Trauma: The Deportations of the Crimean Tatars in 1944 in the Light of Testimonies, Memoirs, and Documents

Abstract

Goal – The purpose of this article is to present the traumatic experiences of the Crimean Tatars resulting from the mass deportation of 1944 and the living conditions of this community in exile, primarily in Central Asia. Drawing on eyewitness’ accounts, memoirs, and documents, the authors reconstruct not only the course of the deportation itself but also the everyday realities of life in exile, the forms of adaptation to extreme living conditions, and the strategies employed to preserve the national identity. The article seeks to highlight the long-term consequences of the political, social, and cultural repressions suffered by the Crimean Tatars in the 20th century, and to indicate their impact on the contemporary identity processes, collective memory, and inter-ethnic relations within the territory of the former USSR. Research methodology – The article employs a qualitative research approach aimed at presenting the experiences of the Crimean Tatars deported in 1944 and their lives both in exile and after returning to Crimea. The primary method was the analysis of autobiographical sources – including memoirs and oral and written testimonies – treated as carriers of individual and collective memory. The research also utilised content analysis of historical documents, including NKVD orders, resolutions of Soviet state bodies, and official statistics related to deportations and mortality. Comparing documentary data with memoir materials made it possible to capture the dissonance between the official narrative and individual experiences. Elements of the oral history method were also applied, enabling an understanding of the emotional dimension of trauma as well as the mechanisms of cultural memory and intergenerational transmission. These methods were complemented by an interdisciplinary perspective, encompassing historical, sociological, and anthropological approaches, which allowed for a more comprehensive understanding of the complexity of the deportation experience and life in exile. Score/results – The analysis of the source material – including eyewitness accounts, memoirs, and historical documents – allows for the formulation of several significant conclusions regarding the consequences of the 1944 deportation of the Crimean Tatars and the conditions of their lives in exile and after repatriation. Firstly, the deportation constituted a form of systemic state violence aimed at the permanent removal of the Tatars from their ancestral territory and at the severing of their cultural and social ties with Crimea. The repressions carried out against this ethnic group were part of a broader Soviet model of managing “politically uncertain elements” and exemplified an internal colonial policy. Secondly, the research findings reveal the long-term effects of exclusion and stigmatisation. The deported Tatars were deprived of the fundamental civil rights, branded as a “nation of traitors”, and their children – seen as members of a group tainted by the stigma of betrayal – experienced discrimination in schools and educational institutions. The traumatic experiences of childhood proved particularly enduring, leaving a deep imprint on the identities of the entire generations. Thirdly, the analysis of personal testimonies showed that, despite extremely harsh living conditions, the Crimean Tatars demonstrated strong survival mechanisms: mutual assistance, cultural resistance, intergenerational transmission, and the preservation of the memory of their homeland. These elements were crucial for maintaining their national identity and for their later efforts to return to Crimea. Fourthly, the returns after 1989 revealed a new phase of exclusion – this time in their native land. Hostility from the local communities, administrative obstacles, and economic barriers demonstrated that repatriation did not mean the end of trauma but rather transformed it into a new form of marginalisation. Ultimately, the research results indicate that the experience of the Crimean Tatars’ deportation should be analysed not only as a historical event but as an ongoing process shaping collective memory, social relations, and identity politics. The article confirms that deportation trauma is transgenerational and that the struggle of the Crimean Tatars for recognition and agency continues – both symbolically and practically. Originality/value – The originality of this study lies in its combination of documentary source analysis with an extensive body of autobiographical and testimonial material, presenting the deportation of the Crimean Tatars from the perspective of witnesses and their descendants. A unique aspect of the research regards the inclusion of the voices of the deported individuals in the context of their lives in exile and during repatriation – taking into account local social relations, discrimination, interethnic conflicts, and efforts to rebuild the community. The study employs the oral history method, which makes it possible to reveal the personal and emotional dimensions of the forced displacement, often overlooked in the traditional historical approaches. Another innovative element is the framing of deportation as a colonial process and a tool of spatial and demographic control, rather than merely as an episode of the repressive policies of the USSR. Juxtaposing these themes within the context of research on identity, memory, and long-term ethnic exclusion situates the article within the current interdisciplinary discourse that encompasses history, anthropology, sociology, and trauma studies. The research also has a practical value: it may be applied in reflections on memory politics, the integration of national minorities, and the analysis of survival mechanisms within marginalised and forcibly displaced communities.