Gigla Berbichashvili’s and Iliko
Imerlishvili’s relationship with Stalin
Tengliz Simashvili
This article was published by Police Academy Publisher the Archival Bulletin, #14 (2013)
This one and other interesting articles about Stalin are here - pages 72-99; 123-129
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to archival and other historical documents, four people participated in the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 beaten brutally.
The
killers were Ivane Inashvili, Pavle Pshavlishvili (Aptsiauri), Gigla Berbichashvili,
and “Imereli,” who is referred to as “One Imereli” in some documents, and
“Imereli” in others. In one document he is called “the leader of Ilia
Chavchavadze’s killers’ gang”. “Imereli” was also referred to as a member of
Ilia Chavchavadze’s killers’ gang in the press of the time. According to the
newspaper “Trans-Caucasia News,” issued on December 2, 1908, “a stranger named
Imereli” was an accomplice of G. Berbichashvili, P. Pshavlishvili and V.
Inashvili.
According
to acceptable documents, the fourth killer of Ilia - “Imereli”, “One Imereli”
or “a stranger named Imereli” - was Iliko Imerlishvili.
A
document from 25 December, 1908, shows that Iliko Imerlishvili, Gigla
Berbichashvili and Pavle Pshavlishvili were members of the Red Detachment of
the Social Democratic Party in Dusheti mazra (administrative unit). The
document is a protocol, in which Chief Constable of the Dusheti regional police
Abesalom Giorgis dze Paghava, writes: “Pavle
Pshavlishvili’s gang consisted of 1. Pavle Pshavlishvili, 2. Imerlishvili, 3.
None Mchedlishvili, 4. Sandro Mchedlishvili, 5. Lazare Gabitashvili, 6. Giorgi
Tsiklauri, 7. Basil Sighnagheli, 8. Lado from Telavi, 9. Vano Inashvili, 10.
Tushetian Vano, 11. Ruassian Doroshenko, 12. Gigla Berbichashvili, 13. Giorgi
Parkhanashvili”.
In
other documents, Iliko Imerlishvili is referred to as the head of the regional
Red Detachment, fifteen members strong, in Saguramo or Mtskheta. A photograph found
by Mr. Nodar Grigalashvili supports this. The photo of Iliko Imerlishvili’s Red
Detachment was taken in 1908-1909, and it is very likely that Gigla
Berbichashvili is among those pictured.
Iliko
Imerlishvili was born on February 25, 1886, in Mtskheta. In the late 1890s, he
began working in the Tbilisi Printing House. There, he made friends with
revolutionary employees, and became a terrorist as well as a member of the
Social Democratic Party. According to a document preserved in the Party Archive
of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in 1906, one year before the assassination
of Ilia Chavchavadze, Iliko Imerlishvili had direct contact with the Tbilisi
Committee of the Social Democratic Party. The following is from a biography
written by the friends and comrades of famed Social-Democratic terrorist
Romanoz (Ramana) Tarashvili, who was active in Dusheti mazra and Tbilisi: “In
1906 a big pig (last name not known – authors note) and Ramana Tarashvili
killed agent Ghviniashvili in Tbilisi by the order of Tbilisi Committee. The
same year, Tarashvili, Iliko Imerlishvili and a big pig disarmed the nobles and
transferred the arm to Tbilisi Committee.
[1]
Participant of the assassination of Ilia Chavchavadze Gigla Petres dze
Berbichashvili - born on August 6, 1878; Resident of the village Akhatna,
Dusheti mazra; Social status – peasant; for several years he had served in the
Tsar’s army.
According
to various archival documents, in 1904-1905 Gigla Berbichashvili became a
member of the Social Democratic Party and the Red Detachment of Dusheti mazra. Preliminary
interrogation protocols from 1941, from the case of Ilia Chavchavadze’s
assassination, offer much information about his revolutionary activities. Other
documents from Berbichashvili’s trial (December 25, 1941 – January 5, 1942)
offer even more.
