90TH ANNIVERSARY OF CELEBICIHAN’S BRUTAL MURDER
On February 23, 2008 the Crimean Tatars throughout the world will commemorate the 90th anniversary of the brutal murder of their first democratically elected president, Numan Celebicihan by the Bolshevik forces in Sevastopol (Akyar), Crimea. Celebicihan, as he is known by his people, was not only the first president of the short-lived Independent Crimean Republic, he was also Crimean Tatars’ first Muftu ( religious leader), national poet who was killed at the prime of his life, at the age of 32. In many ways he was “the John F. Kennedy” of Crimean Tatars, a young intellectual, far sighted, courageous political leader who was expected to lead his nation into a brighter future. Only in case of Celebicihan, the brutal murder by firing squad in the hands of the Black Sea Sailors cut his life short, and severely jeopardized the future of the Crimean Tatars nation.
Numan Celebicihan was born in Buyuk Sonak village in the Or region of Crimea in 1885. His father was Ibrahim Celebi and his mother was Cihansah hanim. He received his elementary school education in Buyuk Sonak, where he witnessed the closure of his school by Russian authorities. The sorrow created by the image of a large padlock placed on the door of his school by Russian soldiers was never forgotten by Celebicihan and this incident significantly affected his future. He continued his education in Akcora Medrese in Cankoy, Rusdiye in Akmescit, and Zincirli Medrese in Bahcesaray. He then was sent to Istanbul, Turkey to further his education where he attended Vefa High School and Istanbul University’s Law School. While attending Law school he closely followed the political event taking place in Istanbul during the last years of the Ottoman Empire which shaped his progressive political philosophy. He began working with his Crimean Tatar friends such as Cafer Seydahmet, Ablakim Ilmi, Abdurrahim Sukuti, Habibullah Temircan, Yakup Kerci and others to help his people’s future, an independent Crimean Republic. He helped establish Vatan- a political organization with his Crimean Tatar friends in 1909, the organization that played a significant role in the establishment of the first Independent Crimean Republic on November 26, 1917.
I would like to present two examples which are indicative of Celebicihan’s vision for Crimea and his dedication to his homeland and his people.
The following is part of Celebicihan’s speech at the opening ceremony of the Crimean Tatar National Museum on September 29, 1917 in Bahcesaray:
“… We the Crimean Muslims are convening our Kurultay (parliament) to legislate our own laws, to create our own law and order in order to establish a better organized, and much improved Crimea…
Our nation is not inaugurating her Kurultay just for self rule… We are opening our Kurultay to work hand and hand, head to head, together with all other nationalities. Our nation is just. Our nation is not a selfish, self-centered nation who only considers herself, and pursues her own happiness. Our nation even decided to carry the burdens of all other nationalities on our own shoulders. She is not a victim of political institutions, but advocate of social action…
Various exquisite roses, bleeding hearts, lilies and tulips grow in the Crimean peninsula. These lovely and pleasing flowers all have their own unique beauty and scents. These roses and flowers are the various nationalities, i.e. Muslims, Russians, Jews, Greeks, Germans, and others who reside in Crimea. Kurultay’s (Parliament) goal is to gather these (flowers) together and create a beautiful and elegant bouquet, and establish a genuine and civilized country just like Switzerland in the beautiful Crimean peninsula. Kurultay (Parliament) cares not only for Muslims, but also all other nationalities who peacefully coexisted for centuries. We invite all other nationalities to walk this path hand in hand with us. Our nation, in establishing a new Crimea, is not the supervisor (manager), but the enterpriser, and she will perform the duties of an initiator! (Mehmet Muhittin, “Mubarek Sehidimiz Celebi Cihan”, Ankara, Kirim, No.2, February 1957, p. 40.)
Numan Celebicihan in his quest to free his people from century-long Czarist Russian domination and establishing an independent Crimea recognized the importance of the role of young people. He always tried to emphasize the love of Crimea, and the importance of the young generation’s participation in building a new democratic Crimea. At the time of his election as the Mufti of all Crimean Muslims by the Crimean Muslim Executive Committee on March 25, 1917, it was crucial to establish regional Muslim Committees throughout Crimea to elect delegates to the upcoming Crimean Tatar Parliament. Towns where these committees were to be formed were in dire need of qualified personnel to serve on these committees. Some of the qualified candidates were either afraid or hesitant to accept the responsibility to perform these civic duties. The following is an example where a young, educated candidate declines to serve in the Muslim Committee using his current military status as an alibi. His friends recognizing his high qualifications do not accept his alibi, and decide to bring this issue to Numan Celebicihan’s attention, who himself was just elected as the Mufti of all Crimean Muslims while he was still serving in the Russian Army. He was still in military uniform when he met this young man, Huseyin, whose friends brought him to discuss his concerns with Celebicihan. Celebicihan, after thanking this young man for coming to see him about this important issue, gave him the following admonition:
“National responsibilities are not fulfilled with discharge papers, but rather with the will of people. As you can see I am still serving in the military, and could not get rid of my military uniform. It was the people’s trust that put me in this position (Mufti of All Crimea) and bestowed upon me this responsible duty. If I wanted to wait to be (officially) discharged, I had to wait another three months. In these trying times I could not afford to lose time by waiting for my discharge. Yes, by joining the national movement while still a member of the armed forces I might have put myself in danger. I may be arrested and punished for this. But those who decide to join the national movement for their nation’s independence should take all these dangers into consideration. If in these days of national struggle your nation offers you a responsible duty, and you have decided to make all the necessary sacrifices, you must fulfill your duties without waiting for your discharge papers, even if it means death!
National obligations are sacred. To die in line of national duty is the most sacred and the glorious of all honors. I assure you that this nation is capable of bringing up thousands of Huseyins to replace you. These young people will secure the freedom and independence of their nation through bloody struggles even if it costs many of them their lives! Go on, report to work! We have no time to waist! (Halil Besev, “ Celebi Cihanla Gorusme”, Kirim, No. 2, February 1957 issue, pp. 44-45.)
Celebicihan, with this poignant speech, had convinced Huseyin to join the Muslim Committee of Besev village without hesitation. These committees went on to elect the delegates for the historic First Crimean Tatar Kurultay which in return declared the establishment of the first independent Crimean Republic and elected Numan Celebicihan as the first president of the Independent Crimean Republic on November 26, 1917.
Numan Celebicihan, who was elected president with great hopes to lead his long-suffering people, the Crimean Tatars, to a brighter future, was arrested and taken to prison in Akyar (Sevastopol). He was murdered by firing squad on February 23, 1918, and his body was cut to pieces and thrown into the Black Sea.
We bow our heads in respect and say “Allah Rahmet Eylesin! Nur Icinde Yatsin!” May Allah’s Blessings be upon him! May he rest in peace forever!
Mubeyyin Batu Altan
Director of Political and External Affairs of
The American Association of Crimean Tatars,
Crimean Tatar Research and Information Center
North Bethesda, MD
