ONDASSYNOV NURTAS DANDIBAYULY – Institute of History and Ethnology named after Sh. Sh. Ualikhanov

Ondassynov Nurtas Dandibayuly (26 оctober 1904 –1 november 1989) – statesman and public figure. 1938-1951 – Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars, Council of Ministers of the Kazakh SSR; 1954-1955. – Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of Kazakhstan, 1955-1962. – Head of the Guryev (now Atyrau) region. Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Regional Council of People’s Deputies, First Secretary of the Regional Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan.

Biography

Each nation in the world has its own history, its own path from ancient times to the present day. In the history of the Kazakh people, large great personalities also take their rightful place, whose names are inscribed in it in gold letters. In confirmation of this, regarding the outstanding personalities of the twentieth century, the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Elbasy N. Nazarbayev, said the following: “If you look closely at the history of the twentieth century, then the Kazakh intelligentsia has generated many prominent figures in the first third of the century. There are sometimes channels of influence of intellectual and civic lessons of those big names that are invisible to an outsider or inattentive gaze, which today should be appreciated by descendants, by modern Kazakh intelligentsia. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the spiritual and intellectual elite took on the task of developing the Kazakh national idea, putting forward the idea of national co-consolidation” [1, p. 148.]. The prominent representatives of the Kazakh national intelligentsia of that era were Sultanbek Kozhanov, Nazir Toregulov, Gani Muratbayev, Saduakas Ospanov, Amin Zhusupov, Mukhtar Auezov and others, whose prominent statesman and public figure Ondassynov Nurtas Dandibayuly became a worthy pupil and direct successor of glorious affairs.

According to a biography written by Nurtas Ondassynov himself, he was born on October 26, 1904 in a Ushkayik village of Turkestan region into a simple peasant family. Deprived of his mother Zhumagul at the age of 3-4 years, he is brought up with his second mother Darigul. She was very kind, so he grew up not knowing the difference between his mother and stepmother. Once her mother, taking his hand, led to the aul mullah and said the following: “I brought our youngest son, teach him to read the Koran. At the same time, you can reasonably use force, if only his bones were intact.” This episode has long remained in his memory, as one of the most difficult moments of his life. The knowledge he then gained from the mullah came in handy after his retirement, when writing the Arabic-Persian explanatory dictionary.

A few years later, the First World War began, on which citizens of Kazakh nationality were called up to carry out rear work by decree of the king of June 25, 1916, which further complicated the already difficult situation of the aul poor [2, p. 22]. In addition, a severe drought ensued in 1917, which turned crops and pastures into a desert, depriving people of food and animal feed. Due to these clearly adverse events, the Kazakh population, which did not have their own irrigated land, was subjected to jute and began to perish without exception. Nurtas’s father and several of his children and grandchildren also became a victim of this disaster. Some residents who survived after the massive famine were forced to migrate to other regions. Nurtas also with other residents moved to live in Tashkent. According to N. Ondassynov himself, it was not sweet for him during his childhood. His childhood and adolescence at a time when the young Soviet state was moving from one formation to another, and the common people did not understand anything about this. As a result, due to the unreasonable leadership of the new government, the people were subjected to mass starvation, saving their hide by fleeing to foreign lands. “Having been born into a poor peasant family, I experienced all the difficulties and hardships of that period. Early lost his mother and father, and then stepmother Darigul … But no matter what difficulties I experienced, I did not reach out to anyone for help. I lived with a firm faith in myself and my work. Different crops were grown in the village, grazing cattle. Later, along with others, having moved to Tashkent, he was hired by Uzbeks. In a word, he earned his living by his own labor. As a result of such self-education and the desire for self-sufficiency, even later, when I already held a very solid position, did not try to acquire any material wealth, I never used my opportunities for personal purposes to acquire any expensive thing and something else,” Nurtas Ondassynov wrote in his memoirs [2, p. 46].

In Tashkent, he first works at a wool processing plant, then gets a job as an ordinary worker at a brick factory in the Tashkent Railway. After some time, he heard the news about the opening of schools for orphans in Tashkent. In August 1920, Nurtas went to study at one of such children’s institutions – boarding school №14. As it became known later, these boarding schools were opened by the efforts of representatives of the young Kazakh intelligentsia led by Gani Muratbayev. Pupils of the above boarding school were originally taught by Gani Muratbayev himself. In April 1921, he joined the Komsomol organization organized by Gani Muratbayev.

The boarding schools opened by Gani Muratbayev have become a manifestation of great concern for orphans, as the state has completely incurred all the costs associated with the education and nutrition of children, the purchase of necessary clothes for them. And the place of residence for these children became a kind of paradise, since before that they had asked for alms and spent the night at the station.

After graduating from boarding school in 1923-1927 studied at the Tashkent College of Forestry. In the years 1927-1930 worked in the institutions of Water Management of Kyzylorda, Zhambyl and Shymkent. Being from youth aspired to knowledge, in 1930-1934 entered the Institute of Irrigation, related to the Central Asian University in Tashkent. And in 1934-1938 works as deputy head, head of the Kazakh forestry.

In the future, rising through the ranks, he is elected chairman of the executive committee of the East Kazakh Regional Council. After six months in this position, his efficiency and innovation will be noticed by the first servant of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan N.A. Skvortsov, and in July 1938 he recommended the appointment of N.D. Ondassynov as a Chairman of the Government (Council of People’s Commissars) of the Republic. As a result, in July 1938 he was elected a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan and at the first session of the Supreme Council of the Kazakh SSR, he was appointed chairman of the Government of the Kazakh SSR (Council of People’s Commissars, later the Council of Ministers). As chairman of the government during the most difficult years for Soviet Kazakhstan in 1938-1951, he managed to defend the interests of the country. In 1951-1953 becomes a student of the Moscow Higher School of Economics under the Central Committee of the CPSU After the end of his studies, he was in 1954-1955 works as chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Kazakh SSR, and in 1955-1962 for seven years he has been leading the Guryev (now Atyrau) region as the chairman of the regional executive committee, then the first secretary of the regional party committee.

