Tengiz Simashvili
article was published in Javakhishvili State University Transactions,
XIV, Meridian,
2018 Tbilisi
Stalin,
Nizharadze
and Cult of Moon
“In the mind of Georgian people
St. George has a place of
the old main pagan deity of the
Georgians, the moon…”
Acad.
Ivane Javakhishvili
The
content of unpublished memoirs
of Aleksandre (Sandro) Tsikhitatrishvili – a son of Joseph Jughashvili’s
Godfather Mikhail Tsikhitatrishvili, dated by 1936 is quite interesting.
According to his words, “Comrade Stalin –
Joseph Jughashvili was my breast brother and my father Mikhaka* was a groomsman of Beso* together with Jacob Egnatashvili.1 (See Document № 1-6) Keke’s mother Melania was a
Godchild of my grandmother. Soso was born in December 1878, my father’s mother
Mariam helped Keke during the childbirth”. He wrote, “All
these circumstances make me dare to become prudent and consider myself
responsible to say all that I know, or I think it will be useful to fill out a
biography of our leader. Also, I consider myself obliged to say all that I have
heard from my parents”.2 I
stress this fact, because the memoirs
are largely subjective, but defamation of any non-objective information about
Stalin at that time was punished at least by forced displacement. Accordingly,
these memoirs, to some extent, may indeed be
a source of information reflecting the reality.
According
to Aleksandre Tsikhitatrishvili: “Jughashvili’s
ancestors were not born in Gori, they were living in Geri village of Gori
province in Liakhvi Gorge and like all inhabitants of this Gorge, they were
serfs of Machabeli. Geri St. George’s Icon was their main shrine”.3 Author of these memoirs gives us quite interesting
notes about Beso Jughashvili’s origin and his family. We read in these memoirs: “Current South Ossetia was inhabited by the Georgian Mokhevians before
the sixties* (the 19th c. – T.S.). After that Ossetians
started a mass migration and settlement. Many families became Ossetians,
partially Jughashvili as well, to be more precise, Jugashvili”.4
Herein,
initial settlement of the Georgian population on the above-mentioned
territories is substantiated by the author as follows: “The Georgians fought long before assimilation, and it is clear from the
old Georgian cemeteries with Georgian inscriptions in Java, Gupi and,
especially, in Roki Pass. In the following years, especially from the sixties,* these inscriptions have been disappeared
and they were replaced by the cemeteries with Ossetic inscriptions in Russian
transcription and surnames have Russian endings on them”.5
According
to Mikhail Tsikhitatrishvili, as a result of Ossetian migrants, a large number
of the Georgian population had to move in other parts of Georgia. Children of
Zura or Zaza, ancestor of Jughashvili, did the same and they settled in Lilo
village, close to Kakheti. “Beso and Keke
often mention Geri and used to go there for praying as far as it was their
ancestor’s shrine”.6
Tsikhitatrishvilis'
memoir
is interesting to us
for other reason, he writes: “The child
had a weak appearance that was a reason why parents hasten his baptism. Beso,
father of newly born Joseph, made him monk till the three years of age on the
name of Geri Icon, a main shrine of their family name – Jughashvili”.7 In old times in Georgia when
newly-born babies were close to death, family members were trying to baptism
them as soon as possible, first of all, it was considered that burial of person
must take place only after his baptism, and secondly, ceremony of baptism had a
function of protection from the illness.
The
author of the memories describes the tradition of “child tonsuring” (donation
of child to the Church) in Georgia, according to his description, ceremony of “child
tonsuring” was as follows: “from the
agreed day, child’s curls were set to grow… putting on him white garments which
were borrowed. Buying a lamb and growing it till the promised day. Beso did the
same. They put white clothes on the child and made hairdo. *After three years the lamb became a
sheep and Geristoba* was over.
Three days before the celebration Beso started his way from Gori with a bullock
cart, he visited to Geri icon with his family. Beso was carrying his son Joseph
on his shoulders that the icon could give him more blessings and longevity. A
priest from Geri held the thanksgiving service, the hair was cut, white clothes
were removed, colored clothes were put on and they left the place with the hope
that ancestral shrine would grow their child the happiest man”.7 The
author mentions herewith, that “Despite
holding the thanksgiving service, Soso (Joseph) had a weak body structure in
his childhood. Especially smallpox affected him, which almost killed him. It is
fact that Soso survived, but pockmark was left on his face and hands”.8
Stalin’s
mother, Ekaterine (Keke) Geladze proves her devotion concerning above-mentioned
Georgian pagan tradition in her memoire – “The
third child was a boy too. We accelerated baptism, not to be deceased without baptism;
my mother hangs St. George’s shana*
to the child’s neck and tolds to Beso: we should go to Gori for divine
sacrifice”.9 It is interesting, that Joseph Jughashvili’s
nickname Stalin is formed from the Russian word – “Stal” – steel, which was
called a hard iron by the Georgian metal-workers in old times.