The
archival record shows that Iliko Imerlishvili participated in the assassination
of Ilia Chavchavadze with Gigla Berbichashvili, Ivane Inashvili and Pavle
Pshavlishvili. One protocol, from Decvember 25-31, 1908, and signed by Regional
Executor Oziev, of Bazaleti, Dusheti mazra, records the following comment about
a man accused of having a close relationship to P. Pashavlishvili and his
accomplices: “At the interrogatoin the
detainee said that in May of 1908 he had joined Pshavlishvili’s gang by chance.
The band consisted of thirteen members: head of the gang Pshavlishvili, Ilia
Chavchavadze’s killers: Ivane Inashvili, Gigla Darchos dze Berbichashvili,
resident of the village of Mtskheta Iliko Imerlishvili and many others”.
In
this document, four people are described as participants in the assassination
of Ilia Chavchavadze.
In
investigation documents concerning the assassination of Prince Nikoloz
Khimshiashvili of Dusheti mazra (a prominent landlord), Iliko Imerlishvili,
Gigla Berbichashvili, and Pavle Pshavlishvili are described as Ilia
Chavchavadze’s killers. A friend of N. Khimshiashvili, the regional executor of
Bazaleti Oziev, said the following: “Prince
N. Khimshiashvili often said that he was afraid of being killed by Ilia
Imerlishvili, Gigla Berbichashvili and Lado Peikrishvili because he (N.
Khimshiashvili – author’s note) persecuted them for the assassination of Ilia
Chavchavadze.” This means that N. Khimshiashvili believed that Ilia (Iliko)
Imerlishvili participated in the assassination of Ilia Chavchavadze.
There
are many documents in the Archive which attest to Iliko Imerlishvili’s and his
accomplices’ direct participation the assassination of Ilia Chavchavadze – for
example, a two-page report dated January 15, 1914, sent from the head of
Tbilisi police by the head of the Tbilisi Detective Police Department. A second
document – a three-page report - was sent to Tbilisi Investigator of Special Cases
by the head of Tbilisi Detective Police Department on February 1, 1914. “Iliko Imerlishvili with the members of his
group has committed many murders, including the murders of the officials,
village headman, guards and landlord prince Ilia Chavchavadze (Georgian writer).
The second report contains the additional information that these facts were
provided by agents.
It
is noteworthy that Iliko Imerlishvili is mentioned as head of the regional
Social Democratic Party in another document from the same case. The document
was sent to the head of police department of the Trans-Caucasus Railway, by the
head of Tbilisi police on January 28, 1914.
For
years, Soviet authorities concealed the party affiliations and personal
relationships of those found guilty of Ilia Chavchavadze’s assassination. The
truth was covered up for decades. However, the documents bringing the truth to
light are preserved in the Archive of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of
Georgia.
According
to archival documents, Gigla Berbichashvili, a resident of Saguramo community,
was among the active revolutionaries. [2]
The
leaders of the 1905-1907 revolution (and subsequent revolutionary movements in
Saguramo) included Isidore Ramishvili, Lavrenti Asatiani, and Giorgi Tatishvili.
Giorgi
Tatishvili’s autobiography, and his many letters, articles, memoirs, and essays,
from before and after 1936, testify that facts about Ilia Chavchavadze’s
assassination were falsified by the Soviet authorities. Tatishvili was an
activist of the Social Democratic Party, and head of the regional committee of
the Social Democratic Party in Dusheti mazra (administrative unit) during
1908-1914.
According
to Giorgi Tatishvili’s 1933 autobiography, Gigla Berbichashvili was an activist
of the Social Democratic Party and a member of the “Red Detachment”: “On behalf
of the committee, a few armed persons started to extort money from the
peasantry in one of the villages of Dusheti mazra. Lavrenti Asatiani, Gigla
Berbichashvili, Sandro Mamulishvili, and Sandro Odzishvili were ordered to
arrest the expropriators by the local committee of the Social Democratic Party”
[3]
Archive
documents provide more information about the activities of Gigla Berbichashvili
as an activist of “Red Detachment” of the Social Democratic Party. The author
of one such document was Sandro Mamulishvili, a member of “Red Detachment” of
the Social Democratic Party and one of the co-participants of Gigla
Berbichashvili in arresting the expropriators. According to the document, “In
1906 Anika Zviadauri visited me from the village of Davo(a)tu. She told me that
the following day three persons would come to their village to take 40 rubles
for the unity committee from every family. These three persons visited the
village yesterday and threatened villagers that if they did not give them money
the whole village would be destroyed and those who opposed would be killed. They
had bombs in their hands.
