Klych, Sultan-Girey

One of the leaders of anti-Bolshevik resistance in the Northern Caucasus in the years of Civil war, commander of The Wild Division.

Duke by origin. Was born in 1880 in the village of Uyala (according to alternative data, in the city of Maykop). Graduated from the Cadet Corps and Military College. Participated in the suppression of the 1905-1907 Revolution. In the years of the WWI, served in the cavalry of the Russian Army. In summer 1917, was a colonel and a member of Kornilov's Attack. In early 1918, was in the Kuban area, commanded the Cherkessian Cavalry Regiment. On March 25, 1918, was promoted to major general for the battle distinction at the promotion of the Kuban Region Commander-in-Chief. By the fall, was appointed the Commander of the Second Brigade of the First Cavalry Division, and on December 21 - the Commander of Cherkessian Cavalry Division, the so-called Wild Division. In 1920, after the White Guards' defeat and their evacuation to the Crimea, crossed the border of Georgian Republic together with the remainders of his Division at the permission of the Georgian Government; in Georgia, was interned. Later, left for the Crimea; from the Crimea, left for the Karachay region of the Northern Caucasus, following the order of general P.N. Vrangel, to organize the "white-green detachments". Commanding the newly formed detachments, was defeated in the battles with the Red Army and escaped to Georgia again. In spring 1921, emigrated abroad. In emigration, became one of the leaders of nationalistic People Party of the Northern Caucasus Highlanders fighting for the separation of the Northern Caucasus from the USSR and the creation of the North-Caucasian Republic. Was the member of the Party's Central Committee, was a member of Caucasus's Independence Committee composed of the leaders of Georgian, Armenian, Azerbaijani, and highlander nationalists. After the WWII started, organized a number of "national committees" together with other Caucasian and Transcaucasian activists and took active part in forming highlanders' armed units on Wehrmacht's side. In early 1943, the Caucasian Division created by Klych was transferred to Italy, where it was taken prisoners in Oberdrauburg by the Englishmen in May 1945. On May 29, Sultan-Girey Klych was delivered to Judenburg among 125 Caucasian officers and remitted to NKVD (USSR's People's Committee of the Interior). On January 17, 1947, at the verdict by the Military Collegium of the USSR Supreme Court was hanged together with other Cossack officers - White Guard emigrants who fought on Germany's side.