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The word abrek (; ; ; ; ) is a North Caucasian term used for a lone Caucasian warrior living a partisan lifestyle outside power and law and fighting for a just cause. Abreks were irregular soldiers who abandoned all material life, including their family and friends, in order to fight for a just cause, to worship, and to meditate. The term was mostly used by people who struggled against
Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
colonialism Colonialism is a practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or areas, often by establishing colonies and generally with the aim of economic dominance. In the process of colonisation, colonisers may impose their relig ...
, mostly a guerrilla struggle during Russian expansion in the North Caucasus in the 19th century. An abrek would renounce any contact with friends and relatives, and then dedicate his life to praying and fighting for justice. Some abreks stole from the rich to give to the poor while others protected Caucasian villages from foreign attacks. The abrek lifestyle included a lonely life in the unexplored wilderness. Later, the majority of abreks became devoted
Sufi Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...
Muslims Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abraha ...
. During the
Caucasian War The Caucasian War (russian: Кавказская война; ''Kavkazskaya vojna'') or Caucasus War was a 19th century military conflict between the Russian Empire and various peoples of the North Caucasus who resisted subjugation during the R ...
, which is divided into the
Russo-Circassian War The Russo-Circassian War ( ady, Урыс-адыгэ зауэ, translit=Wurıs-adığə zawə; ; 1763–1864; also known as the Russian Invasion of Circassia) was the invasion of Circassia by Russia, starting in July 17, 1763 ( O.S) with the Ru ...
and the
Murid War In Sufism, a ''murīd'' (Arabic مُرِيد 'one who seeks') is a novice committed to spiritual enlightenment by ''sulūk'' (traversing a path) under a spiritual guide, who may take the title murshid, '' pir'' or ''shaykh''. A '' sālik'' or Su ...
, there was constant raids between Russian and Caucasian settlements. 250px, up Chechen_abrek.html"_;"title="Chechens.html"_;"title="Zelimkhan,_the_most_famous_Chechens">Chechen_abrek">Chechens.html"_;"title="Zelimkhan,_the_most_famous_Chechens">Chechen_abrek In_ Chechen_abrek.html"_;"title="Chechens.html"_;"title="Zelimkhan,_the_most_famous_Chechens">Chechen_abrek">Chechens.html"_;"title="Zelimkhan,_the_most_famous_Chechens">Chechen_abrek In_Circassian_languages">_Circassian,_the_word_"Abrek"_means_"brave_warrior",_and_in_ Chechen_abrek.html"_;"title="Chechens.html"_;"title="Zelimkhan,_the_most_famous_Chechens">Chechen_abrek">Chechens.html"_;"title="Zelimkhan,_the_most_famous_Chechens">Chechen_abrek In_Circassian_languages">_Circassian,_the_word_"Abrek"_means_"brave_warrior",_and_in_Chechen_language">Chechen- Chechen_abrek.html"_;"title="Chechens.html"_;"title="Zelimkhan,_the_most_famous_Chechens">Chechen_abrek">Chechens.html"_;"title="Zelimkhan,_the_most_famous_Chechens">Chechen_abrek In_Circassian_languages">_Circassian,_the_word_"Abrek"_means_"brave_warrior",_and_in_Chechen_language">Chechen-Ingush_language">Ingush_and_
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the word ''abrek'' (абрек) has the derogatory meaning of "bandit", as the Russians have been enemies of the abrek lifestyle in the past. The word ''abrek'' was used in propaganda to label the anti-Soviet guerrillas of the North Caucasus after the
Caucasian War The Caucasian War (russian: Кавказская война; ''Kavkazskaya vojna'') or Caucasus War was a 19th century military conflict between the Russian Empire and various peoples of the North Caucasus who resisted subjugation during the R ...
of 1817-1864, as well as for all illegals. Abreks were popularized as the defenders of the fatherland and as paupers. In their old age, the abreks of the West Caucasus usually devoted themselves to
beekeeping Beekeeping (or apiculture) is the maintenance of bee colonies, commonly in man-made beehives. Honey bees in the genus '' Apis'' are the most-commonly-kept species but other honey-producing bees such as ''Melipona'' stingless bees are also kept. ...
. The majority of the East Caucasus abreks were killed in non-stop warfare against the federal army. After the establishment of
Soviet power The political system of the Soviet Union took place in a federal single-party soviet socialist republic framework which was characterized by the superior role of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), the only party permitted by the Co ...
in the Caucasus in the 1920s, abreks continued to resist, for the most part in
Chechnya Chechnya ( rus, Чечня́, Chechnyá, p=tɕɪtɕˈnʲa; ce, Нохчийчоь, Noxçiyçö), officially the Chechen Republic,; ce, Нохчийн Республика, Noxçiyn Respublika is a republic of Russia. It is situated in the ...
. Chechen abreks provoked the rebellions of 1920-21, 1929–31, 1931-1939, and the last in 1940-44, that led to the
deportation of the Chechens and Ingush The deportation of the Chechens and Ingush ( ce, До́хадар, Махках дахар, inh, Мехках дахар), or Ardakhar Genocide ( ce, Ардахар Махках), and also known as Operation Lentil (russian: Чечевица ...
in 1944. The last anti-Soviet Chechen abrek was killed on 28 March 1976 at the age of 70.


