Circassian Genocide - How Russia Took Over the Caucasus DOCUMENTARY 

Brilliantly done and such an important topic - thank you!

As a Circassian I’m very happy that this topic is being spread over the internet I cannot thank you enough sir

Finally. Someone who called a spade a spade. Perhaps the only non-Circassian channel/individual to not dance around the word genocide. Thank you for shedding light on our history, very few people know who we are and what our ancestors had to go through.

As a Georgian🇬🇪 I am proud, my country is the first state, that recognized Circassian genocide, I hope many other countries will follow.

Not only did the Circassian genocide cause the annihilation of the Ubykh tribe, but it also led to the Ubykh language's extinction. The last speaker of this very unique language, Tevfik Esenç, died in Turkey in 1992, and with him the language went extinct.

I am a Circassian living in Turkey. I got goosebumps when I saw your video. On behalf of all Circassians, thank you very much for this video.We are tired of always being in the background and being forgotten. The world doesn't care about us, most of countries care more about their relations with Russia. But our people perished. It will never be the same as before. We try to keep our culture alive as much as we can and make people aware of ourselves. This video will be very important for history lovers to have an idea about the Circassians. One day, Free Circassia again...💚💛

Circassians have a surprisingly outsized role in the Middle East. They helped found the capital city of Jordan; Amman. A lot of the rulers of Egypt were originally of Circassian origin.

One of my country's Prime Minister (Malaysia), late Tun Hussein Onn, had Circassian ancestry. Their descedants still influential in this country from politics to education and business.

Just a comment to support the channel and the video. I’m Circassian too who is living in our native land and very pleased and proud to see this video. Thank you very much for coverage of this information!❤️💔

Thank you for making a video on this. Very few people in the world even know about the Circassian people, let along this tragedy.

As a Circassian Activist and fan of this channel - you can't imagine how happy, surprised and impressed I was that you guys did a feature on our culture and people. This was exceptionally well written and showcased - would love to collaborate and see more in the future

I am not a Circassian but they are our citizens in Turkey, our neighbours, friends and very often intermarried into our families for a long time now. Thank you for educating more people about this!

Circassian living in Cyprus here. Thank you so much for sharing our story

I am Turkish of Circassian Shapsug origin. Thanks for the documentary.

After fleeing from the Russian empire, many circassians took refuge in the Ottoman empire, where they became highly influential. They produced great politicians such as Hayreddin Pasha, powerful military generals such as Ahmet Anzavur Pasha and great Intellectuals and poets such as Ahmad Shawqi many many others.

Love the visual at 0:52. As Circassians, the metaphor of the "Black Sea being a grave" to many of our people is something we’ve often heard from our grandparents. Some in our family used to refuse eating any seafood that came from the Black Sea for some time, saying that they had the blood of our ancestors on them. They often said that the shores of Northern Black Sea and the Turkish shores where the deportees arrived were full of dead bodies and "red from blood and flesh" for days.

I've never seen such a big channel talk about our history before. It's so painful to be ignored. thank you so much, you are a real hero

As a Circassian and passionate follower of this channel, couln't be more happy with any other topic than this. Thank you for being the voice of unheard. And thank you for spreading the savagery our ancestors faced only for the will to live in their homelands.

As a chechen, thank you for your work. Circassians, our brothers, fought shoulder to shoulder with us against evil imperialist Russia, and they payed the highest price for their bravery, they've been murdered, forced to exil but they always kept their head up. And it's been a disgrace that mondial history has been this quiet about Circassian genocide. Wish the best for your brave and strong people dear brothers.

Greetings to my circassian brothers and sisters from chechnya! We are one caucasian family💚

It’s insane how such a complete genocide is so scarcely known…

As a Circassian, i was waaiting this video for a long time.Thank you!

As a Circassian i would like to thank this channel for taking the time to learn about the history of our people and long lost country, our cause isn't dead yet, as long as Circassians exist the dream of reclaiming our country and freedom back will always be alive.

