Dudalany, Makhmut (Dudov, Makhmud)

Famous human rights activist of the 20th century. Dedicated his entire life to making the world community acquainted with the history and practice of USSR's national policies in the north Caucasus. In the Soviet motherland, his named was pilloried and cursed at. He was presented as the enemy of the people. People were persecuted for a good word about him.

Makhmut Dudalany (pseudonyms: Ramazan Karcha, Makhmut Aslanbek) was born in 1908 in Greater Karachay.

After the October revolution 1917, due to his princely origin (the Dudovs, princes by their titles, belonged to Karachayevan aristocracy) was persecuted by the Bolsheviks. Managed to receive university degree (1936) and start working as an instructor in Mikoyan-Shakhar (now the city of Karachayevsk). Made some scientific research in the field of national folklore.

During the WWII was taken captive, deported to the camps in Italy, later in Austria. Upon the end of the war, like all Wehrmacht's captives, was liberated, but finding it too risky to return home after the German captivity was forced to move to Turkey (1948-1949). Taught Russian and Russian literature in University of Ankara, married a Karachayevan of the immigrant community, Sevim Abakaeva; Makhmud's first wife deceased in deportation. During the work in University of Ankara, published two fundamental works on the life of Karachayevo-Balkars (under the pseudonyms of Makhmut Aslanbek and Ramazan Karcha).

In 1951, Makhmut Aslanbek (Dudov) published in Munich an article in English and, several months later, in Russian entitled Extermination of the Karachayevan People by the Soviets; in 1952, his book The Tragedy of Karachayevan and Balkar Turkic People is published in Turkish in Ankara.

In 1955-1956, when the Soviet press continued keeping silent about the destiny of the deported nations, articles Soviet national policy and genocide by Vassan-Girey Djagabi, Genocide in the North Caucasus by Ramazan Karcha (Makhmut Dudalany), and First News of the Karachayevans' and Balkars' Destiny by B. Baytugan are published in Munich in the Caucasian Review magazine.

Made weekly presentations in the North Caucasian department of Radio Liberty with the denunciations of the multiple cases of lawlessness in the Soviet state. Due to Makhmud Dudov's efforts through different European mass media, the world found out of a Soviet regime's brutal action - deportation of the Karachayevo-Balkar people. Since then, did not cease to cover the hard and rightless situation of his people in the "most just and humane country of the world".

From 1950 to 1967, conducted scientific research activities living in the USA.

Starting 1971, was the editor-in-chief of the North Caucasus department of the Soviet Union Research Institute in Munich; in 1971, due to a surgery and the consequent disability resigned and moved back to the United States. Deceased in 1980 at the age of 71.

Makhmut Dudalany, a Karachayevan, as well A. Avtorkhanov, a Chechen, is widely known in the West. Wherever lived and worked M. Dudov, his thoughts were always of his native people and of the Caucasus.