Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

Constituent Union republic of the Soviet Union (1936-1991)

For the Kazakh entity of the name "Kirghiz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic", see Kazakh Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic.

Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
(1936–1990)
Кыргыз Советтик Социалисттик Республикасы (Kyrgyz)
Киргизская Советская
Социалистическая Республика (Russian)

* * *

Socialist Republic of Kyrgyzstan
(1990)
Социалисттик Кыргызстан Республикасы (Kyrgyz)
Социалистическая Республика Кыргызстан (Russian)

* * *

Republic of Kyrgyzstan
(1990–1991)
Кыргызстан Республикасы (Kyrgyz)
Республика Кыргызстан (Russian)[1]

1936–1991

Flag (1952–1991)

State emblem
(1956–1991)

Motto: Бардык өлкөлөрдүн пролетарлары, бириккиле! (Kyrgyz)
Bardıq ölkölördün proletarları, birikkile! (transliteration)
"Workers of all nations, unite!"
Anthem: Кыргыз Советтик Социалисттик Республикасынын Мамлекеттик Гимни
Kyrgyz Sovettik Sotsialisttik Respublikasynyn Mamlekettik Gimni
"Anthem of the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic"
(1946–1991)

Location of Kirghizia (red) within the Soviet Union from 1956 to 1991

Status| Soviet Socialist Republic
Capital| Frunze
Common languages| Official languages:
Kirghiz * Russian
Minority languages:
Uzbek
Religion

| State atheism
Demonym(s)| Kirghiz
Soviet
Government| Unitary Marxist-Leninist one-party Soviet socialist republic (1936–1990)
Unitary presidential republic (1990–1991)
First Secretary|

• 1936-1937 (first)

| Moris Belotsky

• 1985-1990 (last)[2]

| Absamat Masaliyev
Head of state|

• 1936-1937 (first)

| Abdukadyr Urazbekov

• 1990-1991 (last)

| Askar Akayev
Head of government|

• 1936-1937 (first)

| Bayaly Isakeyev

• 1991 (last)

| Andrei Iordan
Legislature| Supreme Soviet
History|

• Kirghiz ASSR formed

| 11 February 1926

• Elevation to a Union Republic

| 5 December 1936

• Osh riots

| June 1990

• Sovereignty declared

| 30 December 1990

• Independence declared

| 31 August 1991

• Independence recognized

| 26 December 1991
Population

• 1989 census

| 4,290,442
HDI (1990)| 0.640
medium
Currency| Soviet rouble (руб) (SUR)
Calling code| +7 319/331/332/334/335

Preceded by | Succeeded by

|

|  | Kirghiz ASSR

|

| Kyrgyzstan |

|

The Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic (Kirghiz SSR),[a] also known as the Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic (Kyrgyz SSR),[3] KySSR or Kirgiz Soviet Socialist Republic (Kirgiz SSR), was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union (USSR) from 1936 to 1991. It was also known by the names Kyrgyzstan and Soviet Kyrgyzstan[b] in the Kyrgyz language, and as Kirghizia and Soviet Kirghizia[c] in the Russian language.[4] Landlocked and mountainous, it bordered Tajikistan and China to the south, Uzbekistan to the west and Kazakhstan to the north. The Kirghiz branch of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union governed the republic from 1936 until 1990.

On 30 October 1990, the Kirghiz SSR was renamed to the Socialist Republic of Kyrgyzstan; on 15 December, after declaring its state sovereignty, it was renamed again to the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. On 31 August 1991, it transformed into independent Kyrgyzstan.

## Etymology

[edit]

The name Kyrgyz is believed to have been derived from the Turkic word for forty, in reference to the forty clans of Manas, a legendary hero who united forty regional clans against the Uyghur Khaganate. The name Kyrgyzstan or Kirghizstan means 'land of the forty tribes', combined from three words: kyrg (kyrk) meaning 'forty', yz (uz) meaning 'tribes' in East Turkic, and -stan meaning 'land' in Persian.[5] Politically, the name of the republic was the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic as stated in the 1937 and 1978 constitutions.

