Opening of the Course for Atheists
Anti-Religious Propaganda in Soviet Kazakhstan
‘Dekhan farmer, do not choose these people. They have always been and still are your enemies!’ - Tajik language, Tashkent, 1920s / From open access
As the nineteenth century gave way to the twentieth, a great wave of awakening surged through Kazakh intellectuals, sparking a passionate quest for knowledge. This outpouring of intellectual zeal led to an explosion of new magazines and newspapers being published in Kazakh, heralding the dawn of a new era in sharing culture. However, what these intellectuals wrote went beyond only spreading knowledge. Soon, a variety of publications emerged, covering topics like business, society, politics, art, and humor. Qalam invites you to explore snippets from Kazakh publishing culture and history compiled by historian Abai Myrzagali, offering a glimpse into the important issues of the past.
Almost as soon as the Soviet regime came into power, they undertook an active program of anti-religious propaganda. The process was primarily coordinated by the Department of Propaganda and Agitation, established in 1920 by the Central Committee of the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks). Atheist circles began to be formed from 1923 onwards, and in 1925, the All-Union Union of Atheists was created, which soon intensified its activities in Kazakhstan. A notable example of this is the announcement of the opening of a course for atheists in Almaty, the capital of Kazakhstan, published in issue № 2 of the Tilshi newspaper in 1928, which, in addition to providing information, also offered a quite attractive employment opportunity.
Opening of a Course for Atheists
The District Committee of the Communist Party has opened a course for atheists in the city of Almaty for forty participants. The course includes forty hours of instruction. Those who complete the course will be able to establish their own atheist circles within city party cells and work as instructors. The course will be conducted in Russian. If proven effective, the course will also be offered in Kazakh and the Taranchi languagei
an old-fashioned name for the Uyghurs in the Tarim basinin the future.
Newspaper "Tilshi"/ From open access
In 1922, the newspaper Jetisu, which had been in print since 1918, was renamed Tilshi (Journalist). After 1929, the publication became part of the Enbekshi Qazaq (Kazakh Laborer) newspaper.
