“CULTURAL VALUES OF CRIMEAN TATARS.
THE METHODS FOR REVIVAL”

The scientific articles and speeches of participants in the “Round-table”, which was held on August 27-30, 2001, in v. Beregovoye of Bakhchisaray district of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea with support of the Ministry of Culture of the ARC, State Service for Supervising the Movement of Cultural Artifacts across the state boundary of Ukraine (controls export) and Council of Representatives of the Crimean Tatar people under President of Ukraine.

L.K.BELYI
Deputy Minister of Culture
the Autonomous Republic of Crimea

Introduction

The cultural artifacts of each people have unique spiritual value and are an irreplaceable heritage of the culture. In the recent history of Crimea during WW II there were tragic events connected with the illegal moving of cultural artifacts from temporarily occupied territories, which were the property of museums, libraries, archives, personal collections of the citizens. In this way hundreds of thousands of products of fine art, books and archival materials disappeared.

As a separate question it is necessary to consider the problem of the cultural artifacts of the formerly deported Crimean Tatars, who were deported from Crimea in May, 1944. Many experts qualify this event as “the largest humanitarian catastrophe in Europe”. At the end of the 20'th century in our society there was a reassessment, and the cancellation of previously accepted decisions and the process of returning the formerly deported Crimean Tatars, Armenians, Bulgarians, Greeks and Germans to Crimea was begun. Logically, after the legal aspects, arise the humanitarian and national-cultural questions, connected with restoration of establishments of culture, art, crafts and national people’s crafts.

In the last years, the problem of finding ways for the return of Crimean Tatar cultural artifacts from museums, libraries of Ukraine, and near and distant foreign countries, began to acquire a priority importance for the work of the Ministry of Culture of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. In February, 2001, the concept for returning of cultural and historical artifacts of the Crimean Tatar people in Crimea was developed into a plan. Currently, in the collections of the Crimean Republic Tatar Museum of Arts more than 500 exhibits were received, which represent the culture of the Crimean Tatars, living in Romanian Diaspora. In the Crimean Republic Tatar library named for I. Gaspinskyi the archives and personal things of Usein Kurkchi, Eshref Shemi-zade and other outstanding figures of culture were received. In the organizational structure of the library a department on manuscripts and rare books was created. The work about return of exhibits, which are in museums of Ukraine (L’viv, Kiev), is continuing. This work is in its initial stage.

Legal mechanisms and state structures on behalf of the State Service for Supervising the Movement of Cultural Artifacts across the state boundary of Ukraine began to function only after the adoption and bringing into force the Law of Ukraine “On removal, import and return of cultural values”. It is important to note, that the President of Ukraine, L. D.Kuchma, attaches great importance to the given question, in the framework of the problems of resettlement of formerly deported Crimean Tatars, Armenians, Bulgarians, Greeks and Germans.

The agenda for today’s “round-table” pursues some important purposes:

1. To define the volume of cultural losses, and proposed locations of their possible whereabouts.
2. To establish effective business contacts with state bodies and establishments of culture, which have necessary competence and authorities at state and interstate levels to solve difficult questions of restitution.
3. To define the basic directions of work, both at the level of the Crimean organizations and establishments of culture, and at the level of state structures.

This unique “round-table” is being conducted for the first time and its results will be very important for defining the scope of the problem and a sequence of its solution. The constructive approach and the results of the discussion will promote harmonization of the inter-ethnic relations in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea at the present stage.

I.KERIMOV
Head of the Department of Crimean Tatar literature
Crimean State Industrial-Pedagogical Institute
Doctor of Philological Sciences,
professor

CRIMEAN TATAR SECULAR BOOKS OF THE END XIX AND BEGINNING XX CENTURIES

Crimean Tatar secular books have a very deep and interesting history. Already in 1832, was published a sizeable and highly thoughtful book by Seid Muhamed Riza “Seven planets” (“Az-seb-us seyar fi ahbar muluk-i-tatar”/p.347/). It has important information on seven Crimean governors of the Giray dynasty and well covers their literary heritage. In 1850 and 1853, was twice published the book of Kryma Khovadzha “Tatar-Russian talks, with proverbs, fables, models for declensions and conjugations of the Tatar words, which were constructed by the teacher of the Tatar language at Simferopol gubernatorial grammar school…” (p. 151).

In 1864, the book “Materials for a history of Crimean Khanate” by V.V. Velyaminov-Zernov and Khuseyn Feizkhanov with volume of 1000 pages was published, containing 378 letters of Crimean khans, addressed to the Russian and Polish governors.

In 1870, was published the book of known Crimean Tatar writer Khalim Giray “The rosarium of khans” (“Gulbuni khanan”) - devoted to a literary heritage of the middle period of the dynasty. During the 1880’s the world famous Crimean Tatar educator Ismail bey Gasprinskyi started his activity (1851-1914).

His publishing inaugurates a completely new stage in publication of Crimean Tatar secular books, which number is already measured not in tens, but hundreds of books on a wide variety of subjects reflecting a similar level of development with the world of fiction and science.

The political treatise by Ismail Gasprinskyi “Russian Islam”, was published in 1881 and established the character of his publishing for many decades. In view of the need for the religious publications, which were extremely necessary for the support of the material base of a private printing house, Gasprinskyi published a large number of brilliant secular literary works, which played a major role in enrichment and educational process for the entire Islamic world.

By 1902, he had published: “Khikiyat-i-Robinson” (“the Stories about Robinsone”), “Divan-i-Ashik Umer” (Digest of verses by Ashik Umer”), “Nasikhat-i-khukuma” (“The scientists’ adages”), “Er” Feniy risale” (“the Earth”. The scientific publication), “Khayriye nabi” (“digest of verses “Welfare”), “Aruz-i-turki” (“The Turkic aruz”), “Choban kiz” (story “The shepherdess”), “Nevadir nefise” (“the digest of jokes”), “Turkistan ulemasi” (“The Turkic scientists”), “Meshkhur paytakhlar” (“The Famous capitals”), "Usul-i-edep” (“Culture of behavior and customs in Islam”), “Yunan khukemasi” (“Greek governors”), “Nasikhat-v-tibbiye” (“Advice on medicine”), “Iran. Resimli medjmua” (“Iran. The album”), “Beden-i-insan” (“The human anatomy”), “Medeniyet-i-islyamiye” (“Islam culture”), “Mukyalemat” (The digest of verses by Navoi “The conversations”), “Khukuma-i-islyam” (“The Islamic governors”), “Rekhber-i-muallimin” (“The manual for teacher”), “Malumat resimli” (“The information in pictures”), “Kutupkhane-i-dzhedide” (“The library of new books”), “Frenk marazi ve usul-i-mukhafaza” (“The syphilis and methods of struggle with it”), “Nebatat ve khayvanat” (“Plant and animals”), “Mejlis-i-khukema” (“The assembly of the governors”) and others. Rather interesting at the choice of the content and authors is a number of the translation literature, and in particular, of Russian classics: A.S. Pushkin “the Bakhchisaray fountain” (“Bagchasaray cheshmesi”) in translation by O.Akchokrakli, fables by I. A.Krilov (“Temessulyat”) in translation by A.Sheyhzade, M.Gorkyi “Khan and his son” (“Bakhadur khan ve onin oglu Khudaverdi”) in translation by S.A.Ozenbashli, verses by V.Shuf and G.P.Danilevskyi (“Kirim gondjeleri”) in translation by O.Akchokrakli, D.N.Mamin-Sybyryak “Grey neck” (“Kok boyun”) in translation by Dz.Meinov, L.N. Tolstoy “the Daughter of Highlander” (“Dagdjynyn kyzi”) in translation by U.Balich.

The history of Crimean Tatar secular books, as well as printing, has not been studied, though now already rather extensive material exists connected with present subject. Even, the superficial consideration of materials on the present subject in the comparative plan shows the importance and significance of Crimean Tatar secular books in the Turkic-speaking world of the end XIX and beginning XX centuries.

R.AIRCHINSKA
Worker of State archive
the Autonomous Republic of Crimea

ZINDZHIRLI MADRASAH

“In the time of the Khan’s governance in Crimea for the education of Moslems of Crimea in the large city, Bakhchisaray - which was a center of Islam-Mengli-Giray-khan, himself, in 1500 founded the main and highest educational institution-madrasah, named Zindzhirli.” Thus, the archival documents state the fact of the creation Zindzhirli madrasah. Here, were trained religious acolytes, teachers, and officials. It became a glorious and well-known madrasah at which graduates of the Sorbonne and St. Petersburg University continued to study. “Zndzhirli” in translation into Russian (and into English) means “chain” or “chain-link”. There is a special sense in this name. A metal chain at the doors of this educational institution - is a confirmation. In Zindzhirli madrasah belief, understanding, power-these three independent concepts were linked in an indissoluble, “chain” uniting the three.

To the professorate of the Zindzhirli madrasah were admitted only those teachers, who “under good conscience and honour, without predilection or their own self-interest, eliminating enmity and the influence of connections of relationship and friendship, by quality of mind and conscience” appeared most capable and most dignified. The society highly appreciated the educational and moral meaning of this madrasah. In Zindzhirli madrasah taught the first-ranked ulems (theologians and lawyers) of Crimea. Sokhti (pupils) coming here for study from all regions of Crimea and Caucasus, also were obliged to acquit themselves so as not to bring disrepute on their madrasah. From its founding, the Zindzhirli madrasah had two courses of education - low and high. In the low course only the Arabic language was studied. The high course included substantive education and its graduates were Arabists.

In Zindzhirli madrasah were accepted sohti, who had received only an elementary education, that is, were able to read the Koran and to write, and sohti, who had finished other Crimean or Caucasian madrasah under course “Alibia”. Zindzhirli madrasah was known by new methods of training and teaching methods. The study here went twice as fast as in other madrasah.