About
the so called child “monk” tradition is narrated by Ivane Javakhishvili’s
opuses “in the village Arbo Geristoba, St. George’s icon is on 14-15 August
this celebration is called as Geristoba. Then it is on 21-22 August for the
second time, another is after one week on 28-29 August. There is always too
many people gathered there from the whole Kartli they sacrifice heifers, sheep
and cocks to St. George and promised is in white color; some people have child
monks”.10 Aleksandre Tsikhitatrishvili’s mother,
Mariam Tsikhitatrishvili*
confirms that his spouse Mikhail was a Godfather of Joseph Jughashvili.
According to her, after the death of two newly born children – “wife and husband (Keke and Beso) were
afraid to lose the third one and they were going to pray in the village Arbo
frequently”.11
it
is very interesting that in above-mentioned materials included accounts about
the tradition that was kept in Georgia from the paganism, from the period of
the moon deity worship. According to unpublished memoire by Ekaterine
Apshinadze, which I have discovered in the archive, Joseph Jughashvili visited
Telavi, in teacher Ilia Zarapishvili’s family. Ilia Zarapishvili was quite
educated person, correspondent of Georgian newspaper “Iveria” and public
figure. He was collecting ethnographic materials about moon deity, survived rituals
and traditions in Georgian region of Kakheti, and he handed those materials to
Ivane Javakhishvili.* By the
way, famous pedagogues and publicists acting in Telavi at that time, Nikoloz Mtvarelishvili,
Vasil Barnovi with Ilia Zarapishvili, were interested in study of moon cult
rituals, magic and its extension in Kakheti region.
In
Ekaterine Apshinaidze’s unpublished memories about Stalin we read that E.
Apshinaidze was grown up in Telavi, at Ilia Zarapishvili’s house.* According to Apshinaidze “Ilia Zarapishvili had a niece Keto
Zarapishvili… a teacher who was an active Social-Democrat”. 12 Ekaterine Apshinaidze was quite close
to him and doing her best to help him, even “she was keeping gun bullets (?!)”.
According
Ekaterine Apshinaidze, she saw Joseph Jughashvili (Stalin) at Ilia Zarapishvili’s
house. She heard from Ilia Zarapishvili that the guest was a good man. In
accordance to Ekaterine Apshinaidze's description, he was “a swarthy, man with a pockmarked face, and Keto told me that he was
Jughashvili, called Koba… There was a meeting in the morning in Mukhiani. It
was in the middle of spring”.13 From the analysis of other materials we can
consider that the story is about spring of 1906 when a social-democratic party
meeting was held near Telavi on the place called Mukhiani and Stalin was attending
on this meeting. (See
documents №№ 7, 7a)
This
fact is confirmed by the information available in unpublished memoires of
Telavi residents, old revolutionaries kept in the fonds of party archive of the
Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. They are about Joseph Jughashvili’s
(Stalin) visits in Telavi and nearby villages and revolutionary activities held
there. Namely, in one unpublished documents whose authors are Telavi residents,
it is noted: “Joseph Jughashvili visited
Telavi in spring 1906 and as we remember Comrade Koba stayed in Telavi more
than two months. Comrade Koba was not in Telavi permanently. He was going to
different villages of Telavi with Khareba Jibuti, Bitskinashvili Solia, where
they were helding peasants’ illegal meetings... under Comrade Koba's guidance
they formed a Red Detachment against Black Detachments of nobility. Leaders of
the detachment were Aleksa Karaulashvili, Khareba Jibuti, Solia Bitskinashvili,
*Melitona, Akvsenti Sidamonidze and
others”.14 (See documents №№ 8, 8a)
Documents
preserved in the Archive of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia indicate that
during and after the
Russian Revolution of
1905-1907, the Social Democratic Party (Bolsheviks and Mensheviks) actively
used terrorist methods to attack
the Tsar’s authority. Stalin was one of the leader and supported Social
Democratic Party terrorist groups. Testimony of using those methods can be found in the
memoirs of Bachua (Samuel) Kuprashvili, a well-known Bolshevik, terrorist,
thief, and Joseph Jughashvili’s (Stalin’s) companion-in-arms. Bachua Kuprashvili was one of the members
of the
Bolshevik group who stole
250,000 rubles during 1907 Tbilisi bank robbery also know as Yerevan Square
expropriation. He wrote: “In 1906, by Stalin’s initiative, the Bolshevik Voevaya
Druzhina* was formed, and
co-existed with the Bolshevik Party’s Caucasus Bureau. The group was tasked
with gathering and keeping weapons, which were dispersed among people after the
uprising; taking care of partisans; converting their partisan activities into
revolutionary (Bolshevik) activities; selecting the best among them and
bringing them into the Bolshevik organization; planning the Bolsheviks’ prison
breaks; stealing arms; expropriating treasury money; and others”.15
According
to the unpublished memoirs of revolutionary Kote Gurgenishvili, besides the
aforementioned persons, Joseph Vissarionovich Jughashvili (Stalin) also
participated in the meetings of “Red Detachments”, which were taking place in
Kakheti. “On January 12, under comrade
Stalin’s leadership, a meeting at the headquarters of the regional “Red
Detachment” of Kartli-Kakheti was held in Kakheti in a small town – Sagaredjo”.16
***
I found out
quite interesting
materials about Joseph Jughashvili (Stalin) in “Ilia Chavchavadze’s* Murder Investigation Case of Tbilisi Criminal
Investigation Department” kept in the Central Historical Archive of Georgia.