Finally.. I subscribed and followed this channel closely for more than 2 years now.. and I really enjoyed it, but as a Circassian (ADIGA) descend I've always wondered when a non Circassian channel will ever mention or show my great ancestors history's story..thank you from the heart of Circassian Jordanian in diaspora.

Thank you for this doc! Circassian woman in Syria! Very proud of my ancestors sacrifice! ❤ Proud to be Circassian.

It’s a big honour that your remarkable channel made video about Circassians. Hope to see the next topics about russian genocide of Crimean Tatars, Nogais and other nations with big history from Caucasus and Ural to Central Asia and Siberia. Thanks.

As a Circassian, thank you very much for being the voice of the oppressed and suffering peoples.

as a circassian from kfar kama im very happy that this topic is getting spread :] thanks

Omg, I can't believe you made a video about this. This is such a deserving topic! And almost nobody knows about it...

I have to admit, I never knew anything about the Circassians. I was aware of the actions of the Russian Empire towards ethnic and religious minorities, but I can't say I really studied the specifics of many of them. Thank you for a deeper dive into these! I hope you do this for others as well!

I am a Kabardian Circassian. I live in Turkey: Long live the Circassian people. Long live independent Circassia.

I am Circassian and I thank Georgia for recognizing the Circassian genocide.

At some point we will say "never again", and will actually mean it.

As a Circassian, I am grateful to you for this video, please do not forget about us and our tragedy.

And one thank you from me. I am an adige living in Sweden and this video will help me to teach my friends about who I am. Every cerkez knows about what happend, and we will never forget.

Not so many years ago you could find Circassian elders that refuse to eat from the fish of the black sea, the fish that ate their forefathers. This was very enlightening, thank you.

In Israel there’s two Circassian villages. Despite being less than 5,000 people they’ve fiercely kept their culture alive.

This is never a topic I thought you'd cover, but I'm really glad you did. Thank you for covering this.

as a Georgian, glad to see, Tragic stories of Caucasus mountains are being spoken.

Great numbers of Circassians found refugee in Ottoman Empire. Yet even there they couldn’t find peace and Russian backed Armenian milita committed massacres upon them.

I met a circassian student and she was probably the most beautiful girl I've ever met. Difficult to generalize from an anecdote but I can believe their people are very beautiful.

I am a descendant of Circassians that were deported to the Ottoman Empire. Many died on those ships. My ancestors were made to settle in a swamp where even more died of disease. They were not safe even after being deported but at least the Ottomans accepted them. My family name was Turkified by the government but some Circassians can still recognize it, especially the elders. Thank you for covering the genocide.

As an adygha living in Jordan i cried for the thought of what my grandparents had to go through to keep their lineage alive. Thank you and well done.

Georgia is the only country who Recognises Circassian genocide Russian rule was horrible for Caucasia

Great video! The world needs to know more about these events and recognize it as a genocide. So far Georgia is the ONLY country, which recognized the Circassian Genocide, which is a shame!

We have many Circassian families here in Egypt who become politicians and businessmen.

Honestly, I have thought that no Western historical channel will talk about Circassian Genocide but because of Ukraine war they made video about it.

I want to thank you for this video on behalf of all my people and my ancestors. This was the only real documentary prepared very well about Circassian Genocide.God bless you 🙏

As a Circassian of Turkey, I thank KG on behalf of a community whose story is almost lost to history. We’ll never forget 1864, and also that the shores of Northern Black Sea was home to many prosperous indigenous peoples of the Caucasus (and Crimea) before Russian incursions, be it Tatars, Kabardians, Kumyk Turks and our Adyghe people. Our ancestors had to endure being treated like uncivilized, "barbaric" folk merely "blocking" the Russian passage to the Black Sea harbors, so they had to suffer the worst. TODAY, as of this moment, this same Russian mentality of a similar agenda is trying to swipe Ukraine of her lands, causing much bloodshed and suffering to the people of the Russian borderlands. We’ll never forget 1864, and keep on trying to make the Turkish government recognize the genocide, whose banner is home the largest diaspora of Circassians is located in the world.

