The directory «Plots»

Gasprinsky Ismail
(1851–1914)

Ismail Gasprinsky takes a prominent place in history of the Tatar and Turkic cultural development. Gasprinsky is known as a teacher, prominent journalist and the founder of the new teaching method. He was the first to start releasing the all Turkic 'Tardzheman' newspaper. He was also the introducer of the Turkic solidarity ideas to preserve national culture.

Gasprinsky was born in 1851 in Gaspara village, near Bahchisarai. In 1865-1867 he studied at Moscow cadet school. In 1869 in Bahchisarai he taught the Russian language at 'Zindzhirli' madrasah. While working there he saw groundlessness of higher education and decided to take some measures to reform the Muslim schools.

In 1871 Gasprinsky left for Paris to continue his education. On mastering the French language, he earned his living translating for an advertising agency, then he worked as a personal secretary of the well-known writer Turgenev.

At the end of 1874 Ismail bey (the English for bey is sir) arrives in Istanbul. He started to realize, that Turkic peoples occupy the specific niche in a Muslim civilization. He had the idea to create a common language for all the Turkic people. Gasprinsky started to release 'Tardzheman' newspaper to realize this idea. Literary activity arose and new schools were opened in different parts of the country under the influence of this newspaper.

By the end of the XIX century the Tatar cultural life started to change. People of advanced views began to realize the necessity to become closer to the European culture, to change life according to the demands of the new world.

"Djadidizm" ("renewal") was a synonym to "new", a sign of struggle of advanced tatar bourgeoisie and its supporters against conservatism; it became the motto for the Tatar and Turkic intelligence. Gaspirinsky organized the 'djudidism' movement on the all Turkic scale within Russia.

In 1914 Gasprinsky was taken ill with tuberculosis, untreatable illness at that time. He was engaged in work of his newspaper till his death. He died on September, 11, 1914 in Bahchisarai.

Ukraine, 2001.03.21, Simferopol. Ismail Gasprinsky

Ukraine, 2000, Ismail Gasprinsky