Thus, N.D. Ondassynov spent a total of 25 years at party-Soviet work. During these 25 years (1938-1963) he was a deputy of the Supreme Council of the Kazakh SSR, 18 years (1940-1958) – a deputy of the Supreme Council of the USSR. He was elected deputy chairman of the Council of Nationalities of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, deputy chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR. Working in these positions for 26 years (1938-1964), he is elected a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, 13 years (1939-1952 – a member of the Central Auditing Commission of the CPSU [2, p. 23-24].

Now we turn to a more complete presentation of the main events from the life and work of Nurtas Ondassynov. As was noted in the memoirs of Nurtas, according to the stories of the elders, the ancestors of N. Ondassynov settled in Karatau, having migrated here from the famous place Zhideli-Baysyn. But none of them in their stories tried to reveal the true reason for the arrival of their ancestors here, since they did not deeply own the history of this region. And the grandfather of Nurtas Dandibay was one of the centenarians of his kind, happily living in the circle of his many descendants. Nurtas’s mother Zhumagul was Dandibay’s grandfather’s daughter-in-law. After the death of his first husband, Zhumagul, as a widow, remains with his two daughters – Mariam and Batima, as well as with his son – Kozybay. A little later, following the Kazakh tradition of amergerism, the older brother of her late husband – Ondasyn, Nurtas’s father marries her (Explanation: According to researchers, Ondasyn is Nurtas’s father and Dandibay is his grandfather) [2, p. 26]. Having created a family, they began to live in harmony and in complete harmony. However, after some time, Zhumagul will lose his son Kozybay and deeply grieve, belittling the Almighty to give her a son again. But instead of a son, two older sisters of Nurtas – Alim and Salim – were born. The mother again becomes discouraged, not having achieved her dream. After prolonged failure and sadness, her desire finally comes true. After two daughters, Ondasyn gives birth to a third child – the son of Nurtas. His parents are gathering all their many relatives to a celebration on the occasion of the birth of his son and he will be called “Nurmukhammed” so that he becomes a faithful messenger of Allah. Over time, only the root, “Nur,” is left from this name, then wishing that his life was as strong as a stone, they began to call it “Nurtas”. Later in all documents this name was legalized.

Nurtas’s mother was a very kind and responsive person, at the same time she was an excellent master of needlework, she was well versed in the art of tailor and carpet-weaving. This was long told by eyewitnesses of her art. As already noted, after the death of Zhumagul, the stepmother Darigul is engaged in raising her children. She was kind by nature and vaguely tried to take care of them, as if they were her relatives. And until the end of her life, she remained as highly moral and decent, as our Nurek writes about this in her memoirs [2, p. 27].

At the age of seven to eight, by the decision of his second mother, Darigul, he was sent to study at the school of aul mullah. At that school he masters the Arabic alphabet and teaches by heart the Surah (religious treatises) from the Koran. In addition to this, his cousin Adilbek learns to write and read a book. As a result, within one or two years he began to write quite well and read books quite quickly. Thanks to this, he read aloud the epics “Alpamys”, “Kyz Zhibek”, “Ayman-Sholpan”, “Korugly”, “Dariga”, “Laili-Majnun” aloud, for which he was sincerely blessed. The knowledge gained from the mullah then helped him quickly master the Kazakh graphics developed by Akhmet Baitursynov. After half a century, this same knowledge served as the basis for writing the “Arabic-Kazakh” and “Persian-Kazakh” explanatory dictionaries.

The family of his father Ondasyn was large and eked out a poor existence. As Nurtas remembers at the time of his early childhood, in their family fourteen souls ate from the same boiler at the same time. It was not so easy for the poor family to feed so many of its members. For a decent existence, people first need their mutual consent and support of each other. Understanding this condition well, the Nurtas brothers and sisters unquestioningly complied with the requirements of their parents. As a result, the Ondasyn family was a model of such mutual understanding and unanimity.

The oldest brother of Nurtas Duysen worked all year round in the vicinity of Tashkent. In summer, he hired Uzbeks to pick cotton, in the fall he participated in the harvesting of rice, and in winter he worked on fattening animals. He brought all the money he earned home and gave it to his father. The second elder brother Kobelek, from an early age, grazed cattle among wealthy relatives. And his father, Ondasyn, was naturally very kind and generous, as a result, with his tacit consent in domestic affairs, the supremacy belonged to his adult children.

As a result, the household was managed by the middle older brother of Nurtas Isabek, who was a good organizer and skillfully kept the family budget. The father gave all the money earned by his children to Isabek. His mother Darigul purely female affairs in the household economy also trusted his beloved daughter-in-law – his wife Isabek.

Ondasyn himself, although he did not have his own irrigated land, was engaged in the cultivation of various crops on a piece of land rented from wealthy neighbor Otenbay. At this site, he grew wheat, barley, corn and rice. With good moisture recharge, corn yielded a good crop. Therefore, poor peasants tried to sow corn as much as possible. In Central Asia, corn was even called “food for the poor.” Business women from corn were able to cook many different dishes. From a mixture of corn flour and wheat flour, they prepared corn broth. Thus, as Nureke wrote in his memoirs, the Kazakhs of the southern regions long before the instructions of N.S. Khrushchev on the expansion of the crops of this culture, were able to cook from corn up to 16 different dishes. The most interesting thing in the agricultural work of Ondasyn, unlike others, was the cultivation of yellow cotton. He planted his cotton in a kind of hollow, which was filled with snow in winter, contributing to abundant spring moisture recharge. Using this technique, he received fairly high yields of yellow hlobatnik. This area later received the name “Ondasyn Basin.” According to Nurtas, his father knew how to skillfully grow gourds. Melons, watermelons and pumpkins grown by him were always tasty, which aroused interest among the inhabitants of the village, who came to him to exchange experiences [2, p. 35-38].

