Рамиев Мухамметзакир

Kind of activity: goldminer, one of the richest person in Russia, poet

Muhkammetzakir Ramiev

Years of life: 1859-1921

Creative biography:

During his lifetime he was well-known among Tatars as the founder together with his brother Mukhmmadshakir of the newspaper “Vakyt” (“Time”) and magazine “Shura” (“Council”), as the publisher of books of the Tatar writers, as the patron of tens of national schools in Orenburg province, students-tatars, studying in higher educational institutions of Russia and abroad.

The future patron of art and poet was born on November, 23, 1859 in the Zirgan village (Zhirgen) of Sterlitamak district of the Orenburg province. His father Mukhammdsadyk bought a soap factory in the Orenburg province in 1862 year and in 7 years he opened his first mine on gold mining. His sons Mukhametzakir and Mukhammadshakir branched out the business of their father and to the beginning of the XXth century they owned twenty gold mines in the territory of nowadays Bashkortostan and Chelyabinsk region which brought them a big income.

His mother taught Zakir and his brother Shakir reading and writing – Tatar and Russian. Then they studied at initial Muslim school after it two winters in Orsk city, then in Madrassas in the Mullkaevo village that was 70 km from the native house. Zakir left there for Turkey for two years. He studied in Istanbul, mastered privately the Turkish language and literature and other subjects.

Zakir was a public person – he was several times elected to the Orenburg State Duma, entered the provincial bureau of cadet party, in 1906 he was elected the deputy ofI state Duma where he was included into Muslim fraction. In July 1917 he participated in Kazan in All-Russia Muslim Kurlutai. In the end of November All-Bashkir Kurlutai which took placein Orenburg declared the creation of the Bashkir Republic. First of all the republic declared all mineral resources and over-grounded resources on its territory as a state ownership – Ramievs mines, certainly, too.

On Juanuary 23, 1918, the power in Orenburg passed to the Bolsheviks. The “Vakyt” and “Shura” ceased to be issued. Together with Valiev Zakir Valiev, a head of printing establishment personally passed the printing establishment totthe Counsil of workers, peasants, and soldier deputies and in a month having left his home, property, the richest library in Orenburg, 59 years old Zakir Ramiev with his family moved to Orsk.

He communicated on national affairs with Abdulla Davletshin, a young and quite educated commissioner, met with local intelligence. In autumn of 1921 after a trip to Orenburg to the funeral of his oldest daughter Ummugulsum who died of typhus Zakir Ramiev fell severely ill and a week later he died. It happened on October 9, 1921. Heart of the patriot failed, who on his own means constructed tens of mosques, schools and hospitals on the territory of modern Bashkortostan, who brought a considerable contribution to thedevelopment of culture, education of Tatar and Bashkir people. Memory of him is honoured not only in Tatariya, but also in Bashkortostan.