February 23, 1998, commemorates the eightieth anniversary of the brutal murder of Numan Celebicihan, the first president of the independent Crimean Republic. He was not the first Crimean Tatar who sacrificed his life for his people and his nation by no means; there are hundreds and thousands of Crimean Tatar martyrs. However, among those martyrs Celebicihan, as he was known by his people, stands out for several reasons:
First, Celebicihan had accomplished so much so soon--at the age of twenty nine (29) he was elected to represent the Or region of Crimea in the historic Kurultay; and by the age of thirty two (32) he was elected the President of the first independent Crimean Republic. This was not a small task considering that the Crimean Tatars were struggling to establish their national identity for the past 163 years, since the Tsarist annexation of Crimea on April 8,1783.
Second, he was brutally murdered at the young age of thirty two, at the very beginning of his promising political career. The Crimean Tatar nation lost him when he was badly needed to give his nation a needed leadership, a goal yet to be fulfilled.
Who was Numan Celebicihan?
Numan Celebicihan was born in 1885, in the village of Buyuk Sonak, in Congar region of Crimea. His father's name was Ibrahim Celebi, a member of a well to do Crimean Tatar family. His mother also was from a well to do family, daughter of Cihansah Celebi. He received his early education in his village. Afterwards, due to lack of opportunity, Celebicihan was sent to Gulumbey Medrese, one of the well known medreses of that time, with the help of his uncles. Later on he was sent to Istanbul to further his education.
Numan Celebicihan arrived in Istanbul in 1908, attended Vefa Lisesi (High School) and later Law School. He resided in Karagumruk section of Istanbul where a small group of Crimean Tatar students lived. One of the first organizations he founded, while a student in Istanbul, was "Yas Tatar Yazgiclar Ciyini" (Young Tatar Writers' Association). He founded this association with his friend Habibullah Temircan in 1910, and published his first literary works such as Karilgaclar Duasi (Swallows' Prayer), Altin Yarik (Golden Light) and Siirler Cunku (Collection of Poems). He was the original founder of "Crimean Tatar Student Association" and also "Vatan" (Homeland), which became the seed for the political organization "Milli Firka" to carry on the independent movement in Crimea during the most turbulent period in its history.
After graduating from Law School, Celebicihan returned to Crimea to get involved in the independence movement, and was elected to represent the Or region of Crimea in the upcoming historical Kurultay. He was one of the most popular delegates because of his young age and education he received in Istanbul. Soon during the historic opening of the Kurultay on November 26,1917, Numan Celebicihan was elected the first president of the young Crimean Republic. When he selected his cabinet (among them Cafer Seydamet Kirimer), his entire cabinet was introduced to the Kurultay by the first temporary chairman of the Kurultay Haci Ali Efendi, the oldest delegate from Kapisxor, Sudak (who is the great grandfather of the author of this article). The long waited independence of Crimea lasted only till January of 1918 when the Bolsheviks took control of Crimea. Celebicihan was among the first of the Crimean Tatar leaders to be arrested; he was arrested by the Black Sea Fleet Sailors and imprisoned in Akyar (Sevastopol). Shortly after, on February 23, 1918, he was taken from his prison cell and executed by a firing squad. His body was cut to pieces and tossed into the Black Sea.
Celebicihan was not only the first president of the independent Crimean Republic and Mufti of Crimea, he was also an accomplished poet and writer. In addition to his aforementioned works, his poems such as Ant Etkemen (I've Pledged), Bastirik (Prison), Haygidi... (Oh for...), Savlikman Kal Tatarlik! (Farewell Tatarness!), Yolcu Garip (Poor Traveler), and Tilkiden Selam (Greetings from the Fox) are his most popular poems. Ant Etkemen became so popular that it became the lyrics of the Crimean Tatar national anthem, and according to Sevki Bektore, "... was sung for the first time during the historic Kurultay (1917)...." His most memorable poem, however, is Savlikman Kal Tatarlik which he scribbled on the walls of Akmescit (Simferopol) train station on his way to report to military service during World War One.
Yes, Numan Celebicihan was savagely murdered eighty years ago, and the national struggle he contributed so much, unfortunately, still continues today. His people's struggle is yet to be recognized by the international community. The Crimean Tatars will someday be totally rehabilitated, and the Crimean Tatar people's human and national rights will someday be totally restored. The Crimean Tatar nation will, sooner or later, join the Community of Nations, properly recognized as a nation. When that day comes, the first statue that will be erected in the center of Akmescit (Simferopol) will be Celebicihan's.
To Celebicihan and all the Crimean Tatar martyrs we say "Allah rahmet eylesin!" Let the Blessings of Allah be upon You! Your sacrifices will not be in vain!
Mubeyyin Batu Altan,
President, International Committee for Crimea
Editor of the Crimean Review
*Celebicihan's name, according to Sevki Bektore, a well-known Crimean Tatar
educator, poet and political activist who had personally known him, is
written as one word. In his popular article Antli Sehit** published in
the journal Kirim in 1961, Sevki Bektore clarifies Celebicihan's name and
states that "...it is the combination of his family name "Celebi" and first
part of his maternal grandfather's first name "Cihansah" = Celebicihan.
[It should be noted here that Celebicihan's name is generally spelled as
Celebi Cihan in published literature.-- Ed.]
