Within its 3,000 year-long history of Georgian statehood, the last two centuries saw Georgians fighting annexation by the Russian Empire — from 1891 until 1918, when Georgia gained independence from czarist Russia and established, however short-lived, its first Democratic Republic (1918–1921). Russia recognized the independence of Georgia, along with the Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan and other European countries. But in February of 1921, Tbilisi was again occupied by Soviet Russia. For the next 70 years, the Soviet Socialist Republic of Georgia was one of the 15 constituent republics of the Soviet Union until the breakup of the USSR and Georgia regained its sovereignty in 1991.
In celebration of the Centennial of Georgia’s First Democratic Republic, Embassy of Georgia to the United States commenced a social media campaign #Georgia100 . The campaign was designed to introduce the US public on the achievements and developments in Georgia in the years of a brief independence. The Embassy composed daily social media posts on Facebook and Twitter pages displaying key figures, important dates and stories related to the First Republic of Georgia 1918–1921. The campaign #Georgia100 lasted for one full month and ended on May 31st.
On May 26th, Georgiacelebrates the centennial of the First Democratic Republic! In May 1918, Georgia escaped the century-old occupation of the Russian Empire and became a sovereign state. This May, in recognition of this unprecedented event of 1918, Embassy kept posting fascinating historical aspects of Georgia’s First Democratic Republic.
The 26 May Act of Independence of the Republic of Georgia established a sovereign state, declaring democratic republic as a form of governance, announcing neutrality in case of world war and guaranteeing equality regardless of race, sex, and religion. #Georgia100
In February 1919, Republic of #Georgia carried out its very first democratic elections, which created a new page in the country’s history.Elections were entirely free, fair and legitimate. Every citizen of Georgia, over the age of 20, regardless of sex, race, religion and social standing, was granted the right to vote. Remarkably, Georgia allowed women participation in its 1st ever elections ahead of many European countries, US (1920) and UK (1928). #Georgia100
Democratic elections played a crucial role in the creation of the Constituent Assembly of Georgia (current Parliament) in March 1919. Remarkably, the members of the Assembly included women and representatives of ethnic and religious minorities. Georgia was the first country in the world electing Muslim woman Peri-Khan Sofieva in office.#Georgia100
In 1919, Georgians elected the first Constituent Assembly of Georgia(current Parliament). Among the elected 130 members — 5 were women. All female members of the Assembly were outspoken critics against the Russian rule and Soviet occupation of Georgia, organizing revolutionary marches in Tbilisi, leading Georgia to gain independence in 1918 and resisting Soviet invasion in the post-1921 era. Minadora Orjonikidze-Toroshelidze organized secret groups against the Soviet regime which prompted her exile from Georgia. Eleonora Ter-Parsegova-Makhviladze was also exiled due to her activities against the Soviet regime. Another member, Kristine Sharashidze worked in the education sector to spread literacy among Georgians through her own Literacy Foundation at the Tbilisi State University. Ana Sologhashvili was an anti-Soviet activist and was sentenced to death during the 1937 Stalinist Repressions. Elisabeth Nakashidze-Bolkvadze was exiled from South Caucasus multiple times. She also was forced to work in a Soviet forced labor camp “gulag” for three years but it did not weaken her anti-Soviet position which led to her death sentence in 1937. #Georgia100
As Georgia became a Republic in 1918, the Constituent Assembly drafted the first Constitution of the Republic of Georgia, comprising remarkably progressive amendments at that time, including the elimination of death penalty, promotion of gender equality, separation of church and state etc. #Georgia100
During the First World War, 200 000 Georgians were drafted to serve in the forces of then the Russian Empire. Some Georgian soldiers were held hostage all around Europe after the war. The government of the First Georgian Republic invested diplomatically to facilitate the return of the prisoners of war to their homeland. In 1919, the government hired a Swedish ship “Christian Nebe” which brought approximately 2000 Georgian hostages to their newly independent homeland.#Georgia100
The First Chairman of the Democratic Republic of Georgia‘s government (Currently Prime Minister) Noe Zhordania was a true democrat, free from autocratic, dictatorial aspirations. In the time of his brief governance, Zhordania respected the voices of the opposition and developed a democratic nation-state. Under Noe Zhordania’s leadership, the new government designated Georgian as the official language of the Republic and newly founded Tbilisi State University declared to be a Georgian language institute of higher education.
As a result of his extensive travel experience in Europe during his activist days, Zhordania was close to foreign leaders. He invited senior officials from European nations such as Ramsay MacDonald, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Great Britain; Karl Kautsky, a German social-democratic leader and other European officials to the newly independent Georgia.