The application by the pupils was conducted annually in October. Those accepted were obliged to study for 8 months per year. The names of the newly accepted sohta were entered Special registry book with a note about their time of reception, surname, name and age. When leaving the madrasah, the reason was noted the course of education was ten years.

The study was interrupted two times per year: during the Ramadan fast, and also in July, August and September. Sohti transferred from one course to the next by passing examinations. Those who received a mark “well knows” or “knows” were moved up into the next course; those who received a mark “doesn’t know” stayed in the same course for a year. After more than 3 years in a course nobody was retained but they were excluded due to inability.

The examinations were conducted with questions corresponding to the annual curriculum of each class and department. For receiving a mark “knows” it was necessary to answer well on the majority of the given questions.

The following subjects entered into a complete course of Zindzhirli madrasah:

• Turkish and Arabian grammar;
• Calligraphy;
• Arithmetic;
• Science on morals;
• Logic;
• Science on making verses;
• Moslem law;
• Theology;
• Study of sunna and Koran.

When sohti, finished the Zindzhirli madrasah they should know languages and literature -Arabian, Turkish and Russian (last was included in a course of education in 1868). The lessons of the mentioned subjects were conducted daily. The study of Russian and the visiting of craft classes was conducted daily for 2 hours. All rooms of madrasah, including and hostel, were covered and were heated out of the funds of vakuf, that is movable and real property of Zindzhirli madrasah.

Annually, out of the general income of madrasah constituting 2016 rubles by silver, 200 rubles were giving for repair of buildings and 100 rubles for updating of the library. Other funds were provided for pupil’s tuition, and salaries to the teachers, clerks, monitors, horse-trainers; (the last were paid also by bread). In 1890, the library of madrasah totaled 800 books-educational, scientific and manuscripts – in Arabian, Turkish, Persian and Russian languages.

Madrasah Zindhirli” had rather significant vakuf property: 1) land plots at village Ulukul (Ulakli) of Duvanskoyskaya volost of Simferopol district; 2) land plot of Sir (as first and second plots constituted in total 4578 tithes 417 sazhens); 3) 300 tithes approximately vakuf Mufterem-bey at village Alma-Tamak of Simferopol district; 4) 24,5 tithes at village of Aktachi of Evpatoria district; 5) garden under madrasah, where a cemetery; 6) houses with a barn (house of 2 rooms covered with a tile) on a plot Orta - Kesek - Ulukul, acquired by the former chairman of Commission on vakuf, prince, general-mayor Chingiz-Khan; 7) 3 stores in city Bakhchisaray on market Arasta and 2 shops in city of Evpatoria. Hence, Zindzhirli madrasah had sufficient funds for its supplies and maintenance. Therefore, here could be supported and to receive education minimum 200 men from age 11 years and older.

In 1917, the madrasah “Zidzhirli” was transformed in Mengli-Trayskyi institute “Zindzhirli” with a course of education for 8 years. Since 1918, the institute was under the control of Directorate of National Education of the Crimean Tatar National Directory. In 1917, in the institute only the first and fourth classes were open; in 1918 - another first and third, fourth and fifth classes. For training of persons as clerics a two-year curriculum was offered at the institute. As before, the pupils (50 men) lived free of charge at the boarding school at higher education (high school) establishment.

The administration, finance administration, right and the duties of the director, educators and pedagogical council were defined by rules affirmed by the Directorate of National education. On October 25, 1924 in “Bulletin” issued by Crimean Central Executive Committee and Committee of People’s Commissars of Crimea ASSR, in the lists of communal dwellings of Bakhchisaray was “Zindzhirli-madrasah”. In the column “to whom belonged” was written: to vakuf of mosque “Zindzhirli-madrasah” (mosque attached to the Salachik Khan mosque; the stone building, is covered with a tile, wall by rough, packed on clay setting, wooden floors; was built in 1740 - 1743)”. By January 21, 1930, Zindzhirli madrasah and Khan Mosque were included in the list of architectural-archeological monuments of Crimean ASSR, and are in the account of a Museum department of Science Narkompros. (State committee education).

On September 2, 1932, a mosque “Khan-Dzhami” (Khan’s mosque) was liquidated “because it was located in the territory of Ancient Historical Museum and for a number of years is not used by the population”. The premises of the Khan’s mosque were transferred under control of the Bakhchisaray palace-museum for placing in it one of its departments.

The 1924-th and 1930-th years appeared fatal for Zindzhirli madrasah. The buildings of an ancient educational institution became empty: the students of the madrasah-institute were forced out. “The Nursery of national knowledge and spirituality” began to die away. And for the Crimean Tatar people began the loss of intellectual and spiritual artifacts that had been accumulated over several centuries. In the post deportation period on the territory of the Zindzhirli madrasah by cruel irony of destiny was placed the psychoneurologic dispensary. The time is cruel and inexpiable. The time hurries. The glory of cultural and scientific center will be returned to the Zidzhirli madrasah, which had been undeservedly taken and defiled.

State archive of Crimea

1. fond - 27, op. 3, c.25; fond 456, op.1, c-s.159, 835, 848, 850, 1409, 1864;
2. fond - 663, op.2, c. 619; op.10, c. 1748;
3. fond - 998, op.1, c.183, l. 9; l. 5;
4. fond - 1058, op.4, c 337, l.8.

I.A.ABDULLAYEV
Worker of sector on manuscript and archival
materials of Republican Crimean Tatar library
by I.Gasprinskyi

THE REVIVED ARCHIVE:PURPOSES AND PROSPECTS

Problems of investigation, accumulation, and preservation of cultural and intellectual property acquire more and more urgent and essential character for the indigenous peoples of Crimea - Crimean Tatars, Karaites and Krimchaks. It is necessary to consider the heritage, which was created by preceding generations for centuries, as the creative result of human idea and skill, including songs, dances, music, literature, and works of art, scientific researches and knowledge¹.

As is known, the significant part of a cultural heritage constituted archives, libraries and monuments of architecture. The known Russian orientalist, the academician, V. V.Bartold, in one of his researches narrates: “In the countries of Moslem East in view of close connection between archival operations and the activities of librarians, the library of that time can provide an understanding about the ways in which documents were preserved. Usually, in each room of the library there were chests with the books, which were put one on another. The list on books was made in which a person coming to the library could find what he needed. Books, were kept also in closets and on shelves. The head (vekil), the keeper (khazin) and the controller (mushrif) were respectable people of a city and were responsible for preservation of them.” The great extent in which were appreciated the archival and book (hand-written) collections, speaks volumes about that fact, that “for a designation of archives and libraries was used the term treasury (khazina or khazana) - as for a designation of state financial fond”².

Here Bartold especially noted: “Among the palace constructions of the Tatar khans only the last of the palaces of the Tatar kings, khans of Crimea have been preserved for us, so we have some detailed information about office-work and preservation of the documents in Crimean Khanate.” The procedure of making and preservation of the documents in Crimean Khanate was explained in detail in the information of Tavricheskyi Mahometan Religious Board, which was presented on December 8, 1832 in Tavricheskyi Civil Chamber: “In times of Sultan and Khan’s governance in Crimea, there were three forms of Tatar documents concerning the possession of their lands, (except for those granted by the Supreme Government): Senet, Yafta and Udzhet, which were used as follows:

1. Senet - Title (literally a bill of sale of a fortress). This document stipulated what lands and holdings were sold by the vendor to the bidder, who showed it to the kadi for affirmation (recording); and who wrote it down in his book and entrusted it to the buyers of the estate (gave him title). Thus, this title (senet) was in effect, what in those days in Russia was an entitlement that could never be broken.”

2. Yafta (separate act), under Mahometan law after the death everyone Mahometan, an inventory of the estate is made and it was apportioned out by the kadi who gave to each of the heirs, with his signature and seal, on a part to everyone, who received it. Yafta, which he was to write down in the book, without which Yafta could not be considered as valid.

3. Udzhet (judicial verdict). If between the cognates or by-standers there was any dispute in the property law, the dissatisfied party applied to the kadi, who solved their dispute and litigations, and gave Udzhet, which he also wrote down in the special book, otherwise they too could not be considered valid.

The rights of kadi or kadiesker in this case were almost identical, because anybody, who didn’t agree with the decision of one or another, could bring his complaint to a Governmental place named Markeme, which existed in that period in Bakhchisaray. The books, in which kadis and kadieskers wrote down the above mentioned documents, which they made themselves, when they were filled with notes, were deposited in Markeme, and then the officials prepared new ones. Kadis were always subordinated to a Governmental place Markeme, in which the Mufti was presiding. The procedure for use of all of the documents relating to land ownership was prescribed in the sacred book, Alkoran, and from time immemorial to the present that order has been preserved, and as was mentioned above it was never changed by Sultans, or Khans³. Thus, there was in the past the richest collection of the documents in archive of Crimean Khanate, which was in Bakhchisaray.

Diplomatic correspondence between Crimean Khans and the sovereigns of Europe showing the active military-political relations of these states. Copies of the concluded acts on movable and real property by the legal persons of the acts in special registration books were prepared by kadis, which were kept in archive of the Supreme Court.

The parish registers, which were in all mosques on the peninsula, in which the demographic state of Crimean society was documented; works of court historians, writers and poets. The academician Bartold, narrating about it, indicated: “Concerning the Crimean state archive, it burned down during the occupation of Bakhchisaray by troops of Marshal Munnich in 1736. The surviving remains of this archive were found in 1907 by the professor V.D. Smirnov in the Simferopol gubernatorial archive, 124 bound-in-leather notebooks, encompassing not only legal acts but also mainly descriptions about the inventory of the property of individual khans at the moment of their death. The notebooks were moved to the Public library, where they wait for researchers”. (The Copies of 61 kadiasker books, nowadays are available in Republican Crimean Tatar library by I.Gasprinskyi - author). During the occupation of Bakhchisaray, the Khan's library was also burned, which was in the main Palace mosque.⁴

In 1990 in Simferopol, the Crimean Tatar library was restored. A leading place in the structure of the library soon will be a section on hand-written and archival documents, the creation of which, in the opinion of the director of the Republican Crimean Tatar library, A.Emirov, “was very timely, as the archives and libraries are a part of a nation’s memory”.

