Cengiz Dagci Classic Writer of European and Crimean Tatar Foreign Literature Has Passed Away

24 September 2011

Our national literature, culture and spirituality have suffered an irreplaceable loss – the most prominent andproductive writer and novelist in Turkish and the whole world, talented novelist Cengiz Dagcı died aged 92 on September 22, 2011 in London.

Universally recognized novelist all his life he reminded in every way that he was Crimean Tatar. He lived with misfortunes and joys of his people, ached for his Homeland’s destiny.

He went through all hardships of destiny, emigrating around half of the world. He was captured for several times and finally found a refuge in England where he wrote more than twenty vivid novels.

One could just name the titles of his books in order to understand all the depth of his patriotism, longing for his Homeland, and great love for Crimea – “Reflections”, “Letters to Mother”, “Terrible Years”, “A Person Who Lost His Homeland”, “They Also Were People”, “These Lands Belonged to Us”, “Children Hanged on a Tree”, “Days of Death and Horror”, “We Have Walked This Way Together”… Every of these novels is distinguished by the high artistic style and tells about this or that period of full of tragedy history of Crimean Tatars.

Cengiz Dagci was born on March 9, 1920 in Kyzyltash (Krasnokamenka) village next to Yalta. He was destined to live only 20 years in Crimea. But all his long life abroad he lived with life of Crimea. He felt its breathing. Every line of his novels and stories was dedicated to his favorite village, Gurzuf, Aqmescit where he spent his happy youth years.

His literary heritage belongs to all Turkish world. Our people could be proud of this writer whose works were recognized as the most significant, readable and popular in the world during his lifetime. Our hearts will always bear the blessed memory of the great son of our people.

Let us express our sincerest condolences to his relatives, his readers and admirers in connection with the death of our great national Cengiz Dagci.

Allah rehmet elesin

Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people

Coordinating Council of the World Congress of Crimean Tatars