In a few days
after Ilia Chavchavadze’s murder, an operating officer of Tbilisi Criminal
Investigation Department, someone called Pitskhelauri writes two letters to Piotr Evtushevsky, head of Tbilisi
Criminal Investigation Department.* Actually they are unofficial
notifications about the identity of the persons participating in this murder. Here
is a translation of the Russian text:
“Dear Piotr Alexandrovich! Ilia Mtskheteli resident of village Mtskheta,
Dusheti District, should know about Ilia Chavchavadze’s murder. If he did not
participate in the crime, then he will know who did it as he knows who commits
such a crime, that’s why I suppose to arrest him. Besides, it is inevitable to
arrest a driver of phaeton. As I’ve investigated he knows people who committed
Chavchavadze’s murder.
Sincerely, Yours
Pitskhelauri
Tpilisi city
This letter
is interesting for the researchers as on 4th September of 1907 it
was known for the investigation that Bolshevik terrorist Iliko Imerlishvili was
participating in Ilia Chavchavadze’s murder. The fact is that Iliko
Imerlishvili’s nickname in a terrorist organization, which was created by
Social-Democrat Labour Party members in Tbilisi, “Mtatsminda Group” was “Ilia
Mtskheteli”. Accordingly, about identity of Iliko Imerlishvili and “Ilia
Mtskheteli” was known for the police, however, investigation is not done in
this regard. This letter, existing in the above-mentioned archive material, is
followed by the second letter sent to Piotr
Evtushevsky, head of Tbilisi Criminal Investigation Department by Pitskhelauri,
dated to the 5th September of 1907. Here is an English translation
of the Russian text:
“Dear Piotr Alexandrovich! Nizharadze, a suspected in Ilia Chavchavadze’s
murder, is arrested in Borjomi; as I clarified secretly, a watch of the
murdered was found with him; the driver of the Phaeton is arrested as well.
They do not want to divulge about the watch as they think participants of the
murder can be hid.
Sincerely, Yours
Pitskhelauri’
I have
mentioned about presumable participation of “Ilia Mtskheteli” and “Nizharadze”
in Ilia Chavchavadze’s murder in my book published in 2011 – “Social-Democrat
Bolshevik Terrorists, Murderers of Ilia Chavchavadze”.* I think that by highlighting a number of newly found
documents, in my research I clearly substantiated that both identities or nicknames
– “Ilia Mtskheteli” and “Imereli“ – belongs
to Iliko Imerlishvili and Iliko Imerlishvili directly participated in Ilia
Chavchavadze’s murder. However, I did not publish the results and detailed
analysis of my research carried out in order to identify “Nizharadze” –
presumable participant in Ilia Chavchavadze’s murder. I was trying to find
additional materials as this surname may contains too much important
information about Ioseb Jughashvili’s (Stalin) biography.
The fact is
that in 1908 Ioseb Besarionovich Jughashvili was arrested in Baku with a fake
passport on the name of Gaioz Beso Nizharadze. There are copies of the archived
documents related with this issue in Party Archive of the Ministry of Internal
Affairs of Georgia. One of the papers is a secret letter sent by the head of
Gendarmerie Department Baku Governorate on 31st May of 1908 to the deputy
head of Gendarmerie Department of Kutaisi Governorate in Batumi:
“On 25th
March of the current year a person residing at Baku with a fake passport on the
name of Gaioz Besovich Nizharadze was arrested in Baku. During interrogation
Nizharadze confessed that his real name is Joseph Besarionovich Jughashvili and
he is a peasant of Didi Lilo village society of Tbilisi Governorate and
District, and in 1902 he was arrested by Gendarmerie Department of Kutaisi Governorate
in Batumi for propagation and exiled in Yakutsk for three years; in 1904 he
left the place of exile willfully.
