Statesman Zhumabek Tashenov

The outstanding public and statesman Tashenov Zhumabek Akhmetovich was born in the village of Tanakol (Tanagul), located near the modern capital of Kazakhstan – the city of Astana. Sometimes the place of his birth is called Babatai village (20.03.1915, a. Tanakol, Arshaly district of Akmola region – 18.11.1986, Shymkent city) [1, p. 180].

His parents come from a middle-income family. The distant ancestors of J.A. Tashenov have long inhabited this region. During the annexation of the Kazakh lands to the Russian Empire in 1832, the Akmola order with the town of the same name was founded. In addition to serving Russian Cossacks, officials in the town lived representatives of the indigenous population - Kazakhs, as well as Tatars, Bashkirs and others.

Zhumabek's father Zhaksybayev Tashen and mother Gulsum owned a small property. In 1917-1924, my father was a handyman in the nearby village of Martynovka, and in 1931 he died of illness. Parents had several children – Kasym (died in infancy), Kasen, Manap, Zhumabek, Bidan (Bibinur), Sakysh (Sakypzhamal). The authors of the monograph, historians Seitkali Duisen and Kanat Jensenov revealed a more accurate place and date of birth of Zhumabek – this is a small village Tanakol (village No. 7), and the birthday is March 20, 1915 [2, p. 22]. Such discrepancies in dates and places of birth of residents of the Kazakh region are quite common both because of the poor quality of documentation and because of the reluctance of the residents themselves to obtain certificates. People understood that the official registration could lead to various extortions from the authorities. Unexpectedly for some, the appearance of Zhumabek's patronymic – Akhmetovich. According to the testimony of Dametken Zheng, who is close to the Tashenov family, according to Kazakh customs, Zhumabek and Manap were given up for adoption to Tashen's younger brother, Akhmet. Therefore, Zhumabek and Manap were recorded by Akhmetovich. One of the serious researchers of the history of the Tashenov family – Karishal Asan-ata (Asanov) cites as an example a case in the Kunaev family [3, p. 10-11].

For example, Kunaev Dinmukhamed Akhmetovich, a contemporary of Zhumabek Tashenov, who headed the republic for many years, had a brother Askar, who had a patronymic – Menliakhmetovich. In the case of J.A. Tashenov, there are often discrepancies between "Tashenov" or "Tashenev". As already mentioned, Kazakhs adhered to their beliefs and ideas when giving birth to children and giving them names. The small village of Tanakol was located very close to the village of Babatai and most likely Tanakol disappeared during the consolidation and merger into collective farms in the 1930s. The difficult conditions in which the Tashenov family found themselves in 20-30 years. Twentieth century, tempered the character of a young man. It should be taken into account that during the same period in the province there was a fierce political struggle between supporters and opponents of the Soviet government [4].

The death of people from hunger, migration, discontent of the inhabitants of the region, political persecution of dissidents – all this passed before Zhumabek's eyes and could not but leave a trace in his soul and ideas about the world order. A deep knowledge of the laws of human existence replenished his life experience and tempered his character. In 1928, he was accepted into the ranks of the Komsomol. Studying at the school of peasant youth in 1928-1932, communication with the environment of Gayaz Abdullin, Malik Taukenov, close acquaintance with Russian and Kazakh literature significantly expanded his horizons. In 1933, Zhumabek, on the advice of his brother Manap, entered a construction college. Zhumabek Akhmetovich, having interrupted his studies at the technical school, in 1934 he worked for 4 months in the Akmola district executive committee, in October of the same year he was appointed executive secretary of the executive committee of the newly formed Krasnoarmeysky district of the Kokchetav region (then Karaganda region - auth.) [5].

In 1934, Zh.A. Tashenov was hired by the district committee of the (Vishnevsky) Arshaly district, and then moved to work in the Krasnoarmeysky district Executive Committee of the North Kazakhstan region. Thus, in 1934, Zh.A. Tashenov entered the civil service, where he worked until May 28, 1975. In 1940, he was accepted into the ranks of the CPSU (b) (renamed the CPSU in 1952). From 1934 to 1944, Zh.A. Tashenov worked in various positions in Akmola, Karaganda and North-Kazakhstan regions. On August 27, 1939, he was appointed head of the land department of Beynetkorsky district (now Magzhan Zhumabayev district - auth.). He holds this position until August 1942. Realizing the need to receive secondary education, to continue his studies without interrupting his main job, he independently prepares and finishes a Russian school in absentia in this area. At this time, he marries and creates a family with a girl, Bates, who was also a young specialist in the area. The wife of Zhumabek Akhmetovich Tashenov, Bates Idrisovna (1922-2005) (before Alimbayev's marriage), was a native of the Akkol district of the Akmola region. Having met Zhumabek Akhmetovich, he married in 1941. In 1942, their firstborn, Sayan, was born in this area [6, 102-105 p.].