Thank you as a Circassian living in Turkey. Some of my relatives still live in our homeland and they come Turkey every summer to see us

This is one of your best videos. I found the part about Zass sending skulls to his "academic friends in Berlin" particularly chilling, even more so considering it in the context of the twisted history of the pseudoscience of phrenology. As a Pole, I also have a sad reflection on how the Russian Empire (like many other empires) was using the people it conquered and oppressed on one of its edges, against others in a similar situation elsewhere. For example, some Circasians in Russian service took part in putting down the Polish uprising in 1831 (one particularly interesting insurgent - Antonina Tomaszewska reportedly distinguished herself in a skirmish against a Circassian cavalry unit). After that uprising, many Poles were forcibly conscripted into the imperial army and sent to fight in the Caucasus.

Thank you for working on this documentary! It's done very well and covers a lot. I've been following your channel for a long time and I'm really happy that you guys covered this topic. The Circassian genocide is the darkest page of whole Caucasian War, which brought years of distress to all peoples of Caucasus. Salam aleikum to Circassians from fellow Lezgi mountaineer.

You made us Circassians proud. We, as the grandchildren of our ancestors who suffered genocide, thank you for sharing this video.

Автор, я посылаю тебе свои объятия! Эта тема глубоко в сердцах всех Черкесов. Мы живем мечтой о возраждении нашей страны! Меня переполняет чувство благодарности, я тронут брат мой! К сожалению, все эти годы, мы были один на один с этой болью, и очень радует , что все чаще говорят об этом и придают огласке! Мы живы, мы выжили и сохранили свой кодекс чести! Спасибо за эту прекрасную работу!

As an Abaza this is the history of my ancestors. Thank you for this video!

I am a Circassian and thanks for the video here's another way to tell my children the story of our forefathers 💔

As a Turk I did know many people with Circassian roots. I never knew the background of these roots were this devastating :/

Excellent, beautifully explained and described. Fantastic maps, as always make everything fit into place. Hardly heard of this war, and had no idea of the extent of the genocide.

I did a whole giant study on this whole topic, its truly a tragedy but the Circassians put up one hell of a fight. The whole thing reminds me of the native Americans wars as it does happen contemporaranously

As a Turkish; I have to praise Circassians. They are such well-mannered, trustworthy, honorable and civilized folk. Since they've had put their foot to the Turkish soil, they became beneficial for Turkiye/Crumbling Ottoman Empire. Circassians had many biggest role during the Turkish war of independence and foundation of modern republic. But one thing that makes me sad and felt ashamed is somehow we hadn't managed to help to preserve their culture well. We must recognize Circassian genocide and support their federations by the hand of government to keep their culture and language alive among them.

As a proud Circassian, I feel a deep sense of honor and pride in my heritage. The rich history, vibrant culture, and strong traditions of the Circassian people have shaped who I am today. Our bravery, resilience, and love for our land are qualities that I hold dear. The Circassian people have overcome numerous challenges throughout history, and yet we have managed to preserve our unique identity. Our language, customs, and traditional attire are a testament to our unwavering commitment to our heritage. I am proud to be part of a community that values honor, hospitality, and loyalty. Our deep-rooted respect for our elders and the importance we place on family and community bonds are values that I cherish and strive to uphold. It is through channels like yours that we can broaden our understanding of the world, fostering empathy and compassion. By highlighting the Circassian Genocide, you contribute to the preservation of historical memory, ensuring that the suffering endured by the Circassian people is not forgotten.

Thank you for covering this unknown part of history.

I came to know Circassians through there music and dance. And lord, what a beautiful culture it is. It made reflect, how much has humanity lost to wars and genocides that wiped out some of the tribes and cultures of the world!?

As a Circassian, I thank you for this excellent video… our ancestors fight, beyond courage, has not been in vain. Hope we/next generations could keep their flag high, remain worthy of it 🤲🏻

long live the Circassians. Great people. valiant. beautiful. noble. respectful people. Your contribution to middle eastern culture will not be forgotten. Your names will live on. I am glad that more work is being done on genocides done against muslims in the balkan and caucuses. A subject that receives little attention... no body wants to remember that there were millions of native muslims who were ethnically cleansed from there. Love from Beirut

It's the first time a documentary made me cry. Poor people.