After finishing seasonal work in the aul, the sons of Ondasyn went to Tashkent, where they hired Uzbeks. There, until late fall, cotton was harvested, and then winter continued to work, where there was such an opportunity. In the spring they returned to the village. But for the last time in the spring of 1919 Nurtas stayed in Tashkent, as he got a job there as a worker at a brick factory in the town of Keles near Tashkent. While working at this enterprise, he receives news that a certain Gani Muratbayev is opening a boarding school for orphans. He did not agree with his elder brother about the need to return home, there is nothing, they say, to do in an orphanage, taking two or three children with him, he runs to a boarding school.

Nurtas, together with a group of children, were persuaded by G. Muratbayev, A. Akbayev and S. Saparbekov to go up to education and study in a boarding school for orphans. They were taught at the boarding school by such experienced teachers as Saduakas Ospanov and Amin Zhunusov. Together with Nurtas Ondassynov, young children studied there – Raimbek Akhmetov, Beysembay Kenzhebayev, Otebay Turmanzhanuly, Zhusupbek Arystanov, Bektas Shynarbayev, Bapash Kenshimbayev, Beysembay Kaskyrov and others. One of the mentors, Saduakas Ospanov, forced the children to constantly memorize Abay’s poems, which influenced N. Ondassynov and B. Kenzhebayev to form a national-patriotic worldview. S. Ospanov at one time was a member of the Alash party. Later, while working as the first secretary of the party’s district committee in the Semipalatinsk region, he is subjected to political repression and will be shot in 1937 [3, p. 31-32].

Boarding school №14, where Nurtas studied, built its work on the government structure. Later, this structure was recognized as exemplary and found its distribution in the secondary and higher education system of the city of Tashkent. His companion Bektas Shynarbayev studied at the boarding school with whom Nurtas later interviewed the writer Kulbek Yergobek. During the conversation, the aksakal told one interesting episode from the life of the boarding school. Pupils of the school in their free time, gathering in their circle, elected rulers from among the students. At one of these meetings, they elected the following composition of their own government: Nurtas Ondassynov – chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars, Beysembay Kenzhebayev – people’s commissar of education, Bektas Shynarbayev – people’s commissar of greens (ecology), Zhamalbek Shalabayev – people’s commissar of hygiene, etc. The wishes of the children seemed to be supported by the Almighty. And indeed later, for 13 years, Nurtas Ondassynov will work as chairman of the Sonarcom. Beysembay Kenzhebayev becomes a famous Turkologist, Bektas Shynarbayev – Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Zhamalbek Shalabayev – Minister for Fuel Supply, Deputy Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars [4, p. 49-52].

Nurtas Ondassynov about his mentor Gani Muratbayev, who was educated during his studies in Tashkent, left the following impression: “Despite the small difference in our age, since he was only 18 years old, Gani Muratbayev, as a respected teacher, is respectful addressed “Ghani agha.” Gani, finding a common language with both elders and younger ones, gained great respect for his excellent qualities as a teacher. I personally was very attached to him. From the first meeting, he reproduced an exceptional impression on me and I began to turn to him as the closest and dearest person” [5, p. 2].

Engaged in Komsomol work, Gani at the same time taught boarding school students the Russian language. Later, when Gani Muratbayev was elected secretary of the Central Committee of the Komsomol of Turkestan, he continued to maintain close relations with the boarding school where Nurtas studied. The good traditions started by Gani were continued by his followers. On this subject, Nurtas Ondassynov in his memoirs says the following: “Gani for us, who had just started to master the knowledge of black and dark-skinned guys from a simple nomadic people, was truly an exceptional person, to whom we all sought to be equal” [6].

On the whole, in various difficult situations, Nurtas Ondassynov was rescued and guided by the good people who met on his path of life. Thanks to them, he already looked confidently into the future and began to achieve certain successes. After graduating from boarding school No. 14 in 1922-1927, he studied at the Tashkent College of Forestry. In admission to study at a technical school, he was assisted by the People’s Commissar of Education Sultanbek Kozhanov. In 1925, when the capital moved from Orenburg to Kyzylorda, the same S. Kozhanov invited a student of the technical school N. Ondassynov to work temporarily in the museum of local history that had just opened in the city. And he will earn himself a certain amount of money during the summer holidays. At the next meeting, S. Kozhanov presents him with the first volume of Abai’s poems, published in 1922 under the direction of Nazir Torekulov, and also published in 1923 with his preface, the one-volume edition of the works of Magzhan Zhumabayev. At the same time, he instructs Nurtas that he read as many of these two famous poets as possible and learn from them. Later, through S. Kozhanov, on one successful day, he met N. Torekulov. Nazir Torekulov also instructs him to study folk art more deeply and read more folk epics, legends and legends. After retiring and moving to Moscow, he recalling the good instructions of Nazir-aga, rolled up his sleeves, set to study folk art and prepare explanatory dictionaries [3, p. 44-45].