On October 8, 1939, being a candidate for membership of the CPSU (b), he became the head of the Beynetkor district of the North Kazakhstan region [7, l. 10-11]. In the "Conclusion" on comrade Zh.A. Tashenov (so in the document - B.G. Ayagan), the head. the zemkadrov sector Makievsky (without initials) and the instructor of the zemkadrov sector Bobkin (without initials) indicated that "Comrade. Tashenov is politically developed, technically well-literate, familiar with managerial work in agriculture, has shown himself to be an energetic, capable and growing employee in practical work" [7, l. 17]. In the "Characteristics" approved by the bureau of the Regional Committee of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of Kazakhstan, the secretary of the Regional Committee for Personnel Stroganov indicates: "He was not a member of other parties, did not participate in the opposition and anti-party groups, was politically seasoned, disciplined." The Bureau of the Central Committee of the CP(b) of Kazakhstan approved Zh.A. Tashenov for this position on September 10, 1941. Such a delay could be connected either with the ongoing reorganization, or with the conditions of wartime. In February 1944 he was nominated for the post of deputy secretary of the North Kazakhstan Regional Committee of the KP(b) of Kazakhstan on animal husbandry, where he proved to be a disciplined and initiative worker with authority among the population and in the party organization. In 1944-1947, Zh.A. Tashenov held various positions in the regional executive committees, and then was appointed head of the department of the regional party committee. It was a very good career growth for a young specialist [7].

On March 22, 1947, by the decision of the Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan signed by Zh.Sh. Shayakhmetov, he was approved by the first Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the North Kazakhstan Regional Council of Workers' Deputies, and his candidacy is submitted for approval to the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) [7]. The same data is given to them in the "Personal Personnel Record Sheet". But here the author of the "Personal Leaflet" indicates that in 1947 he was elected a member of the North Kazakhstan Regional Committee, in 1952 - a member of the Aktobe Regional Committee, and in 1951 - a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan. By January 3, 1949, he was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor and the medal "For Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945." In 1949, Zh.A. Tashenov became Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee, he held this position until 1952. In 1951, Zh.A. Tashenov was elected deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR. By this period, I had not been abroad. In 1952, Zh.A. Tashenov was sent to study at the Higher Party School under the Central Committee of the CPSU, the full course of which he graduated in absentia in 1955. From 1952 to 1955, he worked as the First Secretary of the Aktobe Regional Party Committee [7].

The leadership of the republic highly appreciated the conscientious, fruitful, 10-year work of Zhumabek Akhmetovich in the party-Soviet bodies, farms of the North Kazakhstan region and sent him to the post of chairman of the regional executive committee in the Aktobe region. Taking into account the experience of party, Soviet, economic work in the Akmola and North Kazakhstan regions, the leadership of the republic entrusted him with the management of the Aktobe region in 1952. Zhumabek Akhmetovich became the 12th head of the Aktobe region [8]. At the age of 37, he headed a region with a developed metallurgy and petrochemical production, a large territory, but with a low population density in rural areas, difficult transport links. It is noteworthy that on April 12, 1955, D.A. Kunaev, Chairman of the Council of Ministers, and J.A. Tashenov, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Republic, were elected members of the Bureau of the Central Committee of the KP of Kazakhstan.

In 1954, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, Zh.Sh. Shayakhmetov, was dismissed from his post for protesting against N.S. Khrushchev's arbitrary decisions on the development of virgin and fallow lands. The endless voluntarism of the so-called "Center", or simply put, the Moscow nomenclature, the leapfrog with the change of party leaders, naturally, caused a feeling of discontent and indignation among local party and Soviet managers. For example, from 1954 to 1955. The first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan was the "Belarusian partisan" P.K. Ponomarenko, his name is changed by "Dnepropetrovsk" L.I. Brezhnev [9, p. 87].

Instead of I.D. Yakovlev, who replaced L.I. Brezhnev, an unknown N.I. Belyaev is appointed. D.A. Kunaev is replaced by I.A. Yusupov. In 1955, at the suggestion of P.K. Ponomarenko, Zh.A. Tashenov was transferred to Alma-Ata in connection with his election as Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic. In April 1955, J.A. Tashenov was elected Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR, which meant that he occupied one of the highest positions in the republic [10, 3-7 p.].