I
told everything to Lavrenti Asatiani, Gigla Berbichashvili and Sandro
Odziashvili. We took our arms and went to the village of Dovo(a)ti on a fixed
day. We arrived just in time as the villagers were being gathered and, money
being taken from their houses. Sandro Odziashvili shot at the ground. People
scattered. We ran around the crowd and seized dis-armored attackers. I kept the
detainees in my cattle-shed for two days and nights”.[4] The
following extract from Sandro Mamulishvili’s autobiography, written by Giorgi
Tatishvili in 1933, testifies that Giorgi Berbichashvili was a member of the
Social Democratic Party: “At nights we gathered in the forest and learned how
to fight for the independence. The following revolutionaries were among us:
Isidore Ramishvili, Shakro Uznadze, Lavrenti Asatiani, Giorgi Tatishvili, Arsen
Tsitladze; from local village: Kola Odziashvili, Gigla Berbichashvili, Sandro
Odziashvili, Vano Gharibashvili and others. We followed the instructions of the
Russian Social Democratic Labor Party”.[5]
Gigla
Berbichashvili was a member of the “Red Detachment” of the Social Democratic
Party, which is why the village police tried to arrest him: “The meeting of centurions and party leaders of Saguramo was convened at school
in the village of Tsinamdzghvriantkari. The next day, village police constable
Vasil came to our village with the Cossacks from Dusheti. He seized me and
began looking for Gigla Berbichashvili and Sandro Odziashvili. He said that we
had attended the meeting in Tsinamdzghvriantkari”. [6]
Giorgi
Tatishvili kept the participation of Gigla Berbichashvili in Ilia
Chavchavadze’s assassination a secret until 1936. The following document
testifies to this: “I asked Lado Peikrishvili about Ilia Chavchavadze’s
assassination. He said that neither he nor any of his friends took part in
Ilia’s assassination. I only know what Pavle Pshavlishvili told me when he was
my friend and did not keep secrets from me. He told me that Ilia had been
killed by four people: Vano Inashvili, Pavle Pshavlishvili, Loma Khizanishvili,
and he did not say who had been the fourth one.” [7]
Mikheil
Klimiashvili, a member of the Social Democratic Party, confirmed that Gigla
Berbichashvili was a member of the “Red Detachment”. He said the following: “As
soon as Ilia was killed and people started to speak about the involvement of Social
Democratic Party members, the committee of the Social Democratic Party ordered
the village committee and its head Vaso Tsabadze to form a commission. It would
be tasked with investigating the case. I was surprised when I learnt that Gigla
Berbichashvili had participated in this case. Gigla Berbichashvili and Kola
Odziashvili (one of the activists of the local Social Democratic Party
organization – author’s note) escaped the villagers’ aggression and moved to
Tbilisi. Gigla Berbichashvili spent all his time with Sandro Gedevanishvili in
Tbilisi or with Pavle Tusishvili in Avchala”.
Documents
preserved in the Archive of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia testify
that Giorgi Berbichashvili was a member of the Social Democratic Party. On
October 9, 1940, he was questioned as a suspected person. According to his
testimony, “I have been a member of the Party since 1905. I was enrolled in the
Party by the Dusheti regional organization. When I became a party member its
name was “The Social Democratic Workers’ Party”
According
to testimony given by Gigla Berbichashvili on October 10, 1940, “In the
previous testimony I made a mistake about the Party. I said as if in 1905 there
had not been Bolshevik and Menshevik wings in the Social Democratic Workers’
Party. But actually, the party had these two wings and I was an activist of the
Bolshevik wing.”