Attaching the
photo in order to identify the person depicted on it and personated himself as
Jughashvili; if he was accused and what kind of information do you have about
him.
Rottmeister …”.19
This
document is well known for the historians, but the document retrieved by me
about “Nizharadze” participating in Ilia Chavchavadze’s murder was unknown.
That is why I have mentioned above that I would like to find out more materials
and then publish my analysis. Unfortunately, because of objective reasons,
which I will mention at the end of this paper, I did not have an opportunity to
do this.
From
currently discovered materials it becomes clear that a fake passport on the
name of Gaioz Nizharadze was issued on 7th April of 1906 year.20 It is likely that Joseph Jughashvili
“bought” it instead of the passport issued on the name of Giorgi Berdzenishvili
which was seized by the police in March 1906.
There
is another document which is related with the identity of Joseph Besarionovich Jughashvili
and Gaioz Besovich Nizharadze. This is a copy of superscription (resolution) on
a letter of the Head of Gendarmerie Department of Tbilisi Governorate dated by
10th June of 1908 and sent to the Head of Gendarmerie Department of Baku
Governorate on 31st May of 1908:
“... A person with a fake passport
on the name of Gaioz Besovich Nizharadze residing at Baku confessed that his
real name is Joseph Besarionovich Jughashvili – a peasant of Didi Lilo village
society of Tbilisi Governorate and District, and in 1902 he was arrested by
Gendarmerie Department of Kutaisi Governorate in Batumi for the activity in
Tbilisi Social-Democratic Party and exiled in Yakutsk for three years; in 1904
he left the place of exile willfully”.21
In
this document Joseph Jughashvili’s party affiliation is already specified. In
the next document – a secret letter by Deputy Head of Gendarmerie Department of
Kutaisi Governorate in Batumi Region dated on June 13, 1908 sent to the Head of
Gendarmerie Department of Baku Governorate:
“In response of your letter dated
by May 31, 1908 I would like to let you know that Joseph Besarionovich Jughashvili,
a peasant of Didi Lilo village society of Tbilisi Governorate and District, was
arrested and exiled in Yakutsk for three years for propagation in 1902. In fact
in my subordinate clause he was related with the investigation of an anti-state
case.* His crime was that he was a main head
and teacher for Batumi labors as well as labors’ revolutionary movement which
was expressed in distribution of propaganda leaflets and calls for overthrow
the existing system. According to the photo, none of my employee and police
officers could identify Jughashvili because of passing a long period of time.
Also, I think, it is necessary to
add that the above-mentioned Jughashvili, as it is shown in the materials collected
under my guidance, as accused person, he was indeed related with the
investigation on the case of “the circle of Tbilisi Social-Democrat Labor Party”
lead by Gendarmerie Department of Tbilisi Governorate and he was the main
accused person.
Signature: Rottmeister...”.22
As
I mentioned, the copies of the above-mentioned documents are kept in Party
Archive of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. And below mentioned
document is a resolution of General-Major Kozintsev, a head of Gendarmerie
Department Baku Governorate, dated by August 4, 1908 and sent to the head of
Gendarmerie Department of Tbilisi Governorate.*
Original document is kept in one of the materials of Central Historic Archive
of Georgia:
“Resolution №
4287
On 4th of August 1908
in Baku I, the head of Baku Gendarmerie Province Department, General-Major
Kozintsev, discussed the correspondence in order to state the political
reliability of a person who was named as Kaikhosro Nizharadze and in fact, who
seemed to be Joseph Besarionovich Jughashvili, and I found out as follows:
On 25th of March of
the current year Baku Criminal Investigation Department arrested an unknown
person who names himself as Kaikhosro Nizharadze, resident of village Maglaki
of Kutaisi district, and which had a party correspondence during searching. In
the correspondence on this issue it was cleared out that Nizharadze is Ioseb Besarionovich
Jughashvili - a peasant of Didi Lilo village society of Tbilisi Province and
District, and in 1902 he was related with the investigation by Kutaisi
Gendarmerie Province Department according to article 251 and Tbilisi
Gendarmerie Province Department, the first part of article 251. Finally the
case has been solved administratively and Jughashvili was exiled in the Eastern
Siberia under an open supervision of police and from where he has escaped and
he was wanted by the police department circular on the 1st of May
1904. Since 25th of March of the current year Joseph Jughashvili is
arrested in Baku prison. I suppose to exile Joseph Besarionovich Jughashvili
for three years in the Eastern Siberia under supervision of police.