The department of hand-written and archival materials established some directions for future activity: The first direction - investigation, accumulation and preservation of written sources - copies of these sources about the history of the Crimean Khanate, are kept in the archives of Turkey, Russia, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Romania, Hungary, Italy. The sources, which are kept in the State Ottoman archive of Turkey, which describe the political, economic, and military connections between the Ottoman Empire and the Crimean Khanate, were systematized, catalogued and, basically, were concentrated in funds of four out of thirteen offices (current priority agendas, highest messages, confidential, on Crimean Khanate) of the Supreme Council of Ottoman Empire.

The minister on internal affairs, being the chief of thirteen offices of the Divan, considering pressing fermans and orders, enacted to register them in the special books, which were named “the Books on pressing affairs”. In the fond comprising the general information on the activity of the central, provincial and military bodies of the state, about a military history, ties with other states dealing with the historical period from 1553 till 1905 were accumulated. According to an article of the chief of the center of the documentation and library of the newspaper “Terdzhiman” by Attila Chetin, in the fond of “Pressing affairs” there are some thousand letters, constituting correspondence between high state bodies of the Ottoman Empire and the Crimean Khanate.

In the fond of “the Highest messages” were accumulated the fermans of the sultans, which were addressed to the various sovereigns, including Crimean Khans during the period from 1699 till 1803. In the fond “On Crimean Khanate” were kept the documents, narrating about political maneuvers between the Russian and Ottoman Empires relating to Crimea 1751 till 1791.

In the Ottoman Archive so-called “the Cadastral books” (“Tapu Takhrir Defterleri”) are kept, which were made during the conquest of new territories. State officials were given a special mandate to make descriptions of the conquered territory, to define their socioeconomic and military potential with the purpose of ordering the amount of levies for the state treasury. Thus, clerks indicated the number of the inhabitants, their surnames, the amount of lands, which they had, their social status, the amount of agricultural lands and crops received from them, with definition of the level of the taxation due from them.

“The Cadastral books” with the description of kadiliks (administrative-territorial and judicial districts) of Kafa, Kerch, Kuban, Sudak, Mangup, Azov, Taman are dated from 1542. For the researchers and historians “the Cadastral books” are invaluable sources on the history of Crimea from the middle of the XVI century, in as much as they represent the most correct picture of socioeconomic development, ethnic composition and confessional belonging of the population of villages, which were located on the southern coast and mountain part of the peninsula.

In addition to the sources that were concentrated in the fonds of the four offices of the Divan of the Ottoman Empire, the historian Ali Emir Efendi in 1918-1921’s identified the documents, for the period of the history of the Ottoman beyliks and ending with the reign of the sultan Abdul-Medzhid. The sources were divided by years of reigns the sultans and covered the period from 1278 till 1860.

In 1921 under the direction of the historian Makhmud Kemal Inal the large work on systematization of the documents was continued, which illuminated the history from 1425 till 1873. From 1932 till 1937, the historian Dzhevdet made the further works systematizing and cataloguing sources relating to 1553-1904’s. This list of the funds of the Ottoman archive, in which there are sources on the history the Crimean Khanate, is not complete by a long shot.⁵

In 1978, a group of French orientalists in Paris published the copies of sources, which are kept in the Topkapu museum in Istanbul. The collections of the documents, which are kept in State archives of Russia, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Romania, and Hungary, relating to the political and diplomatic relations of these states with the Crimean Khanate in the XV - XVIII centuries were published as well.

For example, only in the fond of “the Relations of Russia with Crimea” of the Central state archive of the ancient acts in Moscow alone are numbered over two thousand units of preservation covering the period from 1474 till 1718: the charters and labels of Crimean khans, answers of Russian great princes, concluded agreements, business about arrivals in Russia of the Crimean ambassadors and messengers, and on Russian embassies in Crimea. In connection with this theme also of interest are the fonds of the Institute of Orientalism of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the storehouse of the public library named for Saltikov-Schedrin in St.-Petersburg.

A large number of yarliks and fermans (about 200) was preserved in the State archive of Crimea. The Royal Archive of Denmark has also the remarkable collection of yarliks and letters of Crimean khans, kalga and nuriddin of the sultans, wives of khans, and dignitaries. Up to the middle XVII century the Danish kingdom did not have relations with Moslem rulers. When, where and in what way was established the diplomatic relations between Crimean Khanate and Denmark, one can only to speculate. It is only known that on July 20, 1655, was sent to Crimea the answer of the Danish king to the letter of one of the Crimean khans, which had been sent long before. In essence, the answer contained a congratulation occasioned by the mounting the throne by Mukhammed-Giray-khan IV (1641-44; 1654-67). Thus, the period of the Danish-Crimean diplomatic relations extended more of a quarter of century (1655-1682) and ceased with the beginning of the Turkish-Austrian war and siege of Vienna in 1683.

The Crimean Tatar documents were accumulated in the Royal Archive of Denmark where they were systematized, were translated and were published by professor Ezef Matuz in 1976 (one copy was personally presented by the author to the Republican Crimean Tatar library named for I. Gasprinskyi - author). In the first part of the publication were described and were translated into German 30 primary sources in Crimean Tatar. It includes yarliks of the Crimean khans: Muhammed-Giray IV, Choban Adil-Giray, Selim-Giray I, Murad-Giray, and also high-ranking dignitaries. In the second part of the publication more than 90 messages addressed to Crimean Tatar khans were studied, they were translated into Polish and Latin⁶.

The rather close diplomatic ties of Crimean Khanate with Kingdom of Sweden developed during the long historical period (first half XVI century - first half XVIII century). The relations between two states were established in 1556, in the period of Livonian war. In 1579, Sweden was visited by an embassy by Muhammed-Giray-Khan II. Upon completion of the negotiation for the conclusion of a military-political alliance the Swedish envoys - Erik Falk and Sigfried Raaland were sent from Stockholm to accompany the Crimean embassy on it homeward journey.

The next Crimean embassy arrived in Sweden in 1630. The head of this embassy, Kamberaga, offered to King Gustaf II Adolf 40,000 horsemen for conducting war with Poland or Germany. The answer to this offer is kept in the Royal Swedish National archive. In 1632, together with the embassy, which returned from Sweden, to Crimea the royal ambassador, Benjamin Baron, arrived with the offer to the Khan to conclude an alliance in war against the Polish king Sigizmund? In turn Baron returned to Stockholm in 1632 accompanied by the Crimean embassy.

The gifts of the Crimean khan to the Swedish king, which were handed in 1632, up to now are kept in a Royal military museum. The Crimean embassy returned from Sweden in 1633, and the exchange letters between embassy and Swedish government constitute nowadays one of the funds of the National archive.

The following Crimean embassy arrived in Stockholm in 1637, the ties were maintained and later, during reigns of the Swedish kings Karl X Gustav, Karl XI and Karl XII. So, for example, in the middle of the XVII century the Crimean khan, Islam-Giray III, (1644-1654) offered to the Swedish queen, Kristina, (1632-1654), one of the most educated women of Europe of that period, to conclude a joint alliance with Ukraine and Rech Pospolita. During the Northern war (1700-1721) the Crimean khans - Khadzhi-Selim-Giray and Devlet-Giray-II maintained contacts with the king Karl XII. In the spring of 1709 the Swedes and Zaporozhtsi received reassuring of Devlet-Giray-khan II about his entry into the war. But with the interposition of Grand Vizier Chorlulu-Ali-pasha, who was bribed in Istanbul by the Russian envoy P. Tolstoy, this plan was broken.

Even after a defeat of Karl XII in Poltava battle in 1709 the Crimean khan continued to support the Swedish king, who ran to the Ottoman Empire, and offered to accompany him to Pomerania by an escort of honour of Crimean Tatar cavalry. In Bakhchisaray, in this period there were Swedish envoys, O. Klinkovstrem, and latter a general Sven Lagerberg. In the period, from 1709 till 1717 S.Lagerberg (after 1717, the commander-in-chief of the Swedish royal army) was the military adviser of Devlet-Giray-khan II. During his stay in Crimea the Swedish general kept a diary, which was published in Sweden in 1896. The events of diplomatic and military ties of the Crimean Khanate with Sweden were reflected in the documents, which are kept nowadays in the State Archive of Sweden. In 1938, the Swedish orientalist K. Zettershtein together with the Turkish historian A.Kurat issued a small number of sources on the Crimean Khanate. Later, in 1945, K.Zettershtein published the catalogue of Turkish, Crimean Tatar and Persian documents in the State Archive of Sweden⁷. In the archives of Warsaw and Krakow are preserved the valuable collections of Crimean Tatar written sources relating to approximately more than three-centuries of historical ties of Crimean Khanate with the Rech Pospolita.

Diplomatic correspondence with the countries of the East have been kept in the archive of the ancient capital of Poland Krakow. Later a part of the documents was displaced to Warsaw, and during war with Sweden the part of archives was removed to Scandinavia and until now has not been returned. With the conquest of Poland by Russia a part of the archives was displaced to the Russian archive of foreign affairs, but after the proclamation of independence of Poland, the collections of the documents were returned and nowadays the documents are kept in the Archive of the old acts.

Turkish-Tatar-Persian messages were concentrated in the department “Turcica”. The documents relating to Crimean-Polish relations (the treaties, message, the answers to the ambassadors cover the period from 1554 till 1786 and constitute 273 units.

In the archive of Krakow 90 messages from Crimea also are kept. Thus, in the old royal archives of Warsaw and Krakow was kept about 370 documents of the primary sources relating to the history of the Crimean Khanate.

