The Crimean Tatars (Hoover Institution Press Publication)

by Alan W. Fisher

In the most comprehensive survey of the Crimean Tatars—from the foundation of the glorious khanate in the fifteenth century to genocide and the struggle for survival in the twentieth century—Alan W. Fisher presents a detailed analysis of the culture and history of this people. The author clarifies and assesses the myriad problems inherent to a multinational society comprising more than one hundred non-Russian ethnic groups and discusses the resurgence of nationalist sentiment, the efforts of the Crimean Tatars and others to regain territorial rights lost during the Stalinist era, and the political impact these movements have on contemporary Soviet affairs.

Genres: History, Ukraine, Russia

278 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

Reviews

[Bubba · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the few works to focus solely on the Crimean Tatars--at least in its day. The main themes are the Crimean Tatars' political and cultural development (and how these went hand in hand), particularly during the late 19th and 20th centuries. Of course, the life and works of Gaspirali are given special emphasis, as is the deportation of the entire Crimean Tatar population to Central Asia in 1944. Fisher does some good detective work in dissecting the various narratives about the behavior of Tatars during the war (some being German collaborators, but more being Soviet partisans, soldiers in the Soviet military, exploited by the Germans, or just plain staying out of the way) and their supposed reason for deportation.

I don't know what's more extrodinary, Fisher's ability to pierce 30 years (at the time of writing) of Soviet obfuscation/semantic maze building/historiographical skulldugery, or the fact that most of the West seemed to uncritically accept the Soviet explination for the Crimean Tatars deportation.

The first 300 years of the Crimean Khanate only gets a quick treatment here (though what's there is well done), while the 19th and 20th centuries are the bulk of this slim volume. Still, a classic, groundbreaking study.

[Turhan Dilmaç · Rating 5 out of 5]

Published in 1978, Alan Fisher's book is still the best read on the Crimean Tatars, their history, exile, plight, struggle and survival. Worth to read, particularly nowadays.

[Mehmet Koç · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brief history of the Crimean Tatars' tragedy. Tatar history before 20th century is summarised, but the Soviet era (especially mass deportation and struggle to return until 1978) is well detailed.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good history book. It gives great background for a majorly overlooked group from the former Soviet Union, and what they experienced before and after the creation of the communist state. Sadly it ends in the 1960's before their return began.

[Wesley Giesbrecht · Rating 4 out of 5]

Within the Russian historical consciousness, there are few people groups who could rival the Crimean Tatars as the archetypal enemy to the Russian people. From the legacy of the Golden Horde, to the Tatar slave trades, culminating in the aid given by some Tatars to the Germans during the invasion of the USSR during WW2, the general attitude towards the Crimean Tatars is one of suspicion that can turn into outright hostility.

The present volume from Professor Alan W. Fisher is slightly outdated. The book ends while the Crimean Tatars are still in exile in Soviet Uzbekistan, largely being unable to return to their ancestral homes in the Crimea. Since 1989, the Crimean Tatars have been allowed to return to Crimea, so one needs to keep that in mind when reading the present volume.

Fisher does a marvelous job deconstructing many of the false narratives and characterizations that have been attributed to the Crimean Tatars over the centuries. Based on his research, he displays that the medieval Crimean Khanate can be considered a genuine national administration, thus strengthening the Crimean Tatar claims to the land. He also dispells the false accusations against the Crimean Tatars as being on mass collaborators with the Germans during their invasion of the Crimean peninsula during WW2. While there were definitely many Tatars who sided with the Germans, there were just as many who fought against the Germans as Soviet partisans.

My only critique of the book is Fisher's attempt to portray the medieval Crimean slave trade as an essential economic venture of the Crimean Khanate to fund their administration. While he fully recognizes the massive amount of Eastern Europeans who were abducted by the Crimean Tatars and sold into slavery, he tries to soften the historical memory of it by indicting the Slavs with being over emotional in their recollection of it.

While recognizing the historical atrocities committed by the Crimean Khanate in enslaving hundreds of thousands of Eastern Europeaners, I believe that it's an injustice to hold the descendents of the Crimean Tatars responsible by the crimes of their ancestors. The historical relations between the Russians and the Crimean Tatars following the annexation of the Crimean peninsula reveal that the Crimean Tatars can also level accusations of injustice against the Russian government for crimes committed against them. Fisher demonstrates convincingly that the mass deportations of the Crimean Tatars following WW2 had little to do with Tatar collaboration with the Germans (other minority groups collaborated without any such consequences) and more to do with Soviet foreign policy and geopolitical aspirations towards Turkey. The successive history of the Crimean Tatars in exile in Central Asia until 1989 is filled with examples of national repression, persecution, and illegal (even by Soviet Law) infringements of Tatar rights.

For anyone interested in an introduction to the history of the Crimean Tatars from the medieval times until the final years of the Soviet Union, this book is highly informative (aside from the authors' evaluation of the Crimean slave trade).

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite an honorable age, the book remains a worthy read, especially given its broad bibliography with sources in Turkish, German, Russian, English and other languages. About 75% of the contents is devoted to the period under Russian occupation since 1783, leaving only very scarce description of the preceding history.

[cutebunnythe3rd · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was a long battle but it was so worth it, i hope to read every book in this collection🙏