** Antli Sehit is the speech prepared by Sevki Bektore who was going to deliver it during the commemoration of 43rd anniversary of Celebicihan's martyrdom in Istanbul on February 26, 1961. Unfortunately Sevki Bektore had to leave the commemoration ceremonies due to sudden illness and this famous speech was read by rahmetli Ismail Noyan, the late father of our Idil Noyan Izmirli. (Kirim, No. 8, February 1961, p.169). Since he had known him personally I consider rahmetli Sevki Bektore's information to be the most credible. Therefore I used his speech, Antli Sehit, as my main source.
Presented below are three of his popular poems: Ant etkenmen (I've pledged), Savlikman Kal Tatarlik! (Farewell Tatarness!), and Bastirik (Prison). Ant etkenmen was translated by S.Ahmet Kirimca and published in The Tatars of Crimea; Return to the Homeland, Edward A. Allworth, Editor (p.74 ). Savlikman Kal Tatarlik and Bastirik have been translated by Mubeyyin Batu Altan, and are believed to be the first English translation and publication of these powerful poems.
SAVLIKMAN KAL TATARLIK (Farewell Tatarness!)Savlikman Kal Tatarlik, men ketem cenkke,
Atimin basi aylandi ahret betke.
Senin icun yasadim, sensiz olsem,
Bilmem nasil kirermen bos cennetke.
Avdarilgan altavlar, tamular taskan,
Bu islerge biz tuvul, melekler saskan.
Hirpalangan menlikler,xorlangan kizlar,
Balasin taslap anaylar collerge kackan.
Artima baksam ak omur, aldimda olum,
Kop uzamaz belliymen karangi yolum.
Karsambadan havetmey, kolgeden urkmey,
Son nefeste Tatar dep uzanir kolum.
Numan Celebicihan, Akmescit (Simferopol), 1914/1915
FAREWELL TATARNESS!
Farewell, Tatarness, I am heading towards the war,
My horse's head already turned towards the next world.
I've lived for you Tatarlik, and if I die without you,
How will I enter the Paradise that is empty so.
The mountains turned over and the rivers overflew,
Not only we, but even the angels are shocked at how things go.
The young were shaken and the maidens were battered,
Abandoning their children, the mothers fled to deserts.
A clean life {ak omur) behind me, front of me is death.
I doubt my dark path will last any longer.
Not fearing any danger, not being frightened of shadows,
Stretches out my arm, uttering the word" Tatar" at my last breath.
ANT ETKEMEN
Ant etkemen milletimin yarasini sarmaga,
Nasil olsun bu zavalli kardaslarim curusun?
Onlar icin okunmesem, kaygirmasam, yasasam,
Yuregimde kara kanlar kaynamasin, kurusun!
Ant etkemen, su karanlik yurtka savle sepmege,
Nasil olsun eki kardas birbirini kormesin?
Bunu korup,busanmasam, mugaymasam,yanmasam,
Kozlerimden akan yaslar derya deniz kan olsun!
Ant etkemen, soz bergemen millet icin olmege,
Bilip,korup milletimin kozyasini silmege,
Bilmi,kormi, bin yasasam,kurultayli han bolsam,
Kene birgun mezarcilar kelir meni gommege!
Numan Celebicihan
I PLEDGED
I pledged to heal the wounds of Tatars,
Why should my unfortunate brothers rot away;
If I don't sing, don't grieve for them, if I live,
Let the dark streams of blood of my heart go dry!
I pledge to bring light to that darkened country,
How may two brothers not see one another?
When I see this, if I don't get distressed, hurt, seared,
Let the tears that flow from my eyes become a river, a sea of blood!
I pledge, give my word to die for (my nation)
Knowing, seeing, to wipe away the teardrops of my nation
If I live a thousand unknowing, unseeing years, If I become
a gathering's chief (Khan of a Kurultay),
Still one day the gravediggers will come to bury me!
BASTIRIK
Dort taş duvar, en topede bir kiçkene pencere,
Icke temir cabaklardan isik tuvul dert kire,
Her koşede dim golgeler, yeşil kufler kopure,
Yatak tahta, yemek fena, yerden suvuk ufure.Hizmetci de her kun bunu sulap, sulap supure,
Kimerde bir anayin da sovup sala koz kore,
Akşamlar bu kara evge kara perdeler kere,
Yalnızlıklar yalnız canga canlı tuşler kostere.Garip curek capalana, tenler, tukler urpere,
Tozmay gonul havalanıp, alçala bomboş yere,
Nobetciler gece gunduz, karap curup teşkere,
Kapıdaki avur kiltni her saat dort- beş kere.Bu golgeli kardan suvuk kiltli kara mezarga,
Yamanlardan daha fazla yahşı insan kop kire,
Kirgenden son işler belli; tura tura ya cure,
Ya da haksız azaplarga dayanılmay delire...Numan Celebicihan
PRISON (CELL)
Four stone walls, and at top a tiny window,
Torment, rather than light enters here through iron bars.
Ugly shadows, and green mold froths everywhere,
A wooden bed, rotten food, and cold air blows here and there.The caretaker sweeps the floors, pouring water over dirt,
Openly curses at one's mother, looking straight at one's face.
The evenings spread their dark curtains over this darkened place,
Loneliness brings live nightmares to one's lonely face.The poor heart palpitates, one feels goosebumps everywhere,
First, one's spirit rises high, then drops right to the empty floor.
The guards check this place, walking and searching,
Checking on the heavy lock, four to five times an hour.To this locked, colder than ice, grave like room,
Enters more good people than hard criminals.
It is fait accomplish once you enter here; either you rot here,
Or you go insane, unable to endure the unjust torture there.