FINALLY!!! More people need to know about this. One of the oldest peoples of Europe, gone in just a couple of years...

I'm not Circassian, it just makes me happy to see that atrocities and injustices like these are brought to light and aren't forgotten. Greetings from Sweden, Leve Cirkassien! 😇

Ramadan Mubarak to all our brothers and sisters suffering at the hands of oppressive powers

I will never forget what I saw in the port of Novorossiisk, seventeen thousand Circassians gathered on the shore. Those who saw their situation, whether they were Christians, Muslims or irreligious, could not stand it and collapsed. In the cold of winter, in the snow, homeless, without food, and without proper clothing, these people were afflicted by typhoid fever, typhus, and smallpox. It was heartbreaking just to see it, the corpse of a weak woman dumped in the garbage with her two babies, one struggling for life, the other looking for food on her mother's breast. Such scenes were not uncommon at all. This sad page, which is a disgrace in Russian history, has caused great damage in terms of Circassian history. (Adolf Petrovich Berzhe, Russian researcher)

Our National poet Taras Shevchenko even wrote a poem on this conquest as he was alive during this historical period: Mighty mountains, row on row, blanketed with cloud, Planted thick with human woe, laved with human blood. Chained to a rock, age after age Prometheus there bears Eternal punishment - each day His breast the eagle tears. It rends the heart but cannot drain The life-blood from his veins - Each day the heart revives again And once again is gay. Our spirit never can be downed, Our striving to be free. The sateless one will never plow The bottom of the sea. The vital spirit he can’t chain, Or jail the living truth. He cannot dim the sacred flame, The great god’s fame on earth. ’Tis not for us to duel with Thee! Not ours the right to judge Thy deeds! Ours but to weep ana weep, and weeping, To knead the daily bread we eat With tears and sweat and blood unending. We groan beneath the yoke of hangmen, While drunken justice sodden sleeps. Oh, when will justice rise at last? And God, when wilt Thou give Thyself from all Thy toil a rest? - And let the people live! Yet we believe in Thy great might And in the living soul. There shall be liberty and right! And then to Thee alone All tongues will pray, all heads will bow For ever and ever. But in the meantime, rivers flow, The blood of men in rivers! Mighty mountains, row on row, blanketed with cloud, Planted thick with human woe, laved with human blood. ’Twas there that We, the Gracious [60], found Poor freedom hiding ’mid the crags (A hungry thing, and all in rags), And sick’d our dogs to drag her down. A host of soldiers on those hills Gave up their lives. And as for blood!? All emperors could drink their fill, In widows’ tears alone they could Be drowned together with their seed! The sweetheart’s tears, in secret shed! Unsolaceable mothers’ tears! The heavy tears of fathers hoary! Not streams, but veritable seas Of blazing tears! So - Glory! Glory! To hounds, and keepers of the hounds, And to our rulers golden-crowned Glory! And glory, mountains blue, to you, In ageless ice encased! And glory, freedom’s knights, to you, Whom God will not forsake. Keep fighting - you are sure to win! God helps you in your fight! For fame and freedom march with you, And right is on your side! A hut, a crust - but all your own, Not granted by a master’s grace, No lord to claim them for his own, No lord to drive you off in chains. With us, it’s different! We can read, The Gospel of the Lord we know!... And from the dankest dungeon deep Up to the most exalted throne - We’re all in gold and nakedness. Come, learn from us! We’ll teach you what The price of bread is, and of salt! We’re Christian folk: with shrines we’re blest, We’ve schools, and wealth, and we have God! Just One thing does not give us rest: How is it that your hut you’ve got Without our leave; how is it we To you, as to a dog a bone, Your crust don’t toss! How can it be That you don’t pay us for the sun! And that is all! We’re Christian folk, We are not heathens - here below We want but little!... You would gain! If only you’d make friends with us, There’s much that you would learn from us! Just look at all our vast domains - Boundless Siberia alone! And prisons - myriads! Peoples - throngs! From the Moldavian to the Finn All silent are in all their tongues Because such great contentment reigns! With us, a priest the Bible reads And then to teach the flock proceeds About a king of ancient times, [61] Who took to bed his best friend’s bride, And slew the friend he wronged besides... Now he’s in heaven! See the kind We send to heaven! You’re denied, As yet, our holy Christian light! Come, learn from us! With us, it’s loot, But pay the shot. And straight to God, And take your family to boot! Just look at us! What don’t we know? We count the stars, and flax we grow. And curse the French. We trade or sell, And sometimes lose in cards as well, Live souls... not Negroes... our own stock, And Christians, too... but common folk. We don’t steal slaves! No, God forbid! We do not trade in stolen goods. We act according to the rules!... You love your brother as is writ Within the Golden Rule?! O damned by God, O hypocrites, O sacrilegious ghouls! Not for your brother’s soul you care, But for your brother’s hide! And off your brother’s back you tear: Rich furs for daughter’s pride. A dowry for your bastard child, And slippers for your spouse. And for yourself, things that your wife Won’t even know about! For whom, O Jesus, Son of God, Then wert Thou crucified? For us good folks, or for the word Of truth... Or to provide A spectacle at which to laugh? That’s what has come to pass. Temples and chapels, icons and shrines, And candlesticks, and myrrh [62] incense. And genuflexion, countless times Before Thy image, giving thanks For war and loot and rape and blood,- To bless the fratricide they beg Thee, Then gifts of stolen goods they bring Thee, From gutted homes part of the loot!... We’re civilised! And we set forth To enlighten others, To make them see the sun of truth.... Our blind, simple brothers!! We'll show you everything! If but Yourselves to us you’ll yield. The grimmest prisons how to build, How shackles forge of steel, And how to wear them!... How to pleat The cruellest knouts! - Oh yes, we’ll teach You everything! If but to us Your mountains blue you’ll cede, The last... because your seas and fields We have already seized. And you, my good Yakov, you also were driven To die in those mountains! Your life you have given For your country’s hangmen, and not for Ukraine, Your life clean and blameless. ’Twas vour fate to drain The Muscovite goblet, the full, fatal draught! Oh friend good and noble, who’ll be never forgot! Now wander, free spirit, all over Ukraine And with the brave Cossacks soar over her coast, Keep watch o’er the grave mounds on her spreading plains, Ana weep with the Cossacks o’er all of her woes, And wait-till from prison I come home again, And in the meantime - I shall sow My thoughts, my bitter tears, My words of wrath. Oh, let them grow And whisper with the breeze. The gentle breezes from Ukraine Will lift them up with dew And carry them to you, my friend!... And when they come to you, You’ll welcome them with tender tears And read each heartfelt line... The mounds, the steppes, the sea and me They’ll bring back to your mind. I don't know if the English translation catches his sarcasm, just keep that in mind, he wrote those words with sarcasm turned to 11.

I've read a bit about the Circassians. The men were brave noble warriors. The women were said to be the most beautiful on earth. They were a fine brave noble people. I hope they unite as a people, and have their own homeland. Good luck to the Circassian people.

Another unspeakable act committed by the people of Muscovy.

As a Circassian who live in Turkey , i thank You for this video about Circassian Genocide. I believe that Inshallah we will return to the land of our ancestors. Our martyries rest in peace.

The Circassians are the European Samurais, true warriors with endless love for freedom.

There is also a myth that some villages in Circassia are called "red.." because of all the blood of the Circassians. Thanks for covering this topic.

so gut-wrenching to watch the historical suffering of the Circassian people be encompassed into 23 minutes long documentary the most credible & justly representation I've seen so far, it makes me more proud to be Circassian knowing how long they fought against russian aggression, shows how stubborn & righteous the Circassians are, thank you for showing the truth.