Ivane
Inashvili, Pavle Pshavlishvili and Gigla Berbichashvili are mentioned in
negative context in Giorgi Tatishvili’s autobiography, written sometime after
1936. At the trial of Gigla Berbichashvili in 1941-1942 concerning Ilia
Chavchavadze’s assassination, Giorgi Tatishvili gave many testimonies against
the convicted.
According
to Giorgi Tatishvili, he, together with other members of the local Social Democratic
Party, conducted an investigation of Ilia Chavchavadze’s assassination throughout
the region, on the Party’s orders. However, they were not able to find out
which local organization had planned to kill Ilia Chavchavadze and his steward
Mose Memarnishvili. He said: “There was not any evidence ascertaining which
regional party organization Vano Inashvili and Gigla Berbichashvili belonged
to. We could not affirm that they were members of the regional “Red Detachment”
of the Social Democratic Party in Saguramo. Inashvili was the village headman when
“Red Detachments” were formed in the regions of Gori and Dusheti. Gigla
Berbichashvili had friendly relations with the robbers. Thus, nobody would have
welcomed him either in the Party or the “Red Detachment” [8] Soviet
authorities not only concealed the fact that Ilia Chavchavadze was killed by
the Party, but also the fact that they had relations with other Party members
of various ranks. For example, they concealed the relationship between Gigla
Berbichashvili and Maro Nikalaevna Khutsishvili. During the 1905-1907
revolution, Maro, with famous Bolsheviks Kamo (Ter-Petrosyan), Vano
Tarkhnishvili, Giorgi Elisabedashvili and others, was active in illegal
meetings of the Social Democratic Party.
We
now present an extract from Mariam Nikolaevna Khutsishvili’s autobiography,
written in 1934. This work, which has never been published, is preserved in the
Archive. The extract reads: “I served as watchman of illegal meetings in
Tbilisi. The head of the meetings were Kolia Lomtatidze from Batumi and
Theophile Chichua from Tbilisi. Vano Bolkvadze and Kamo Petrosyan often came
there. The members were as follows: Triphon Ramishvili, Solomon Dolidze, Justin
Vadachkoria, Makara Goguadze, Beso Maisuradze, Varlam Simonishvili, Vaso
Zakariashvili, Mikha Chodriashvili, Gigo Khechuashvili, Giorgi Kuchishvili,
Gigla Berbichashvili, Andro Dolidze, Tedore Dolidze, Vano Gagua, Evgeni Dvali,
Kosta Gamkhitashvili from Kaspi, Arsena Jorjiashvili from Tbilisi, Koba
Jughashvili, also known as Stalin from Batumi” [9] The inscription
on this document, written by Gigla Berbichashvili, testifies that Giorgi
Berbichashvili and Joseph Jughashvili participated together in illegal meetings
of the Bolsheviks. It reads as follows: “I confirm that comrade Maro Nikolaevna
Khutsishvili took an active part in the 1905-1907 revolution against Tsar
Nichollas. She has been wounded twice. In 1907 I went to Persia.
Berbichashvili: Length of Party service – from 1905; Party book № 0856831; Red Detachment book № 188. [10]
According
to Maro Khutsishvili, Gigla Berbichashvili and Joseph Jughashvili knew each
other, as they both participated in illegal meetings in Tbilisi. Giorgi
Elisabedashvili’s signature on this document also testifies to this fact. Elisabedashvili
was Joseph Jughashvili’s best friend, after Giorgi Berbichashvili from the Gori
seminary. He held various top posts in Georgia during the Soviet period. [11]
According
to the testimony of Social Democratic Party member (and former head of Dusheti
region) Giorgi Tatishvili, Karaman Paghava, and others, the convicted was not a
member of the Social Democratic Party. He was just an ordinal criminal. Their
goal was to hide any trace of the Social Democratic Party in Ilia
Chavchavadze’s assassination.
Documents
preserved in the Archive of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia show
that during and after the 1905-1907 revolution, the Social Democratic Party
(Bolsheviks and Mensheviks) actively used terrorist methods of attack against
the Tsar’s authority.