In 1975, Zigmund Abrakhamovich issued the catalogue of the Turkish-Tatar documents dated between 1455-1672s. In addition were published also the scientific researches, digests, description of such authors, as: A.Mukhlinskyi, T.Kovalski, I.Korzenovski, I.Khanuz, A.Zayanchkovskyi, I.Bartoshevich, M.Zhdan, L.Kolanskovski, K.Pulaski and others⁸.

The Hungarian sources, which relate to the history of the Crimean Tatars, were published in 1981 by Maria Ivanovich and Mark Sire⁹, and in Romania in 1979 by Takhsin Gemil¹⁰. During next few years it is planned to collect in the Republican Crimean Tatar library named for I.Gasprinskyi the copies of the mentioned primary sources, and scientific publications. This will provide a solid scientific base for expansion of the further research works on the history of Crimea.

Second, and a no less important direction in the activity of the department of hand-written and archival materials - is the accumulation and acquiring of personal archives of the figures of culture, literature, art, education, political figures, veterans of war, work, and National Movement of Crimean Tatars. This layer of cultural property of our people should not be lost at the present time. As a result of reprisals, war and the deportations, were lost beyond retrieval the personal archives of many figures of culture, science and policy of first half of the XX century. Namely, under collections of the documents of personal archives, memorandums and memoirs, it is possible to present the great variety of the literary heritage of the epoch.

The fond named “The oral history” is a third direction in activity of the department of hand-written and archival materials. Accumulation of memoirs from the mouths of the eyewitnesses and participants in the events of the outgoing XX century - famine in 20’s and 30’s, collectivization, reprisals, wars, deportation, national movement - allow us to concentrate the invaluable information for the next researchers of the newest history.

Currently, this information especially was not sought after by society because of a poor economic situation in the country. But in 10-15 years, when the situation is stabilized, unfortunately, there will remain very few of the bearers of the invaluable information. Frequently, when listening to the representatives of the “outgoing” generation, one involuntarily catches oneself on an idea that the plain story of the “greyish” compatriot is the prepared script for filming with the well known name “The destiny of the man”. Of hundred thousand such destinies together make up the history of the Crimean Tatar people, including the tragic years of deportation.

The department plans to create a collection “The photosight in the past” - old photos of types of Crimean Tatars, utensils, life, dwellings, kinds of the nature, and also to collect a collection of the hand-written books and “samizdat”, National Movement of 1960-1990’s. For example, the work “Krim fadzhiasi” of the known political figure of Crimean Tatars Amet Ozenbashli, which was forbidden for publication, until 1990's, was only known to a very narrow circle of persons. In triplicate, in Cyrillic, Arabic and Latin the work was rewritten at the end of 1960 - in the beginning of 1970 by the friend and associate of A.Ozenbashli - Gazi Shukri-aga. The native of Alupka, a principal wine-grower of the region, having spent almost ten years in the Soviet camps for the convictions, at the end of the 50’s he settled in Sukhumi. Already, being the retiree, Shukri-aga made three hand-written copies from the book. One copy was kept by the daughter of Amet Ozenbashli - Meryem Ozenbashli-second copy - at the trusted people in Kazan, and third - in Sukhumi.

The list of literature:

¹Cultural heritage and intellectual property of indigenous peoples in the world and Crimea//Altin beshik. A newsletter, which is published by the Foundation on research and support for indigenous peoples of Crimea. Simferopol, 2000. No 7.

²Bartold V.V. “Keeping of documents in states of Islam East.//The works. - M. Nauka 1973, - V. VIII.

³Prosheniye pomeschika Simferopolskogo uyezda Abli-Chelebi Karamanov s predostavleniyem dokumentov i ego dvoryanstve. - GAARK, f. 49, on. 1, c. 6417, p. 75-79.

⁴Bartold V.V. Bakhchisaray.//The works. - Science, 1965. - V.III.

⁵Basbakanlik Osmanli Arsivi Rechberi - Ankara, 1992.

⁶Josep Matuz/ Krimtatarishe Urkunden im Reichsarchiv zu Kopenhagen. Mit historisch - diplomatischen und spreichlichen Untersuchungen. - Freiburg, 1976.

⁷Vozgrin V. Istoricheskiye sudbi krimskih tatar (the Historical destinies of Crimean Tatars).

⁸Osmanli - Turk diplomatikasi el kitabi - Istanbul, 1993.

⁹Maria Ivanics. Macaristanda Kirim Tatarlarina ait vesikalar. - Turkologischer Anzeiger.

¹⁰Marku Sire. Kirim Hanlarinin tevarichinde beyan. p.184. - Helsinki, 1981.

¹¹ Tahsin Gemil. Tarile Romane in contextual politic international 1621-1672. Bucharest, 1978.

L.N.KHRAPUNOVA
the main conservator of funds
Crimean Republican Folk Museum

ON DESTINY OF COLLECTIONS OF CENTRAL MUSEUM OF TAVRIDA DURING WAR (1941-1945)

By 1949, in the funds of the Central Crimean Museum were numbered about 200 thousand exhibits. Before capture by the fascists of Simferopol the most valuable collections of the museum - archeological, ethnographic, books and maps were packed into 41 boxes and under the order of the People’s Committee of Education of Crimean ASSR, G. B.Gavrilenko, on October 18, 1941 were evacuated to Armavyr. The evacuation was entrusted to the Deputy People’s Committee of Education of the Crimean ASSR A. A.Shindel. In the state archive, there are 41 invoices and the act on transfer of exhibits signed by the director of the museum, Chukin, deputy director on science A.S.Deutch and assignee on evacuation A. A.Shindel. In total 21321 exhibits were evacuated (including: books from library - 3837, archeology – 16291 and ethnography - 1193). A. A.Shindel took a cargo up to Armavyr and put it in a railway storehouse. After that Shindel left. As he said, these things during the occupation of Armavyr were plundered. The exhibits disappeared without a trace, there is no other information on the destiny of the evacuated collections.

For the period of occupation of Simferopol (from November 2, 1941 till April 13, 1944) from the museum the exhibits from different collections were some times withdrawn. So, sometimes furniture and books were looted to provide the equipment for a German officer club.

In the museum archive are kept two lists of the items that disappeared, which were made in September and December 1944. The copies of the lists of lost items in December 1943 are also enclosed. These were made by the representative of a department on propaganda by the officer, Mans. In February 1944, the withdrawals were conducted by the representative of Einsazshtab, Rozenberg Shtampdus. Among lost things there were - 518 units of archeology and 321 books. The general figures of losses: archeological collection lost 16,709 units, ethnographic - 1,293, library - 5,000 books.

Only, 3 registration books of the department of ethnography survived, they are dated 1943. These documents enable us to look after the destiny of some subjects of the postwar collection. We touch only subjects of an ethnographic collection, which was basically formed in the 20’s XX century. Currently, only 290 items remain. The collection has been formed during 20 years, replenished in various ways, as purposeful accumulation, by purchases. The materials, which were received from expeditions in 1923 and 1925, are interesting. The collection contains samples of fabrics, embroideries, artifacts of clothes, pouches, cases, decorated with golden and silver sewing and embroidery with silk.

The significant part of the collection constitutes copper utensils for various purposes. This collection has a huge value, as the transition to manufacturing, and the development of cities resulted in the disappearance of many crafts, in particular - sewing decorated with a pattern, which started to revive in 90’s of the XX century.

Today, in order to bring it into a scientific basis it is extremely urgent to publish the catalogue of this small in quantity, but important in its contents collection.

FEDORUK O.K.
Chairman
State Service on Control of Moving of Cultural Artifacts
the Ukrainian state boundary

THE STATE POLICY OF UKRAINE PERTAINING TO THE PROTECTION OF THE NATIONAL HERITAGE

Each state cares about the preservation, protection and increase of its own cultural heritage, and uses a variety of means to accomplish this objective. Almost in each state, the national heritage combines a sum of the heritage that has been created by the different peoples and national minorities, who make up the population. Thus, and in Ukraine the legal base that provides for the integrity of this heritage, is the various laws, directive resolutions, orders and decisions of the President of Ukraine and Government on this question. One of the most important of these is the Law of Ukraine “On removal, import and return of cultural artifacts”.

In accordance with this national policy on the integrity of the cultural heritage, today the issue of the future of the cultural heritage of the Crimean Tatar people who suffered a brutal deportation in 1944 is on the front burner. The order of the President of Ukraine about searching for Crimean Tatars cultural artifacts and returning them to their legal places is an act of great historical importance, which has a big humanistic content. This document establishes the priorities of cultural policy in the above mentioned field and obliges leaders to formulate a strategy, which would provide an effective implementation of this Order, which will facilitate the return of historical-cultural artifacts of the Crimean Tatar people.

The concept of statehood includes the development of the idea of protection and preservation of the whole historical-cultural heritage of the Ukrainian people and all the ethnic groups of Ukraine. One can say that for the last ten years Ukraine has been talking about the return of historical-cultural monuments that because of various historical conditions were removed outside the Ukraine. For the last ten years, the state has been espousing the concept of the integrity and unity of its culture.

In the Ukrainian Constitution the concept of preservation and return of cultural heritage was codified to the level of the highest interests of the state, and became a norm for ethnic coexistence and a priority for presenting Ukraine as a multi-ethnic culture.

The increased interest in this problem was caused by objective historical changes, and the need for each ethnos to preserve its own heritage that increases the total legacy of humanity.

The observance of existing international agreements and conventions, resolutions of UN General Assembly on issues of cultural heritage became fundamental and invariable and was implemented. Since 1995, Ukraine has been a constant member of the Inter-governmental Committee of UNESCO on assistance to the return of cultural artifacts to the countries of their origin or their restitution in case of misappropriation.

In April 1995, in Kyiv and Odessa a meeting was held of the Ukrainian-German “round-table” on the theme “Culture and War. Look through half-century”.

