Circassia was a small independent nation on the northeastern. Attempting to read between the lines of the official narrative concerning the circassian conflict is quite revealing. Circassian genocide wikimili, the free encyclopedia. The circassians selfdesignation adyge are the oldest indigenous people of north caucasus. The circassian genocide by nila manivannan on prezi. Who are the circassians, and why are they outraged at sochi. For anyone who is interested in alternative history writing and the rights of indigenious people or generally interested people in history this book is a piece of gold. The genocide committed against the circassian nation by czarist russia in the 1800s was the biggest genocide of the nineteenth century. The circassian genocide was the russian empire s ethnic cleansing, killing, forced migration, and expulsion of the majority of the circassians from their historical homeland circassia, which roughly encompassed the major part of the north caucasus and the northeast shore of the black sea. The resolution also stated that those who survived but were driven from their homeland and their descendants should be recognized as refugees.
In the nineteenth century, circassophilia spread from europe to north america, where numerous writers expressed deep admiration for the mountaineers of the eastern black sea. The circassian genocide and the american civil war. Circassian, language one of two indigenous peoples of the republic who are mostly besleney kabardians. I think the basic reason is that this was the reality of a lot of successful invasions and conquests in history, and most historians are somewhat uncomfortable assigning the word genocide or even ethnic cleansing, which is probably closer to the truth since the accepted history is that circassians were expelled rather than executed, though of. In the 17th century, under the influence of the crimean tatars and of the ottoman empire, large numbers of circassians converted to islam from christianity in 1708, qaplan i giray, a crimean khan, ordered to have 4,000 kabardian slaves while ascending to the throne. The circassian genocide was the russian empires ethnic cleansing, killing, forced migration. The move was stunning, since the circassian genocide as well as circassians themselves had been forgotten by the world within decades of the destruction of their nation in 1864. At first this was given secretly, but then later in a more direct manner, but it was never wholehearted even after the. The russians drove the circassians out of their homes into the ottoman empire. Since the 1990s, several circassian organizations within russia and in diaspora called to recognize the expulsion of the circassian population as a genocide. The names in brackets are my own interpretations of what the modern equivalents are. The circassian genocide genocide, political violence. Remote work advice from the largest allremote company.
Their language belongs to the northwest of the caucasian family of languages. Circassians and the politics of genocide recognition taylor. Circassian genocide the history of problem, chronicles of events, the scientific conclusion westcaucasus tragic events of the 19th century as a result of which a million and half of circassian nation appeared in front of existential threat, is actual even today due to its historicscientific as well as political standpoint. The two official languages used in the caucasus, namely adigean and kabardian, shall be addressed. The circassian genocide genocide, political violence, human. The circassian genocide genocide, political violence, human righ. The russo circassian war 17631864 refers to a series of battles and wars in circassia, the northwestern part of the caucasus, which were part of the russian empires conquest of the caucasus lasting approximately 101 years, starting under the reign of tsar peter the great and being completed in 1864. Circassia was a small independent nation on the northeastern shore of the black sea. The international association of circassian peoples has organized world congresses in which israeli delegations have taken a very active part. Circassians, living further to the west is adygei, but this group itself can be divided to further subgropus as well, such as the shapshug, the ubykh and the abaza. Genocide, indeed, is a crime under international law, as mentioned in the article 1 of the genocide convention adopted by united nations on december 9, 1948, document 9.
The russian victory began a new phase of colonisation in circassia. For no reason other than ethnic hatred, over the course of hundreds of raids the russians drove the circassians from their homeland and deported. The circassians have joined the ranks of others in seeking recognition of their grievances. He places the periods of acute genocide, 18211822 and 18631864, in the larger context of centuries of tension between the two nations and updates the story to the present day as the circassian community works to gain international recognition of the genocide as the region prepares for the 2014 winter olympics in sochi, the site of the. Walter richmond, the circassian genocide, new brunswick, nj. Shenfield is an independent researcher and translator living in the usa. Strohmeyer, circassians are not the ones lobbying congress and anything that moves for recognition, reparation and have killed innocent people in scores to achieve it but armenians have. The circassian genocide download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl. The circassian genocide download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Parliament, 2006, and before the georgian parliament, march 20, 2010. The result of this incredible period of resistance, however, was the development, in the. In the end of the day there is a lot more evidence that points to an armenian genocide then a circassian genocide, but you have no problems screaming circassian genocide, while shamelessly fully denying the armenian genocide look up the work hypocrite. The circassian question in russiangeorgian relations.