From 30 October to 15 December 1990 it was renamed the Socialist Republic of Kyrgyzstan (or Kirghizia). Afterwards, the socialist prefix was dropped and it became the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. Officially, in Russian, the name of the country in Kyrgyz, Kyrgyzstan, began to be used instead of the Russian Kirghizia. Later, the official name of the state was changed to the Kyrgyz Republic, which was retained after independence.[1]

## History

[edit]

See also: History of Kyrgyzstan

Eastern Bloc

Republics of the USSR

* Armenia
* Azerbaijan
* Byelorussia
* Estonia
* Georgia
* Kazakhstan
* Karelia-Finland (1940–1956)
* Kirghizia
* Latvia
* Lithuania
* Moldavia
* Russia
* Tajikistan
* Turkmenia
* Transcaucasia (1922–1936)
* Ukraine
* Uzbekistan

Allied and satellite states

* Afghanistan (1978–1989)
* Albania (until 1961)
* Angola
* Benin
* Bulgaria
* China (until 1961)
* Congo
* Cuba
* Czechoslovakia
* East Germany (until 1989)
* Ethiopia
* Grenada (1979–1983)
* Hungary
* Kampuchea
* Laos
* Mongolia
* Mozambique
* North Korea
* Poland (until 1989)
* Romania (until 1989)
* Somalia (until 1977)
* South Yemen
* Vietnam (North Vietnam, PRG)
* Yugoslavia (until 1948)

Related organizations

* Warsaw Pact
* Comecon
* Cominform
* World Federation of Trade Unions
* World Federation of Democratic Youth

Opposition

|  Anti-Soviet partisans

* Albania
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Poland
* Romania
* Serbia
* Ukraine

Guerrilla war in the Baltic states

* Soviet occupation
* Estonia
* Latvia
* Lithuania
* Operation Jungle

Protests and uprisings

* Poland 1944–1989
* Poznań 1956
* 1980–89
* Plzeň 1953
* East Germany 1953
* Georgia 1956
* Hungary 1956
* Novocherkassk 1962
* Prague 1968
* Invasion
* Moscow
* Czechoslovakia 1976–1990
* Romania 1977
* Kazakhstan 1986
* Brașov 1987
* Tbilisi 1989
* Ukraine 1989–1991
* Baku 1990
* Lithuania 1991
* Riga 1991

Dissent

* Soviet
* Poland
* East Germany
* to Hong Kong
* North Korea

Cold War events

* Marshall Plan
* Czechoslovak coup
* Tito–Stalin split
* Berlin Blockade
* Korean War
* Secret Speech
* Sino-Soviet split
* Albanian–Soviet split
* De-satellization of the Socialist Republic of Romania
* Berlin Wall
* Cuban Missile Crisis
* Vietnam War
* Cuban intervention in Angola
* Afghan War
* 1980 Moscow Olympics
* 1984 Los Angeles Olympics
* Gulf War

Fall

* Singing Revolution
* Polish Round Table Agreement
* Revolutions of 1989
* Fall of the Berlin Wall
* January Events
* Barricades in Latvia
* Breakup of Yugoslavia
* Yugoslav Wars
* End of the Soviet Union
* Post-Soviet conflicts
* Fall of communism in Albania
* Dissolution of Czechoslovakia

* v
* t
* e

Part of a series on the

History of Kyrgyzstan
Timeline

Early history

|  Achaemenid Empire|  542–330 BC

|

Macedonian Empire|  329–312 BC
Seleucid Empire|  312–189 BC
Greco-Bactrian Kingdom|  250–152 BC
Xiongnu|  204–53 BC
Han China|  101 BC–185 AD
Kushan Empire|  30–375
Former Liang|  301–376
Rouran Khaganate|  330–555
Former Qin|  383–386
Later Liang|  386–403
Hephthalites|  440–560

Medieval history

|  Kyrgyz Khaganate|  539–1207

|

Turkic Khaganate|  557–603
Sasanian Empire|  559–628
Western Turkic Khaganate|  603–657
Eastern Turkic Khaganate|  603–630
Tang China|  657–751
Second Turkic Khaganate|  682–744
Umayyad Caliphate|  706–750
Abbasid Caliphate|  750–875
Uyghur Khaganate|  791–840
Tibetan Empire|  794–842
Kara-Khanid Khanate|  840–1089
Seljuk Empire|  1089–1141
Qara Khitai|  1141–1212
Khwarazmian Empire|  1212–1221

Early modern history

|  Mongol Empire|  1218–1266

|

Chagatai Khanate|  1266–1347
Moghulistan|  1347–1514
Golden Horde|  1368–1446
Timurid Empire|  1370–1505
Uzbek Khanate|  1437–1471
Kazakh Khanate|  1465–1757
Khanate of Bukhara|  1501–1709
Yarkent Khanate|  1514–1705
Dzungar Khanate|  1680–1758
Khanate of Kokand|  1709–1876
Qing China|  1757–1841
Emirate of Bukhara|  1841–1876
Kara-Kyrgyz Khanate|  1842–1867

