Noman Çelebicihan
Encyclopedia
Noman Çelebicihan (1885-1918) was one of the most popular Crimean Tatar
leaders of all time. He was the first President of the short-lived independent Crimean People's Republic
, established on November 26 (December 9 under the Gregorian Calendar
), 1917.
In January 1918, just barely two months after he was elected to lead his nation at the historic Qurultay of the Crimean Tatar people
, the Bolshevik
forces invaded Crimea
. He was arrested and imprisoned in Sevastopol
. On February 23, a firing squad of the Black Sea Fleet
executed him and threw his body into the sea.
The Crimean Tatar nation continues to mourn the brutal murder of its promising young leader at the age of 33, who was a lawyer, an elected Mufti
(Muslim jurist) of Crimea, and also an accomplished poet and writer.
region of Crimea. His father's name was İbraim Çelebi, a member of a well to do Crimean Tatar family. His mother also was from a well to do family, daughter of Cihanşah Çelebi. He received his early education in his village. Afterwards, due to lack of opportunity, Çelebicihan was sent to Gülümbey Medrese, one of the well known madrassas of that time, with the help of his uncles. Later on he was sent to Constantinople to further his education.
Noman Çelebicihan arrived in Constantinople
, Ottoman Empire
in 1908. He attended Vefa Lisesi (High School) and later Law School. He resided in Karagümrük
section of Constantinople where a small group of Crimean Tatar students lived. One of the first organizations he founded, while a student in Constantinople, was "Yaş Tatar Yazıcılar Cıyını" (Young Tatar Writers' Association). He founded this association with his friend Abibulla Temircan in 1910, and published his first literary works such as Qarılğaçlar Duası (Swallows' Prayer), Altın Yarıq (Golden Light) and Şiirler Cönkü (Collection of Poems). He was one of the original founders of "Crimean Tatar Student Association" and also "Vatan" (Homeland), which became the seed for the political organization Milliy Firqa
(National Party) to carry on the independent movement in Crimea during the most turbulent period in its history.
After graduating from Law School, Çelebicihan returned to Crimea to get involved in the independence movement, and was elected to represent the Or
region of Crimea in the upcoming historical Crimean Tatar Kurultai
. He was one of the most popular delegates because of his young age and education he received in Constantinople. In 1917 he founded the Milliy Firqa
and later that year, during the historic opening of the Qurultay on November 26, 1917, Noman Çelebicihan was elected the first president
of the young Crimean Republic.
Çelebicihan was not only the first president of the independent Crimean People's Republic
and Mufti of Crimea, he was also an accomplished poet
and writer. In addition to his aforementioned works, his poems such as Ant Etkenmen (I've Pledged), Bastırıq (Prison), Ay gidi... (Oh for...), Savlıqman Qal Tatarlıq! (Farewell Tatarness!), Yolcu Ğarip (Poor Traveler), and Tilkiden Selâm (Greetings from the Fox) are his most popular poems. Ant Etkenmen became so popular that it became the lyrics of the Crimean Tatar national anthem
, and according to Şevki Bektöre (another popular Crimean Tatar poet), "... was sung for the first time during the historic Qurultay (1917)...." His most memorable poem, however, is Savlıqman Qal Tatarlıq!, which he scribbled on the walls of Simferopol
train station on his way to report to military service during World War I.
Crimean Tatars
Crimean Tatars or Crimeans are a Turkic ethnic group that originally resided in Crimea. They speak the Crimean Tatar language...
leaders of all time. He was the first President of the short-lived independent Crimean People's Republic
Crimean People's Republic
The Crimean People's Republic existed during December, 1917, and January, 1918, in the Crimean peninsula, located in the south of the present-day Ukraine. The Republic was the first attempt in the Muslim world to establish a state that was both democratic and secular...
, established on November 26 (December 9 under the Gregorian Calendar
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar, or Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582, a papal bull known by its opening words Inter...
), 1917.
In January 1918, just barely two months after he was elected to lead his nation at the historic Qurultay of the Crimean Tatar people
Kurultai
Kurultai is a political and military council of ancient Mongol and Turkic chiefs and khans. The root of the word "Khural" means political "meeting" or "assembly" in the Mongolian language, it is also a verb for "to be established"...
, the Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
forces invaded 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...
. He was arrested and imprisoned in Sevastopol
Sevastopol
Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa....
. On February 23, a firing squad of the Black Sea Fleet
Black Sea Fleet
The Black Sea Fleet is a large operational-strategic sub-unit of the Russian Navy, operating in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea since the late 18th century. It is based in various harbors of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov....
executed him and threw his body into the sea.
