Today is 81 years since the deportation of the Balkar people
81 years ago, on March 8, 1944 were moved from Kabardino-Balkaria to Central Asia by Josef Stalin. The entire Balkar ethnic group, a total of 37,713 individuals, were rounded up and loaded into 14 cattle wagons headed for Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
During 18 days of the trip, at least 562 people died in unequipped wagons. It was not until 1957 when Balkar people were allowed to return to their homeland.
Balkars are a Turkic-speaking and predominantly Muslim ethnic group in the North Caucasus region that numbers an estimated 135,000 people.
81 years ago, on March 8, 1944 were moved from Kabardino-Balkaria to Central Asia by Josef Stalin. The entire Balkar ethnic group, a total of 37,713 individuals, were rounded up and loaded into 14 cattle wagons headed for Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
During 18 days of the trip, at least 562 people died in unequipped wagons. It was not until 1957 when Balkar people were allowed to return to their homeland.
Balkars are a Turkic-speaking and predominantly Muslim ethnic group in the North Caucasus region that numbers an estimated 135,000 people.