BOLSHEVISM IN GEORGIA – SEEN FROM THE POINTS OF VIEW OF THE ARCHPRIEST NIKITA TALAKVADZE
Abstract
Three historical events were significantly important for the history of Georgia in the first half of the 20th century. 1. The restoration of autocephaly of the Georgian apostolic orthodox church (March 12, 1917). 2. the establishment of Tbilisi State University (February 8, 1918); 3. The declaration of the state independence of Georgia (May 26, 1918). The archpriest Nikita Talakvadze was one of the ecclesiastic individuals, who took an active part in these processes. He had completed the higher ecclesiastical education, was distinguished orator and the tireless propagandist for the freedom of the homeland and the mother church. He was the deserving companion-in-arms of the catholicos-patriarch Kyrion of Georgia, he criticized all the enmities, that took place in the affairs of the newly-exempted church. He has written the vast number of notes about both — the religious and secular life. It is noteworthy to mention the political history of Georgia in 1917-1932 written by him, describing the democratic republic of Georgia as well as the Bolshevistic occupation rule, political repressions, about the attitude of the Bolsheviks regarding the principles of the national and state regulations against the Georgian national interest of the Georgian people. The author was bravely unmasking so called Soviet experiments: collectivization, industrialization, cultural revolution, he is demonstrating the internal conflicts and violence of the occupational authorities, the destructive results of the aggressive atheistic policy that lead to the Georgian church in the ruined condition. The writings of the archpriest Nikita Talakvadze is the precious source for the history of Georgia in the first half of the 20th century.
Keywords: archpriest Nikita Talakvadze, Bolshevik occupational authority, political repressions, collectivization, industrialization, cultural revolution, catholicos-patriarch Kyrion of Georgia