Zhordania managed to obtain recognition of Georgia from the key European states such as Germany, France, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and several others.
During the brief period of two years and eight months of Independence, Georgia underwent many troubles, foreign intervention in Adjara and Russian attempts to reincorporate Georgia were adding to the country’s economic crisis. In this climate, Zhordania and his government achieved impossible – they managed to establish a democratic practice in Georgia. #Georgia100
The Air Force of Democratic Republic of Georgia inherited airplanes from the Russian empire, constructed prior to the World War One. To improve the outdated Georgian Air Force, the Georgian government sent the Commander of the Georgian Air Force Colonel Mikheil Machavariani to Italy. In Italy, Colonel Machavariani worked hard to reach a deal with an Italian airplane manufacturing factory “Ansaldo”. He finalized the contract to acquire 10 SVA type units of the two-seater aircraft „Issota-Fraschini”, with 250 horse power engine and photographic equipment.
The Democratic Republic of Georgia signed the contract with Ansaldo. Georgia acquired ten two-seater aircraft „Issota-Fraschini”. The total price of the purchased products was 690,000 Italian lira, of which the Georgian side had to pay 50% upon taking possession, 40% after the transportation into Marcel Port, and the remaining 10% after the arrival of the aircraft in Tbilisi. The transportation of the planes was the primary challenge for Machavariani but with the assistance of Sosipatre Asatiani — Secretary of the Georgian delegation to France- ten new airplanes arrived in Georgia by ship.#Georgia100
Before World War One, the powerful countries including the United States constructed armoured trains. In 1914, four armoured trains were constructed for the Russian Caucasian Army in Tbilisi. The trains composed the following: a semi-armoured locomotive, two combat platforms, and an armoured carriage for the transportation of military equipment. The trains were equipped with two 76.2 cal mountain cannons, and 12 machine guns. The train’s military personnel consisted of 70–80 combatants. The armoured trains were given the following names: Karsi, Aleksandropol, Nakhchevani and Tbilisi.
After the dissolution of the Caucasian Front and the declaration of independence of Georgia, troops from the armoured trains enrolled in the Armed Forces of Georgia. Subsequently, the trains’ names were changed into Republican, Employee, Death or Victory and Strength of Liberty. Georgia improved the capabilities of trains, increasing the number of artillery units from three to four, and machine guns from 12 to 25. Prior to the Russian-Georgian War, the construction of a fifth armoured train was planned, but it was never built. #Georgia100
The Armed Forces of the First Democratic Republic of Georgia held two of the most modern and rare military vehicles at that time — British battle car-tanks. The modern battle car-tank was first used in combat by the British Army in 1916 in the Battle of the Somme during WWI. Four years after the first deployment of the tank, the same modern technology was acquired by the Georgian Armed Forces. During the Civil War in Russia, the British supplied the White Army with multiple types of weapons in fight against Bolsheviks. In the beginning of 1920, White Army troops, under the command of General Anton Denikin, were defeated by Bolshevik troops. The defeated generals of the White Guard, Ivan Erdelis and Daniel Drachenko, requested evacuation through territory under the control of the Georgian military. The Georgians approved the request, disarmed 10,000 White Army volunteers and let them into Georgian territory. As a result, Georgia acquired the two British car-tanks. #Georgia100
The first printed paper currency in the Democratic Republic of Georgia was Boni.At first, Boni was a temporary currency for the three newly independent South Caucasian states: Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Boni served as a transition currency for these three countries before they issued their own national currencies. In 1919, National Assembly of Georgia issued a decree to print Georgian national currency Boni in order to create the financial system of Georgia. Appointment of a new finance minister, an experienced economist Konstantine Kandelaki accelerated the process. #Georgia100
After spending his academic career in Saint Petersburgh founding Georgian societies and promoting scholarship in Georgian history and culture, Ivane Javakhishvili returned to Georgia in 1917 to finally pursue his dream of creating the first Georgian University. He faced many challenges including the limited financial resources and skepticism of some Georgian intellectuals. However, in 1918 Javakhishvili, along with fellow academics ( Giorgi Akhvlediani, Shalva Nutsubidze, Dimitri Uznadze, Grigol Tsereteli, Akaki Shanidze, AndreaRazmadze, Korneli Kekelidze, Ioseb Kipshidze, Petre Melikishvili and Ekvtime Takaishvili), founded Tbilisi State University (TSU). Upon Javakhishvili’s recommendation, a well-known Georgian scholar Petre Melikishvili was chosen to lead the university as the first rector. Since 1989, in honor of Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University has been named after him. #Georgia100
In 1918 after the Bolshevik Revolution, Noe Ramishvili became an interior minister of the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic, a loose federation of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. As Georgia became an independent state on May 26, 1918, Ramishvili was elected a chairman of the government and was soon replaced by his close associate, Noe Zhordania, on 24 July 1918. In a new government, Ramishvili assumed the post of an interior minister and simultaneously held the posts of education minister and defense minister. After the Soviet Russian forces occupied the country in February–March 1921, Ramishvili emigrated to France, but did not cease his efforts to undermine the Bolshevik dictatorship. He sponsored the preparation for the 1924 August Uprising in Georgia, which unfortunately did not succeed.