Verified: the above mentioned correspondence should be sent to Baku in a
disposal of city head.
Information
about Joseph Jughashvili’s activity under the surname of “Nizharadze” and his
arrest in March 1908 is provided not only in Lavrenti Beria’s book but in other
authors’ works as well, including modern ones; I will mention this below. Now,
I would like to note that in the archive document mentioned above considering
“Nizharadze” as a killer of Ilia Chavchavadze, put things in new light on the
version drawn by a friend of youth of Joseph Jughashvili (Stalin), Joseph Iremashvili.
His point of view is expressed in his book published in 1932 in Berlin: “Stalin und die Tragödie
Georgiens” (Stalin and
the Tragedy of Georgia). The point is that Joseph Jughashvili had a relation with
Ilia Chavchavadze’s murder.
Consequently,
on the one hand, concurrence of the surnames directly suggests Joseph Jughashvili’s
participation in Ilia Chavchavadze’s murder. On the other hand, while working
on the materials of Ilia Chavchavadze’s murder, while researching materials kept
in Georgian archives about physical murderers of Ilia – Iliko Imerlishvili,
Ivane Inashvili, Pavle Pshavlishvili and Gigla Berbitchashvili, I could not
find any other allusion about the participation of “Nizharadze” or Joseph Jugashvili
in this murder.
As it is said
in the above mentioned document “Nizharadze”, suspected in Ilia Chavchavadze’s
murder, had Ilia’s watch with him when he was arrested. I consider it
interesting for the reader that Stalin, as well as many other people had a
hobby – he was collecting the watches. In 1940-1949 years in the memories of a
head of “Sovnarkom” affairs* I. E. Chaadaev mentioned that Stalin
was collecting the watches and he had a collection including both wristwatches
and the so-called pocket watches.24 I have investigated identity, revolutionary
activities of terrorists and members of “Red Detachment” acting in that period
in Borjomi and surrounding territories. One among them was Aleksandre (Christopher)
Tsagurishvili – “Poria”. He was one of the most famous robber and terrorist
acting in Borjomi Gorge for that period of time. This person was connected and
had friendly relationship to the participants of Ilia Chavchavadze’s murder,
Bolshevik terrorist Iliko Imerlishvili, as well as with Kamo (Ter-Petrosyan),
Batchua Kuprashvili and others. However, I could not find any terrorist acting
under the name of Gaioz Nizharadze or just Nizharadze in Borjomi in 1906-1908.
But, during my
academic research I was able to found out that on March 1908 there was someone
Sh. Nizharadze, who was imprisoned at Bailov prison in Baku with Joseph Jughashvili.
In one of the documents we read: “Stalin
was imprisoned at Bailov prison, in the third cell, there was Sergo Orjonikidze
in this cell as well... we wanted to escape from the third cell and we brought
Sh. Nizharadze inside”.25 I have discovered a photo of Shalva Nizharadze
son of Vasil in the files of Gendarmerie Department of Tbilisi Governorate, but
I could not find any additional material about him yet and I still continue my investigation
concerning this issue.
Herewith,
I would like to mention that some authors of the works about Joseph Jughashvili
variously refer “Nizharadze” in connection with him. For example, V. S.
Kraskova in her book “Crimes into the Kremlin Walls” writes: “there were more people inside the dungeon
in which Vishinski had appeared than it was possible. Bed was occupied by one
person who was brought there in March. In police papers he was mentioned as
Gaioz Nizharadze. Prisoners called him Koba, but his real name was Joseph Besarionovich
Jughashvili, or Stalin. In the corner, a leg-bended, backwarded from everyone,
he was learning “future language” Esperanto during the hours”.26
M.
S. Aldanov wrote: “After a “failure” of
the first revolution Lenin’s right hand in implementation of “expropriation”
became – at that time already a well-known Caucasian “militant” with a
revolutionary nicknames: “Koba”, “Daviti”, “Nizharadze”, “Chizhikovi”, “Ivanovich” – almighty Russian dictator Joseph
Besarionovich Jughashvili”.27
According to another author,
Soviet diplomat (the former left-wing Socialist-Revolutionaries) G. Z.
Besedovski, a fugitive in the Western Europe in 1929, Stalin was in agreement
about the actions of robberies with Lenin: “I.