Testimony
to such 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. In 1907 he stole 250,000 rubles from Yerevan Square): “In
1906, a partisan detachment of revolutionaries was active throughout Georgia.
It included the following: Mtatsminda group, Vera group, Kharpukhi group and
others – in Tbilisi; Merkviladze’s detachment - in Imereti; Tsitelashvili’s
detachment - in Samtredia and Vani;
Giorgi Tereteli’s detachment – in Kartli; Taguna’s (little Gogia) detachment,
Poria and other. [12]
According
to Kuprashvili, “In 1906, on Stalin’s initiative, the Bolshevik “Military
Group” 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” [13]
“We
have studied the membership of anarchist groups throughout the villages and
cities. According to the order, we were to choose the best members. The
strongest anarchist groups from Tbilisi were groups of Mtatsminda and Vera.
From Mtatsminda group we chose Datiko Chiaberashvili, Arkadi Elbakidze
(Agordia), Samson Tomaradze and Chikovani” [14]
Iliko
Iordanovich Imerlishvili was a member of the Mtatsminda group. His biography,
written by his brother, the revolutionary and terrorist Giorgi Imerlishvili,
supports this fact. An extract from the biography reads: “He joined the Mtatsminda
group after the revolutionaries had been defeated. In 1906 he participated in the
theft of treasury money from Kojori, which was organized by Oboladze. Afterwards,
he took part in a few terrorist acts. In 1907, after this group had been
dismissed and he was under investigation by police, he was forced to hide in
the forest” [15]
The
information about Iliko Imerlishvili’s membership in the Bolshevik party is
confirmed by his group members and “comrades,” in Iliako Imerlishvili’s January
1934. “At the end of 1904, although he was young and not ready for “a big
deal”, he was on the Bolsheviks’ side instinctively. He did his best to prove
that the Bolshevik faction was better. Iliko was involved in the Bolshevik faction.
Sasha Oboladze helped him in practical work. In 1906, Iliko Imerlishvili and
his two friends, Dmitri Batsankalishvili and Vaso Paresishvili, temporarily
joined the Mtatsminda group, which was led by Sasha Oboladze” [16]
The
following document testifies to the close relationship between Mtatsminda group
members and Bolshevik outlaws Bachua Kuprashvili, Kamo (Ter-Petrosyan) (and
others): “On January 12, 1906 Sasha Oboladze, Datiko Chiabrishvili, Arkadi
Elbakidze, Kamo, Iliko Imerlishvili, Vaso Paresishvili, Tarashvili, and Dmitri Batsankalishvili
went to Kakheti to hold negotiations with Khunkhuz Vano Guruli – head of the
regional “Red Detachment” of Kartli and Kakheti” [17]
According
to the memoirs of revolutionary Kote Gurgenishvili, besides the aforementioned
persons, Joseph Vissarionovich Jughashvili (Stalin) also participated in the
meetings of “Red Detachments”. “On January 12, under comrade Stalin’s leadership,
a meeting at the headquarters of the regional Red Detachment of Kartli-Kakheti
was held in Sagarejo” [18]
Archive
documents indicate that Stalin organized the activities of the Red Detachment
in Tbilisi province, and that he knew Iliko Imerlishvili. An extract from one
Archive document reads: “In late October, under Stalin’s orders, all members of
Tbilisi province “Red Detachment” were gathered, and the members of staff were
selected. While Vano Alikhanashvili (Vano Guruli, Khunkhuza) became the staff
head, Akvsenti Sidamonidze and Sandro Kavlashvili from Telavi, Vano
Kristesiashvili and Giorgi Machabeli from Gori mazra (region), Niko
Kadagishvili from Gori mazra, and Iliko Imerlishvili from Dusheti mazra became
its members.” [19]
The
following document suggests that Iliko Imerlishvili was a member of the
Bolshevik party: “Unfortunately, besides Alikhanashvili (Khunkhuzasi), Vano
Kristesashvili and Iliko Imerli, all members of the Red Detachment were
Mensheviks” [20]
The memoirs of Alexander (Sasha) Oboladze suggest that the members of
Mtatsminda group had close relations with Joseph Jughashvili. The following was
written on October 13, 1922, when Oboladze returned from a special mission in
Khevsureti: “As our faction worked in alliance with the Mensheviks, I did not
consent to being disarmed, and formed a separate group. The group consisted of
60 armed personnel, and a printing-house. Comrade Dato Chiaberovi was one of
us. Stalin (Koba) himself supported us. At one of the conferences, he appealed
with a resolution to take us back” [21]
On
May 11, 1908, Bolshevik terrorist Giorgi Maisuradze together with Iliko
Imerlishvili and Pavle Pshavlishvili escaped from Metekhi prison.