In the end 1996, the National Commission, Ministry of Culture and Art of Ukraine, Institute of State and Law named after V. M.Koretskyi and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and other institutions and organizations conducted the scientific-practical symposium “The legal aspects of restitution of cultural artifacts: theory and practice” with participation of specialists from Ukraine, Byelorussia, Belgium, Italy, Lithuania, Germany, Poland, Russia, USA and Hungary.

Due to the initiative of the National Commission the “round-table” in April 1997 was held, which was dedicated to the beginning of an Ukrainian-Russian dialogue about the return of cultural artifacts.

There was an active dialogue between the National Commission and competent bodies of a number of European States, including USA, which are engaged in problems of return of cultural artifacts. The special attention was given to search and return of cultural artifacts that were lost or removed during the World War as a result of various conflicts or simply because of illegal removal. Thus, four inter-governmental meetings of delegations from Ukraine and Germany on interested issues were held. The agreements between the Governments of Ukraine and Poland on protection and return of items lost or illegally removed during the Second World War were signed, and between the Governments of Ukraine and Hungarian Republic on return of cultural artifacts, which ended up on territories of other states during the Second World War and following years.

The scope of the actions, which were made by the National Commission, included the organization of international conferences, symposiums, and inter-departmental “round-tables”, coordination of ministers and scientific centers, creative unions, associations, voluntary organizations. This was made to combine the efforts of theorists and practical workers of science and culture, for determination of important priorities, creation of system of lists with calculation of loses and return, studying of removal of cultural artifacts. The recovery effort had a concerted character. The system for providing information was planned. The joint work of many establishments gave results, including the scientific-organizational search of a great number of cultural monuments, which because of various historical circumstances appeared outside the Ukraine.

To create the appropriate conditions for enlightening the public on the great extent of Ukrainian culture, many of leading establishments and organizations made a search for return of the heritage created by Honoured Artists in Ukraine.

In order for this work to acquire a purposeful, systematic character, the National Commission jointly with the Ministry of Culture and Art, the Main Archive Department UNDER Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the State Committee on Television and Broadcasting, the Ministry on Foreign Affairs, the National Academy of Sciences, International Foundation “Renaissance”, the Ukrainian Association for protection of monuments of history and culture, Association “Ukraine”, the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation, the Foundation on Assistance to Development of Art and All-Ukrainian Union of Students of Local Lore developed a State Program “Restored Names”, which was supported by the Government.

The implementation of the Program was phased, depending on the progress of the search. The program attracted a wide circle of concerned ministers and departments, voluntary organizations, embassies and consulates, permanent representations of Ukraine under international organizations, Ukrainian societies and separate representatives of Diaspora.

The important result of the Program became a transfer of artifacts that returned them for permanent preservation in museums, libraries, and archive funds of Ukraine and put them into scientific and cultural circulation.

The cultural artifacts, which were received by Ukraine, during the period of activity of the National Commission, can be divided into several groups: such as manuscripts and archive documents, art works (pictures, sculptures, icons) and printed literature, archeological and numismatic collections and things of museums. They were received from different states: Austria, Bulgaria, Brazil, Great Britain, Canada, Liechtenstein, Poland, Russia, Romania, Slovakia, USA, Hungary, France, Czech Republic and Switzerland.

To improve the structure of the bodies of executive power by the Decree of the President of Ukraine in 1999 the National Commission was liquidated, and instead of it was established under the Law of Ukraine the State Service on Control of Moving of Cultural Artifacts across state boundary of Ukraine. This Law gave new impetus to the problem of removal, import and return of cultural artifacts.

We focus on the basic priority directions of activity of State Service: coordination of work of bodies of state power on issues of studying, import and return of cultural artifacts, realization of control-observant functions in the area of transference of cultural artifacts, development of complex actions on protection of national cultural heritage, participation in work of international organizations and cooperation with them in area of historical-cultural property.

“The Program on coordinated actions on prevention of illegal removal of things of cultural heritage outside the state on 2000-2001” was developed jointly with different state structures, which provided a number of coordinated measures, which were to be achieved in this area.

The employees of the Service began to act effectively in locations: permanent groups of art historians-experts and art historians-inspectors were established in Kyiv, Lvov, Odessa, Uzhhorod and Chernivtsi. The question on establishment of appropriate groups in Crimea, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson and Donbas, - in places, where there is a dynamic of migration processes was discussed. However, most of the custom posts on the state boundary are not provided with art historians-inspectors.

Another aspect. The contemporary issues addressed by the State service, often regulate inter-governmental legal relations in the field of culture, in which they combine political and cultural-logical aspects of the actions of many states. The tasks on formation of such normative documents, which establish the viability of cooperation between different states, are very important for us. Ukraine with its conception of culture as a single, full-bodied organism has its own priorities and prospects for its reconstruction that encompass full unity and systematization.

That’s why the problems of return of historical-cultural artifacts and prevention of illegal removal and import of cultural artifacts serve as important stimulus for further development of the spiritual potential of culture of Ukraine, and for the strategy and tactics of the state in the field of national cultural heritage.

The work, which is connected with the search for historical-cultural artifacts outside Ukraine, including monuments of culture of the Crimean Tatar people, is continuing. It covers initiatives of an internal character and international cooperation at all levels - on a bilateral basis, within national programs of a global scale. The idea of return of lost spiritual riches in Ukraine, joining of them to funds of museums, galleries, libraries, archives receives active support in our society.

As evidence of the efficiency of the State program on this issue is present “round-table” in Crimea that provides to direct a search for artifacts, which were removed from the peninsula in different periods, and also assists to define the scope of historical-cultural losses.

VRUBLEVSKA V.B.
deputy Head of State Service on Control
Moving of Cultural Artifacts
across state boundary of Ukraine

SOME ASPECTS OF THE UKRAINIAN STATE POLICY ON PROTECTION OF NATIONL INTERESTS, WHICH PERTAIN TO REMOVAL OF CULTURAL ARTIFACTS

Crimean land has a rich history. New pages of the material culture of the different tribes and peoples, who inhabited Crimea and created invaluable treasures, have been opened by the efforts of scientists, and numerous students of local lore.

The significant part of the unique relics that have been preserved up to now, are in the Museum fund of Ukraine and reconstruct the unique history and culture of our ancient ancestry.

One should note among them the Crimean Tatar historical-cultural heritage, which display the originality, world outlook and talent of the Crimean Tatar people. As is well-known, the Crimean Tatar people had to suffer a lot of painful losses, among them the loss of cultural artifacts is massive, which because of different mostly tragic circumstances were removed outside the Ukraine.

For history and contemporary state creative process in Ukraine an understanding of this problem has unique importance and plays an important role in the rebirth of national consciousness, and in the development of peoples' culture of Ukraine.

In the main Law of our state (art. 54 of Constitution of Ukraine) legally it is established that the state will take measures for return to Ukraine of cultural artifacts of people, which are outside the Ukraine. Next step in the legal area became an adoption of the Law of Ukraine “On removal, import and return of cultural artifacts”. This Law regulates everything related to the removal, import and return of cultural artifacts, and directs the protection of national cultural heritage and development of international cooperation of Ukraine in cultural area.

The National Commission on Return of Cultural Artifacts in Ukraine, and since 2000 - the State Service on Control of Moving of Cultural Artifacts across state boundary of Ukraine, combining the efforts of society, state institutions and organizations, concentrated attention on the search for lost heritage and the study of ways of its return in Ukraine.

It is symbolic that namely in Crimea, in 1993, in well known cultural and historical core - Livadiyskyi museum-park complex, was held the first meeting of those, who preserve the spiritual treasuries, and increase a cultural heritage - directors of museums and libraries, workers of culture from all regions of Ukraine.

One can say without exaggeration that this first meeting established foundations for purposeful work of museum, library and archival establishments on search for lost cultural treasuries of the peoples of Crimea. The rebirth of spirituality and culture of the peoples of Crimea moved to double attention and to return in Crimean land, and cultural artifacts lost during WW II, which were taken away as a result of deportation of the Crimean Tatar people, Armenians, Bulgarians, Greeks and Germans from Crimea in 1944.

This topic has continued to be discussed at the meeting of regional, permanent “round-table” “Cultural artifacts of Crimea: Loses: The ways of return”, which was held in 1999 in Simferopol.

As a result, the museums, libraries, archives of Crimea started a work to reveal and document the lost heritage. Thus, fellows of Simferopol Art Museum headed by N.Dyachenko prepared a catalogue of the art collection of Simferopol picture-gallery, which was lost during the Second World War. We hope that this scientific publication will be published soon.

A.E.Emirov dedicated his research to the problem of the return of Crimean Tatar artifacts, in particular, to Crimean Tatar written documents on the history of Crimean Tatars. By efforts of workers of the Republican Crimean Tatar library named after I.Gasprinskyi about 900 copies of Crimean Tatar literature from funds of Public library of Russia have been returned.

An exciting ceremony was the return of the invaluable treasury of the archive of the well-known scientist-linguist, Usein Kurkchi, to the Crimea. In the immediate future will be research work related to the unique manuscript of the Crimean Tatar phraseological dictionary and other works of heritage of this prominent Crimean Tatar scientist. The Embassy of Ukraine in Republic of Tajikistan gave a big assistance in return of heritage.

Thus, step by step, overcoming hedges and combining efforts of all concerned organizations, the spirituality of peoples of Ukraine is being restored and its spiritual treasure is increased. The instructions of the President of Ukraine, L. D.Kuchma, in accordance with results of a meeting of the Council of Representatives of the Crimean Tatar people under President of Ukraine on necessity of return of Crimean Tatar cultural and historical artifacts in Ukraine, require an expansion of the work underway, and development of its complex, purposeful character. To achieve this program concerned public institutions and NGOs must be attracted.

Let's dwell on some aspects of solution of this program.

1. In Ukraine functions the State Program “Cultural artifacts of Ukraine: Loses. The ways of return”. It provides for a system of scientific-search, organizational-educational measures, which are directed toward revealing, studying and accounting for the lost historical-cultural heritage. Namely, in this plane we are to consider an issue of return of Crimean Tatar cultural artifacts.

