An autonomous soviet republic within the Russian SFSR established in March of 1919.

 

Establishing of Bashkir ASSR was triggered by the Bashkir national movement during the Revolution and Civil War in Russia. In November of 1917, Bashkir Regional Shuro (Council) proclaimed the national and territorial autonomy of Bashkurdistan (Bashkir Autonomy) having its administrative center in the city of Orenburg. Bashkir territories in the Orenburg, Ufa, Samara, and Perm governorates were proclaimed autonomous parts of the Russian Republic. Ahmet Zeki Validov started to form the Bashkir Army.

 

After Orenburg was captured by the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army on January 27, 1918, the Bashkir government continued its work there. Later on, members of the Bashkir government became anti-Bolsheviks and started cooperation with the Committee of Members of the Constituent Assembly (Komuch), the Provisional Siberian Government, and the Orenburg Cossack Host. On November 4, 1918, the Ufa Directorate dissolved all the regional and national governments and further, the Russian government headed by Aleksander Kolchak refused to recognize Bashkiria's autonomy. These facts made Ahmet Zeki Validov and his comrades ally with the Bolsheviks. The Bashkir government set forth the following conditions: Bashkir autonomy should be recognized, the Bashkir should be helped to create their regular army and the troops that fought the Bolsheviks earlier should be granted amnesty. The government of the Russian SFSR agreed to these conditions provided that the Bashkir join a united front to fight the Kolchak troops.

 

On February 18, 1919, the Bashkir government proclaimed Bashkiria the Soviet Republic. The All-Bashkir Military Congress has elected the Provisional government of Bashkortostan named Bashkir Provisional Revolutionary Committee. On March 20, 1919, an agreement was signed in Moscow between the central Soviet government and the Bashkir government On the Soviet Autonomy of Bashkiria. The agreement was published on March 23 and this day is the official establishment date of the Bashkir ASSR. This agreement confirmed the legal status of the Bashkir Republic that was the only republic within the Russian SFSR that was established on a contractual basis. Bashkir Revolutionary Committee (Bashrevkom) had all the power within the Republic. A Separate Bashkir Army subordinate to the Red Army top command was formed.

 

Bashkir ASSR was formed within the Small Bashkiria (the south, south-east, and north-east parts of the today's Republic of Bashkortostan) that included areas in the Orenburg, Ufa, and Perm governorates. For a short period, the village of Temyasovo was the capital of the Republic. As the troops of Aleksander Kolchak advanced, the Bashkir government was evacuated to the town of Saransk (April – August 1919). On August 20, 1919, after the successive counter-offensive by the Red Army’s Eastern Front, the Bashkir government moved to Sterlitamak.

 

On May 19, 1920, the All-Russian Central Executive Committee (VTsIK) and the Council of People’s Commissars of the Russian SFSR issued Decree “On Relations between the Autonomous Soviet Bashkir Republic and the Russian SFSR” that promoted centralization of power. As a matter of fact, this meant that the Bashkir government lost many of the powers it used to have earlier. Local authorities were created in the form of Soviets of Deputies, Central Executive Committee, and Council of People’s Commissars. People’s Commissariats were formed to subordinate the respective Commissariats of the Russian SFSR. Bashkir Revolutionary Committee headed by Ahmet Zeki Validov opposed these measures. In June, almost all members of the Committee resigned from their positions.

 

In July of 1920, the 1st All-Bashkir Congress of Soviets held in Sterlitamak completed the formation process of Bashkir ASSR. In August of that year, Sterlitamak became a part of Bashkiria and the city was proclaimed Bashkiria’s capital. In 1922 Bashkiria’s territory was enlarged with Ufa governorate and part of Chelyabinsk governorate. Ufa became the Republic’s administrative center. From that moment on, the Bashkir ASSR became the Big Bashkiria.