31.05.2005 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Kabardino-Balkaria: Balkar minority demands division of the republic in two parts to create their own autonomous republic ("Russia: Balkars Launch New Campaign For Own Republic") [#32603],  [ID 11386]

Document(s): Open document

1989 - Source: NUPI - Centre for Russian Studies

History of the Balkars ("Ethnic groups: Balkars") [ID 11389]

"Historical ethnologists searching for Balkar origins suspect that they are descendants of a complex fusion of Hunni, Karachay, Kypchak, Khazar, Bulgarian, Alan and Caucasic peoples. Linguistic roots are both Persian and Turkic.
Until the mid-18th c., the Balkars were pastoral nomads who followed an animist religion. But then Crimean Tatars and Nogay introduced Islam among them. Because of ethnic tensions, the Balkars gradually migrated to higher altitudes in the mountains. During the years of the Shamil revolt in Dagestan (1834-58), conversion to Islam accelerated.
In 1827, Balkariya became the first North-Caucasian area to be conquested by the Russians. Due to large-scale immigration of ethnic Russians, more and more pastoral land was converted to agriculture, and the Balkars former nomadic lifestyle changed more and more towards farming and stock raising.
In 1921 the Balkar District was established under Soviet power. In 1922, it became part of the Kabardino-Balkar Autonomous province, that in 1936 was made an autonomous republic.
In 1943/44, many Balkars were deported and scattered throughout Kazakhstan and Central Asia, accused for having cooperated with the Germans. This caused a severe population decline. For a period the Balkars weren't even recognized as a separate people.
In 1957 - after Stalin - they were permitted to return. There are still a few Balkars scattered around Central Asia, but the majority now live in the Kabardino Balkar autonomous republic.
Today, the ethnic identity is growing stronger, but there is hardly any political outlet for it, as the Balkars constitute only 9% of the population in Kabardino-Balkariya. Because of that demographic reality, many Balkar leaders are opting for Pan-Turkic nationalism. In 1991, they joined the Assembly of Turkic peoples, which consisted of Azerbaijanis, Kumyks, Nogay and Balkars."

Document(s): Ethnic groups: Balkars