Tengiz Simashvili
The article was published in Iv. Javakhishvili State University Proceedings, XIV, 2018
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The content of unpublished memoirs of Aleksandre (Sandro) Tsikhitatrishvili – a son of Joseph Jughashvili’s Godfather Mikhail Tsikhitatrishvili, dated by 1936 is quite interesting.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.
* Military Group
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