History

During this time, usually a Caucasian became an abrek, having taken a vow of revenge due to grief, shame or resentment. The newly appeared abrek left his native society and wandered, left to himself. From that moment on, there were no more laws for him, and even his own life was not valuable to him, he dedicated his entire existece to fighting for a purpose and therefore a meeting with an abrek was considered dangerous. In addition, abreks almost never surrendered, preferring to fight until death or commit suicide instead. Another name fo Circassian abreks was ''Khadzhiret'' (). The Russians were habitually raided by the Chechens and the Ingush. Primary Chechen targets were
Cossacks The Cossacks , es, cosaco , et, Kasakad, cazacii , fi, Kasakat, cazacii , french: cosaques , hu, kozákok, cazacii , it, cosacchi , orv, коза́ки, pl, Kozacy , pt, cossacos , ro, cazaci , russian: казаки́ or ...
who occupied their lowlands. Primary Ingush targets were Russian trade, banking, and mail services, because of the proximity of the
Georgian Military Road The Georgian Military Road or Georgian Military Highway (, 'sakartvelos samkhedro gza'' , os, Арвыкомы фæндаг 'Arvykomy fændag'' is the historic name for a major route through the Caucasus from Georgia to Russia. Alternative r ...
, a major artery connecting Russia and Georgia. Both hatred of Slavs (Chechens generally failed to see the distinction between Russians and Cossacks, and to this day they may be used as synonyms) and the need either to fill the mouths of hungry children or to regain lost lands played a vital role. The Chechen ''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 simply mountain bandits, a typical example of Chechen barbarism; however, they were depicted as men of honor by some Russian authors. The Chechen view is that they were heroes of valor, much like
Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is depic ...
. 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 Zelimkhan "Kharachoevsky" Gushmazukayev (January 1872; Kharachoy, Terek Oblast, Russian Empire – 26 September 1913; Shali, Russian Empire) ( ce, Харачойн Зеламха, ''Kharachoyn Zelamkha'') and better known simply as Zelimkhan, ...
, was made a Chechen hero.Gammer, Moshe. ''Lone Wolf and Bear''. Page 117.


See also

* Zelimkhan Gushmazukayev – the most prominent Chechen abrek *
Osman Mutuyev Osman is the Persian transliteration and derived from the Arabic masculine given name Uthman ( ar, عُثْمان, , link=no ''‘uthmān'') or an English surname. It may refer to: People * Osman (name), people with the name * Osman I (1258–13 ...
– Chechen abrek famous for his noble character * Khasukha Magomadov – Chechen abrek, killed by
KGB The KGB (russian: links=no, lit=Committee for State Security, Комитет государственной безопасности (КГБ), a=ru-KGB.ogg, p=kəmʲɪˈtʲet ɡəsʊˈdarstvʲɪn(ː)əj bʲɪzɐˈpasnəsʲtʲɪ, Komitet gosud ...
* BuzurtanovIngush abrek who killed Russian viceroy to Ingushetia colonel Mitnik. Executed by Russian communists on the orders of Chernoglaz. * UzhakhovIngush abrek who killed Soviet Communist leader of Ingushetia Chernoglaz. Executed by Russian communists. * Sulom-Beck SagopshinskiIngush abrek and a close friend of Zelimkhan Gushmazukayev *
Akhmed Khuchbarov Akhmed Sosievich Khuchbarov (1894–1956) was an Ingush people, Ingush ''abrek'' (outlaw), guerilla fighter and warlord who led an Ingush resistance against the Soviet Union, Soviet regime for 27 years up until his death in 1956. Akhmed made nu ...
Ingush abrek, killed by
NKVD The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (russian: Наро́дный комиссариа́т вну́тренних дел, Naródnyy komissariát vnútrennikh del, ), abbreviated NKVD ( ), was the interior ministry of the Soviet Union. ...
*
Laisat Baisarova Laysat Baysarova (nee Tangieva) (1920-2005) was an Ingush people, Ingush Communist Party of the Soviet Union, communist party worker turned abrek who became a sniper against the NKVD after being asked to assist in the Aardakh, deportation and exile ...
Ingush woman-sniper who is alleged to have murdered scores of Russian soldiers and
NKVD The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (russian: Наро́дный комиссариа́т вну́тренних дел, Naródnyy komissariát vnútrennikh del, ), abbreviated NKVD ( ), was the interior ministry of the Soviet Union. ...
officers 1944-1991. Never killed or captured. * Khizir KhadzievIngush abrek who attacked the
NKVD The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (russian: Наро́дный комиссариа́т вну́тренних дел, Naródnyy komissariát vnútrennikh del, ), abbreviated NKVD ( ), was the interior ministry of the Soviet Union. ...
detachments, killed by
NKVD The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (russian: Наро́дный комиссариа́т вну́тренних дел, Naródnyy komissariát vnútrennikh del, ), abbreviated NKVD ( ), was the interior ministry of the Soviet Union. ...
.


References

{{reflist


External links

*Rebecca Ruth Gould
The Abrek in Chechen Folklore
History of the North Caucasus Resistance to the Russian Empire