The circassians of Syria and Jordan are loved by the their respective communities, they helped found many cities along the Syrian coast and in central Syria. They were proficient soldiers in Jordan, making up the kings guard and highly influential in Syrian society.

As a half Circassian Turk, thank you for covering this. Sadly Circassian people never recovered the genocide and majority have been assimilated to local populations they live side by side. None of my relatives speak a word of their language and know anything about their culture, they just know they are of Circassian origin. It is really sad to see Russia is trying to do the same, in this era, while the whole world is watching.

Thank you for opening this topic to the public

On behalf of all Circassians, I want to thank you for your work. The topic of the Circassian genocide in Russia is carefully hushed up. We have been living under occupation for 160 years. I hope the empire will die soon and the Circassians will become free. The Circassian diaspora is scattered all over the world in 50 states, their number numbers from 4 to 8 million people, no one knows the exact figure. I really hope that we will find our lost homeland after the collapse of the Russian Empire.

As a romanian, seeing this makes my blood boil in anger toward the russians. Everywhere they went, they destroyed, killed, deported, and annihilated life in the most brutal ways. They didn't give anything good to the world, only despair, death, and corruption. Everything they touch turns to shit. It makes me sick to see the Russians pride themselves now on Sochi city, which was built over the corpses of the circassians and other indigenous people. We should do what we can to support the war in Ukraine against the Russians. As eastern Europeans it's a unique moment to get some payback time against those animals who brought only suffering. Poles, baltics, hungarians, romanians, georgians, caucasus people, we all have dark and brutal memories in our history linked to the russians.

One interesting fact: Pavel Tsitsianov ( a russian general ,which was mentioned in video) who was well known for his hate toward Caucasus , was himself a native caucasian , georgian. And his original last name is Tsitsishvili.

Finally, someone made a video about this topic. As a person,whose grandad was a Circassian, thank you:)

The fact that the 2012 Olympic games were held in the city Sochi, the home of the Circassian Ubykh tribe which was wiped out to the last man standing, even their language was extent, and nobody even talked about this fact at the time was mind bowling to every Circassian and beyond our understanding.

Great work , thank you for putting some light on this forgotten tragedy.

I love Ciscassions, salam to you all from Chechnya.

I have no idea that these poor folks had such a tragic history at the hands of the Russians. Thank you for educating me.

The sad part is that Caucasians people are still discriminated against in Russian society to this day.

Fascinating and exceedingly sad. Thank you for bringing this out.

💔💔💔💔💔Our Habze and our worldview was so deeply based on generosity and dignity. My people couldn't accept and couldn't adapt to what was coming. This cruel genocide. I'm watching and just can't hold the tears.

Спасибо автору за освящение истории черкесов. Мы живы и всё помним. Да здравствует свобода!

Oh well it was weird to see my favourite RU-vid channel who taught me about many different battles around the World, different times and eras; now made a documentary about the very struggles that my ancestors had to go through and it is amazing to see that their history is not forgotten yet. Thank you for this video, and I hope now you will dive deep into the Circassian history and their valiant battles against the empire. Let’s meet next week for a video titled, “The Battle Of Kanzhal (1708), The Great Circassian Warfare” ? & again thank you !

im circassian living in Kabardino balkaria, russia. i was crying the whole video and thinking about how anything didnt change. russians have fascism is in their blood. but we still lift and hold our head high

The more I learn about my country the more I become ashamed of being Russian. I live in Australia so I do not learn much about Russian colonisation only about English and French colonisation. This should be taught in all schools.

Salam from Chechnya to our neighbors adiga 🤝🏻

Very informative. Thanks for the video!

The Circassians defended their lands so fiercely against the russian empire that it took 101 years. This is the longest war in russia history. Circassian resistance war should be a movie

I had no idea, thanks for sharing!

From one mountainous inhabitant 🇳🇵 to the other, my heart goes out for all the Circassian brothers and sisters world-wide. Maybe one day, humanity will finally shed its barbarity and cruelty. One day it is.