The Ministry of Culture of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea developed measures related to their return in Crimea, in accordance with the Instructions of the President of Ukraine. They provide for the establishment of a regional scientific-research group for purposeful work on return of lost Crimean Tatar cultural artifacts, establishment of a data bank, preparation of the appropriate catalog, conduct of a scientific-practical conference “Cultural artifacts of Crimean Tatars. The ways of return” and so on. However, the measures can be realized only if the efforts of scientists of libraries, museums, archives are combined with scientists of scientific-research establishments and higher education establishments of the ARC.

It is known that Crimean Tatar artifacts were removed and are now in cultural establishments of other regions of Ukraine. It is necessary to make precise accounting of lost artifacts, to see how they were removed and to identify them. After that the issue of their return will be considered.

2. State Program “Restored names” gives credence to the return of creative works of famous fellow-countrymen. A wide system of measures on search and return of heritage of famous fellow-countrymen in Ukraine is realized and their memory is immortalized. The heritage of Volodimir Lutsiv, Vasil Avramenko, Yukhim Mikhayliv, Ludmila Morozova, Petr Kapshuchenko, Usin Kurkchi and other many scientists, who are well-known abroad and unknown in Ukraine, becomes the object of scientific study and becomes a component of historical-cultural heritage of our state.

It is necessary for studying, and eventually returning to Ukraine the creative heritage of Crimean Tatar painters, scientists, who were deported from Crimea, to define precisely within the framework of the State Program the persons, residential locations, and opportunities for the return of the creative and scientific heritage to Crimea. This will immortalize the memory of fellow-countrymen in Crimea.

3. In our opinion, the Republican library named for I.Gasprinskyi and the Republican Crimean Tatar Art Museum are to become the Centers of Scientific-Research work on searching, documenting of lost heritage of the Crimean Tatar people and studying of the ways of their return to Ukraine.

The round-table “Cultural artifacts of Crimean Tatars. The ways of return”, in which we participate, undoubtedly, gives new impulse for the solution of the problem of removed cultural artifacts of the Crimean Tatar people, and defines ways for their return to Ukraine, by combining all of those, who are interested in increase of spiritual treasury of the Crimean Tatar people. The State Service on Control over Moving of Cultural Artifacts will facilitate all efforts for promotion of such a noble goal.

DANILUSHKINA T.P.
Head of department
National historical museum of Ukraine

NATIONAL HISTORICAL MUSEUM OF UKRAINE

The name of the museum which I represent at the “roundtable” speaks for itself. We represent the history and culture of all peoples and different ethnic groups, who in one or another period inhabited and inhabit Ukraine, including indigenous population of Crimea - the Crimean Tatar people, who constitute now 12% of the population of the peninsula and play an extraordinary role in the political, socioeconomic and cultural life of Ukraine, and who showed itself in difficult historical moments for Ukraine as real patriots.

Namely, with attention and love towards the Crimean Tatar people we preserve that small number of exhibits of the pre-revolutionary period in funds of our museum, that gives a notion about the life, way of life, and culture of the Crimean Tatar people and due to which we can clearly affirm that the Crimean Tatars and ourselves have a common past, common destiny and common future.

And what kind it will have, depends on how we can better understand each other.

Certainly, we understand that the Crimean Tatar people suffered a lot, that a deportation made irreparable damage to the culture of the Crimean Tatar people and one can see this from materials, which confirm that Crimean Tatar things in postwar years were spread in different museums not only in Ukraine, but throughout the USSR. Namely, by this way, they got in our museum. In particular, in accordance with decree of the Ministry of Culture of UkSSR #1777 from 26.10.1955, the Bakhchisaray historical-archeological museum gave to our museum 15 things under act #1 from 25.12.1955, which were received for constant preservation in accordance with the act of acceptance #980 from 06.01.1956. Among them there are - 8 pouches, 5 units of guns and cold steel arms and 2 metal things of way-of-life. All of these things entered organically into the system of the appropriate collections, and are exhibited in exposition of the museum and if we return them it would mean the loss of an interesting complex of the collection of our museum that gives an idea of life and history of the indigenous population of Crimea.

Concerning a transfer of exhibits of Bakhchisaray museum to our museum in 1963, neither in our documentation, nor in our collection there are these things.

This is a sore problem as for you, as for us.

Nevertheless, one shouldn’t forget that this problem we received from former state and now independent Ukraine gives a big attention to return of monuments of history and culture of Ukrainian people from the whole world. Thus, I think that we can ourselves solve this problem with appropriate attention to each other. And this “round-table” is the best evidence.

I also support the speeches of previous participants, who think that for reasonable solution of the issue on return of cultural artifacts it is necessary to make a big and detailed work in the funds of museums, where exhibits were given, to prepare a catalog of lost and given artifacts, and to establish which things of history and way-of-life Crimean museums simply can not do without, and only after that to raise the question about their return, and don't repeat the present mistake, when it became known that the catalog numbers of things in our museum, which were published in the article “Despoilment”, pertain to other materials, which have no connection to the Crimean Tatar people. Thus, it is necessary very carefully to consider any information, which relates to the removal of artifacts.

In this connection, I stress once more: only with careful examination of this question, in united cooperation can one solve the fate of funds’ materials by such way, that it would be all right with both parties - as with you, as with us.

Only in cooperation we can liquidate those misunderstandings and “blank spots” of history of mutual relations of Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar peoples. The mission of workers of the National Historical Museum of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea on selection of materials for the anniversary exhibition in honour of the 10th anniversary of independence of Ukraine became a successful beginning of kindness, including the attention of the leadership of the Mejlis to the transfer of materials of the Crimean Tatar National Movement. We are very grateful to them for it.

It would be very good, if we further would receive such assistance in expeditions to Crimea, and creation of joint expositions and exhibitions, which reconstruct a modern life of the Crimean Tatar people and restoration of historical justice.

ALEXANDROVA O.K
deputy general director
National Parliamentary library

ETHNONATIONAL LIBRARIES IN CONTEXT OF STATE PROGRAM “CULTURAL ARTIFACTS OF UKRAINE: LOSES, THE WAYS OF RETURN”

Ukraine is a multinational state. In addition to 37 million. Ukrainians, there are also 14 million representatives of about 120 nationalities living in Ukraine. From the time the Ukraine was admitted into the USSR it was dominated by internationalism and assimilation in its policy towards peoples.

Namely, in this connection, a harmonization in the ethno-national area is the most important factor in creation of the state and strengthening of national security of our state.

The basic directions of national policy of our state are a rebirth of Ukrainian ethnos, providing for ethno-cultural originality of Ukrainian nation and concern for the development of cultures of indigenous peoples and national minorities, who live in Ukraine. The special article 11 of Constitution of Ukraine and Law of Ukraine “On national minorities of Ukraine” directs it.

The definition “national minorities” is conceptually considered as a group of citizens, who are not Ukrainians by nationality and by number, are fewer than Ukrainians, and who demonstrate a feeling of national self-perception and community and are ready to develop their own ethno-cultural originality.

The historical way of development of culture of national minorities in Ukraine started from religious establishments then to national schools, and then to creation of separate libraries. One of the researchers of Kyivan antiquity, Maxim Berlinskyi, in his work “Brief description of Kyiv” (1820) writes that in Kyiv for a long time there were settlements of Poles, Lithuanians, Greeks, Jewry and Armenians. In schools, monastic collegiums, province gymnasiums, theological academies the students learned Latin, Ellin (Greek), Sclavic languages. In the end of XIX century a number of population of Kyiv constituted about 250,000. To there flocked a multinational flow from the central and northern provinces of Russia, Byelorussia and other regions of the Empire. Indigenous Kyivian inhabitants constituted among the local inhabitants less than a third. The Polish culture achieved significant successes there, an even bigger influence, than Russian. At the same time a cultural-educational foundation was established.

For more than 50 years of the second half XIX - beginning XX centuries in Kyiv acted a commercial “Library for reading”, owned by L.Idzikovskyi, in which there were mainly books in Polish, but on account of the multinational population of Kyiv one had an opportunity to read also in Ukrainian, German, Jewish, French and other languages.

Since 1875 in Odessa was established a public library under the Association of mutual assistance of Jewish clerks, in which latter was established a department of books in old Jewish “Hebracia” - single and best of similar depositories in Russia after the Imperial Public library in Sankt-Peterburg. Latter, under the library was opened a department “lubaica” - books on the Jewish issue in Russian and foreign languages. The library existed up to 1920.

In Simferopol, in 1910, a library of the Association on assistance for poor Jewry, was functioning, and latter there was a Crimean Tatar library.

In 1917, after the proclamation of independence of Ukraine by Central Council, together with the idea on establishment of a National Study of Ukrainian Collection of Books they started to develop the draft Law, and in accordance with it an establishment of libraries of national minorities was planned.

Under our (once Kyiv local public library) acted Polish, Russian departments, departments of Judaism and Herbaika (last in Vinitsa branch of National library of Ukraine). Besides, in Kyiv in 1919 was established the Hebraistik commission of National Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, in 1926 - department on Jewish proletarian culture, and latter, Institute on Jewish culture with special scientific library. There was also the Central Jewish Library.

After establishment of the National library of Ukraine the question arose on the establishment of a special Jewish department under it, and though it was not realized, the collection of Jewish literature in the fund of this library now is the biggest in Ukraine. At the same years, in the structure of the National Library of Ukraine the establishment of an Oriental department was planned, in which under geographical features were to be received materials from Crimea, including Crimean Tatar people.

In our period, these historical traditions obtained new meaning.

In 1999, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted a State Program “Cultural artifacts of Ukraine: loses and the way of return”.

Its main orientation is the implementation of a system of scientific-search, organizational-educational measures directed on revealing, studying and accounting for lost (in particular, during the WW II and following years) historical-cultural heritage of states and ways of their return to Ukraine. At the same time - this research, accumulation and development in new conditions and bringing into wide-spread dissemination of multinational derivation of the original relics of the entire Ukrainian people, including its national ethnoses.

