Akhmet Baitursynov (05.09.1872-08.12.1938), statesman and public figure, is widely known as an educator, outstanding turkologist, the founder of Kazakh linguistics and literary criticism. A.Baitursynov, together with A.Bokeikhanov and M.Dulatov, founded the Alash party and the government of Alash Orda, the national liberation movement of the Kazakh people in the early 20th century.
The political activity of A.Baitursynov, including the struggle against the autocracy of Russia, began in 1905. He became one of the authors of the Karkaraly petition aimed at the adoption of new laws, changes in the justice system and public education. Historic petition was supported by 14.5 thousand people. In 1909, for few years, A.Baitursynov was expelled from Kazakhstan on the accusation of the tsarist authorities of spreading the idea of autonomous self-government, inciting national enmity between Russians and Kazakhs.
In 1919, A. Baitursynov was appointed deputy chairman of the Council of People's Commissars. As a member of Kazrevkom, he took an active part in establishing the borders between Kazakhstan and Russia. In 1920-1921 - he was People's Commissar of Education of the Kazakh ASSR. In 1922-1925 he headed the scientific and literary commission of the People's Commissariat of Education of Kazakhstan. Along with the civil service, Baitursynov was engaged in pedagogical activities: in 1921-1928 he taught the Kazakh language and literature, the history of culture at the institutes of public education. Despite the work in the Soviet bodies, he sharply criticized the first steps of Soviet government in Kazakhstan.
In 1929, together with other members of the Alash Orda, A.Baitursynov was arrested, and in 1930 he was charged with counter-revolutionary activities, preparing an armed uprising in the Kazakh steppe. A.Baitursynov was sentenced to death, and then the sentence was commuted to 10 years in the camps, and a year later, in 1932, to a three-year exile in Arkhangelsk. In 1934, A.Baitursynov was released ahead of schedule.
In 1937, he was arrested again. On December 8, 1938, A.Baitursynov was shot.
Only in 1988 A.Baitursynov was rehabilitated. Streets and schools of Kazakhstan, the Institute of Linguistics, a university in Kostanay were named in his honor, and a house-museum and a monument to A.Baitursynov were opened in Almaty.
Detailed information about the life and work of A.Baitursynov can be found on the website: e-history.kz.