In
1905-1907, Vano Maisuradze, a Kakheti terrorist and revolutionary, confirmed a
close relationship between members of the regional Red Detachment in Kakheti and
Mtatsminda group members: “The members of the Kakhetian Red Detachment got the
arms from Mtatsminda. Those arms had been taken away from the citizens by
Avaliani’s group” [22]
According
to V. Maisuradze, the Social-Democrat terrorists committed acts of theft and
extortion. “The following persons participated: K. Lortkipanidze, V. Maisuradze
(Tucha), Imerlishvili, Koridze, Elbakidze, the Mamatsashvilis, Buchashvili and
Chikchikelashvili”.
In
1935, V. Maisuradze composed memoirs concerning the 1905-1907 revolution.
According to these memoirs, Iliko Imerlishvili had a close relationship with Social-Democratic
terrorists, and took part in the thefts. An extract reads: “We decided to
attack the state posts in different regions. While some went to Tsinandali, we
attacked the post in Kachreti twice. (We wanted to involve the villagers in the
revolution. Those people were from nearby villages and supported the old
regime. We took care of our district because of the repressions.) The following
participated in the attacking on the post: 1. Vano Alikhanashvili from Outer Kakheti;
2. Vano Maisuradze “Tura” (“Jackal”); 3. Kolia Lortkipanidze from the outside;
4. Sergia Koridze; 5. Arto Mikelov; 6. Iliko Imerlishvili (Mtskheteli); 7.
Zhghenti and Jashi; 8. The brothers – Vaso, Garso and Grisha Mamatsashvilis.” [23] Maisuradze
and the other witnesses (except Daria Jashi) did not refer to Gigla
Berbichashvili as a Social Democratic Party member in Dusheti, or as a famous
terrorist.
I
studied Nina Maisuradze’s autobiography, which is preserved in the Archive of
the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. The biography appears to have been
written before 1934. It is noteworthy that the following inscription appears at
the end of the documents: “Mtskheta Station, Aznepti, Matiashvili. Cite Nina
Giorgevna Maisuradze”. The reason for the citation must have been recorded in
the document. [24]
According
to the following document, Nina Maisuradze and her husband Giorgi Maisuradze
were revolutionaries, and knew Koba Jughashvili - Stalin - very well: “In 1905 my husband began carrying out revolutionary
activities. In 1905, 1906, and 1907, he was allied with Vano Sturua, Ilia
Imerlishvili (a typography worker), Vasil Pareshishvili, Chichuashvili, Valiko
Guruli, Zaliko Svimonishvili, the same Kakheli, Koba Jughashvili and Chito
Goreli”. According to various documents, Ilia (Iliko Imerlishvili), Valiko
Guruli, Chito Goreli, and Chichuashvili (actually Chuguashvili) were members of
Iliako Imerlishvili’s gang and participated in armed terrorist attacks.
The
following confirms that Koba Jughashvili visited Giorgi Maisuradze’s family
several times: “Koba Jughashvili has visited
us in Mtskheta twice. He would come to my husband and give him instructions to
gather revolutionary peasants. Nights, comrade Koba would come to the meetings,
talk to the peasants, and then go to the forest to spend the night. Sometimes
he would come with my husband. They would have dinner and go to the meeting. It
happened once in summer of 1907, and once that autumn”.
