Georgian Declaration of Independence, 1918

Last updated
Georgian Declaration of Independence
Act of Independence of Georgia 1918.jpg
1918 document signed by the members of the National Council
Created26 May 1918
Location National Archives of Georgia (the document is owned by the parliament of Georgia, but is kept in the Archives)
SignatoriesMembers of the National Council of Georgia
PurposeEstablished Democratic Republic of Georgia

The Georgian Declaration of Independence [1] was the declaration of independence of the Democratic Republic of Georgia on 26 May 1918. It established a Georgian state from the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic, a federation between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia in the wake of the 1917 Russian Revolution. It was proclaimed in Tiflis, the main city of Georgia and the new capital of Georgia.

Contents

Background

The Russian Revolution had seen the Caucasus region establish an independent state on 22 April 1918, the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic (TDFR), a union of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. However it only lasted until May 26 1918, as the Ottoman Empire invaded, and with political and ethnic differences the state was unable to sustain itself. With the Armenians fighting the Ottoman forces and the Azerbaijanis having their own issues with Bolsheviks controlling Baku, the Georgians concluded that they had no future in the TDFR. [2] On 14 May Noe Jordania, a leading Georgian Menshevik went to Batumi to request German assistance to help secure Georgian independence. He returned to Tiflis on 21 May and expressed confidence that Georgia could become independent. [3] The Armenian, Azerbaijani, and Georgian representatives from the Seim (TDFR legislature) met on 21 May to discuss the future of the TDFR and agreed that it was not likely to last much longer. The next day the Georgians met alone and resolved that independence was their only logical choice. [2] Jordania and Zurab Avalishvili drafted a declaration of independence on 22 May, before Jordania left again for Batum to meet Otto von Lossow. [4] On 24 May Von Lossow replied that he was only authorized to work with the TDFR as a whole; as it was becoming apparent that it would not last long, he would have to leave Trabzon and consult with his government on how to proceed further. [5]

Declaration

Irakli Tsereteli gave the final speech of the Seim, calling for the dissolution of the TDFR and the independence of Georgia. IrakliTsereteliComoMinistroMayoJunio1917.png
Irakli Tsereteli gave the final speech of the Seim, calling for the dissolution of the TDFR and the independence of Georgia.

On 26 May Irakli Tsereteli, another leading Menshevik, gave two speeches in the Seim. In the first, he explained that the TDFR was unable to continue as there was a lack of unity among the people and that ethnic strife led to a division of action in regards to the Ottoman invasion. In his second speech, Tsereteli blamed the Azerbaijanis for failing to support the defense of the TDFR and declared that as the federation had failed it was time for Georgia to proclaim itself independent. [6] At 15:00 the motion was passed: "Because on the questions of war and peace there arose basic differences among the peoples who had created the Transcaucasian Republic, and because it became impossible to establish one authoritative order speaking in the name of all Transcaucasia, the Seim certifies the fact of the dissolution of Transcaucasia and lays down its powers." [7] Most delegates left the chamber, with only the Georgians remaining, who were shortly joined by members of the Georgian National Council. Jordania then read the Georgian declaration of independence and proclaimed the Democratic Republic of Georgia. [8] This was followed two days later with an Armenian declaration of independence, followed quickly by Azerbaijan doing the same, creating the Republic of Armenia and Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, respectively. [9]

Text of the Declaration of Independence

Original textIn English [10]
საქართველოს დამოუკიდებლობის აქტი
Act of Independence of Georgia
მრავალ საუკუნეთა განმავლობაში საქართველო არსებობდა, როგორც დამოუკიდებელი და თავისუფალი სახელმწიფო.

მეთვრამეტე საუკუნის დასასრულს ყოველ მხრით მტრისაგან შევიწროვებული საქართველო თავის ნებით შეუერთდა რუსეთს იმ პირობით, რომ რუსეთი ვალდებული იყო საქართველო გარეშე მტრისაგან დაეცვა.

რუსეთის დიდის რევოლუციის მსვლელობამ რუსეთში ისეთი შინაგანი წყობილება შეჰქმნა, რომ მთელი საომარი ფრონტი სრულიად დაიშალა და რუსის ჯარმაც დაუტევა ამიერკავკასია.