Russian Vassalage

|  Russian Empire|  1876–1917

|

Urkun|  1916–1917
Turkestan Autonomy|  1917–1918

Soviet rule

|  Turkestan ASSR|  1918–1924

|

Kara-Kirghiz Autonomous Oblast|  1924–1926
Kyrgyz ASSR|  1926–1936
Kyrgyz SSR|  1936–1991

Independent Kyrgyzstan

|  1st Kyrgyz Revolution|  2005

|

2nd Kyrgyz Revolution|  2010
3rd Kyrgyz Revolution|  2020

* v
* t
* e

Established on 14 October 1924 as the Kara-Kirghiz Autonomous Oblast of the RSFSR, it was transformed into the Kirghiz ASSR (Kirghiz Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic) on 1 February 1926, still being a part of the RSFSR.[6] The borders were not drawn along ethnic or linguistic lines, however.[7]

On 5 December 1936, with the adoption of the 1936 Soviet Constitution, it became a separate constituent republic of the USSR as the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic during the final stages of the national delimitation in the Soviet Union.[8]

At the time of formation of Kirghizia, its territory was divided into districts (raions). On November 21, 1939, five oblasts (regions) were created: Jalal-Abad, Issyk Kul, Osh, Tyan Shan, and Frunze Oblasts.[9][10] In 1944, Talas Oblast was established from Frunze but was abolished in 1956. In 1959 the Frunze, Issyk-Kul and Jalal-Abad oblasts were abolished. Frunze and Issyk-Kul became territories under direct republic jurisdiction while Jalal-Abad was joined into Osh. Tyan Shan was the last oblast to be abolished in 1962, and by this point, the rest of the republic with the exception of Osh was divided into districts of republican subordination. In 1970, Issyk-Kul and Naryn (formerly Tien Shan) oblasts were restored, and in 1980 so was Talas. In 1988, the Naryn and Talas oblasts were again abolished; the former was merged with Issyk-Kul, while the later was merged with Osh. However, in 1990 they were restored and at the same time, Jalal-Abad and Chüy (formerly Frunze) were reestablished.

The Osh Massacre in 1990 undermined the position of the first secretary. That same year, on 15 December, the Kirghiz SSR was reconstituted as the Republic of Kyrgyzstan after declaring its sovereignty. On 17 March 1991, Kirghizia supported the Union preservation referendum with a 95.98% turnout.

However, this did not come to pass when the hardliners took control of Moscow for three days in August 1991. Askar Akayev, the first president, unequivocally condemned the putsch and gained fame as a democratic leader. The country declared its independence on 31 August 1991 and the Soviet Union was formally dissolved on 26 December 1991.[11] However, the 1978 constitution remained in effect after its independence until 1993.

## Politics

[edit]

Main articles: Politics of the Soviet Union and Leadership of Communist Kyrgyzstan

See also: Politics of Kyrgyzstan

Similar to that of the other Soviet republics, Kirghizia's government took place in the framework of a one-party socialist republic with the Communist Party of Kirghizia as the sole legal political party. The First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kirghizia served as the head of the party, while the Chairmen of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet functioned as the executive heads of state and the Chairmen of the Council of Ministers led the legislative branch.

## Economy

[edit]

Main articles: Economy of the Soviet Union and Economy of Kyrgyzstan

## Demographics

[edit]

In 1926, the republic had a population of 1,002,000 people. In 1939, 1,458,000 people were recorded. The population grew significantly in the decades after World War II; the republic had 2,065,837 people in 1959, 2,932,805 people in 1970, and 3,529,030 people in 1979. In the final Soviet census of 1989, the republic had grown to 4,257,755 people.[12] The majority of the population were ethnic Kyrgyz people. However, because large numbers were sent there in deportations, at times there were other significant ethnic groups. Between March and May 1944 alone, it was reported in the Kremlin that 602,193 residents of the North Caucasus region had been deported to the Kirghiz and Kazakh SSRs, of which 496,460 were Chechens and Ingush, 68,327 of which were Karachays and 37,406 were Balkars.[13] The majority of the Kyrgyz population are Muslims and speak a Turkic language. Bishkek had the largest concentration of Russians in the country, some 22% of the population by independence, with Uzbek minorities in the Fergana Valley especially constituting some 13% of the population. In 1990, violent clashes between the Uzbek and Kyrgyz peoples broke out in the Osh Region; ethnic tensions still remain in the region.[14]

### Religion

[edit]

Main articles: Religion in Kyrgyzstan and Religion in the Soviet Union

Under Soviet rule, Islam in Kirghizia was heavily suppressed with people actively encouraging atheism.[citation needed]Soviet authorities permitted limited religious activity in all the majority-Muslim Soviet republics. Most of the Russian population of Kirghizia were atheist or Russian Orthodox. After independence, the country enjoyed greater religious freedom and remains to this day a secular state.

