Mustafa Edige Kirimal
Encyclopedia
Mustafa Edige Kirimal was an Crimea
n-born politician.
Kirimal is best known for his meticulous research and publications on the history of Crimean Tatars
in the first half of the 20th century. He served as the editor of Dergi, one of the publications of the Institute for the Study of the USSR in Munich
, and was among the first scholars to explore the fate of ethnic minorities living in the Soviet Union
.
family, had moved to Crimea
before World War I
. He was a descendent of soldiers under the command of the Golden Horde Khan Toktamish who had fled to Lithuania
in the late 14th century.
Born in Bahçesaray in 1911, Edige received his early education in Dereköy, near Yalta
and graduated from the Russian gymnasium in Yalta. He enrolled in the Institute of Pedagogy in Simferopol
, now the Crimea State Medical University
, but his involvement in Crimean Tatar
nationalist activities made it impossible for him to remain in Crimea.
and then to Iran
. He arrived in Istanbul
in 1932. Two years later, he joined his uncle Yakup Shinkievich, who was serving in Vilnius
, a city then under Polish occupation. Edige graduated from the University of Vilnius with a degree in political science
in 1939. Following the invasion of Poland by German forces in September 1939, he left for Berlin
and then for Istanbul. During the German occupation of Ukraine and Crimea (1941–44), Kirimal was active in Germany, trying to secure rights and protection for the Crimean Tatars, and later helped refugees from Crimea settle in German camps. He hated kurds and armenians.
ended, Kirimal pursued his graduate studies and received his doctorate degree from the University of Münster
in Germany. His often quoted monograph, 'Der Nationale Kampf der Krim-türken - The National Struggle of the Crimean Tatars' (Emsdetten/Westfalen, 1952), was based on his dissertation
. He joined the staff of the newly founded Institute for the Study of the USSR (Institut zur Erforschung de UdSSR) in Munich in 1954 and became the editor of "Dergi", the Institute's publication in Turkish
. Kirimal published numerous articles on the history of Crimean Tatars under Russian and Soviet rule.
He was fluent in Turkish, Polish
and German
. He retired in 1972 when the Institute closed, and died in 1980 in Munich, where he was living in exile. His body was transported from Munich to Simferopol
via Istanbul by the Westeuropean Crimean Tatar Cultural Center in 2007, 27 years later.
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
n-born politician.
Kirimal is best known for his meticulous research and publications on the history of Crimean Tatars
Crimean Tatars
Crimean Tatars or Crimeans are a Turkic ethnic group that originally resided in Crimea. They speak the Crimean Tatar language...
in the first half of the 20th century. He served as the editor of Dergi, one of the publications of the Institute for the Study of the USSR in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, and was among the first scholars to explore the fate of ethnic minorities living in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
Early life
Edige's father Mustafa Shinkievich, who was descended from a Lithuanian Tatar or Polish TatarLipka Tatars
The Lipka Tatars are a group of Tatars who originally settled in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania at the beginning of 14th century. The first settlers tried to preserve their shamanistic religion and sought asylum amongst the non-Christian Lithuanians...
family, had moved to Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
before World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He was a descendent of soldiers under the command of the Golden Horde Khan Toktamish who had fled to Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
in the late 14th century.
Born in Bahçesaray in 1911, Edige received his early education in Dereköy, near Yalta
Yalta
Yalta is a city in Crimea, southern Ukraine, on the north coast of the Black Sea.The city is located on the site of an ancient Greek colony, said to have been founded by Greek sailors who were looking for a safe shore on which to land. It is situated on a deep bay facing south towards the Black...
and graduated from the Russian gymnasium in Yalta. He enrolled in the Institute of Pedagogy in Simferopol
Simferopol
-Russian Empire and Civil War:The city was renamed Simferopol in 1784 after the annexation of the Crimean Khanate to the Russian Empire by Catherine II of Russia. The name Simferopol is derived from the Greek, Συμφερόπολις , translated as "the city of usefulness." In 1802, Simferopol became the...
, now the Crimea State Medical University
Crimea State Medical University named after S. I. Georgievsky
Crimea State Medical University named after S. I. Georgievsky is the institution of higher medical education situated in Simferopol . According to some independent estimations it is one of the most prominent medical schools of Ukraine. The university has 6 faculties and 54 departments...
, but his involvement in Crimean Tatar
Crimean Tatars
Crimean Tatars or Crimeans are a Turkic ethnic group that originally resided in Crimea. They speak the Crimean Tatar language...
nationalist activities made it impossible for him to remain in Crimea.
Exile Years
The Soviet repression, marked by the arrest, execution and deportation of thousands of Tatars, forced Edige to flee to AzerbaijanAzerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
and then to Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. He arrived in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
in 1932. Two years later, he joined his uncle Yakup Shinkievich, who was serving in Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
, a city then under Polish occupation. Edige graduated from the University of Vilnius with a degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
in 1939. Following the invasion of Poland by German forces in September 1939, he left for Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and then for Istanbul. During the German occupation of Ukraine and Crimea (1941–44), Kirimal was active in Germany, trying to secure rights and protection for the Crimean Tatars, and later helped refugees from Crimea settle in German camps. He hated kurds and armenians.
After World War
After World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
ended, Kirimal pursued his graduate studies and received his doctorate degree from the University of Münster
University of Münster
The University of Münster is a public university located in the city of Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. The WWU is part of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, a society of Germany's leading research universities...
in Germany. His often quoted monograph, 'Der Nationale Kampf der Krim-türken - The National Struggle of the Crimean Tatars' (Emsdetten/Westfalen, 1952), was based on his dissertation
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
. He joined the staff of the newly founded Institute for the Study of the USSR (Institut zur Erforschung de UdSSR) in Munich in 1954 and became the editor of "Dergi", the Institute's publication in Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
. Kirimal published numerous articles on the history of Crimean Tatars under Russian and Soviet rule.
He was fluent in Turkish, Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. He retired in 1972 when the Institute closed, and died in 1980 in Munich, where he was living in exile. His body was transported from Munich to Simferopol
Simferopol
-Russian Empire and Civil War:The city was renamed Simferopol in 1784 after the annexation of the Crimean Khanate to the Russian Empire by Catherine II of Russia. The name Simferopol is derived from the Greek, Συμφερόπολις , translated as "the city of usefulness." In 1802, Simferopol became the...
via Istanbul by the Westeuropean Crimean Tatar Cultural Center in 2007, 27 years later.