In this context, an appearance and active development in conditions of independent Ukraine of national-cultural associations, and, with their initiative and promotion - special ethnonational libraries, rebirth of traditions of such types of cultural-educational establishments in XIX - beginning XX centuries, one should consider as an integral part of the achievement of the before named Program, namely, these libraries, are collecting piecemeal the creative heritage of their own peoples, bringing in turn to readers the names, which before were not known, lost or forgotten, thus, they preserve a national historical memory and enrich the national spiritual treasury.

Currently, in Ukraine were registered about 400 national-cultural associations, and 24 of which have all-Ukrainian status.

Understanding the importance of work on rebirth of national minorities' culture, in libraries of Donetsk oblast (Velikonovosilkovskyi, Volnovaskyi, Starobeshivskyi regions) were established the ethnographical corners. Almost in each Central Library ethnographical and folklore clubs act. In the same region function innovative libraries - in particular, centers of national rebirth, historical memory, and Greek culture. Granitnenska rural library - branch of Telmanivskaya regional central library, under which acts the center of Greek culture, which was recognized as one of the best.

In addition to it, the centers of Greek culture are the Yalta rural library of Pervoaprelskyi region and Rozdolnenskyi - Starobishevksyi. Maloyaltinskaya library of Volodarskyi is a library-museum named for poet G.Kostoprav. Maryinskaya central regional library is a center on rebirth of national cultures of Donetsk. In Artemivskaya central local library acts a sector of Jewish culture, in Donetsk central national library named for N.Krupskaya - sector of study of Ukraine.

Location of Trans-Carpathia on the boundary with Poland Slovakia, Hungary and Romania raises before libraries of this oblast the need to satisfy demands of the multinational composition of its population. A significant number, in particular, of living Hungarians (12, 5%), their lifestyle, and their repeated requests to libraries' funds, as well as their multiple ties with neighboring Hungary required a necessity to establish a sector on Hungarian literature in the oblast universal scientific library. Here already for about 10 years the club of lovers of Hungarian culture by G.Dravoy has been active, during the same period of close cooperation of the library with the association of Hungarian intelligentsia of Trans-Carpathia. The representatives of the oblast center of culture, national minorities and Ministry of national-cultural heritage of Hungary take part in joint measures. As a whole, over 120 libraries serve the ethno-national population of Trans-Carpathia. Mass measures for celebration of national-cultural anniversary dates, days and book festivals in mother tongue are held in these.

The workers of Rakhivskaya Central Library who are members of the Gutsul orchestra of folk musical instruments took part in a festival in Romania. To assist groups of the population who speak Ukrainian the libraries of Tyachivskaya and Rakhivskaya established clubs in which they learned songs in different languages, organized lessons-trips, and participated in games and quizzes. The libraries created informational - ethnographical corners (sectors) with exhibitions, based on their reference materials, of household goods, national dress and things connected with traditional national occupations (sheep breeding, weaving, carving and so on.

The Zaporozhie Department of the Ukrainian Public Library conducts within the framework of cooperation with the oblast ethno-national associations literature meetings on the creative work of Tatar authors (Gabduli Tukay, Amerkhan Enikeyev and others). The literature part is accompanied by song-dancing compositions, national choreography, and conduct of exhibitions of folk-art things and exposition of national dishes.

The Nikolayevsk Department of the Ukrainian National Library organizes the large-scale festivals of Jewish books. In 2000, it published a digest “Chronicle of ethno-political events in Nikolayevsk oblast for 1997-2000”. A number of bibliographic lists of “Ethno-national Ukraine” were published.

A library of Peoples’ Friendship was opened in 1986, in Kyiv. Its funds have literature in 30 languages of the former Union. A club “Sozvezdiye”, conducted activities with cultural-educational associations. The library became the alma mater of ethno-national libraries and libraries, which were formed later, to specialize on the formation of funds in national minorities’ languages and in their service: Jewish, Polish, Turkic peoples, Azerbaijan, Turkoman, Lithuanian and Russian.

The same department was established under Crimean republican universal scientific library named for I. Franko, whose work was centered on direct ties with foreign fellow countrymen and cultural-national exchanges. A similar library acted in the Evpatoria Central Library of Crimea.

The Odessa oblast region has a multi-ethnic composition. Thus, the Jewish library, as a branch, works in the Odessa local Central Library. Its experience on preservation and development of national culture was high lighted in the publication “Shalom, Odessa”.

A special service for the Moldavian population exists in the libraries of Reniyskyi region of Odessa oblast and Glibotskyi-Chernivetskyi oblast.

Bulgarians, who live in Odessa, are given a special bibliographical index of funds of the libraries. A number of centers were opened enabling the unification of learning of national minorities’ languages (or sectors of national books) on the basis of a number of libraries.

Multi-ethnic libraries, Greek and Crimean Tatar informational centers operate in the Bilogorsk, Pervomaysk Central Libraries of Crimea.

In 1998, as part of the program “Integration of the Crimean Tatar people, Bulgarians, Armenians, Greeks and Germans into Ukrainian society, who suffered a deportation”, the Bilogorsk Central Library, and the library named for Krupskaya of Evpatoria jointly with the Association of Crimean Tatar culture “Yashlik” received grants for rebirth of national customs and traditions of Greeks and Crimean Tatars. The libraries work fruitfully with associations - Greek, Lithuanian and Russian community of Crimea.

It is understandable that the ethno-demographic situation in Crimea has such particular qualities as in no other region of Ukraine: the Crimean Tatar nation (this term is used in scientific publications concerning Crimean Tatars) is a minority in the peninsula (Russians - 68, 4%, Ukrainians - 25, 6%, and the third group by number - Crimean Tatars, of whom in 1989-1995 about 250,000 returned from Middle Asia - constitute 10% of population of Crimea). Also, in Crimea live Armenians, Bulgarians, Greeks, Germans and Byelorussians.

In 1990, here was established the Republican Crimean Tatar library named for Ismail Gasprinskyi, who was a prominent writer and publicist of the end XIX - beginning XX century.

In the beginning, it was only a small branch of the Central Library in Simferopol, and since December 1995 - the library received a status of independent library. The project of its restoration and rebirth has been accomplished, which is financed by International “Renaissance” Foundation, Embassy of Holland in Ukraine, and Ukrainian State Committee on Migration (over USD 380,000).

The library opened in 1999. At the same time, the National Commission on return of cultural artifacts in Ukraine gave to it the archive of the prominent Crimean Tatar scientist-linguist Usein Kurkchi, which was in Uzbekistan. For 300,000 Crimean Tatars the library has become an important center of spiritual life of people, it actively promotes the rebirth of their mother tongue, culture, national customs and traditions, formation of national consciousness and is a peculiar symbol of culture, not only for its own people, but also other national minorities.

The library makes active work on discovery and accumulation from the biggest libraries of CIS the collections of Crimean Tatar literature or copies of separate publications. Already, it has accumulated a collection of books and archive materials of scientist-philologist Basir Gafarov, a part of the personal library of the classic of Crimean Tatar poetry, Eshref Shemi-zade, and has accumulated the publications occurring during Ismail Gasprinskyi lifetime, Dzhafer Seitdamet, Bekir Choban-zade, Asan Krichinskyi, other princes of Crimean Tatar literature, culture and public thought. It has received 1600 books from the Russian public library of the All-Union Public Library named for Lenin, over 300 - from Public library named for A.Navoi (the Republic of Uzbekistan), and the National library of Tatarstan.

Thus, one can state that an establishment of specialized libraries of national minorities actively promotes the opportunity for ethnic groups to preserve their own uniqueness as cultural phenomena and is one of the demonstrations of implementation of the program on return of lost cultural artifacts.

In May 2001, in the National parliamentary library of Ukraine, a scientific conference was held, which was devoted to the 150th Anniversary of Ismail Gasprinskyi - a native of Bakhchisaray region, prominent educator, whose activity was conducted under the motto “Unity in language, ideas and work” and who made a significant contribution in rapprochement of Turkic peoples and development of their national culture.

The anniversaries of national cultures are noted by activities held by libraries of Chernivtsi oblast, as well as in Jewish schools, during Ukrainian-Romanian readings.

Among planned public actions the Center of Russian culture in L’viv was opened. A discussion of a proposal on opening of the Cultural Center of national minorities (there is already its Statute, that defined its structure) was held in Kyiv. The core of funds of literature of ethno-national libraries (sectors, departments) is formed in places of compact living of these groups of population through regional publishing houses. In particular, “Arabic club” (national-cultural association, Dnepropetrovsk), “Association ethnologists “Bak” (joint Ukrainian-Polish enterprise, L’viv), “Bukovina” (Chernivtsi), “Volin” (Zhytomyr), “Galdent” (joint Ukrainian-Polish enterprise, L’viv), “Galitsk publishing union” (L’viv), “Galichina” (Ivano-Frankivsk), “Dayu” (joint Ukrainian-Chinese enterprise), “Donbas”, “Kamenschik”, “Tavrida”, “Karpati”, “Fakel”, “Zakarpattia”, Jewish Council of Ukraine, Kyiv local Jewish community, “German publishing house” (Simferopol), Association of Hungarian culture of Zakarpattia, Ukrainian association of scientific-technical and cultural cooperation with states of Asian-Pacific region are engaged in publication of literature.

The Greek capital of Donetsk oblast is considered Mariupol. Here the Central Libraries for adults, for children, libraries of humanitarian institute, local museum, and separate schools have books in Greek. In total the fund of literature in Greek contains 8,500 copies.

Local Bulgarian Center “Rodnina”, national cultural center “People’s home” arguments the funds of libraries of Zaporozhye oblast with books in Bulgarian.

This list is not a quarter complete.