Nurtas Ondassynov, as a young specialist who graduated from the Tashkent Forestry College, begins his career as an statistician of the Kyzylorda-Kazalinsky water management district, located in the city of Kyzylorda. This is evidenced by his own written statement addressed to the head of the Water Management, which has been preserved in the Kyzylorda Regional State Archive [7]. In the documents filled in this farm there is a record stating that since April 23, 1925 he has been a candidate for party membership. From this period, Nurtas Dandibayuly began to participate in the public life of his team, since on December 9, 1925, he participated in the meeting of members and candidates for party members held in the city of Tashkent. At a meeting with his participation, the question of creating a primary party organization operating in the water management system was discussed. The minutes of that meeting and the list of speakers indicate his name and initials. This document is also stored in the materials of the same archive [8].

Nurtas Ondassynov in the Kyzylorda region worked as an extras for seven months, from October 1927 to May 1928 inclusive. This information has been stored in the Kyzylorda regional state archive. For example, in November 1927, a party meeting was held in department No. 42 of the Kazakh Water Management, where N.D. Ondassynov. The next party meeting was held on December 5, 1927, where N.D. Ondassynov. The next party meeting was held on December 11 of the same year, according to the results of which protocol №14 was filled out, where the texts of N.D. Ondassynov on two issues on the agenda. December 11, 1927 N.D. Ondassynov applied for his transfer from candidates to full members of the party. However, his documents on the oversight of the party organization during the time were not sent to higher authorities. Later this omission was eliminated and it was registered as a member of the party from the date of filing the previous application. Those documents summarized his life path and the main achievements at that time [3, p. 59].

N.D. Ondassynov, as a young specialist, in order to continue the next stage of his career in 1928, moved to the city of Aulie-ata (now Taraz). The Zhambyl region was one of the important links in the Water Management of Kazakhstan. After five months of fruitful activity in the Talas institution of this region, Nurtas is transferred to work in the Shymkent Water Management of Southern Kazakhstan [3, p. 64].

As a young specialist who graduated from the Tashkent Forestry College, he takes an active part in the development and implementation of important water management activities in this region, thereby making his contribution to the development of the economy of his native land and improving the life of the population. At the same time, he was well aware of the need to improve his educational level and business qualifications, in order to get a higher education in 1930 he entered the Institute of Irrigation, which was then part of the Central Asian University in Tashkent. The Irrigation Institute, in which Nurtas Ondassynov studied in 1930-1934, was originally created on the basis of the technical faculty of Turkestan State University. Later, undergoing structural transformations, it becomes the Tashkent Institute of Agricultural Irrigation and Mechanization (now the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Land Reclamation) [3, 73-p.].

After completing three courses of the Institute of Irrigation, N.D. Ondassynov works as a teacher at the Faculty of Work of the Central Asian University. From here in October 1934 he was sent to work in Kazakhstan. Here, until 1936, he first worked as a deputy chief, then as the head of the Forestry Trust of Kazakhstan. From work in this institution, his career begins in the senior leadership positions of the republic. During these years, he shows his efficiency and insight. For example, in his report at the First Agrotechnical Congress, he sharply criticized the unsatisfactory state of soil protection measures in a number of regions, which leads to a significant decrease in the fertility of agricultural land. Based on his report, decisive measures will be taken to overcome serious omissions in this matter [3, p. 78].

In 1935, the head of the Forestry Trust N.D. Ondassynov, in connection with preparations for the 15th ley of the Kazakh SSR, instructs the heads of their subordinate institutions to organize a special exhibition dedicated to the main achievements of their industry with an illustration of photographs of various water facilities, products and items made from Kazakhstan timber, etc. At that time, the following departments were subordinate to the Forestry Trust, led by N.D. Ondassynov: Western Kazakhstan, Aktyubinsk, Northern Kazakhstan, Eastern Kazakhstan, Southern Kazakhstan, Almaty and Kustanay regions. Already in those years in the regional forestry departments kept nurseries. For example, there were 6 of them in Western Kazakhstan, Aktyubinsk – 3, Northern Kazakhstan – 10, Southern Kazakhstan – 5, Eastern Kazakhstan – 4, Almaty – 4, Kustanay – 1. In the regions, there were seven forestry departments that were located in the subordination of N.D. Ondassynov.

The work carried out by these departments, inventory indicators of their machinery and equipment were carefully taken into account, on their basis the relevant reports were sent to the head of the Kazakh Forestry. Analysis of the above documents stored in the archive convinces us that from the part of N.D. Ondassynov at that time carried out significant work in the interests of the people and their future [10].

In February-July 1938, N.D. Ondassynov works as chairman of the executive committee of the East Kazakhstan Regional Council of Workers’ Deputies in Semey. For this position he was recommended by L.I. Mirzoyan, who worked at that time as first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan. According to the memoirs of Nurtas Ondassynov, during the leadership of the republic L.I. Mirzoyan’s order and calm were restored in Kazakhstan, facts of abuse of power by a number of leading cadres were exposed, the composition of the party-Soviet leadership of the region and regions was significantly updated. As a result, many people have a sense of confidence and faith in the future. Unfortunately, this did not last long, on a false accusation of admitted shortcomings in the international education of workers L.I. Mirzoyan became a victim of political repression.

After being appointed to the above position, N.D. Ondassynov, rolling up his sleeves, is actively involved in the work to solve the socio-economic problems of the region. For example, Nurtas Dandibayuly, as the chairman of the regional executive committee on February 13, 1938, from all district leaders requests reports on the work they have done in 1937, indicating that they do not fulfill this mission on time. In this regard, this issue was considered at a meeting of the executive committee and a decision was made obliging district-level managers to submit reports on the general situation of each district, including information on the income of each collective farm [11].