## Geography

[edit]

A map of modern Kyrgyzstan, with the same borders as the former Kirghizia

Main article: Geography of Kyrgyzstan

Kirghizia, a landlocked republic in Soviet Central Asia shared its borders with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as China on the outside lying between latitudes 39° and 44° N, and longitudes 69° and 81° E. It is farther from the sea than any other individual country, and all its rivers flow into closed drainage systems which do not reach the sea. The mountainous region of the Tian Shan covers over 80% of the country,[15] with the remainder made up of valleys and basins.

Issyk-Kul Lake, or Ysyk-Köl in Kyrgyz, in the north-eastern Tian Shan is the largest lake in Kyrgyzstan and the second largest mountain lake in the world after Titicaca. The highest peaks are in the Kakshaal Too range, forming the Chinese border. The Jengish Chokusu peak, at 7,439 m (24,406 ft), is the highest point and is considered by geologists to be the northernmost peak over 7,000 m (22,966 ft) in the world. Heavy snowfall in winter leads to spring floods which often cause serious damage downstream. The runoff from the mountains is also used for hydro-electricity.

## Culture

[edit]

Main articles: Culture of Kyrgyzstan, Culture of the Soviet Union, Kyrgyz cuisine, and Soviet cuisine

Many elements of Kyrgyz culture persisted through the Soviet period, including:

* Manas, an epic poem
* Komuz, a three-stringed lute
* Tush kyiz, large, elaborately embroidered wall hangings
* Shirdak, flat cushions made in shadow-pairs[16]
* Other textiles, especially made from felt
* Falconry

### Traditions

[edit]

Main article: Public holidays in the Soviet Union

Apart from celebrating the New Year each 1 January, Kirghizia, like all Soviet Republics, observed the Great October Socialist Revolution on 7 November. Its festivals and traditions such as Nowruz and Ulak Tartish were suppressed by the Soviet authorities.

The tradition of bride kidnapping, which remains illegal to this day, was suppressed by the Soviet regime.[17] It is debatable whether bride kidnapping is actually traditional. Some of the confusion may stem from the fact that arranged marriages were traditional, and one of the ways to escape an arranged marriage was to arrange a consensual "kidnapping".[18]

## Legacy

[edit]

Rusted Soviet hammer and sickle in Kyrgyzstan

According to a 2013 Gallup poll, 62% of Kyrgyz people said that the collapse of the Soviet Union harmed their country, while only 16% said that the collapse benefited it.[19] The poll also showed that well-educated Kyrgyz people were more likely to say that the breakup harmed their country.[19]

## See also

[edit]

* Leadership of Communist Kyrgyzstan
* Interhelpo
* Daughter of Soviet Kirgizia (painting)

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^
* Kyrgyz: Кыргыз Советтик Социалисттик Республикасы (Кыргыз ССР), romanized: Kyrgyz Sovettik Sotsialisttik Respublikasy (Kyrgyz SSR)
* Russian: Киргизская Советская Социалистическая Республика (Киргизская ССР), romanized: Kirgizskaya Sovetskaya Sotsialisticheskaya Respublika (Kirgizskaya SSR)
2. ^ Kyrgyz: Кыргызстан, Советтик Кыргызстан, romanized: Kyrgyzstan, Sovettik Kyrgyzstan
3. ^ Russian: Киргизия, Советская Киргизия, romanized: Kirgiziya, Sovetskaya Kirgiziya