It
is difficult to tell what was decided at the revolutionary meeting in summer of
1907. Was it somehow connected with Ilia Chavchavadze’s assassination? Archive documents
testify that Koba Jughashvili knew Iliko Imerlishvili very well. Moreover, they
planned acts of theft together.
According
to Nina Maisuradze, Koba Jughashvili was close with Giorgi Maisuradze’s family.
She wrote: “In 1908 my family moved to
the basement at 12 Kvirili Street. In autumn of 1908, my husband brought
Jughashvili home with him. They would come in the evenings, have dinner and
leave. Nobody else followed them. It was a time when my husband did not live in
our house. He was hiding and would come home once in a week or a month”.
According
to the same document, Nina Maisuradze and Iliko Imerlishvili’s wife Liza Imerlishvili
knew each other well and were friendly. The also lived together, at 17
Parkopelnoe Street. Pareshishvili, Imerlishvili, Chuguashvili, Arsen (Arsen
Tsitladze), and others visited them often.
“In winter of 1910, an
underground meeting, under the pretense of christening of Imerlishvili’s child,
was held in our flat. Comrade Koba came to the meeting. He was in a Georgian
hat, “arkhalig” (a traditional Caucasus garment), and coat. I cooked lunch and
dinner for them. Fifteen people spent the whole day and night in my flat until
the meeting was over. Early in the morning they had their breakfast and left
one by one. The revolutionary Varlam Guruli took my son Petre to his post. He
took a ten-year-old boy with him in order to hide his real purpose.
In the evening, Imerlishvili,
Pareshashvili, Gedevanishvili (a member of Iliko Imerlishvili’s detachment),
and others, came to us and told us that the post had been attacked (the post
was in front of the Alexandrov garden). Varlam Guruli and Zaliko Svimonishvili
were killed during the attack. They were among the fifteen people who had
attended the underground meeting.
As a result, the gendarmerie
and “shpiks” (police spies) tried to pick up the trail in the streets. Imerlishvili
insisted that we move to another place. Thus, in 1912, we moved to 15 Baseini
Street. The following persons often visited us there: Vaso Pareshishvili, Iliko
Imerlishvili, Malkhaz Gedevanishvili and Deacon Archil Iosebidze. The latter
betrayed us. On January 13, 1914, the entire Nakhalovka was under siege. While
Pareshishvili was killed, Imerlishvili managed to escape”.
On
the basis of this document, the following can be concluded: First, Iliko
Imerlishvili and Joseph (Koba) Jughashvili had close relations. Second, Joseph
(Koba) Jughashvili was connected to the terrorists of the Social Democratic
Party and Red Detachments. Third, Joseph (Koba) Jughashvili participated in acts
of Bolshevik-organized terrorism and expropriation.
Iliko
Imerlishvili died at the end of March, 1914. There are conflicting accounts of
his death. According to one of them, a bomb blew up in his hand.
[1] Section
II, MIA Archive of Georgia, f. 93, opp.
2, c. 855, p. 2
[2] Section II, MIA Archive of Georgia, f. 93,
opp. 2, c. 1116, pp. 3-5
[5] Section II, MIA Archive of Georgia, f. 93,
opp.2, c. 166, p. 6
[7] Section II,
MIA Archive of Georgia, f. 93, opp. 2, c. 931, p. 4
[8] The
Department of Literature and Art of the Central Archive of Contemporary
History, f. 303, opp. 1, c. 1059, p. 5
[9] Section II, MIA Archive of Georgia, f. 93,
opp. 2, c. 948, p. 2
[11] Section
II, MIA Archive of Georgia, f. 93, opp. 2, c. 948, p. 6
[12] Section
II, MIA Archive of Georgia, f. 8, opp. 2, Part I, c. 25, p. 52
[20] Section
II, MIA Archive of Georgia, f. 8, opp.
2-I, c. 11, pp. 97-100
[21] Section II,
MIA Archive of Georgia, f. 93, opp. 2, c. 704, pp. 1 – 3
[22] Section II, MIA Archive of Georgia, f. 93, opp. 2, c. 555, pp. 2 – 4, doc. 17