At the initiative of N.D. Ondassynov February 21, 1938 at a meeting of the bureau of the regional party committee considered the issue associated with the production of gold ore Altay in East Kazakhstan. As a result, an order was given to the relevant business entities to take the necessary measures to eliminate serious omissions in this industry, provide workers with new equipment and conduct additional exploration work in gold mines. It was also recommended to conclude with workers in this industry special agreements aimed at strengthening labor discipline and increasing labor productivity. According to archival materials, N.D. Ondassynov holds a meeting of the regional committee executive committee on March 14, 1938, where he gathered all 18 department heads and gives them specific instructions related to the improvement of the oblast center, the greening of its streets and squares, and the improvement of the state of cultural and social institutions [12]. Another important decision made was related to the construction of a bridge across the Irtysh River. For its construction, financial resources in the amount of 5759130 rubles were allocated.

At a meeting of the executive committee of the East Kazakhstan Regional Council of Workers’ Deputies on April 13, 1938, the question “On the restructuring of national schools” was considered, which provided for the opening of special schools for children of German, Tatar, Balkar and Chechen nationalities with permission to study them along with Kazakh and Russian languages, their native languages. On the eve of the holiday of May 1, 1938, in order to provide the population with meat, milk and butter, relevant events were organized. According to them, the delivery of tens of tons of food to auls and cities was entrusted to the heads of regional administrations and departments, the Decree on the implementation of the planned measures was signed by the leaders of the region N. Zhelezov and N. Ondassynov.

The first secretary of the East Kazakhstan regional party committee N. Zhelezov and the chairman of the regional executive committee N. Ondassynov on March 8, 1938, decided to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the people’s akyn Zhambyl. The anniversary of the akyn was scheduled to be held in the city of Semey. Along with this, newspaper editors were instructed to expand the propaganda of the adopted decision on this anniversary; district leaders were recommended to organize gala evenings in district centers [3, P. 91].

Although the supreme representative and executive body of the East Kazakhstan (Semey) region Nurtas Ondassynov led a short term, only six months, during this time he managed to prove himself a skilled leader and professional organizer.

In 1938, N.D. Ondassynov from the East Kazakhstan region is elected as a deputy of the Supreme Council of the Kazakh SSR. After six months of working as chairman of the executive committee of this area, he was called to see the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, N. A. Skvortsov also reports that he is recommended for the post of chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars and there should not be any refusal.

In a conversation with Professor G. Sagymbayev, Nureke himself admits that at first, being in this responsible position was not entirely sweet for him. Some heads of republican departments, not wanting to carry out his instructions, citing his insufficient experience, ran around the offices of secretaries and heads of departments of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan with their complaints to N.D. Ondassynov. And at such moments he found support from N.A. Skvortsov. Now all his decisions began to be carried out without prejudice. As a result, within the first two years, the authority of the Council of Ministers led by him has grown and it has become the real headquarters of the economic leadership. According to the stories of people’s commissars Saylaubay Kaynarbayev, Kaztay Edigenov, Atymtay Kisanov, who worked in direct subordination to N.D. Ondassynov: “We do not know another head of the Government who would be superior to Nurtas Dandibaevich in business and intellectual qualities. He was a talented, highly erudite and demanding leader who knew how to achieve unquestioning execution of his decisions. We called him the boss, not the chairman.” Dinmukhammed Kunayev was of the same opinion, ”says G. Sagybayev [13, p. 122-123].

After some time, as N.D. Ondassynov became the head of the government of the republic, in Moscow at a meeting of the Union Government considered the issue “On measures for the development of livestock in Kazakhstan.” The meeting was chaired by the chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars V.M. Molotov. Remembering his first meeting with I.V. Stalin at that meeting, N.D. Ondassynov said: “I did not think that the leader himself would come to this meeting. And seeing I.V. Stalin, who unexpectedly, almost hiddenly came to us, I was so confused that I was speechless and stopped speaking. Noticing my strong excitement, V.M. Molotov announced a break. He introduced me to I.V. to Stalin, saying: “The new head of the government of Kazakhstan. He is young, but well versed in animal husbandry.” I.V. Stalin answered him: “I wanted to listen, but then Vyacheslav will tell me himself.” Having said this, he went out to his room.” After this episode, some opponents laughed at Nureke, calling him a “coward”. But they were not right, since when meeting with the omnipotent ruler of a great power, especially for the first time, any of them could be confused, not only the 34-year-old young leader Nurtas Ondassynov [13, p. 126-127].

Positive feedback V.M. Molotov about N.D. Ondassynov at his meeting in the Kremlin with I.V. Stalin justified himself. Under the leadership of Nurtas Ondassynov, in the years of the third five-year plan, livestock farming in Kazakhstan has somewhat strengthened. In the republic, a new system has been introduced into the structure of animal husbandry. In accordance with the peculiarities of land and material resources, each farm was charged with organizing livestock farms. Thanks to the measures taken, the living standards of the population have risen somewhat. The state began to lend money to collective farms for the purchase of new equipment and an increase in the number of livestock. Along with this, the sown areas of wheat, rice, sunflower and potatoes have increased in farms. In honor of the overwhelming successes of Kazakhstan in the above industry, N.D. Ondassynov was awarded the first soya high award – the Order of Lenin [3, p. 111].

“The years of leadership of the government of the republic N.D. Ondassynov became the years of economic recovery, ”notes scientific researcher K. Yensenov in his memoir. Under his direct supervision, ferrous metallurgy and the production of oil and coal developed rapidly in the region. Many plants, factories and livestock farms have been commissioned. Kyzylorda turned into a large rice-growing region, Shymkent became famous for its cotton, Zhambyl and Taldykorgan – for sugar beets, Almaty – for fruit and berry products, Semey – for meat and dairy products, Atyrau – for its oil.