He began to evaluate the activities of party committees more critically, as can be read in speeches and reports. It was J.A. Tashenov who headed the Commission for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Stalinism and did a lot to restore the honest names of the repressed. Also, Zh.A. Tashenov was actively engaged in the problem of arranging oralmans. On October 14, 1955, J.A. Tashenov, as Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic, addressed a letter to the Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, I.D. Yakovlev, with a request to consider improving the life of repatriates from the People's Republic of China.

The documents confirming our conclusions are recorded in archival sources. Some of them are given in the monograph by S. Duysen and K. Yensenov "Zhumabek Tashenev" [2, pp. 102-105], edited by B.G. Ayagan. The author has comprehensively analyzed the documents contained in this work.

The work of Zh.A. Tashenov in the highest positions in the republic coincided with the period of rehabilitation of innocent convicts during the years of Stalinism. As Chairman of the Commission, Zh.A. Tashenov has done a lot not only in the rehabilitation of convicts, but also in providing housing for the families of the repressed, children whose parents died in the camps. So, for example, houses were built for these families, in which the widow of Magzhan Zhumabayev – Zylikha and other persons received an apartment. With his direct participation, the works of Saken Seifullin, Beimbet Mailin, Ilyas Zhansugurov and others who fell under the millstones of Stalin's repressions were republished and saw the light. Zh.A. Tashenov had a particularly reverent attitude towards front-line soldiers, participants of the Great Patriotic War. As witnesses show, Zh.A. Tashenov repeatedly raised the issues of awarding the title of Hero of the Soviet Union to Bauyrzhan Momyshuly, Rakhimzhan Koshkarbayev. He took care of those who returned from the war. Tashenov also helped the war hero Sagadat Nurmagambetov, who later became a general and the first Minister of Defense of independent Kazakhstan [11, pp. 320-321].

In 1956, Zh.A. Tashenov was elected a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, and also in the same year - a candidate for membership in the Central Committee of the CPSU. In August 1959, major unrest occurred in the then small town of Temirtau. Following the events in Temirtau, the Presidium of the Central Committee of the CPSU considered the issue. At the Presidium, the first secretary of the Karaganda Regional Party Committee, P.N. Isaev, was expelled from the party and removed from work, and it was "indicated" to the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, N.I. Belyaev. He did not agree with the decision of the Presidium and demanded to review "his" case. During the second consideration of the issue, "major shortcomings" in the work of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan were revealed and the Bureau of the Central Committee obliged to consider the situation at the Plenum of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan. On January 19, 1959, the Plenum of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan was held, where N.I. Belyaev was ousted, and D.A. Kunaev was elected in his place. At the same Plenum, J.A. Tashenov was recommended for the post of Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Republic [7]. (D.A. Kunaev Zhumabek Tashenov in his book persistently calls Tashenov, and without initials – B.A).

Zhumabek Akhmetovich was appointed head of the Government of Kazakhstan in 1960. Then the government was officially called the Council of Ministers of the Kazakh SSR. The Council of Ministers of the Kazakh SSR is the highest executive and governing body of state power of the republic in Soviet times.

In 1960, Zh.A. Tashenov, having taken the post of Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Kazakh SSR, completely gave the workers of culture and art a 212-apartment large house built using new technology. Until now, this house, currently located in Almaty at the intersection of Kunaev and Kabanbai Batyr streets, is called "Kazakh auyl" or "Tashenov's house". A spacious avenue in the center of Almaty, stretching for 12 km from west to east, was named Abai Avenue on Tashenov's instructions. It was he who cut the ribbon at the grand opening of a large monument to Abai in front of the modern Palace of the Republic. To implement this case, he said the following: "There is no other Kazakh street in the center of the capital of Kazakhstan except streets named after Dzhambul and Amangeldy. Therefore, in order to eliminate this injustice, we need to name a street in the city center in honor of Abai, and install a large monument to Abai on it. We are no worse than others. We must not lag behind others. Look, there is a Shota Rustaveli Street in Tbilisi, which stretches through the whole city. Such an avenue is being built in Tashkent. This is Alisher Navoi Avenue. Ultimately, Alisher Navoi did not live not only in Tashkent, but also in Uzbekistan. He spent his whole life in the city of Herat in Afghanistan. One of the main streets of Moscow is named after Maxim Gorky" [2, pp. 17-18]. The words of J.A. Tashenov did not diverge from the case, and he himself oversaw the creation of the monument to Abai. The author of this monument to Abai was the famous sculptor Khakimzhan Nauryzbayev.

