As it happened in : history of

politicalR amiz Abutalibov emigration

A group of Azerbaijani students upon arrival in , early 1920

What is a Diaspora and what is emigration? Dictionaries provide the following definitions: Diaspora is the settlement of the Jews among the non-Jews after the start of their exodus from Judaea and Israel in 538 BC; emigration is the act of induced or voluntary leaving one’s country for another country for political, economic and other reasons.

18 www.irs-az.com Azerbaijani delegation meeting at the Claridge’s hotel in Paris, 1919

roceeding from these defini- were abroad at the time and, after clared “victors do have to justify them- tions, we will familiarize our 1925, most Azerbaijani students going selves”. This category included those Preaders with the results of a re- to West European schools. who courageously fought as part of search about the formation of Azer- A large proportion of first emigrants the French and Italian Resistance. baijani emigration in France. It is to be was made up of those leaving the So- The third wave included those remembered though that we will be viet legally or illegally at the who went abroad in the 1970-80s in talking only about emigration from time. A legal departure was recorded search for economic prosperity. Northern Azerbaijan. when family members living abroad In the early 1990s, Azerbaijani com- The first wave of emigration paid for an exit visa in hard currency. munities started emerging in most of emerged in the 1920-30s shortly after The illegal crossing of border entailed the developed countries of and the demise of the Azerbaijan Demo- major difficulties and enormous risk. Asia. Perhaps the first European as- cratic Republic (ADR) in April 1920. There weren’t too many people ven- sociation of Azerbaijani emigrants The first people not to return to Azer- turing to leave the country in this way. was established in Paris, France. baijan were members of Azerbaijan’s There was also another form of depar- There were grounds for that. The diplomatic mission in France led by ture – forceful deportation. All Azerbai- foundation of France’s familiariza- Alimardan Topchibashov (1863-1934) janis who had Iranian passports were tion with Azerbaijan was laid by the who attended the Versailles peace deported to Iran in 1938. compositions of French Oriental- conference. Their example was fol- The second or post-war wave of ists Barbier de Meynard, Alphonse lowed by the diplomats accredited in emigration was largely made up of Silver and Lucien Bouve, works of and visiting other countries, as well as former POWs who had not returned well-known writer George Sand, representatives of the intelligentsia, home after 1945. They were left with those of Polish Orientalist Alexan- bourgeoisie and servicemen who no option, especially after Stalin de- der Hodzko who lived in France, as www.irs-az.com 19 As it happened well as our remarkable countryman economic development. Azerbaijani emigrants carried on the Ahmedbek Agaoglu, a graduate of After the collapse of the Azerbai- benevolent mission of promoting Sorbonne and College de France jan Democratic Republic on 28 April their country. Doctor of Law Miryagub (1888-1894). In French archives I have 1920, the Azerbaijani diplomats and Mirmehdiyev published two books, discovered nine articles by A. Agao- businessmen of France established the “Problems of the Caucasus” and “So- glu published in the most prestigious Association of Azerbaijani emigrants viet regime: sources and essence”, in French magazines and one published headed by Alimardan Topchibashov. French and two books in Russian. A in an English edition between 15 A student community was led by D. large article by writer and former Azer- March 1891 and 15 October 1893. Rahimov. Thanks to the efforts of our baijani ambassador to Turkey, Yusif It should be indicated that