Europäische Zeitgeschichte

Migration is not a one way trip. Studying and telling the story of Crimean Tatars' deportation and return

23 November 2022

Crimean Tatars Hands on history.
Hands on History talk with Martin-Oleksandr Kisly (History Department of National University of Kyiv - Mohyla Academy).

The deportation of Crimean Tatars was a state-organized and forcible eviction of Crimean Tatars people that was ordered by Joseph Stalin as a form of collective punishment in 1944. It was supposed to completely remove the Crimean Tatar nationality from the demographic map of the world. It ruined the traditional way of life, social structure, and cultural institutes of Crimean Tatars. Indeed, Crimean Tatars were supposed to assimilate in exile. As a result of state-sponsored violence, Crimean Tatars became a nation in exile. After Stalin's death they did not receive the right to return to Crimea and renew their autonomy, like most "punished peoples." However, Crimean Tatars escaped the fate and managed to reshape their identity. Moreover, despite the ban, Crimean Tatars tried to return to their homeland during the Soviet era.

In the presentation the question "How did Crimean Tatars returnees dealt with 'homecoming'?" will be answered. Studying the Crimean Tatars' return contribute significantly not only to the history of Crimean Tatars, moreover, it is important for the understanding of reverse migration process in migration studies. The research, foremost, is based on oral history interviews. So the special attention will be paid to doing Oral History in Crimea.

 

 

A historian of Crimean Tatars, Martin-Oleksandr Kisly (History Department of National university of Kyiv-Mohyla academy) holds a Candidate of Science degree, having defended a dissertation entitled "Crimean Tatars’ Return to the Homeland in 1956–1989". His research focuses on memory, trauma, identity and migration. Fulbright Research and Development program fellow (2017, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor). IWM fellow (2022).

 

Wednesday, 23 November 2022

14.00 - 15.00

Online

Please contact vanessa.napolitano@uni.lu to receive the Webex link.