The construction of the Moiynty-Shu and Kandyagash-Guryev railways directly connected the south of the republic with its north, thereby reducing irrational transportation along the Orenburg, Tashkent, Tomsk and Novosibirsk railways. Kazakhstan has become a major livestock and grain base of the country, taking third place after Russia and Ukraine. During the leadership of the executive branch of the republic, Nurtas Ondassynov made a huge contribution to the development of rural agriculture in Kazakhstan. As a result, the number of livestock increased and its productivity was taken out. Thus, later in the war years, Kazakhstan played a decisive role in supplying the front with food [3, p. 106-107]. A lot of documents have been preserved in archives and libraries, which may well confirm the contribution of N.D. Ondassynov, made by him to the socio-economic development of the republic. For example, on May 29, 1939, the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan N.A. Skvortsov and Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars N.D. Ondassynov sent a recommendation letter on the need to build the Moiynty-Shu railway addressed to the chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of the USSR V.M. Molotov. A positive solution to this issue played a huge role in the development of the economy of both the republic, in particular, and the entire USSR, as a whole [14].

N.A. Skvortsov and N.D. Ondassynov January 27, 1940 in a letter addressed to the Secretary General of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) I.V. Stalin and Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of the USSR V.M. Molotov raise the question of the further development of the Emba oil region. As indicated in that document, the plan for oil production for 1940, established by the trust operating in this field amounting to 1,100 thousand tons, exceeded the figure of 1939 by 143 percent. In addition to this, oil production in Kulsary and Sagyz is also determined by 33 percent more than last year. To ensure the implementation of such a large-scale volume of oil production in this region, it is necessary to at least double the allocation of financial resources for the production needs of the area indicated in the letter. In view of the foregoing, the letter indicates that urgent measures must be taken to accelerate the development of this oil field, on this basis, oil production in the Emba region could be increased to 1,100 tons in 1940, and in subsequent years it would be possible to increase the production of black gold much more countries [15, p. 74-75].

N.A. Skvortsov and N.D. Ondassynov August 28, 1940 in the name of I.V. Stalin and V.M. Molotov sent their next letter, where they made a proposal on conducting industrial exploration of mineral deposits in Atasu and Karsakpay, as well as on the need to build the Kazakh Metallurgical Plant. It was recalled that even in the materials of the XVIII Congress of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks (b) it was envisaged to complete the industrial exploration of ore deposits in Atasu and Karsakpay in the third five-year plan, having completed the construction of a metallurgical plant on this basis. Now the implementation of this decision should be ensured by the People’s Commissariat of Ferrous Metallurgy of the USSR. It should be borne in mind that the construction of a metallurgical plant is very important for the country’s economy. Therefore, the letter says, we consider it necessary to oblige the aforementioned commissariat to build this plant at an accelerated pace and ensure its completion no later than 1942 [15, p. 86-87].

Exceptional efficiency and high responsibility, composure and conviction N.D. Ondassynov with particular force manifested itself during the Great Patriotic War. He, as the head of the Government, together with the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan N.A. Skvortsov spoke on the radio and on the pages of the press, where he called for unity and harmony, not sparing his strength and means, to be ready to defend his beloved Motherland. After that, everywhere, at all enterprises, factories and factories, villages and towns, rallies were held to mobilize all forces and means to combat the Nazi invaders. In connection with the imposition of a state of emergency in the republic under the Council of People’s Commissars of Kazakhstan, a Bureau for the operational organization of mobilization work was created, which was personally led by N.D. Ondassynov. Rifle and cavalry brigades were formed in the republic. Of the urgently drafted citizens of Almaty, Zhambyl, South Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, a 316-rifle division was formed. In addition to it, in the first three months, 238, 310, 314, 357 and 391 rifle divisions were formed, and Nurtas Ondassynov sent them to the front with a parting speech.

In the republic, work began on restructuring the national economy on a war footing. Under central and regional state bodies and institutions, bureaus were set up for the distribution of labor, departments for accommodating the population who arrived to evacuate, fulfilling military orders, and assembling evacuated equipment. By mid-July 1941, the number of people arriving by evacuation to Kazakhstan reached 386 thousand people. Together with the population, 142 evacuated plants and factories arrived. One third of the evacuated people were placed in cities by large enterprises. 149 homes for orphans also moved to the republic. The tasks of arranging the evacuated population and enterprises fell on the shoulders of the Government and local executive committees [3, p. 125-127].

As you know, despite all the hardships and deprivations of a bloody war, in Kazakhstan in those years, on the initiative and with the direct participation of the chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars Nurtas Ondassynov, hundreds of industrial and cultural facilities were put into operation, several higher educational institutions were opened. Without listing all these facilities, it is enough to dwell on the construction in 1942 of the Kazakh Metallurgical Plant, which laid the foundation for the current Karmet-Ispat metallurgical plant. As we know, all the stages associated with the choice of the construction site of the facility, the progress of the construction itself, and the training of future personnel for the plant were carried out with the active participation of the head of government of the republic. Even the renaming of Samarkan aul by the city of Temirtau occurred with the knowledge of Nurtas Ondassynov.

