International Invention of Scientific Journal Available Online at http://www.iisj.in eISSN: 2457-0958 Volume 03|Issue 04|April, 2019| The March Genocide of 1918 in Baku Original Article Tural Velizadeh* Department of Political and Social sciences, Western Caspian University, Baku, Azerbaijan Department of History, Baku State University, Baku, Azerbaijan Abstract Received: February 22, 2019 Accepted: April 13, 2019 Published: April 30, 2019 This article deals with the massacres commited by armenians in Baku in 1918. On July 15, 1918, the Council of Ministers of Azerbaijan Republic adopted a *Corresponding Author: decree on the establishment of Extraordinary Investigation Commission (EIC), * TURAL VELIZADEH “to investigate the assaults made on Muslims and their property within the Department of Political and Social entire Caucasus since the beginning of the European war”. The materials of sciences, Western Caspian Extraordinary Investigation Commission are the unique source for University, Baku, Azerbaijan investigating the genocide against Turkish-Muslim population in Azerbaijan from March till September in 1918. These documents are proved arguments Email: [email protected] show that the genocide against Azerbaijanis is one of the horrible tragedies had been rarely met in the history of humanity. We must give due to the first young Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, in the most complicated and hardest conditions of its existence and activities as quickly and discreetly reacted to these events and had taken concrete steps. Key Words: genocide, armenians, archive documents, Extraordinary Investigation Commission, Baku, Azerbaijan Introduction The declaration of independence in 1918 enabled “It is already four months, Armenian extorters had Azerbaijan to investigate crimes against Turks and been committing atrocities against the civilian other Muslim population in their homeland. One of Muslim population, taking their lives and the significant decisions of the newly formed belongings. At the same moment as a result of government was the establishment of an misinformation, nations of Europe had a wrong Extraordinary Investigation Commission June 15, image of the ongoing processes and these factors 1918, to investigate crimes committed by dashnak necessitated the establishment of a special gangs. This is the indicator of national memory to commission” (Azerbaijan Republic State Archive, tragedic events happened in the life of Azerbaijani fund 1061, record 1, case 95, sheet 1). It was people and its state powers. The Azerbaijan mentioned and stressed in the report that it was Democratic Republic implementing into life the necessary to create an organization which would desires of Azerbaijan people were a sweet surprise “accurate registration of all cases of violence; the for them and started practical activities about circumstances under which committed violence; investigating those events. So, in July 1918, the establishing the perpetrators and losses caused by Council of Ministers of Azerbaijan Democratic them as in the national interests and in the interest of Republic considered it necessary to express its affected populations” (Azerbaijan Republic State attitude to what had been happening in the country, Archive, f.1061, r.1, c.95, s.1) He argued that the particularly by the facts of violence against the entity should be vested with extraordinary peaceful Azerbaijani population, according to the authorities. Documents to be collected by the report of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mammad commission should be translated into the Hasan Hajinsky. It was mentioned in the statement: Azerbaijani, Russian, English, French, and German International Invention of Scientific Journal, Volume 03, Issue 04, Page no: 536-539 Page | 536 Tural Velizadeh, The March Genocide of 1918 in Baku IISJ languages. M.H.Hajinsky especially stressed that it members of the grand jury Aley Adamovich was necessary to organizing Investing Committee Litovsky, Cheslav Klossovsky, lawyer Abbasali bey immediately “because today it is easy to take Haji Irzayev, and the member of Baku District Court interviews, photos and other evidences, that will be B.Yusifbeyov sat on the commission at various times more difficult afterwards, maybe will not be (Isgenderli Anar, 2011). Extraordinary Investigation available then” (Azerbaijan Republic State Archive, Commission materials collected by August 1919 was f.1061, r.1, c.95, s.1). 