The History of Kyrgyz Printing
Printing in Kyrgyzstan
On November 7, 1924, the first issue of the newspaper "Erkin-Too" ("Free Mountains") was published. This is the first newspaper in the history of the Kyrgyz people in their native language.
The first copies of the newspaper also served as the first alphabet through which the people learned to read and write. Initially, "Erkin-Too" was published twice a week with a total circulation of 3,000 copies. There were only 150 regular subscribers to the newspaper.
In 1927, it was renamed "Kyzyl-Kyrgyzstan," and from 1956 it was called "Soviet Kyrgyzstan."
In the Kyrgyz SSR, 60 republican, regional, and district newspapers were published with a one-time circulation of 732,000 copies and 16 magazines with an annual circulation of 9 million copies.
On March 23, 1925, the first issue of the newspaper "Batyratskaya Pravda" was published in Russian in Kyrgyzstan. From July 1925, it was published under the name "Krest'yanskiy Put'," and from 1927 — "Soviet Kyrgyzstan."
From the very first days of its existence, the newspaper became a powerful weapon in the struggle for the unwavering implementation of Lenin's national policy. Following Lenin's testament, it serves as a collective agitator, a fiery propagandist, and an organizer of the masses.
On November 7, 1926, the birthday of two more printed media of the republic: the first issues of the youth newspaper "Leninchil Zhas" ("Young Leninist") and the magazine "Kommunist" (now "Kommunist of Kyrgyzstan") were published in the native language. They quickly gained authority among readers.
On September 30, 1926, the Presidium of the Executive Committee of the Kyrgyz Autonomous Region approved the charter of the first publishing house of the republic "Kyrgyzmambas," now "Kyrgyzstan." In its first year of existence, the publishing house released 26 books and brochures with a total circulation of 66,000 copies. Books were published in Kyrgyz, Russian, and Dungan languages, translated from 22 languages of the peoples of the USSR. The publishing house was awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples.
The beginning of the systematic publication of the works of V. I. Lenin in the Kyrgyz language dates back to 1926, when the leader's works "Tasks of Youth Unions" were published with a circulation of 1,500 copies, along with a collection under the general title "On Cooperation" — 2,000 copies.
A complete collection of the works of V. I. Lenin has been published in the Kyrgyz language.
Printing and Book Publishing in Kyrgyzstan during the Soviet Period