Jughashvili – Koba ... started executing the orders of his leader and got a new
nickname. Now he was called Nizharadze. He started leading a militant activity
under this nickname. Soon Nizharadze found a very good leader for a combat
organization, Armenian, Petrosyan*”.28
According to Besedovski,
Nizharadze – Stalin was not only a leader of expropriations, but he was
participating in those actions as well: “Nizharadze
fired the first bomb from the roof of Sumbatov’s house during the expropriation
in Tbilisi at Erevan Square on June 13, 1907”.29
For various reasons
I was unable to find the archival documents, which can prove the opinions of
the above-mentioned authors. However, considering that a number of authors
think that Stalin was directly leaded and participated in the expropriation on
June 13, 1907. I think maintaining the research in this direction will give us
quite interesting results. Moreover, several archive materials unknown until
now were discovered, as well as separated documents which is about episodes concerning
the participation of Joseph Jughashvili’s closest surrounding in the
expropriation on Erevan Square on June 13, 1907.
As for
Nizharadze, while investigating his identity, it was found that knyaz* Nizharadze is mentioned concerning the event that are
taking place on the edge of 1905 and 1906, in a book of a famous mystic and
philosopher George Ivanovich Gurdjieff residing in Georgia – “Meetings with
Famous People.”* At the beginning of 1900s “Knyaz Nizharadze”
was a participant of an expedition in the countries of the Persian Gulf with George
Gurdjieff in order to search a secret (esoteric) knowledge. According to
existing notes, in the above-mentioned book of George Gurdjieff a separated
chapter was dedicated to “Knyaz Nizharadze”, but for some reasons the author
did not publish it.
Some of the
authors consider Joseph Jughashvili under the name of “Knyaz Nizharadze”, as
they think he was a student of George Gurdjieff and they interpret the relation
of these two persons variously. *From the documents discovered during my
research it is clear that in March-April 1906 George Gurdjieff was teaching how
to make explosives, barricade fighting in the city, and other “useful skills”
to the group of six persons including Bolsheviks and Mensheviks. Teaching place
was located on a second floor of a famous “Avlabari Illegal Printing House”
building. Moreover, a number of sources
name him as a police agent, a traitor of the so-called “Military – Technical
Group” and “Avlabari Illegal Printing House”. Historian Aleksandre Kotchlavashvili
dedicated a broad research to this issue under the title – “His Real Identity”,
which is kept in his archive and is not published yet. Furthermore, the author
translated his research in Russian as well, but the title of the Russian
version is “George Gurdjieff – an Agent of Tsarist “Okhranka”.30
(See document № 11)
According
to Aleksandre Kotchlavashvili, George
Gurdjieff was “a secret agent” of Tsarist Government. However, from the
analysis of archive materials that I have found, George Gurdjieff espionage
activities cannot be established for that period of time. On the contrary, as
it turns out that he was in a close relation with Social-Democrats. According
to one source, George Gurdjieff was recommended as a teacher for “Military –
Technical Group” by Bolshevik Mikha Botchoridze, and according to another one,
by a famous Menshevik Silibistro Jibladze. It is interesting that during the
Soviet period George Gurdjieff was named as a Menshevik.31
According to
archive documents, George Gurdjieff lived in Khashuri* in January 1906.32 Moreover, he was teaching the activists of Social-Democrat
Party including Vladimer (Valerian) Bilanov (Bilanishvili) how to make
explosives (See document № 12). Presumably, Iliko Imerlishvili, Aleksandre (Sasha)
Oboladze, Gigla Berbitchashvili* and others together with him were
mentioned as members of armed detachments of the both parties (Mensheviks and
Bolsheviks) of Social-Democrats, created in order to avoid Armenian-Tatar
clashes in autumn 1905. According to various accounts, these armed detachments
were commanded by Isidore Ramishvili from Menshevik party, and Joseph Jughashvili
from Bolshevik party.
Therefore, it
is interesting and noteworthy as some authors consider that not George
Gurdjieff, or other person, or even a group of persons, but Joseph Jughashvili himself
was an apostate of “Avlabari Illegal Printing House”. At the beginning “Avlabari
Illegal Printing House” was located in a basement and in March-April, 1906
rooms of upper floors were used for “teaching” of the united so-called
“Military – Technical Group” of Bolshevik-Mensheviks. In addition, if we consider
that the closest friend of Joseph Jughashvili, Mikha Botchoridze
(Botchorishvili) was connected to “Avlabari Illegal Printing House”. I think,
it is required to carry out additional research about this issue.
In foreign
archives and fonds including France, the United State of America, there are a
number of materials and documents which deals with Joseph Jughashvili’s
(Stalin) biography. For example, from the analysis of materials that I have
revealed, we can find more answers on issues concerning identification of
“Nizharadze”, a presumable participant in Ilia Chavchavadze’s murder, and his possible
equating with Joseph Jughashvili in the Russian archive materials of Hoover Institution
at Stanford University. Those materials can provide answers that can confirm or deny such identifications.
