Kalmykia, victim of Stalinist genocide: From oblivion to reassertion

Abstract

Kalmykia may be described as a nation back from the brink. Until the recent past, when the personality of an eccentric leader generated media attention, the Kalmyks were known essentially for one reason: they were one of the peoples deported under Stalin, and permitted to return in the wake of Khrushchev’s famous speech at the 20th Congress of the Communist Party in 1956. However, Kalmykia deserves attention for other reasons. Apart from its highly original cultural, religious and linguistic traits, recent developments in these areas indicate a remarkably modern (some would say “post-modern”) perspective on identity. This article provides an account of this process, with particular emphasis on Kalmykia’s new language legislation. The article is organized as follows. The Ž first part provides some general background information about the history and current economic situation of Kalmykia. The next section discusses recent political and institutional developments, and describes the current position of the Kalmyk language. Then follows as the major issues addressed in the recently adopted (October 1999) Language Act of the Republic of Kalmykia. The conclusion assesses the signiŽficance and potential effects of the Kalmyk Language Act.