Zhumabek Tashenov was undoubtedly against the territorial division of Kazakhstan. N.S. Khrushchev repeatedly spoke about the project of dividing the republic. A direct participant in the events of those years, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan D.A. Kunaev recalls those times as follows: "The stumbling block (N.S. Khrushchev – B.A.) of our disagreements was the formation of edges in the republic. That's when our relationship started to deteriorate. I believed that new regions should be organized in the republic in order to improve the management of the national economy" [7, l. 152-153].

N.S. Khrushchev created a separate Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan for virgin areas with a location in Tselinograd. Moscow sent the secretary of the branch Republican Central Committee, T. Sokolov, as the Chairman of the bureau. Then N.S. Khrushchev announced by phone about his decision to form a Virgin Territory consisting of five regions. Moreover, the management of five regions had to come from both Almaty and Moscow. To the objection of D.A. Kunaev, N.S. Khrushchev replied: "You're misunderstanding something." Later, a proposal was received to transfer the entire Karaganda region to the Virgin Land [9, pp. 152-154].

In this case, the protest of D.A. Kunaev was supported by A.I. Mikoyan and the issue was postponed indefinitely. N.S. Khrushchev, as the analysis shows, did not consider at all not only the wishes of the local population, but often voluntarily violated the Constitution of the USSR. It is strange, but N.S. Khrushchev really believed that the borders between the republics would soon disappear (?!). "It was quite clear that Khrushchev," writes D.A. Kunaev, "was trying to carry out his idea of the future erasure of the borders between the republics faster. This politician was not at all interested in the fate and aspirations of people, possible large-scale conflicts" [9, p. 154].

N.S. Khrushchev also planned to cut off the Mangyshlak peninsula from Kazakhstan. As you know, in world history, the redrawing of borders is extremely difficult and conflictual. Therefore, all international documents, conventions, and basic documents emphasize the inviolability and inviolability of borders. These provisions were well known to J.A. Tashenov, who, as a representative of Kazakhstan, often replaced the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Therefore, he firmly stood for the inviolability of the borders between the republics.

Later, J.A. Tashenov recalled as follows: "In the evening, at 10 o'clock, D.A. Kunaev (then the First secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan) called me and informed me that N.S. Khrushchev was inviting us to his place. After an introductory speech about the righteousness of national policy, as well as the weakness of local leadership, N.S. Khrushchev moved on to the need to change the borders of Kazakhstan. Realizing where N.S. Khrushchev was going, I said sharply: "Nikita Sergeevich, such issues are not only to be solved, they cannot even be discussed! I am, of course, against it." After these words, N.S. Khrushchev blushed deeply, his eyes widened, he even began to stutter. Later he said: "Who are you to oppose the decision of the Politburo?! We raised you to the level of the head of the republic! In the end, we solved this issue without you! In the meantime, we are only consulting with you." I said again: "Nikita Sergeyevich, if the borders of national republics are arbitrarily changed, then why the Constitutions of the republics? And no one is allowed, no body is allowed to change the norms of the Constitution of the republics!". Then I continued – "If the provisions of the Constitution are violated, we will be forced to turn to international organizations!" [12]. After we left the head of the USSR, D.A. Kunaev told me: "Well, you are a brave man! (hero)" (Subscript translation by Professor B.G. Ayagan).

During his work at the highest state posts, Zh.A. Tashenov was also actively engaged in foreign policy activities. As Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (ex officio), he received ambassadors and other representatives of foreign states. As part of the delegations, he visited a number of foreign countries – China, Mongolia, India. Together with Yu.V. Andropov, they accompanied N.S. Khrushchev to China for talks with the head of the People's Republic of China, Mao Tse Tung.

But, mainly, his leadership talent was revealed in domestic politics. Attention to the needs of ordinary citizens, especially to representatives of science, art and education, simplicity and skillful problem solving made the name of Zh.A. Tashenov extremely popular among the people.