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b A Political Chronology of Central, South and East Asia. From 15 October 1990 to 15 December 1990, it was named the Socialist Republic of Kirghizia.
2. ^ On 27 October 1990, article 6 on the monopoly of the Communist Party of Kirghizia on power was excluded from the Constitution of the Kirghiz SSR
3. ^ Cholpon Chotaeva. History of Kyrgyzstan (Lecture book) (PDF).
4. ^ Nelson World Atlas, A Metric Atlas - Nelson, 1974
5. ^ Forty tribes and the 40-ray sun on the flag of Kyrgyzstan Archived 2009-10-07 at the Wayback Machine, SRAS–The School of Russian and Asian Studies
6. ^ Bennigsen, Alexandre; Broxup, Marie (3 June 2014). The Islamic Threat to the Soviet State (Routledge Revivals). Routledge. pp. 42–. ISBN 978-1-317-83171-6.
7. ^ Dana, Leo Paul (1 January 2002). When Economies Change Paths: Models of Transition in China, the Central Asian Republics, Myanmar & the Nations of Former Indochine Française. World Scientific. p. 65\. ISBN 978-981-277-745-4.
8. ^ Group, Taylor & Francis (2004). Europa World Year. Taylor & Francis. p. 2543\. ISBN 978-1-85743-255-8. `{{cite book}}`: `|last=` has generic name (help)
9. ^ Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia (in Russian) – via Great Scientific Library
10. ^ Encyclopedia Americana. Grolier Incorporated. 1993. p. 141\. ISBN 9780717201242.
11. ^ Sakwa, Professor of Russian and Foreign Policy Richard; Sakwa, Richard (17 August 2005). The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union. Routledge. p. 480\. ISBN 978-1-134-80602-7. `{{cite book}}`: `|first1=` has generic name (help)
12. ^ Pavlenko, Aneta (2008). Multilingualism in Post-Soviet Countries. Multilingual Matters. p. 206\. ISBN 978-1-84769-087-6.
13. ^ Tishkov, Valery Aleksandrovich (15 May 2004). Chechnya: Life in a War-Torn Society. University of California Press. p. 25\. ISBN 978-0-520-93020-9.
14. ^ Rubin, Don; Pong, Chua Soo; Chaturvedi, Ravi; Ramendu Majumdar; Minoru Tanokura (January 2001). The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Asia/Pacific. Taylor & Francis. p. 274\. ISBN 978-0-415-26087-9.
15. ^ Escobar, Pepe (26 March 2005). "The Tulip Revolution takes root". Asia Times Online. Archived from the original on 27 March 2005.
16. ^ Aidar, Iliyas. "Kyrgyz Style – Production – Souvenirs". Kyrgyzstyle.kg. Archived from the original on 11 November 2006. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
17. ^ Lom, Petr (March 2004). "Synopsis of "The Kidnapped Bride"". Frontline/World.
18. ^ "Reconciled to Violence: State Failure to Stop Domestic Abuse and Abduction of Women in Kyrgyzstan". Human Rights Watch Report. September 2006, Vol. 18, No.9.
19. ^ a b Esipova, Neli; Ray, Julie (2013-12-19). "Former Soviet Countries See More Harm From Breakup". Gallup.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Fatland, E. (2020). Sovietistan: Travels in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. New York: Pegasus Books.

* v
* t
* e

Republics of the Soviet Union (1922–1991)

Principal|

| Founders|

* Armenian SSR
* Azerbaijan SSR
* Byelorussian SSR
* Georgian SSR
* Russian SFSR
* Ukrainian SSR

|

Former parts of
the Russian SFSR|

* Tajik SSR
* Turkmen SSR
* Kazakh SSR
* Kirghiz SSR
* Uzbek SSR

Annexed in 1940|

* Estonian SSR
* Latvian SSR
* Lithuanian SSR
* Moldavian SSR

Short-lived|

* Karelo-Finnish SSR (1940–1956)
* Transcaucasian SFSR (1922–1936)

Non-union republics|

* SSR Abkhazia (1921–1931)
* Bukharan SSR (1920–1924)
* Khorezm SSR (1920–1924)
* Pridnestrovian Moldavian SSR (1990–1991)

* v
* t
* e

Kyrgyzstan articles

History|

* Scythians
* Kushan Empire
* Uyghur Khaganate
* Golden Horde
* Khanate of Kokand
* Basmachi movement
* Soviet era
* Osh riots
* Tulip Revolution
* 2010 Kyrgyz Revolution
* 2020 Kyrgyz Revolution

Geography|

* Borders
* China
* Central Asia
* Cities
* Environmental issues
* Mountains
* Protected areas
* Regions
* Districts
* Rivers
* Valleys
* Wildlife

Politics|

* Central Asian Union
* Constitution
* Elections
* Foreign relations
* Human rights
* LGBT
* Military
* Parliament
* Political parties
* President
* Prime Minister

Economy|

* Agriculture
* Banking
* Central bank
* Energy
* Som (currency)
* Telecommunications
* Tourism
* Transport

Society|

* Abortion
* Demographics
* Education
* Ethnic groups
* Health
* Language
* People
* Prostitution
* Sex trafficking
* Squatting
* Law enforcement

Culture|

* Ala kachuu
* Architecture
* Cinema
* Cuisine
* Media
* Music
* Public holidays
* Religion
* Sports
* Symbols
* anthem
* emblem
* flag

* Outline
* Index

* Category

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States
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42°52′N 74°36′E﻿ / ﻿42.867°N 74.600°E﻿ / 42.867; 74.600
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