Circassian men wearing traditional clothes pose for a photograph in a tea field during the visit of a delegation of diaspora circassians in golovinka, near sochi, in october. Circassian genocide the history of problem, chronicles. According to the unesco 2009 map entitled unesco map of the worlds languages in danger, the status of the adyghe language in 2009, along with all its dialects adyghe, western circassian tribes and kabardcherkess, eastern circassian tribes, is classified as vulnerable. List of genocides by death toll wikipedia republished. Circassians role in armenian genocide is discussed in turkey. The voices of the unheard circassians are being heard here. Apr 09, 20 the circassian genocide genocide, political violence, human righ richmond, walter on. Circassian genocide have been put before the duma in 2005, before the european. Prominent physical anthropologists deemed circassian. In so far as, the russian empire actions may be evaluated as genocide and ethnic cleansing. Editor of the gusips circassian monthly of turkey, kuban kural, noted that it is quite positive that young circassians considered it indispensable for the circassians to accept their share of blame in the armenian genocide, and to confront this tragedy.
Russia on one side and apparently the ottoman empire on the other, the local circassian resistance featured three main characters. Pdf the circassian community in iraq has been threatened for decades. During this time, anywhere between 357,000 to 600,000 circassians, people native to the circassia region of the north caucasus, lost their lives in the russo circassian war. Circassian history university of pennsylvania school of. Following the 101yearlong war, led by the russians against the circassians in the caucasus, the russian army finally succeeded in subduing the region. Pdf the fate of the circassian community in iraq between the. Yet it has been almost entirely forgotten by later history, while everyone knows the later jewish holocaust and many have heard about the armenian genocide. Sardzas, circassians of karachaycherkessia circassians speaking the cherkess, i. Exposing the myth of the armenian genocide with all due respect, mr. May 25, 2007 the untold story about the circassian genocide in sochi 2014 duration.
The circassians were forced to resettle after the tsarist conquest of their territory. This section shall include basic materials to help those who wish to teach themselves the circassian language. The circassian genocide is well informed and contains a mass of information that will be new to most readers, about the events of 18631864 themselves, their background and subsequent developments. The massacre of the circassians, a forgotten people, serves as the subject of stephen d. Environmental education resources to commemorate earth days 50th anniversary. Apr 09, 20 walter richmonds the circassian genocide is a timely work that masterfully investigates the ninteenthcentury russian policies over the circassian lands, shedding light on one of the leastknown and first genocides of modern history. Many circassians also speak turkish, russian, english, arabic and hebrew, having been exiled by russia to lands of the ottoman empire, where the majority of them live today. Rutgers university press, apr 9, 20 history 232 pages. Among the issues raised are the need to revive the language in russia and diaspora, the desirability of constructing a common literary language and a return to the latin alphabet. Circassians all over the world will commemorate the annual anniversary of the fall of which resulted in the russian occupation that made circassian nation suffer of colonialism andor forced. Circassians the reader wiki, reader view of wikipedia.
Ixth biennial conference international association of genocide scholars buenos aires. I think the basic reason is that this was the reality of a lot of successful invasions and conquests in history, and most historians are somewhat uncomfortable assigning the word genocide or even ethnic cleansing, which is probably closer to the truth since the accepted history is that circassians were expelled rather than executed, though of course many died of the hardships. This issue is especially timely, as the 150th anniversary of the circassian genocide coincides with the next winter olympics in 2014, which will be held in sochi, the last capital of an independent circassian state. On the contrary of russian culture, circassians are very respectful even to the death bodies of their enemies.