The Crimean Tatar nation continues to mourn the brutal murder of its promising young leader at the age of 33, who was a lawyer, an elected Mufti
Mufti
A mufti is a Sunni Islamic scholar who is an interpreter or expounder of Islamic law . In religious administrative terms, a mufti is roughly equivalent to a deacon to a Sunni population...
(Muslim jurist) of Crimea, and also an accomplished poet and writer.
Biography
Noman Çelebicihan was born in 1885, in the village of Büyük Sonaq, in ÇonğarCongar
Congar may refer to:*Saint Congar of Congresbury*Saint Cyngar of Llangefni*Yves Congar, theologian and cardinal...
region of Crimea. His father's name was İbraim Çelebi, a member of a well to do Crimean Tatar family. His mother also was from a well to do family, daughter of Cihanşah Çelebi. He received his early education in his village. Afterwards, due to lack of opportunity, Çelebicihan was sent to Gülümbey Medrese, one of the well known madrassas of that time, with the help of his uncles. Later on he was sent to Constantinople to further his education.
Noman Çelebicihan arrived in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in 1908. He attended Vefa Lisesi (High School) and later Law School. He resided in Karagümrük
Karagumruk
Karagümrük is a neighborhood in Fatih district of Istanbul, Turkey. The neighborhood also has a famous soccer team in Turkish Superleague Karagümrük Spor Kulübü. In 1958, the team qualified for the first division. However their professional performance did not last long and eventually they got...
section of Constantinople where a small group of Crimean Tatar students lived. One of the first organizations he founded, while a student in Constantinople, was "Yaş Tatar Yazıcılar Cıyını" (Young Tatar Writers' Association). He founded this association with his friend Abibulla Temircan in 1910, and published his first literary works such as Qarılğaçlar Duası (Swallows' Prayer), Altın Yarıq (Golden Light) and Şiirler Cönkü (Collection of Poems). He was one of the original founders of "Crimean Tatar Student Association" and also "Vatan" (Homeland), which became the seed for the political organization Milliy Firqa
Milliy Firqa
Milliy Firqa was a Muslim political group in Crimea which transferred en masse to the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War. It was established in 1917 by Noman Çelebicihan. They were consequently able to seize control of the state to foster a Crimean Tatar identity .-References:*...
(National Party) to carry on the independent movement in Crimea during the most turbulent period in its history.
After graduating from Law School, Çelebicihan returned to Crimea to get involved in the independence movement, and was elected to represent the Or
Or (Crimea)
Or is a medieval Crimean Tatar name for the northern region of Crimea currently known as Perekop Isthmus....
region of Crimea in the upcoming historical Crimean Tatar Kurultai
Kurultai
Kurultai is a political and military council of ancient Mongol and Turkic chiefs and khans. The root of the word "Khural" means political "meeting" or "assembly" in the Mongolian language, it is also a verb for "to be established"...
. He was one of the most popular delegates because of his young age and education he received in Constantinople. In 1917 he founded the Milliy Firqa
Milliy Firqa
Milliy Firqa was a Muslim political group in Crimea which transferred en masse to the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War. It was established in 1917 by Noman Çelebicihan. They were consequently able to seize control of the state to foster a Crimean Tatar identity .-References:*...
and later that year, during the historic opening of the Qurultay on November 26, 1917, Noman Çelebicihan was elected the first president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the young Crimean Republic.
Çelebicihan was not only the first president of the independent Crimean People's Republic
Crimean People's Republic
The Crimean People's Republic existed during December, 1917, and January, 1918, in the Crimean peninsula, located in the south of the present-day Ukraine. The Republic was the first attempt in the Muslim world to establish a state that was both democratic and secular...
and Mufti of Crimea, he was also an accomplished poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and writer. In addition to his aforementioned works, his poems such as Ant Etkenmen (I've Pledged), Bastırıq (Prison), Ay gidi... (Oh for...), Savlıqman Qal Tatarlıq! (Farewell Tatarness!), Yolcu Ğarip (Poor Traveler), and Tilkiden Selâm (Greetings from the Fox) are his most popular poems. Ant Etkenmen became so popular that it became the lyrics of the Crimean Tatar national anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
, and according to Şevki Bektöre (another popular Crimean Tatar poet), "... was sung for the first time during the historic Qurultay (1917)...." His most memorable poem, however, is Savlıqman Qal Tatarlıq!, which he scribbled on the walls of 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...
train station on his way to report to military service during World War I.