***
The ancient imaginations and beliefs of the Georgians were
associated with the moon and had been a source of for the Georgian literature
for centuries, this is evident by the poetry of the Georgian poets, so-called
“Blue Horns” movement and the creative works of famous Georgian writers such as
Grigol Robakidze, Konstantine Gamsakhurdia, Chabua Amiredjibi, Nodar
Tsuleiskiri etc.
Literary classics who lived in the
Russian Empire and later in the Soviet Union as well as representatives of
various mystical and secret societies were interested in studying the ancient
beliefs and ideas “transformed into folkloric forms”, including the moon deity rituals
and understanding the perception of the “outer” or “inner” essence of the World,
which is partly reflected in their works.
George Gurdjieff, when he lived in
Georgia was interested in exploring the preserved rituals and traditions
related to the moon culture in Georgia. As the analysis of George Gurdjieff's
lectures and books indicate, he was very interested in studying the influence
of the moon as the “chief regulator of organic life on earth” on human
behavior. He believed that human’s life and actions were controlled by the moon
and the energy released after the death of a person returned to the moon. It is
somewhat reminiscent of the plot of “Master and Margarita”, a novel by the
famous Soviet writer Mikhail Bulgakov, in which the action develops in the full
moon period and the symbols associated with this heavenly body occupy an
important place in it.
According to the memoirs of his
contemporaries, George Gurdjieff had the resources to influence the people,
mastered hypnosis and other skills for human control that revolutionaries
needed as leaders for controlling the masses.
George Gurdjieff was personally acquainted
with some of the classics of the Georgian and the Russian literature as well as
with representatives of various social groups, including the public and the political
figures. Gurdjieff's ideas, probably, influenced their worldview. We have
information that he personally knew Stalin, but we do not have sufficient
material to prove it.
Thus,
it is possible to assume, during his youth, maybe Joseph Jughashvili – Stalin was interested in rituals, legends concerning
Georgian faiths and he was
able to receive this
knowledge from Ilia Zarafishvili. Presumably
Stalin was particularly familiar with different elements of moon deity and
magic preserved in Georgian everyday life which were used for manipulation of people
by priests of cult of the moon. However, above-mentioned is out of my
competence and research framework – research concerning those issues requires a
researcher with a proper and specific knowledge.
The
below mentioned poem will be quite important for the people interested in
esoteric issues. I just mention that authors of different books are writing
about Stalin, characterizing his personality and considering his interest
concerning esoteric knowledge and practice as the basis for his charisma. They
mention peculiarities of Stalin’s walking, speaking, gestures, skills for
having a psychological influence on humans etc.
I
assume as a hypothesis – maybe Stalin knew separated elements of moon worship
kept in the Georgian tradition which were used by the priest of the moon in
Antiquity in order to control people. However, the above-mentioned is out of my
research topic and studying this issue requires a researcher having a specific
knowledge.
If
we add this information to the above-mentioned we assume that maybe Joseph Jughashvili
was interested in old Georgian faith rituals and traditions. Anyway, young
Joseph Jughashvili’s “positive” attitude towards the moon is well attested in
his poetry “To the Moon”.33
P.S.
I have analyzed a few historical
events which were planned by Stalin and I found regularity. When I analyzed
dates – the expropriation Tbilisi (Tiflis) Erevan Square (June 13, 1907); the
Battle of Stalingrad (started on July 17, 1942); The Battle of Kursk (started
on July 5, 1943); the Belarusian Offensive Operation Bagration (started on June
23, 1944) all those events have one common point. Those days are fourth or fifth
day from the full moon. I think it will be interesting and necessary to study
Stalin's life events and Stalin as a Soviet leader as well as his activities
through above-mention information. Who knows, maybe this was Stalin's secret or
part his occult knowledge.
*
Beso was nickname of father
of Stalin, his full first name was – Besarion. Jacob Egnatashvili being
groomsman during the wedding ceremony of Besarion Jughashvili and Keke Geladze
– Stalin’s parents is not supported by the documents.
1Archive of Ministry
of Internal
Affairs of Georgia, Division II (former Party Archive). Fond 8. Description 2 (I). Case 53, p. 1-6.
2Archive of Ministry of Internal Affairs of
Georgia, Division II (former Party Archive). Fond 8. Description 2 (I). Case 53, p. 1.
3Archive of Ministry of Internal Affairs of
Georgia, Division II (former Party Archive). Fond 8. Description 2 (I). Case 53, p. 2.
4
Archive
of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Division II (former Party Archive). Fond 8. Description 2 (I). Case 53, p. 2.
*19th
century is implied.
5
Archive
of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Division II (former Party Archive). Fond 8. Description 2 (I). Case 53, p. 2-3.