exten- countrymen Abbasbek Atamali, Fariz- Vezir Chemenzeminli, “Insight into sive work on promoting Azerbaijan bek Vekilli, Kasim-zade, Zohra khanum Azerbaijani literature”, was published in France was conducted by our first Hajibeyli, Peri khanum Topchibashi, in “Revue du monde musulman” mag- diplomats during their official ac- Liya khanum, Nazenin khanum and azine. In the early 1920s, the six-vol- creditation in the country (May 1919 Rena khanum, Uzeyir Hajibayov’s un- ume “Encyclopedia of the 20th centu- – April 1920). On 9 August 1919, the dying comedy “Arshin Mal Alan” was ry” printed by the world-famous pub- Paris prefecture registered the France- staged at Paris’s “Femina” theater lishing company Larousse contained Caucasus committee. The first para- brief biographic information about graph of its charter said, “The Com- well-known Azerbaijani publisher Ma- mittee has been established with the gomed aga Shahtakhtinskiy. In Octo- aim of facilitating the development of ber 1926, the first issue of the “Azerbai- economic relations between France jan” magazine, the organ of the Musa- and the republics of the Caucasus: vat Party, was published in Paris, while Georgia and Azerbaijan.” French dip- in 1930 the party’s chairman Mamed lomat and Orientalist Edmond Hippo Amin Rasulzade published two books, was elected president of the Commit- “Azerbaijan’s fight for independence” tee, while vice-presidents were prince in French and “Pan-Turanism associ- Mikhail Sumbatoff from Georgia and ated with the Caucasus problem” in Miryagub Mirmehdiyev, a member of Russian. Work by Jeyhunbek Hajibeyli an Azerbaijani delegation to the Ver- “The dialect and folklore of Karabakh sailles peace conference, on behalf of (Caucasian Azerbaijan)” was published Azerbaijan. The delegation led by Ali- in Paris in 1933. Our countryman and mardan Topchibashov was publishing lawyer Aga Gasim Gasim-zade de- the “Azerbaijan” news bulletin until May fended his doctoral thesis on “The 1920 and the above-mentioned Lucien Bosporus and Dardanelles: legal as- Bouve was its editor. A total of 12 issues Alimardan Bey Topchibashov’ pects” in Sorbonne. of the bulletin were released. Also pub- Diplomats A. Topchibashi, J. Ha- lished in this short period of time were for the first time in French language. jibeyli, A. Sheikhulislamov, M. Mirme- a colored French-language geographi- The comedy had been translated by hdiyev, M. Maharramov, A. Atama- cal map of Azerbaijan and three books: the composer’s brother Jeyhunbek. libekov, M. Salimov, A. Hajinskiy, M. “The Caucasian Azerbaijan Republic”, Featuring in the performance were Mirbabayev, A. Guliyev, representatives “Economic and financial situation in French actors Dervalle (Sultanbek), of the second wave of emigration G. Azerbaijan” and “The anthropological Monte (Asker), Passani (Gulchohra), Suleymanov, T. Tagiyev, M. Aliyev who and ethnic make-up of the population Magali (Asya) and others. subsequently joined them and many of the Azerbaijan Republic”. Popular performer of Caucasian others conducted an active campaign In the late 1919, the “Revue du dances Rufatbek Khalilov featured in to condemn the occupation of Azer- monde musulman” magazine pub- the same program with well-known baijan by the Russian Red Army. It was lished an article by a member of the performers of Russian and Gypsy ro- thanks to the efforts of Jeyhunbek Azerbaijani delegation, Jeyhunbek mances, Alexander Vertinskiy and Ny- Hajibeyli, Akper aga Sheikhulislamov Hajibeyli, headlined “The first Muslim ura Masalskaya, in the famous cabaret and Abdurahman Fatalibeyli that the republic”. The article referred to unique “Caucasian cellar” in the Pigalle Street Azerbaijani desk of Radio Liberty was sources to provide an overview of of Paris. established in Munich. Azerbaijan’s history, geography and Despite a dire financial situation, Representatives of the older gen-

