Abrek
Encyclopedia
Abrek is a North Caucasian
term. It originates from abræg, the Ossetian for a robber. Once it was used for a person who vowed to avoid any pleasures and to be fearless in fight. A vow could last for five years. During that period an abrek renounced himself from any contact with friend and relatives.
Later it was used as propaganda to the anti-Soviet guerillas at the post-war
North Caucasus, as well as for all illegals. Those abreks were widely popularized as the defenders of the motherland and paupers. Abrek lifestyle also included a lonely life in the unexplored wilderness. Becoming aged, abreks of the West Caucasus usually devote themselves to beekeeping.
After the establishment of the Soviet power, anti-Soviet abreks appeared, for the most part in Chechnya
. The Chechen abreks unleashed the rebellions of 1920-21, 1929-31 and the last in 1940-44, that led to the deportation
. The last anti-Soviet abrek was killed 28 March 1976 at the age of 70.
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
term. It originates from abræg, the Ossetian for a robber. Once it was used for a person who vowed to avoid any pleasures and to be fearless in fight. A vow could last for five years. During that period an abrek renounced himself from any contact with friend and relatives.
Later it was used as propaganda to the anti-Soviet guerillas at the post-war
Caucasian War
The Caucasian War of 1817–1864, also known as the Russian conquest of the Caucasus was an invasion of the Caucasus by the Russian Empire which ended with the annexation of the areas of the North Caucasus to Russia...
North Caucasus, as well as for all illegals. Those abreks were widely popularized as the defenders of the motherland and paupers. Abrek lifestyle also included a lonely life in the unexplored wilderness. Becoming aged, abreks of the West Caucasus usually devote themselves to beekeeping.
After the establishment of the Soviet power, anti-Soviet abreks appeared, for the most part in Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
. The Chechen abreks unleashed the rebellions of 1920-21, 1929-31 and the last in 1940-44, that led to the deportation
Operation Lentil (Caucasus)
Operation Lentil was the Soviet expulsion of the whole of the native Chechen and Ingush populations of the North Caucasus to Siberia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan during World War II....
. The last anti-Soviet abrek was killed 28 March 1976 at the age of 70.
History
The habit of raids done by the Chechens (and to a lesser extent Ingush) against Cossacks, by the 20th century, had more or less become a cultural tradition. Both hatred of the oppressor (Chechens generally failed to see the distinction between Russian and Cossack, and to this day they may be used as synonyms) and the need to either fill the mouths of hungry children and to regain lost lands played a role. The Chechen raiders, known as abreks were the focal point of this conflict and are almost symbolic of the two different viewpoints. The Russian view on the abreks is that they were simple mountain bandits, a typical example of Chechen barbarism (often compared to Russian "civilization", with general Colonialist racist vocabulary); they were depicted as rapists and murderers by Russian authors. The Chechen view is that they were heroes of valor, much like Robin Hood. As Moshe Gammer points out in his book Lone Wolf and Bear, Soviet ideology fell somewhere in between the two views- and notably, one such abrek, Zelimkhan, was deified.See also
- Zelimkhan Gushmazukayev - the most prominent Chechen abrek
- Khasukha Magomadov - the last Chechen abrek