6
Archive
of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Division II (former Party Archive). Fond 8. Description 2 (I). Case 53, p. 3.
7
Archive
of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Division II (former Party Archive). Fond 8. Description 2 (I). Case 53, p. 4.
* So, while the child was
considered as sacrifice for St. George, his hair should not have to be cut.
*
Local ecclesiastic celebration in Geri village.
7Archive of Ministry of Internal
Affairs of Georgia, Division II (former Party Archive). Fond 8.
Description 2 (I). Case 53, p. 6
8Archive of Ministry of Internal Affairs of
Georgia, Division II (former Party Archive). Fond 8. Description 2 (I). Case 53, p. 6
9 The Child Brought Up Thanks To
Needlepoint (Memories of Stalin’s mother). The Archival Bulletin 2008. № 1, p.
45-49.
10
Iv. Javakhishvili. History of the Georgian Nation. Works in Twelve Volumes. Vol.
I. Tb. 1979, p. 94. (In Georgian)
* It is interesting that Mariam
Tsikhitatrishvili adds, “Soso was six
years old when he had smallpox”. It shows the age when Stalin’s face became
pockmarked.
11Archive of Ministry of Internal Affairs of
Georgia, Division II (former Party Archive). Fond 8. Description 2 (I). Case 53, p.
50-54.
* Ivane Javakhishvili
wrote a lot books about Georgian history, they also contain interesting
information about the Georgian paganism.
*
This memoir is dated to 2nd of February, 1941.
12
Archive
of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Division II (former Party Archive). Fond 8. Description 2 (I). Case 3, p. 273.
13
Archive
of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Division II (former Party Archive).
Fond 8. Description 2 (I). Case 3, p. 273.
*
Above-mentioned
Khareba Jibuti was a famous terrorist, leader of so-called “Khareba and Gogia”
terrorist group, and Solia (Solka) Bitskinashvili was a famous Social-Democrat
Bolshevik terrorist of that time.
14
Archive
of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Division II (former Party Archive).
Fond 8. Description 6. Case 17, p. 41-42.
15Archive of Ministry of Internal
Affairs of Georgia, Division II (former Party Archive).Fond 8. Description 2 (I). Case 25, p.
25.
16Archive of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Division II
(former Party Archive). Fond 93, Description 2, Case
376, p. 3.
*
Ilia
Chavchavadze was the great Georgian writer, sometimes called “Father of Nation”.
According to archival and other historical documents, four people participated
in the assassination of Ilia Chavchavadze. On August 30, 1907, the killers
awaited Ilia Chavchavadze’s phaeton on the road between Tsitsamuri and
Saguramo, a few kilometers away from Saguramo. Ilia Chavchavadze and his
servant were killed and Ilia’s wife was brutally beaten.
* Peotr Evtushevski was
investigating Ilia Chavchavadze’s murder.
* It is interesting that “Nizharadze” and “Ilia
Mtskheteli” are mentioned as suspected in Ilia Chavchavadze’s murder in the
table of contents of above-mentioned archive material.
19 Archive
of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Division II (former Party Archive).Fond 8.
Description 5. Case 207, p. 27.
21 Archive of Ministry of Internal Affairs of
Georgia, Division II (former Party Archive). Fond 8. Description 5. Case 207, p. 53.
22
Archive
of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Division II (former Party Archive). Fond 8.
Description 5. Case 207, p. 28.
*
Received on August 7, 1908.
*
The copy of this document, as it seems from the
analysis of the text that it is taken from Baku archive, I found it in Lavrenti
Beria’s report published as a book, see: L. Beria. On the Issue of History of
Transcaucasian Bolshevik Organization (Report at Tbilisi Party Meeting July 21-22,
1935). The 6th edition. Tb. 1945, pp. 208-209. (In Georgian)
25 Archive
of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Division II (former Party Archive). Fond 8. Description 2 (I). Case 42, p. 33-39.
27 Е. Н. Гусляров. Сталин в жизни: систематизированный свод
воспоминаний современников. Москва. 2003, с. 60.
*
The fact that
George Gurdjieff was in Tbilisi during those years is confirmed by the archival
documents that I have found. I will devote special research about this issue in
another paper.
* There are a number of materials about the relation of
George Gurdjieff and Stalin-Nizharadze in currently published popular occult,
esoteric literature, as well as in Internet resources. The speech is about the
topic such as esoteric-mystical schools, occult practice etc. These goes beyond
my competence. Accordingly, I cannot discuss them as documentary material for
analyzes, as well as concerning reliability of existing information.
30 Central Archive of the
Contemporary History, division of the Literature and art, Aleksandre Kotchlavashvili,
Fond 269
* Mikhailovo in this time
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