Concerning the volume of publications: in accordance with information from the Book palace of Ukraine, which registers it, in 2000 were published in Crimean Tatar and German – 9 publications, in Hungarian - 7, Romanian - 5, Polish - 3, Romany - 1. At the same time, one should note as positive that 233 digests were published in a year, in which the same works were published in several languages.

The Main specialized editorial office of literature in languages of national minorities at public level was established for publication of literature, and a number of publishing houses have appropriate specialized editorial offices. A magazine “Rebirth” (on issues of culture and education of national minorities of Ukraine) is published.

Due to the financial support of the International “Renaissance” Foundation the magazines “Gypsy in Ukraine, the Romany newspapers of Trans-Carpathia were published. Also were published textbooks in Crimean Tatar, Armenian, German and Greek, of which up to that moment there were none in Ukraine, digests of German poetry, works by Crimean Tatar writer Rustem Muyedin “Makhroviye sudbi” (The Double fates), anniversary publication of works by Isa Abduraman “Zdravstvuy novoye dutya” (Good afternoon new child).

In Chernivtsi oblast approximately 6,000-8,000 books in languages of ethnic groups (Romanian, Moldavian, Polish and Jewish) are published annually.

However there still are problems. Since there is no state budget for replenishment of funds and taking into account a limited publishing repertoire, the libraries hope more for donations from national associations and communities, charitable funds, local sponsors and writers. Thus, there is a private collection of Greek literature in the Mariupol folk museum, which is used by library readers. Big public libraries have opportunities to participate in international book exchange. For example, Odessa Public National Library receives under book exchange 14 periodicals from Bulgaria, and 17 - from Romania.

The funds of L’viv libraries are insufficiently augmented by literature in Polish, there is an insufficient number of books for Byelorussians, who live compactly or are dispersed in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (Sovetskyi region), Zaporizkyi, Khersonskyi and Mykolayevskyi regions. An augmentation of funds of libraries of Trans-Carpathia, Bukovina with literature in Hungarian and Moldavian is decreasing. A repertoire of periodicals in languages of national minorities is very limited (this is appendixes to newspaper “Golos Ukraina” (The Voice of Ukraine) - “Aranats” in Armenian and “Jewish news” - in Russian, “Dnevnik Kiyevskyi” (The Kyiv Journal) - in Polish, herald “Ukraine-Israel” - in Ukrainian and Hebrew. In Odessa, a newspaper “Roden kray” is published in Bulgarian, “Shamray Shabos” in Jewish and Ukrainian). In Donetsk - newspaper “Ellyni of Ukraine” - is published in Russian.

Some newspapers have appendixes in national languages. However, these are rare cases.

Further development of library service of ethnical groups is to be accomplished by way of extending the net of special libraries, departments, and sectors to the locations where needed by the density of the ethnic population. Less numerous ethnic groups can be served by the assistance of mobile units. For large regions in which they live dispersed, a library model is suitable, which provides as a traditional service for the whole population, and takes into account the priority approaches to certain ethno-national group - establishment of cultural center, cooperation with society and formation of informational resource and so on.

Concerning a development of ethno-national libraries with State program “Cultural artifacts of Ukraine: loses, the ways of return” one should give attention to the necessity for careful examination of the situation with their prior operating methods, (or formation of book collections), and evaluation of how the artifacts are being used.

Currently, since practically no such materials exist, the problem of their return is to some degree hypothetical and it requires special study. Work will be done in the future by the libraries when they review their performance.

VYALETS A. F.
Head of laboratory of cultural heritage
and museum technologies of Ukraine
Center of cultural researches

THE ISSUE ON REMOVAL OF MUSEUM ARTIFACTS IN UKRAINE

The adoption of some Laws of Ukraine, in particular “On museums and museum affair” (1995), “On removal, import and return of cultural artifacts” (1999), “On protection of cultural heritage” (2000), Decrees of President, Acts and directions of Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine creates a legal base for the activity of museums, preservation and protection of cultural artifacts, and regulates the accounting processes and preservation of materials in the Museum fund of Ukraine.

On obtaining independence, Ukraine stated at the top of its voice that a return of cultural artifacts, which were removed from its territory, is an affair of state importance.

Ukrainian historical-cultural artifacts were removed out of the country for the following reasons, among others, in particular:

• suppression of nationalist revolts;
• migration of population;
• confiscation, including during political repression;
• expedition activity of foreign or Union institutions and museums;
• wars, including WW II;
• contraband trade, despoilment;
• withdrawal out of museum collections and transfer to central museums of Moscow and St-Petersburg.

The above mentioned reasons for the removal of the historical-cultural artifacts out of Ukraine allow us to divide them, into separate categories:

1. artifacts, whose stay doesn’t violate legal norms.

2. artifacts, whose stay outside of Ukraine is questionable and requires careful scientific and legal examination. For example, cultural artifacts, which are in repositories, that have All-Union status - “Gokhran”.

3. artifacts, whose stay outside of the Ukraine is absolutely illegal: which were removed during revolution as military salvage, because of political reasons, which were caused by confiscation, by way of contraband removal across the Ukrainian boundaries.

Unfortunately, in recent years a significant quantity of cultural artifacts have been lost because of increase of contraband removal (smuggling), in particular, contraband (illegal) archeological activity, because of which a despoilment of archeological objects takes place. The contraband archeological activity obtained especially wide scales in Crimea and in Trans-Carpathia. In foreign antiquarian markets appears a mass number of archeological treasures from Ukraine, including Scythian.

All this disturbs the scientific community, as well as each conscious citizen of Ukraine and requires that state institutions, law-enforcement agencies, and institutions for protection of cultural heritage to take firm and coordinated measures for prevention of loss of the national-cultural heritage.

Namely, the cultural artifacts are an important element of support of the inextricable connections between generations, and join them into a single network of historical development. Each object of historical-cultural significance, each artistic work and monument of culture is one of the links of this historical inextricable whole and in its historical and cultural importance is single and unique. In this connection, a loss of cultural artifacts, their expropriation from the peoples and nations, which gave them life, has very negative consequences.

The withdrawal of cultural artifacts, which were created by representatives of the deported Crimean Tatar people falls under the definition mentioned in item 3, and is illegal. They are to be returned under international norms and effective legislation of Ukraine.

I want once more to stress the necessity of return of cultural artifacts of Crimean Tatars in Crimea, which were taken away - this is an affair of public significance and it is necessary to find the most optimum mechanism for its positive solution. Namely, here, at this “round-table”, where specialists are meeting, it is possible that we can develop such a mechanism. There is no doubt that this work is to be gradual, and based on a legal foundation.

What has already been accomplished?

The first request about the existence of treasures of the deported peoples of Crimea in museums, and reserves of Ukraine, was made in 1998. Unfortunately, this request had no positive answers.

In 1999, the Decree of Ministry of Culture of Ukraine (# 698 from 24.11.1999) “On measures on return of monuments of history and culture of deported peoples in museums of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea” was adopted.

The answers were received from practically all regions, which informed that no such treasures have been found in museums.

Only Zapozhskyi, L’vivskyi oblast departments of culture and National Historical Museum of Ukraine confirmed that they received the treasures for constant preservation, over an extended period, from Bakhchisaray historical-archeological reserve.

Thus, there are 13 exhibits in Zaporozhskyi folk museum that were received under act #2125 from 15.07.1965. The museum received them under direction of the Ministry of Culture # 125 from 15.06.1965 for creation of composition and with agreement of Bakhchisaray Historical-Archeological Museum.

The L’vivskyi museum of history of religion confirmed the presence of 30 exhibits. These are basically religious books, Korans. The exhibits were transferred under direction of the Ministry of Culture # 655 from 06.07.1975 and with agreement of Bakhchisaray Historical-Archeological Museum (letter #136 from 09.10.1975).

The L’vivskyi museum asks to retain these exhibits.

Separately, one should consider the lists of exhibits, which were transferred from Bakhchisaray museum to Simferopol Art Museum. Basically, these are the portraits of Russian grandees Golitsin, Apraksin and Golovin (totally 11 creations).

In our opinion these creations anyhow fall under definition “cultural artifacts that were made by representatives of Crimean Tatars”.

In 1958, the Alupka museum received over 62 exhibits. Basically, these were the portraits of Russian tsars and grandees, personal effects of the Russian nobility - candelabrums, watches, vases, lamps, plates and furniture. In 1975, this museum received another 8 creations connected with Alupka.

Can we consider these things to be treasures of deported Crimean peoples and for this reason demand their return to the Bakhchisaray museum? I think not.

In our opinion, the transfer of these mentioned creations which are works of art to museums within Crimea should not be considered as illegal withdrawal of creations of deported peoples from museums of Crimea. This situation concerns the removal of museum artifacts, which is completely motivated and documented, from one museum of Crimea to another appropriate museum. Such removals, or correctly “a transfer on constant preservation of museum things to another museum”, are continual, for example, in establishment of new museums.

Separately, one should discuss the museum artifacts, which were transferred in Russia. This includes one portrait that was transferred to the Leningrad Russian museum, and 3 treasures to the Hermitage.

I think that they fall under the norm of restitution and in presence of appropriate documents that confirm their belonging to collection of Bakhchisaray historical-archeological reserve, it is necessary to request to these museums for their return. However, it is necessary that action would be measured, argued, evidential and tolerant.

I want to attract the attention of attendees that the return of cultural artifacts of Crimean Tatars, which were taken away or lost, is not limited to collections of Bakhchisaray or other museum of Crimea. It is necessary to consider this question more widely.

First of all, I think nobody can object that the people, who were separated from their own cultural artifacts for decades should now learn what is preserved and where are now located the treasures that are connected with their history, culture and life.

First of all, it is necessary to make their inventory, photocopy, scientific description, and publish a catalog of treasures of the Crimean Tatar people, which are in museums, libraries, archives as in Ukraine, as well as outside.

I hope that a consideration of this problem here in Crimea, gives the positive consequences, and will develop a concrete plan of actions.