Its unusual phonological systeman overabundance of consonants and scarcity of vowels has stimulated much interest among linguists. On may 20, 2011, the parliament of georgia passed a resolution that labeled as genocide the preplanned mass killing of circassians by the russian imperial army in the 1860s. The circassian genocide by walter richmond, paperback. Apr 09, 20 he places the periods of acute genocide, 18211822 and 18631864, in the larger context of centuries of tension between the two nations and updates the story to the present day as the circassian community works to gain international recognition of the genocide as the region prepares for the 2014 winter olympics in sochi, the site of the.
In particular, in consequence of this impact many circassians have been hiding their identity, stopped using circassian names and speaking circassian language. From the publisher richmonds work is a ground breaking contribution to the history of russia, the caucasus and genocide. The circassian genocide genocide, political violence, human rights kindle edition by richmond, walter. The circassian genocide genocide, political violence, human righ richmond, walter on. If we assume that berzhes middle figure of 50,000 was close to the number who survived to settle in the lowlands, then between 95 percent and 97 percent of all circassians were killed outright, died during evdokimovs campaign, or were deported. The circassians genocide and great exodus of may 1864 may twenty first is a day of painful memories that marks the day of mourning for all circassians. The circassians went from being an almost legendary people of the northwestern caucasus mountains, a subject of travelogues about exotic. The circassian genocide by walter richmond, 20 online. Click download or read online button to get the circassian genocide book now. At first this was given secretly, but then later in a more direct manner, but it was never wholehearted. After circassian exile in 1864 sochi was emptied from circassians and the kbaada valley was renamed as krasnaya polyana where the heavy construction equipments are excavating the mountains for the 2014 sochi winter olympics now. Heretofore, in 1929 while traveling in the caucasus acad. The circassians genocide and great exodus of may 1864.
It is interesting that while discussing the circassian issue direct reference was made to the armenian issues too. Circassian genocide world history free pdf daownload study iq. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. The circassians mainly speak the circassian languages, a northwest caucasian dialect continuum with three main dialects and numerous subdialects. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Sochi, the site for the 2014 winter olympics, just happens to be where the russians dispossessed an entire nation exactly 150 years earlier. For no reason other than ethnic hatred, over the course of hundreds of raids the russians drove the circassians from their homeland and deported them to the ottoman empire.
The circassian genocide was the russian empires ethnic cleansing, killing, forced migration, and expulsion of the majority of the circassians from their historical homeland circassia, which roughly encompassed the major part of the north caucasus and the northeast shore of the black sea. Their homeland rested in the northwestern caucasus and on the northeastern shore of the black seaalong the southern border of the russian empire. Circassians the circassians are a northwest caucasian ethnic group native to circassia, many of whom were displaced in the course of t. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the circassian genocide genocide, political violence, human rights.
This is the question i am usually asked if i ever mention my interest in the circassians. The confederacy of circassian tribes elected sefer bey to be their representative and he set off to constantinople istanbul in an attempt to gain support against the russians from the ottoman sultan. Professor walter richmond presenting evidence for the circassian genocide from the tbilisi state archives. The name cherkess is the russian form of circassian and was used for all circassians before soviet times. The circassian genocide occurred between 1941 and 1945. Especially the circassian genocide which still not recognized by the russian government. On may 20, 2011, the parliament of georgia passed a resolution that labeled as genocide the preplanned mass killing of circassians by the russian imperial. The circassian genocideneizvestnaya kavkazkaya voina. Circassian genocide the history of problem, chronicles of events. The circassian genocide was the russian empire s ethnic cleansing, killing, forced migration, and expulsion of the majority of the circassians from their historical homeland circassia, which roughly encompassed the major part of the north caucasus and the. The circassian genocide by walter richmond goodreads.
165 1563 670 1299 24 625 203 220 21 1444 1149 1074 1401 1095 498 1361 1067 165 348 569 1450 844 38 1455 1235 918 911 516 878 247 1271 184 1439 181 624 229 448 412 931 44 158 227 272 379