-year career collecting historical artifacts, she had handled thousands of items of memorabilia belonging to generals and revolutionary officials. Yet Phan Anh's watch has remained the most unforgettable.

"It is an extraordinarily special artifact. I have never seen another minister receive such a gift from President Ho Chi Minh," she said.

The significance of the watch lies not in its Movado brand or Swiss origin, but in the identity of its recipient. Born in 1912 in Duc Tho District, Ha Tinh Province, Phan Anh came from a patriotic Confucian family. He was a distinguished intellectual, fluent in French, possessed sharp legal acumen, and was highly respected among the country's leading scholars and public figures.

After the August Revolution, President Ho Chi Minh invited him to join the Government, demonstrating the President's distinctive approach to selecting talented individuals. Because Phan Anh was not a military officer but a lawyer.

In March 1946, he was appointed Minister of National Defense of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. He later explained why he accepted the position.

Reflecting on his appointment, Phan Anh said: "I was deeply moved and grateful for President Ho Chi Minh's generosity. He did not hold it against me that I had served in the Japanese-backed Tran Trong Kim government. Instead, he regarded me as a patriotic intellectual and entrusted me with this responsibility..." (Quoted from Lawyer Phan Anh, People's Public Security Publishing House, 2011.)

Also in the book "Lawyer Phan Anh," he stated that when assuming the role of Defense Minister, he was not in charge of military expertise because “Vo Nguyen Giáp was already handling that matter.” What he was assigned to do was to handle political work, strengthen domestic solidarity, and win over international support.

In 1946, lawyer Phan Anh, along with the delegation of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, went to France to attend the Fontainebleau Conference in his capacity as Defense Minister and in charge of legal matters.

He served as Defense Minister from March to November 1946. Afterward, he held many crucial responsibilities: Minister of Economy, then Minister of Industry and Trade, Minister of Commerce and Minister of Foreign Trade.

On October 13, 1954, President Ho Chi Minh commended and rewarded several Government members who made numerous contributions during the resistance war against the French. Particularly for Phan Anh, President Ho presented him with a Swiss watch of the Movado brand, printed with President Ho's portrait. From that day on, the watch virtually never left lawyer Phan Anh's person.

In 1985, during a business trip to Switzerland, he sought out the exact manufacturing place to repair the watch. Five years later, when he passed away, the watch also stopped. The hands pointed exactly to 1:15. The family kept the watch on the altar as a sacred memento.

Artifacts that preserve history

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Tran Thanh Hang recalled visiting Phan Anh's family several times while collecting historical artifacts. The family donated two bronze basins and many personal belongings he had used during the resistance war. However, they initially decided to consult all family members before parting with the watch.

At the 14th anniversary of Phan Anh's death, nearly 40 children and grandchildren gathered to discuss the matter. After careful consideration, the family unanimously agreed to donate the watch to the Vietnam Military History Museum.

Thanh Hue