And so, even in the most difficult war years for the people in Kazakhstan, the foundation of heavy industry was laid. Nurtas Ondassynov brings to us the following information about this in his memoirs: “Before the war, there was almost no ferrous metallurgy in Kazakhstan. It was difficult to deliver metals necessary for the national economy from far away. Therefore, the Government of the Republic submitted to the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) for the construction of a steel plant near Karaganda for construction, using local scrap metal as a raw material. And we found support… The construction of the plant was a difficult wartime. In such an environment, we asked for help from Moscow, the State Defense Committee. The essence of the help was to give two thousand young guys a deferment from draft in the army, leaving them to work at the factory. It was not easy. But there was no other way. Still, the issue was resolved in our favor. The Central Committee agreed with our opinion. And so we sent two thousand guys to study at the Magnitogorsk and Novokuznetsk metallurgical plants … I had to visit Minister I.V. Tevosyan several times on the development of Temirtau. He provided us with great support in this matter… During the next meeting with the Minister, he was informed about the prospects for the development of the village of Samarkand, which has recently grown significantly and has now become a city. Having heard this news, I.V. Tevosyan asked me: “What did you call this city, is there also the city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan?”… When signing the documents, you and I will at least conditionally have to indicate the exact name of the city where the plant is being built. And then he again turned to me with the question: “How does the word “iron” sound in the Kazakh language?” I replied: “temir”. Repeating this word aloud twice, the minister exclaimed joyfully: “The city should be called Temir.” And then the thought came to my mind that this should not be just “Temir” (iron), but a whole mountain of “Temir” (iron). I immediately informed him of this and said: “If the city is called Temirtau, how will you support me?” He was even more happy, immediately agreed with me. And so the city was called “Temirtau”, which consists of two words: “Temir” (invented by I.V. Tevosyan) and “tau” (proposed by me). [2, p. 90-91].

Nurtas Ondassynov, as a member of the bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, was responsible for the development of the cultural sphere. And thanks to his support, even in difficult war years, the Kazakh State Conservatory, the Kazakh State Women’s Pedagogical Institute were opened in the republic, the construction of the Abai Kazakh Opera and Ballet Theater was completed, the foundation of the building of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR was laid. Nurtas Ondassynov daily delved into the development of theater, cinema and the media [2, S. 5-6].

So, by the resolution of the Council of People’s Commissars of September 12, 1941, the Almaty Film Studio of feature films was created, on January 25, 1944 it was renamed and named the Almaty Film Studio of feature and documentary films. Head of Government N.D. Ondassynov takes care of placing the Mosfilm and Lenfilm film studios evacuated during the war in Almaty and creates the necessary conditions for them to shoot more than ten feature films and documentaries. Along with this, he gives the task of sending to the front to speak to the concert crews of Kazakh cultural masters. To support the spirit of the people, who have borne the brunt of the war, he decides to hold aitys akyns on December 11, 1943 in Almaty and gives instructions on the appointment of worthy gifts. N.D. Ondassynov during the war years presents at the Stalin Prize the first volume of the novel “Abay” by M. Auezov [15, p. 9].

During his work as the head of the government, N.D. Ondassynov paid serious attention to attracting qualified personnel to work in various fields of the republic. For example, in 1942, during one of his business trips, he met with the director of the Leninogorsk non-ferrous metals plant Dinmukhammed Kunayev, invited him to work as his deputy, and for nine years they worked fruitfully and amicably in one harness. The second point is regarding the scientific sphere. N.D. Ondassynov initiates the creation of the Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan and recommends its first president Kanysh Satpayev. At the same time, he actively promotes the election of K. Satpayev in 1943 as a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, and later as its full member. The third example – here we are talking about his participation in the fate of the first Kazakh sculptor Khakimzhan Nauryzbayev. N.D. Ondassynov, while on a business trip in 1943 in the Kustanay region, he accidentally meets a young man who knows how to skillfully sculpt various animal figures from clay. He immediately invites him to study in the capital. A year later, he takes Khakimzhan to Almaty, creates all the necessary conditions for him to study and become his qualified specialist [2, p. 6-7].

According to researchers, N.D. Ondassynov is a rare cohort of leaders who, both during the war and after it, showed exceptional efficiency and high organizational talent. This was the most critical period associated with the laying of channels in the Irtysh-Karaganda, Arys-Turkestan, Myrzashol, the construction of the Atyrau, Temirtau, Zhezkazgan and Balkhash giant plants, the Moiynty-Shu railway, and the construction of other great construction projects.

In 1954, in the month of March after graduating from the Higher Party School in Moscow, N.D. Ondassynov is elected chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Kazakh SSR. While working in this high position, he signs many important laws. In the final report on the activities of the highest representative state body of the republic, which was headed by N.D. Ondassynov, the following information is contained: on labor issues, 765 applications were received by the Chairman’s reception office, 2441 on financial assistance, 625 on housing issues, 482 on pensions, 162 on taxes, 144 on collective farm production, passport regulations and registration -389, on other issues 1627, a total of 6,635 applications were received. A positive answer was given to 2158 appeals out of 6635, 1094 appeals were sent for investigation, 235 appeals were returned due to the impossibility of taking measures, 154 were taken for control, 3003 appeals were sent to various institutions [16].

With a careful analysis of the above information, it becomes clear to us what enormous importance the work the Supreme Council of the republic managed to carry out during that short period under the leadership of N.D. Ondassynov. Unfortunately, having worked in that position for only one year, Nurtas Dandibayuly, at his own request, will be forced to transfer to the post of chairman of the executive committee of the Guryev Regional Council. However, he did not worry about moving him to a relatively lower level of managerial work. He was still always in the thick of the masses and was able to find a solution to the most complex issues in the interests of the people.

And so, first being the chairman of the executive committee of the Guryev Regional Council of People’s Deputies, then in 1957-1962 he worked as the first secretary of the regional committee of the party N.D. Ondassynov got along quite well with the Atyrau-Mangistau region. According to the stories of the statesman and public figure Sagidolla Kubashev, N. Ondassynov, attaching paramount importance to the comprehensive development of the economy and social sphere in this area, at the same time paid serious attention to the personnel strengthening of the regional party committee apparatus from among local workers of Kazakh nationality. Prior to his arrival, the managerial staff of cadres was imported not only from the regional level, but even from the district level. Now everything has changed. As a result, the composition of local cadres stabilized, and their perspective growth was outlined. At the same time, Nureke showed concern for the oil workers of the region, carefully listening to their opinions, and always supported their valuable initiatives. Many of those who went through the school of his upbringing, fruitfully working in various fields of activity, managed to show themselves only from the best side. They rightfully include such well-known public and state figures of the republic as M. Yesenov, Z. Kamalidenov, S. Utebayev, Zh. Dosmukhambetov, O. Kushekov, G. Sagymbayev, J. Tankibayev and others.