36 volumes and 35000 pages, 6 volumes (740 pages) of them reflected violent acts, performed on the Establishment of the Extraordinary Investigation Muslim population of the city of Baku and its Commission environs. Azerbaijanis underwent attacks and At the same meeting – July 15, 1918 the Council of lootings in Shamakhi, Goychay, Ganja, Nukha, Ministers of Azerbaijan Republic adopted a decree Gazakh, Lankaran, Salyan, Javad, Garabagh, on the establishment of the Extraordinary Zangezur, Irevan - in short, in all provinces of Investigation Commission, “for the investigation of Azerbaijan. violence made against Muslims and their property within the entire South Caucasus since the beginning Documents of the Extraordinary Investigation of the European war” (Azerbaijan Republic State Commission Archive, f.1061, r.1, c.95, s.2). It was the first Inhabitant of Baku city A.N.Kvasnikin who was attempt for giving political value to carrying questioned as a witness by Investigation genocide against Azerbaijanis and the processes of Commission said: “On 17-21 of March of this year occupation Azerbaijan territories more than a (by the old calendar) incidents of Baku may be century in history. According to the decision signed explained in this way without being conscience- on the 31 August 1918 by the head of Democratic stricken: “It was a bloody attempt of Armenians Republic, at the same time the minister of Foreign against to the Muslims for the purpose of Affairs Fataly Khan Khoysky the Extraordinary annihilating Muslim people firstly in Baku, then Investigation Commission consisting of 7 members around the city, plundering all their properties and was organized. It was stated in the decision: “For assimilating all their properties and political fulfilling the government’s decision on 15 July, 1918 superiority by Armenians.””. (ARSA, f.1061, r.1, - lawyer Alakbar bey Khasmammadov was c.95, s.2). Unbridled and wild Armenian bandits appointed the chairman of the investigation used severe methods for destroying Azerbaijan commission (later the chairman of the Azerbaijani people. The member of Extraordinary Investigating Chamber of Appeals), Ismayil bey Shahmaliyev and Commission A.Y.Kluge wrote in his report Andrey Fomich Novatsky became members of the “Violence that carried out against to the Muslim Ganja District Court, Nasreddin Sefikurdski was people of Baku city”: “Well armed, trained appointed the assistant public prosecutor of the Armenian soldiers attacked accompanying number Ganja District Court, and Nikolay Mikhailovch of machine-guns……Armenians invaded Muslim Mikhailov, V.V. Gudvillo from the Ganja Migration houses, destroyed the inhabitants of these houses, cut Office and teacher Mirza Javad Akhunzade were also them by sabre and dagger and punched a hole by included into the Commission” (Azerbaijan using bayonet, threw the children into the burning Republic State Archive, f.1061, r.1, c.95, s.3). house, shook three-four days babies on the tip of Though the Extraordinary Investigation Commission bayonet, they didn’t take a pity on infants whose was formed within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, parents killed and they committed murder”. the commission was attached to the Ministry of (Azerbaijan Republic State Political Parties and Justice by the decision of Prime Minister Fataly khan Public Movement Archive, fund 277, record 2, case Khoyski on September 22, 1918. The assistant public 16, sheet 20). Besides killing Muslims, Armenians prosecutor of Baku District Court Alexander destroyed their properties and stole little valuable Yevgeniyevich Kluge, the member of the grand jury things. Afterwards only in one place 57 Muslim Mammad khan Tekinski, the investigator for women and girls’ corpses were found under the particularly important cases of the Ganja District ground. Their ears, noses were cut off, their bellies Court Mehiyeddin Shahmaliyev, the member of the torn open. Armenians tied the women to one another Baku Guberniya District Court Hidayet Sutanov, with their plates, carried them bareheaded and International Invention of Scientific Journal, Volume 03, Issue 04, Page no: 536-539 Page | 537 Tural Velizadeh, The March Genocide of 1918 in Baku IISJ barefoot in the cabs, they bit and crippled them using represented all classes of Armenian people the butts of rifles on the road. (ARSPPPMA, f.277, considered themselves obliged to take part in this r.2, c.16, s.18). According to the documents of “war”. There was oil proprietor, engineers, doctors, Investigation Commission within March genocide of contour employees; on the whole all the layers of 1918 up to 11 thousand Turk-Muslim were killed in Armenian people realized their “civil debts””. Baku city. Most of their corpses were not found. (ARSA, f.100, r.1, c.791, s.791). 10 armed sailors Because according to the explanation of witnesses, under by the led of pilot Rozenblyumun to Kazim Armenians threw corpses into burning houses, to the Akhundov, the assistant of commander of steamer sea and wells in order to hide the criminal. “Nikolay Buniatov” on 6 April for defending of (ARSPPPM,