Otto Pohl has just put together a fascinating short history of the Balkars, another of Stalin’s deportee nationalities:

The recent events in Nalchik, the capitol of the Karbardino-Balkar Republic in Russia have inspired me to write a short piece on the Balkars. The Balkars are one of the native peoples of the North Caucasus deported by the Stalin regime during World War II. Officially, the Soviet government accused the Balkars of collaborating with Nazi Germany and engaging in mass treason against the USSR. The real reasons for the deportation of the Balkars had to do with their resistance to Soviet policies, historical and cultural ties to Turkey and the proximity of their mountain homeland to a major military highway.

Great stuff. Go read the whole thing.

Tagged as: General