Professor S. Kenzhebaev, who was in the 1950s and 60s. The first secretary of the Central Committee of the Komsomol of Kazakhstan, recalls such a case: "Once in Moscow, V.E. Semichastny invited me to his place. At that time, after the State Security Committee, he headed the Department of Party Organs. He said that Belyaev is expected to be removed from the post of First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan. Who could be suitable for this position? I replied that only two people could master this work – D.A. Kunaev and J.A. Tashenov" [2, pp. 91-92]. He also added that Zh.A. Tashenov went through hard trials, but by nature he is sharp ("tik minezdi"). The circumstances of the release of J.A. Tashenov from a high position were described in detail by D.A. Kunaev [9, p. 131]. He's writing: "In December 1960, a session of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR was held in Moscow. During the break, Kosygin came up to me and said: "Khrushchev invites you and Tashenov to lunch." We accepted the invitation and went to Khrushchev. All the members of the Presidium of the Central Committee were at the dinner. During lunch, Khrushchev several times addressed Tashenov (so in the text – B.A.) with questions and strenuously treated snacks: try, they say, this, that… After lunch, Khrushchev turned to me: "In 30-40 minutes, come to me. I need you." ...I kept wondering: what is he driving at? An unexpected invitation, emphasized attention to Tashenov. And suddenly, at the end of our conversation, Khrushchev instructed me to release me from the duties of the chairman (so in the text) Council of Ministers of the Republic of Tashenov. He said: "There are a lot of complaints about Tashenov, and the check confirms the correctness of the complaints. Learn more in the org department. It is difficult for him to work as chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Republic, give him a smaller job" [9, p. 131].

D.A. Kunaev continues in the same work: "Tashenov worked quite satisfactorily in the Supreme Council, but his transfer to the Council of Ministers, I believe, was decided incorrectly. Being the Chairman there, he could not cover the main areas of the work of the government of the republic. The Central Committee of the CPSU began to receive a lot of applications for it. This was also facilitated by his quarrelsome nature, lack of restraint, swagger. All this forced the Central Committee of the CPSU, Khrushchev to offer to release him from work. I had to persuade Khrushchev for a long time to agree to send Tashenov as Chairman of the Semipalatinsk Regional Executive Committee, and such an agreement was reached" [9, pp. 131-132].

We believe that D.A. Kunaev did not disclose all aspects of the removal of Zh.A. Tashenov from office. Indeed, the initiative to dismiss the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Republic could have come from N.S. Khrushchev. He also received information through voluntary informants, of whom there were many in the republic, as well as through the bodies of the State Security Committee. But the reasons for the removal of Zh.A. Tashenov could be completely different, for example, the principled Zh.A. Tashenov in matters of redrawing borders, his popularity among the national intelligentsia. Therefore, this question remains open. The complication of relations between N.S. Khrushchev and J.A. Tashenov is confirmed by S. Kenzhebaev. "Tashenov refused the offer to become chairman of the Semipalatinsk Regional executive Committee and went to Moscow to agree on sending him to a higher position. Moscow did not agree with his arguments, and in response to his statement, the Central Committee offered to send Tashenov as deputy chairman of the regional executive committee. Which was done. Tashenov left for Shymkent and retired from this position."

After the events that took place, on October 11, 1961, the Bureau of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, signed by D.A. Kunaev, approved the proposal of the South Kazakhstan Regional Party Committee to approve Comrade Zh.A. Tashenov as Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee; relieving K. Sarsenbayeva from this work [7]. Publicly, D.A. Kunaev and J.A. Tashenov did not meet again. Later, from 1961 to 1975, Zh.A. Tashenov held the position of Deputy Chairman of the South Kazakhstan Regional Executive Committee. In 1975, upon reaching retirement age, he went on a well-deserved rest. Along with administrative work, Zhumabek Akhmetovich was also engaged in research activities. The obvious proof of this is the publication of a number of scientific papers, the defense of candidate's (1962) and doctoral dissertations in economics (1974) in Moscow [13]. The scientists have published scientific articles and monographic works in the field of economics, which analyze the directions of development of the industry. The socio-political activity of J.A. Tashenov continued in 1961-1975 in the southern region of Kazakhstan. During this time, he contributed to the development of agriculture, paying special attention to the sphere of public production. The result was the successful socio-economic development of the South Kazakhstan region with a predominance of the Kazakh population. He has state awards: the Order of Lenin, the Red Banner of Labor, the Badge of Honor and medals. Candidate of Economic Sciences.

Zhumabek Akhmetovich Tashenov died on 18.11.1986. He was buried in the city of Shymkent. Streets in the cities of Nursultan, Shymkent, Petropavlovsk are named after J.A. Tashenov. Secondary schools in Petropavlovsk and the village of Arshaly in the Arshaly district of Akmola region bear his name.

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