| Erdenchimeg Gansukh Эрдэнэчимэг Гансүхийн (Mongolian) Гансух Эрденчимег (Russian) | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 3, 1955 Urga, Russian Empire(  Uaanbaatar, Mongolia) |
| Residence | Sükhbaatar, Mongolia |
| Nationality | Mongolia |
| Ethnicity | Mongol |
| Citizenship | Mongolia Russia |
| Occupation | politician, educator |
| Religion | Mongolian Orthodox |
Erdenchimeg Gansukh (Mongolian Cyrllic: Эрдэнэчимэг Гансүхийн, Classical Mongolian: 
, born January 3, 1955) also known in Russia by Baron Gansukh Batbayarevich Erdenchimeg (Russian: Гансух Батбаяревич Эрденчимег) is a Mongolian-Russian philosopher, educator, author and politician, who is currently the leader of the Movement of the Bogd Khan party, a monarchist party in Mongolia.
He is most famous for various works on the development and preservation of Mongolic languages, and wrote the Mongol Cause (Mongolian: Монгол шалтгаан, Russian: Монгольское дело), looking to form a Russian-aligned United Mongolic State, and advocated for stronger ties between Tibetan Buddhists and Russian Orthodox. However, parts of it remained suppressed until the modern-days, such as the promotion of an autocephalous Mongolian Orthodox Church, as he would have been seen as anti-Russian material back in the day.
He joined the Mongol National Revival during the 1980s, and was supported by Russian general Pavel Potapov who was of Buryat ethnicity. After Mongolia gained independence in 1989, Erdenchimeg Gansukh became Foreign Minister, and attempted to mend ties between Independent Mongolia and Russia.
However, he, as well as General Potapov and General Boris Mamanov (another Buryat), began to seriously oppose Governor-General Davaadorjin Ganbold, favoring a constitutional Bogd Khanate, and the last straw was pulled when General Davaadorjin declared war against Russia for control of Buryatia, when Erdenchimeg had been attempting to settle negotiations with the Russians.
Between 1991 to 1993, Erdenchimeg, Potapov and Mamanov led the White Mongolian forces against the Red government of Davaadorjin, but were defeated, and lived in exile in Russia between 1993 and 2003. Potapov and Mamanov became repatriated Russian citizens. Erdenchimeg too, became a Russian citizen, and accepted the noble title of Baron, becoming one of the few non-military leaders to bear that title.
In 2003, the new democratic government allowed Erdenchimeg and the White Mongolians back, where they supported the restoration and autocephaly of the Mongolian Orthodox Church. Together with Metropolitan (later Patriarch) Nicholas I, they formed the Movement of the Bogd Khan, a Russophilic monarchist party.
Life[]
Gansukh was born in the city of Urga (today Ulaanbaatar) to a Khalkha Mongol father, Erdenchimeg Ganbaatar and a Buryat mother, Biserka Bogdanovna Urzhinova. The family was nominally Tibetan Buddhists, and were of humble upbringing. However, his father landed a job as a civil engineer in Saint Petersburg, and they thus, re-located to Saint Petersburg, where he attended the Saint Petersburg Lyceum. He became a well-known exemplary student, and as he recalls, was able to date many Russian women.
Due to the frequent bullying he received, as many suspected he was a Chinese, because of his "slink-eyes", he joined a martial arts dojo, headed by a Imperial Russian veteran, and self-taught himself Mongolian wrestling. As he recalls, it was to develop a "hard-side" of himself. He joined the lyceum's wrestling team in his final year, and helped them win competitions against other lyceums.
Academic Career[]
Erdenchimeg became a professor of Asiatic Studies at the Port Arthur Grand Royal Polytechnic, he also worked as a professor of Russian in China.