20 www.irs-az.com eration were gradually replaced by baijan. Her interviews on radio, with of them. In January 1997, on the in- their children. The best-known of Panorama magazine and Le Monde struction of the President of the Re- them was Umm El-Banu (1905-1992), newspaper were a contribution to the public of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, the daughter of oil magnate and ADR protection of her home country. we approached the French Embassy trade minister Mirza Asadullayev. The An outstanding artist and sculp- in Azerbaijan with the suggestion to pen-name of the Azerbaijani writer tor and one of the prominent follow- perpetuate the memory of Alimardan was Banine and she was known in ers of avant-gardism, Selim Turan, Topchibashov in Paris. French Ambas- France not only as the author of many the son of a well-known Azerbaijani sador Jean-Pierre Guinhut welcomed novels and essays and a translator of public figure, scientist and publisher the initiative and a memorial plate Dostoevsky’s books, but also as a con- Alibek Huseynzade, spent 50 years in was soon established on a building noisseur of Bunin, Teffi and German Paris. His creative work was affected at 37 Decamp Street in the center of writer Ernst Junger. by the acquaintance and friendship Paris where Alimardan Topchibashov Banine left Azerbaijan at the age of with such prominent culture figures used to live. 19 in 1924. The direct descendant of as Henry Matisse, Serge Poliakoff, Also, on the instruction of Mr. Hey- the millionaire families of Asadullayev Pierre Soulages, Hans Artung and Jean dar Aliyev, I have visited south-western and Nagiyev, she started her life in Bazaine. France twice to gather evidence con- Paris almost from scratch. After trying firming that Azerbaijanis took part in herself as a secretary, fashion model, French Resistance. The documents translator and journalist, she followed are currently kept at the Azerbaijani the advice of her French friends and Embassy in France. In fact, a monu- tried her luck in literature. Her first ment perpetuating the memory of novel “Nami” caught the attention of our countrymen Ahmediya Jabrayilov, famous French writer Jean Paulhan Mirzakhan Mamedov, Nuru Abdullayev, (1884-1968). Huseyn Rza Mamedov and others who Banine’s second writing, “Cauca- have sacrificed their lives for the libera- sian days” (1946), in which the writer tion of the French town of Rodez from revealed some amazing recollections fascism was erected in 2005. of your childhood, elevated Banine to A memorial plate on a building In conclusion of this small over- France’s elite literary circles. Prominent at 37 Decamp Street in Paris view, I would like to add that while writers Ivan Bunin (1870-1953), Andre where A. Topchibashov Azerbaijan was subjected to an in- Malraux (1910-1976), Henry Monter- formation blockade (1989-1992) our laine (1896-1972), Nikos Kazantsakis It is also worth mentioning the countrymen managed to publish four (1885-1957), Ernst Junger and others merited doctor of Strasbourg and French-language books about the became her close friends. In his letters Universities, the editor-in-chief developments in Karabakh and one Bunin described Banine as a “black- of the French Turkological magazine in Azeri (in Arab script), “Bloody Years” eyed gazelle” and “the queen of Shem- “Turkika”, Iren khanum Melikoff, and by Mamed Said Ordubadi, jointly with akha”. her daughter Shirin khanum. It was the natives of Southern Azerbaijan. After the “Caucasian days”, Banine in collaboration with them that we Azerbaijanis of France also took an ac- published nine more books and trans- conducted the first international col- tive part in the First World Congress of lated five books from Russian, German loquium “Azerbaijan: the past and Azerbaijanis in Turkey (Kaiseri, 28 May and English into French. Banine’s com- the present” in France in 1984. Shirin – 3 June 1990). mand of French deserves special men- khanum published the book “From an Azerbaijani-French relations have tion. The fact that the author is not epic legend to opera: development of consistently developed in all direc- French is stated only in the biographic the Koroglu theme in Azerbaijan” in tions since Azerbaijan restored state notes in her books. Baku, translated into French and pub- independence. Relations at state level Despite her advanced age, Banine lished Anar’s “The sixth floor of a five- have opened up new opportunities was an active member of the “Azerbai- storey building” novel in Paris, as well for the Azerbaijani Diaspora in France. jan Evi” association established by the as librettos for Uzeyir Hajibayov’s “Leyli This, however, is a topic for a separate author of this article in Paris in 1990. and Majnun” and “Koroglu” operas. article, and we hope to return to that She has made numerous statements France, which became a second in one of our next issues. for the French media condemning motherland for first Azerbaijani emi- Armenian aggression against Azer- grants, still cherishes the memory www.irs-az.com 21