Ramishvili also became one of the most prominent leaders of the Poland-guided anti-Soviet Prometheism movement. Unfortunately, in 1930, he was assassinated by a Soviet foreign intelligence agent in Paris, France. #Georgia100
The first Minister of Foreign Affairs of Democratic Republic of Georgia Akaki Chkhenkeliwas one of the founding fathers of the DRG. His bold decisions to engage with the international community led to the prompt recognition of Georgia by Ottoman Empire and Germany. Chkhenkeli was a staunch advocate of Georgia’s close relations with Germany.
As Germany lost the First World War, the Georgian government switched pro-German course and appointed a new foreign minister Evgeni Gegechkori who heavily invested in attracting other key European powers to Georgia. With Ckhenkeli’s and Gegechkori’s leadership, Georgian representatives in European countries worked tirelessly to promote the country’s agenda. Zurab Avalishvili stands out as a dedicated Georgian diplomat. He was a member of Georgian delegation to Paris, Berlin, San Remo, and London. Avalishvili led important meetings with the British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, Italian Prime Minister Francesco Nitti, French Prime Minister Georges Clemanceau and several others.
Another famous diplomat of DRG, Irakli Tsereteli had a direct role in British recognition of Georgia. Tsereteli visited Britain on multiple occasions and convinced the Foreign Minister George Kerzon to recognize Georgia as an independent state.
The efforts of Georgian diplomats led to the de jure recognition of Georgia by Romania, Argentina, Germany, Turkey, Belgium, United Kingdom, France, Japan, Italy, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Soviet Russia, Estonia and several other countries. This short period of Georgian diplomacy represents a milestone of the Democratic Republic of Georgia as despite the challenges the newly independent country managed to establish extensive ties with the key international actors at the time.#Georgia100
Since 1811, Russian occupied Georgia was deprived of its historic heritage, the autocephaly (Independence) of the Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church. In 1917, after the Russian revolution, Georgian clergy restored the autocephaly of the Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church and elected Kirion Sadzaglishvili (Kirion II) as the Catholicos Patriarch of all Georgia. Kirion II played a key role in consolidating Georgian priesthood to announce autocephaly. Unfortunately, Kirion II was assasinated in 1918. The Soviet Russian occupation of Georgia in 1921 demolished autocephaly and purged and executed many Georgian bishops.Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church regained its autocephaly first in 1943 (only recognized by Russian Orthodox Church) and became completely independent in 1990. #Georgia100
Ekvtime Takaishvili is undoubtedly a hero of Georgia. Ekvtime- a prominent historian and archaeologist- dedicated his whole life to studying Georgian history, collecting Georgian holistic books, manuscripts and various artefacts for Georgian museums. Ekvtime fanatically followed this passion to inquire about Georgia’s past, going door by door to collect different pieces of Georgia’s cultural heritage. For this cause, Ekvtime founded Georgia’s Historical and Ethnographic Society. This Society traveled around Georgia to collect and save Georgia’s cultural heritage. Ekvtime played a key role in fighting for the restoration of the autocephaly of the Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church. He was also among founders of the first Georgian higher education institution თბილისის სახელმწიფო უნივერსიტეტი • Tbilisi State University (TSU).
As Soviet Russia occupied Georgia in 1921, Ekvtime took national treasury — numerous precious pieces of Georgian material culture — to France to protect it from vandals. Ekvtime did not sell a single item, instead, he spent his whole life in poverty with his wife Nino and used his last dime to protect the Georgian treasure in emigration. Despite financial challenges, Ekvtime managed to maintain every piece of Georgian material treasure and returned it to Georgia after the WWII. Unfortunately, he was mistreated by the Soviet authorities and did not receive appropriate recognition until Georgia regained independence in 1991. The Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church canonized Ekvtime Takaishvili as saint in 2002 for his sacrifices for Georgia. #Georgia100