Political Career[]
Mongol National Revival[]
Gansukh joined the Mongol National Revival, headed mainly by Governor-General Davaadorjiin Ganbold. However, the two had radically opposing ideologies, and did not know one another before Gansukh had joined. Gansukh's idea of a United Mongol State was one that included Khalkha, Buryatia and Inner Mongolia, but one that was still Russian-aligned.
Foreign Minister of Mongolia[]
Erdenchimeg was hired as the Foreign Minister of the Independent State of Mongolia. Although the Russians rejected the independence, made no serious attempts to keep Outer Mongolia. Therefore, Erdenchimeg was involved in negotiations with Russian authorities, and because of his pro-Russian stance, Russians were willing to discuss terms with him.
Leader of White Mongolians 1991-1993[]
However at the same time, General Davaadorjin declared war against Russia, destroying all hopes for negotiations, and seriously angering Erdenchimeg. Eventually, Erdenchimeg proclaimed himself Mongolia's Head of State, to oppose General Davaadorjin. Erdenchimeg was not only supported by Russians, but also by Generals Potapov and Mamonov, who considered him the Head of State.
Unfortunately, with a growing China and even limited American support for General Davaadorjin, the Mongolian Conflict of 1991-1993 commenced, a quasi-civil war between Erdenchimeg's forces, who were known by foreign powers as the "White Mongolians" against the "Red" government of Davaadorjin Ganbold, both proclaimed to be Mongolian nationalists.
Erdhenchimeg ordered that White Mongolian forces protect Russians, and Orthodox in the country, often-not, helping fleeing Russians and Mongolian Orthodox flee Russia, which was noted by Russian authorities. After the Battle of Sukhbaatar, a home base for White Mongolians in the republic, General Pavel Grachev authorized for Russian military personnel to help fleeing White Mongolians.
Exile in Russia 1993-2003[]
When General Wassily Felgenhauer became Procurator General of Russia in 1994, he promised the White Mongolians that he would help them avenge their loss, and agreed to fortify Buryatia. He also provided additional protections for the White Mongolians. In 1995, Her Majesty, Empress Maria I Vladimirovna crowned many White Mongolian leaders as barons for their role in support of the Tsarist state, as well as White Mongolians.
Return to Mongolia 2003-present[]
In 2003, Mongolia's government had been in the process of democratizing, and making its government multi-polar. Naranbaataryn Odgerel, the Mongolian president expressed that the nation could only thrive with a diversity in political viewpoints. Thus, President Naranbaataryn lifted the ban on White Mongolians, and declared that end of martial law in the city of Sukhbaatar.
Erdenchimeg Gansukh was eventually allowed to re-enter Mongolia and reclaim his properties. However, the majority of Mongolians by this point, had embraced Red ideology, and favored being under Chinese influence.
Leader of the Bogd Khanate Movement[]
In 2004, Erdenchimeg found the Bogd Khanate Movement (Mongolian: Богд хаант улсын хөдөлгөөн, Bogd khaant ulsyn khödölgöön), and stress that Mongols and Russians were allies. He, along with a mix of Mongolians and Russians also helped provide fundings to renovate and revive Mongolian Orthodox churches in the country, which had been under states of neglect under the Red government of the 1990s.
Although stereotypically seen as a White Mongolian project, Erdenchimeg stressed that all Mongolians are welcomed regardless of their political affiliation, and a number of Red-leading Mongolian Orthodox did take interest.
However, Erdenchimeg also supported the autocephaly of the Mongolian Orthodox Church, but did stress that he wanted the process of be amicable, and done without damaging relations with Russians or the Moscow Patriarchate. For the most part, Russian Orthodox were understanding of Erdenchimeg's goal. He also supported the restoration of the Classical Mongolian script, both in Mongolia and Russia alike, but also supported keeping the use of Cyrillic.
In 2005, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople granted the Mongolian church autocephaly, becoming the first autocephalous Orthodox church in Asia. The agreement was that the churches within the Republic of Mongolia can be under the control of the new Ulaanbaatar Patriarchate.