დარჩნენ რა თავისი ძალღონის ამარად, საქართველომ და მასთან ერთად ამიერკავკასიამ თვით იდვეს თავის საკუთარ საქმეების გაძღოლა და პატრონობა და შესაფერი ორგანოებიც შეჰქმნეს; მაგრამ გარეშე ძალთა ზეგავლენით ამიერკავკასიის ერთა შემაერთებელი კავშირი დაირღვა და მით ამიერკავკასიის პოლიტიკური მთლიანობაც დაიშალა.

ქართველი ერის დღევანდელი მდგომარეობა აუცილებლად მოითხოვს, რომ საქართველომ საკუთარი სახელმწიფოებრივი ორგანიზაცია შეჰქმნას, მისი საშუალებით გარეშე ძალის მიერ დაპყრობისაგან თავი გადაირჩინოს და დამოუკიდებელ განვითარების მტკიცე საფუძველი ააგოს.

ამისდა თანახმად საქართველოს ეროვნული საბჭო, 1917 წლის 22 ნოემბერს არჩეული საქართველოს ეროვნულ ყრილობის მიერ, აცხადებს:

For many centuries Georgia existed as a free and independent State.

At the end of the eighteenth century, imperiled by its enemies from all sides, Georgia voluntarily allied herself with Russia, with the stipulation that the latter should protect her from the enemies without.

In the course of the great Russian Revolution, internal conditions arose in Russia, that resulted in the disorganisation of the entire military front and the abandonment of Transcaucasia by the Russian Army.

Thus, left to her own devices, Georgia, and with her all Transcaucasia, took into their hands the direction of their affairs, creating the necessary bodies for this purpose; but under pressure from exterior forces the links which tied Transcaucasian nations were broken and the political unity of Transcaucasia was thus dissolved.

The present state of the Georgian nation makes it imperative, that Georgia shall create a statehood organisation of her own, so that she may escape the conquest from external force and lay a solid foundation for her independent development.

Accordingly, the Georgian National Council, elected by the National Assembly of Georgia on November 22 (December 5), 1917, declares:

1.ამიერიდგან საქართველოს ხალხი სუვერენულ უფლებათა მატარებელია და საქართველო სრულუფლებოვანი დამოუკიდებელი სახელმწიფოა.1. Henceforth, the Georgian people shall hold sovereign power, and Georgia shall be a fully-fledged independent State.
2. დამოუკიდებელ საქართველოს პოლიტიკური ფორმა დემოკრატიული რესპუბლიკაა.2. Independent Georgia’s form of political organisation shall be a Democratic Republic.
3. საერთაშორისო ომიანობაში საქართველო მუდმივი ნეიტრალური სახელმწიფოა.3. In international conflict Georgia shall always remain neutral.
4. საქართველოს დემოკრატიულ რესპუბლიკას ჰსურს საერთაშორისო ურთიერთობის ყველა წევრთან კეთილმეზობლური განწყობილება დაამყაროს, განსაკუთრებით კი მოსაზღვრე სახელმწიფოებთან და ერებთან.4. The Georgian Democratic Republic intends to establish good-neighborly relations with all nations, and especially with the States and nations at its borders.
5. საქართველოს დემოკრატიული რესპუბლიკა თავის საზღვრებში თანასწორად უზრუნველჰყოფს ყველა მოქალაქის სამოქალაქო და პოლიტიკურ უფლებებს განურჩევლად ეროვნებისა და სქესისა.5. The Georgian Democratic Republic shall ensure within her borders civil and political rights to all of its citizens equally, irrespective of their ethnicity, faith, social station and gender.
6. საქართველოს დემოკრატიული რესპუბლიკა განვითარების თავისუფალ ასპარეზს გაუხსნის მის ტერიტორიაზედ მოსახლე ყველა ერს.6. The Georgian Democratic Republic shall provide a wide field of free development to all nationalities that inhabit it.
7. დამფუძნებელ კრების შეკრებამდე მთელის საქართველოს მართვა-გამგეობის საქმეს უძღვება ეროვნული საბჭო, რომელიც შევსებული იქნება ეროვნულ უმცირესობათა წარმომადგენლებით, და დროებითი მთავრობა პასუხისმგებელია საბჭოს წინაშე.7. Until the convocation of the Constituent Assembly, the governance of Georgia shall be conferred to the National Council, with additional representation of the national minorities, and the Provisional Government responsible to the National Council.


Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irakli Tsereteli</span> Georgian politician (1881–1959)

Irakli Tsereteli was a Georgian politician and a leading spokesman of the Social Democratic Party of Georgia and later Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) during the era of the Russian Revolutions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Democratic Republic of Georgia</span> State in the Caucasus which existed from 1919 to 1921; predecessor of present-day Georgia

The Democratic Republic of Georgia was the first modern establishment of a republic of Georgia, which existed from May 1918 to February 1921. Recognized by all major European powers of the time, DRG was created in the wake of the Russian Revolution of 1917, which led to the collapse of the Russian Empire and allowed territories formerly under Russia's rule to assert independence. In contrast to Bolshevik Russia, DRG was governed by a moderate, multi-party political system led by the Georgian Social Democratic Party (Mensheviks).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic</span> 1918 month-long state in the South Caucasus

The Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic was a short-lived state in the Caucasus that included most of the territory of the present-day Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, as well as parts of Russia and Turkey. The state lasted only for a month before Georgia declared independence, followed shortly after by Armenia and Azerbaijan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikolay Chkheidze</span> Georgian politician (1864–1926)

Nikoloz Chkheidze commonly known as Karlo Chkheidze, was a Georgian politician. In the 1890s, he promoted the Social Democratic movement in Georgia. He became a key figure in the Russian Revolution as the Menshevik president of the Executive Committee of the Soviet of Petrograd. Later he served as president of the Transcaucasian Sejm, and he held office in the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic. Later he became president of parliamentary assemblies of the Democratic Republic of Georgia, National Council, Constituent Assembly and Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Republic of Armenia</span> 1918–1920 former country in Western Asia

The First Republic of Armenia, officially known at the time of its existence as the Republic of Armenia, was an independent Armenian state that existed from May 1918 to 2 December 1920 in the Armenian-populated territories of the former Russian Empire known as Eastern or Russian Armenia. The republic was established in May 1918, with its capital in the city of Yerevan, after the dissolution of the short-lived Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic. It was the first Armenian state since the Middle Ages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Baku</span> 1918 battle between Ottoman–Azerbaijani forces and Bolshevik–Dashnak forces

The Battle of Baku took place in August and September 1918 between the Ottoman–Azerbaijani coalition forces led by Nuri Pasha and Bolshevik–ARF Baku Soviet forces, later succeeded by the British–Armenian–White Russian forces led by Lionel Dunsterville and saw Soviet Russia briefly re-enter the war. The battle took place during World War I, was a conclusive part of the Caucasus Campaign, but a beginning of the Armenian–Azerbaijani War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akaki Chkhenkeli</span> Georgian politician and publicist

Akaki Chkhenkeli was a Georgian Social Democratic politician and publicist who acted as one of the leaders of the Menshevik movement in Russia and Georgia. In 1918 he served as the prime minister and foreign minister of the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic, and then became foreign minister of the Democratic Republic of Georgia. In 1921 he was appointed the Georgian Minister to France, though was unable to serve as the Red Army invaded Georgia. His younger brother was the linguist Kita Tschenkéli.

The Treaty of Poti was a bilateral agreement between the German Empire and the Democratic Republic of Georgia in which the latter accepted German protection and recognition. The agreement was signed, on 28 May 1918, by General Otto von Lossow for Germany and by Foreign Minister Akaki Chkhenkeli for Georgia. Concluded at the Georgian Black Sea port of Poti, the treaty came only two days after Georgia proclaimed independence, becoming the newly independent republic's first-ever international treaty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Transcaucasian Committee</span> 1917 Russian political committee

The Special Transcaucasian Committee was established on March 9, 1917, with Member of the State Duma V. A. Kharlamov as Chairman, to replace the Imperial Viceroy Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich and with special instruction to establish civil administrations in areas occupied in the course of the war on the Caucasian front by the Russian Provisional Government in the Transcaucasus as the highest organ of the civil administrative body. Commissars were appointed for the Terek Oblast and the Kuban Oblast, and these as well as the Committee were to carry on relations with central government institutions through a Commissar for Caucasian Affairs in Petrograd attached to the Provisional Government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transcaucasian Commissariat</span> 1917-1918 short-lived government in the South Caucasus

The Transcaucasian Commissariat was established at Tbilisi on 11 November 1917, as the first government of the independent Transcaucasia following the October Revolution in Petrograd. The Commissariat decided to strengthen the Georgian–Armenian–Azerbaijani union by convoking a Diet or general assembly (Sejm) in January 1918. It declared independence from Soviet Russia and formed the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic after being faced with the threat of being overrun by the Ottoman invasion.

