THE SOVIET HISTORIOGRAPHY AND THE QUESTION OF KAZAKHSTAN’S HISTORY

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THE SOVIET HISTORIOGRAPHY AND
zakhstan from the Point of Marxist-Leninist Education” written by
Tilesh Shoinbayev, Khadisha Aydarov, and A. Yakunin. In this article,
Bekmakhanov’s book was criticized as inciting nationalist sentiment
against the Russians. Articles published in “Pravda” also reflected
official opinions of the party because the newspaper was the most
effective organ of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. 24
Now, these were difficult days for Bekmakhanov. It was certain
that he would be punished. In those days, Jumabai Shayahmedov, the
First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, called him and
said: “Bekmakhanov you should disclaim realities. It is better for you
to live and to be healthy. For now, the situation is in my hand. If you
were to write articles for one or two newspapers and say ‘I made a
mistake. Forgive me. The essential truth is following’, then you would
be given condemnation as a punishment at most. You can go back to
work with the party decision. If you do not accept it, you shouldn’t
be angry at me, because then Moscow will deal with your case. Your
file will be sent to Moscow.” Thereupon Bekmakhanov replied: “I thank
you very much. I cannot distort historical facts for my own personal
interests. I write historical facts.” 25
Bekmakhanov, not compromising his writings and ideas, was expelled
from the party before 1951. He was fired from his job at the university
due to “his great political errors” and even his scientific titles were
taken back on 15 May 1951. Nobody would employ him. As a result
of various applications and initiatives he was able to find a job as a
teacher in a school in Almaty Narynkol in a district near the border
of the People’s Republic of China.
He worked there only for three months. Considering the possibility
of his escape into China, the NKVD (the name of KGB at that time)
changed his place of duty to the Novotroitsk district of Chu city of
the Zhambyl Oblast. 26 A man who was professor one day, became an
elementary school history teacher on the next.
During his time teaching at Chu, Bekmakhanov went on and completed
his work about “Russia’s Annexation of Kazakhstan”. He secretly
went to his advisor, Prof. Anna Mihaylova Pankratova, in Moscow on
summer vacation and finished his dissertation. After coming to Chu,
he gave his work to a trusted friend to hide. He would defend it as a
24 Takenov, pp. 378-379; Bekmukhamedova, p. 9; Ağayev, p. 98.
25 An interview with Halima Bekmukhamedova, Jarqyn Beyne Ermukhan Bekmakhanov
Documentary Film of Kazakhstan Television, 2015; Sarseke, p. 378.
26 Takenov, p. 379; Bekmukhamedova, p. 9; Sarseke, pp. 382, 384, 390-394.