Nurtas Ondassynov retired before he even reached the age of 58. His premature retirement from a leading position caused damage not only to himself, but also to the party-Soviet asset of the Guryev (Atyrau) region. The people of Atyrau said goodbye to Nureke with a feeling of regret [17]. After retiring in 1962, Nurtas Dandibayuly, having settled in Moscow, was engaged in research and development activities there until 1989. After the death that followed in 1989, he was delivered and buried in his homeland – in Turkestan.

Merits

For a long time working as the Chairman of the Government, N.D. Ondassynov made a significant contribution to the development of the economy, science and education, as well as to the training of national personnel in the republic. Having assumed this position in the summer of 1938 at the age of only 34 years old, he took upon himself a burden of great responsibility at the most difficult time, when mass political repressions continued in the country. By the duration of his tenure as head of the government, he was surpassed only by Baiken Ashimov. But Baiken-agha led the government in the era of the so-called “mature socialism”, although later a period of stagnation and decline began. And Nureke was at the helm of the executive in difficult, full of drama and tragedy pre-war and harsh war years, as well as in the equally difficult post-war period. It was not easy for him, as we noted above, and those 34 years when, having lost his parents, he courageously overcame all the hardships and hardships that fell on his lot during his childhood and adolescence. After passing the test as a worker in a brick factory, having been educated in educational institutions of Tashkent, intensively engaged in labor activities, first in the forestry system, and later – in a leadership position in the East Kazakhstan region, he passed a large and worthy to follow others school of life and paved his way for further career growth [2, S. 4-5].

If to take as a whole, the name of Nurtas Ondassynov, without any doubt, is closely connected with a certain stage of socio-economic development of Kazakhstan. On his initiative, the construction of the Karaganda Metallurgical Plant was completed, the Moiynty-Shu railway was laid, the development of new oil and gas fields began, the Kazakh Women’s Pedagogical Institute was opened, the construction of the Abay Kazakh Opera and Ballet Theater was completed, the foundation of the building of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR was laid . And the very creation of the National Academy of Sciences and the election of its first president, Kanysh Satpayev, is also his merit.

Working for 13 years of government leadership, he rose to the level of a statesman capable of initiating the solution of major issues of the development of the economy and the spiritual sphere of his republic, thereby he was not an ordinary functionary, implicitly carrying out only the tasks coming from above.

Nurtas Ondassynov in the Soviet period, in the era of I.V. Stalin, under the leadership of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the party, worked together, in close commonwealth, with the first secretaries of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan N.A. Skvortsov and J. Shayakhmetov. He was with them several times at the reception of I.V. Stalin, participated in high-level forums.

He was at the reception of the majority of the members of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the party, and decided issues regarding the prospects of Kazakhstan. Of the leaders of the USSR, he most often met with his immediate superior V.M. Molotov, with his deputies A.I. Mikoyan, A.N. Kosygin, Chairman of the State Planning Commission K.N. Baibakov. Nurtas borrowed from them high professionalism and ability to work with people [18, p. 228].

However, in the post-Stalin period, the aforementioned advantages and, on the whole, its integrity and firmness of character N. Khrushchev was not satisfied. As a result of this, unfortunately, at the age of 58, by secret order of N.S. Khrushchev Nurtas Ondassynov will be retired. With N.S. Khrushchev, he once disagreed on three issues of principle. The first two of them related to the development of virgin lands in Kazakhstan and the transfer of certain areas of southern Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan. The third question was raised regarding the development of the Mangistau oil deposits. The head of the central government strongly opposed the development of the West Kazakhstan oil and gas region in favor of Siberia. N.S. Khrushchev did not like the position of N.D. Ondassynov, who fiercely defended the interests of Kazakhstan. For this he was persecuted. But N.D. Ondassynov did not begin to humiliate himself and bow his head before the omnipotent “voluntarist” of the period that was N.S. Khrushchev.

The last years of Nurtas Ondassynov’s life with his access to a well-deserved rest passed in Moscow. Rumors that he moved to live in Moscow for family reasons were not confirmed. If you delve into the essence of this issue, it seems that some influential forces, through their efforts, managed to ensure that Nureke spent the rest of his life not only away from his usual environment, but also – as far away as possible from his like-minded people. After retiring, he took up scientific activities. Prepared for publication “Arabic-Kazakh” and “Persian-Kazakh” explanatory dictionaries. At the same time he worked as a member of the Bureau of the Historical and Literary Association of Communist Veterans at the Institute of Marxism-Leninism of the Central Committee of the CPSU, as well as the head of its Kazakh section.

Memory

He was awarded three orders of Lenin, two orders of the Red Banner of Labor, many medals and diplomas. In 1938-1963 (25 years) he was a deputy of the Supreme Council of the Kazakh SSR, and in 1940-1958 (18 years) – a deputy of the Supreme Council of the USSR. In 1938-1964 (26 years) was elected a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan and in 1939-1952 (13 years) – a member of its bureau. He was elected a delegate to the XVIII, XXII, XXIII congresses and the XVIII Conference of the CPSU, in 1939-1952 (13 years) was elected a member of the Central Auditing Commission. Nurtas-aul was named in his honor, as well as street in Almaty, the humanities school-gymnasium №38 of the city of Shymkent, and other facilities. The life and work of a prominent public and statesman N. Ondassynov occupy a worthy place in the instructive history of the great personalities of the Great Steppe.

References:

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