The Armenian National Council was a permanent executive body formed by the Armenian National Congress in Tbilisi in October 1917. The Council was responsible for creating the First Republic of Armenia in May 1918, the first independent Armenian state since the decline of the Khachen principality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trebizond Peace Conference</span> 1918 conference between the Ottoman Empire and Transcaucasia

The Trebizond Peace Conference was a conference held between 14 March and 13 April 1918 in Trebizond between the Ottoman Empire and a delegation of the Transcaucasian Diet and government. The opening session was on 14 March 1918. The representatives were Rear-Admiral Hüseyin Rauf Bey for the Ottoman Empire, and Akaki Chkhenkeli, Khalil bey Khasmammadov, Alexander Khatisian etc. as the Transcaucasian delegation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Council of Georgia</span>

The National Council of Georgia was the first delegated legislative body formed by Georgia's major political parties and social organizations on November 19, 1917, during the Russian Revolution. The Council presided over the declaration of independence of the Democratic Republic of Georgia on May 26, 1918, and was renamed into the Parliament of Georgia on October 4, 1918. It was succeeded by the Constituent Assembly of Georgia, a legislative body elected through the nationwide general elections on February 14, 1919.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transcaucasian Seim</span> Legislature of Transcaucasia (1918)

The Transcaucasian Seim was a representative and legislative body of state power in the Transcaucasus, convened by the Transcaucasian Commissariat in Tiflis on 23 February 1918. Its members consisted of Russian Constituent Assembly deputies elected in Transcaucasia, as well as representatives of the various political parties of Transcaucasia. Its chairman was Nikolay Chkheidze of the Social Democratic Party of Georgia.

Zakatal <i>okrug</i> Former county in Caucasus, Russian Empire

The Zakatal okrug was a special administrative district (okrug) of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire, part of the Tiflis Governorate from 1893 to 1905. The administrative centre of the district was Zakataly, and it corresponded to most of the contemporary districts of Balakan, Zaqatala and Qax of Azerbaijan. The Zakatal okrug was established from the territories of the erstwhile Free Jamaats of Jar-Balakan, bordering the Tiflis Governorate to the west, the Elizavetpol Governorate to the south and the Dagestan Oblast to the north. The district was the smallest independent administrative unit of the Russian Empire, similarly to the Sukhumi okrug.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Declaration of Independence of Azerbaijan</span> 1918 Azerbaijani legal document

The Declaration of Independence of Azerbaijan is the pronouncement adopted by the Azerbaijani National Council meeting in Tiflis on 28 May 1918, declaring the independence of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Youth and Children's Palace</span> Historical building in Tbilisi, Georgia

National Youth and Children's Palace, sometimes referred as Pioneer Palace, National Palace or by its original name – Viceroy's Palace, is a historical building located on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi, Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armenia–Georgia border</span> International border

The Armenia–Georgia border is the international boundary between Armenia and Georgia. It is 219 km (136 mi) in length and runs from the tripoint with Turkey in the west to the tripoint with Azerbaijan in the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anarchism in Georgia</span>

Anarchism in Georgia began to emerge during the late 19th century out of the Georgian national liberation movement and the Russian nihilist movement. It reached its apex during the 1905 Russian Revolution, after a number of anarchists returned from exile to participate in revolutionary activities, such as in the newly-established Gurian Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Binagadi</span> 1918 battle between Ottoman-Azerbaijani forces and Bolshevik-Dashnak forces

The battle of Binagadi lasted from August 26, 1918 to September 1, 1918. During the battle, Azerbaijani troops captured hills 311 and 364 near the town of Binagadi.

References

  1. (Georgian :საქართველოს დამოუკიდებლობის აქტი, romanized:sakartvelos damouk'ideblobis akt'i)
  2. 1 2 Kazemzadeh 1951 , p. 115
  3. Hovannisian 1969 , p. 183
  4. Hovannisian 1969 , p. 184
  5. Hovannisian 1969 , p. 181
  6. Kazemzadeh 1951 , p. 120
  7. Hovannisian 1969 , p. 188
  8. Suny 1994 , pp. 191–192
  9. Kazemzadeh 1951 , pp. 123–124
  10. "1918: Georgia's Act of Independence Proclaimed". civil.ge. 26 May 1918. Retrieved 2023-06-07.

Bibliography