In Photos: Historians, Activists Remember Victims of Soviet Terror
A group of Georgian activists and historians, led by the Soviet Past Research Laboratory (SovLab), marked 30 July as a day of remembrance of the victims of the Soviet political terror in front of the former CheKa – secret Soviet police (precursor to KGB) building in Tbilisi.
On this very date in 1937 extrajudicial mechanisms – so-called “troikas” – was created, which would put their bloody signature under death warrants of the hundreds of thousands of Soviet citizens.
The activists symbolically read out the list of over 250 Georgian citizens, from the ministers of the First Democratic Republic’s government to ordinary teachers, clerks, and workers who fell victim following August 1924 uprising of Georgians against the communist rule.
It is estimated by the historians that 5,000 – 7,000 people were shot down after an unsuccessful 1924 uprising only.
Historian Irakli Khvadagiani reads out the names of the Soviet victims. Photo: Guram Muradov / Civil.ge22 Ingorokva Street in downtown Tbilisi, that hosted Soviet Secret police. Photo: Guram Muradov / Civil.geSovLab Researcher Rusiko Kobakhidze reading the list. Photo: Guram Muradov / Civil.geThe banner photo shows Georgian political migrants, founding fathers of Georgian Republic – Valiko Jugheli, Viktor Tsenteradze, Grigol Tsintsabadze, Vasil Nodia, Benia Chkhikvishvili – in Athens in 1924, prior to their arrival to Georgia to lead an anti-Soviet uprising. Jugheli, Commander of National Guard during the first Georgian Republic, as well as Chkhikvishvili, Tbilisi’s first democratically elected mayor, were executed by the Soviets in 1924. Photo: Guram Muradov / Civil.geManana Tevzadze, granddaughter of Sardion Tevzadze, Social Democrat MP of Georgia’s Constituent Assembly (1919-1921), reading the list. Sardion Tevzadze was one of the 11 MPs of the Democratic Republic of Georgia that Soviets shot down for their participation in the uprising. Photo: Guram Muradov / Civil.geInterior of 22 Ingorokva Street building that once hosted Soviet Secret Police. Photo: Guram Muradov / Civil.gePhoto: Guram Muradov / Civil.gePhoto: Guram Muradov / Civil.gePhoto: Guram Muradov / Civil.gePhoto: Guram Muradov / Civil.gePhoto: Guram Muradov / Civil.gePhoto: Guram Muradov / Civil.gePhoto: Guram Muradov / Civil.gePhoto: Guram Muradov / Civil.gePhoto: Guram Muradov / Civil.ge
