THE CRIMEAN PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC AND THE FIRST BOLSHEVIK INVASIONOF CRIMEA (1917-1918)

The Crimean Tatars were deprived of all opportunities topreserve their national identity starting from the occupation of theCrimean Khanate by the Russian Empire in 1783 until 1883 whenTercüman was begun to be published by ？smail Bey Gasp？ral？. Thenational education movement initiated by ？smail Bey Gasp？ral？ gaineda political substance with the Young Tatars, and the Crimean Tatarnational movement began to raise its own intellectuals and leaders in thebeginning of the twentieth century. The national transformation of theCrimean Tatars is considered to have reached its political goal by theformation of the National Parliament of the Crimean Tatars known asthe Qurultay. On 26 December 1917, the principle of the CrimeanPeople’s Republic was declared on the basis of the sixteenth article of theconstitution which was adopted by the Qurultay. The Crimean People’sRepublic did not live long; the Crimean Peninsula was invaded by theBolsheviks. During the invasion, Prime Minister Numan ？elebi Cihanwas murdered and the national government of the Crimean Tatars hadto go underground. Terror and chaos prevailed in Crimea during thethree month-long Bolshevik invasion. The fates of so many CrimeanTatars were sealed by the invalid courts established by the Bolshevik