Shedding New Light on the First Republic: Handover of the Chkhenkeli Archives to TSU

On 28 September, the archives of Akaki Chkhenkeli, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the First Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918-1921) were gifted to the Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU). The archive includes thousands of documents, personal letters, diplomatic letters, and biographical information on Georgian public figures, including Noe Jordania, head of the government of the First Democratic Republic of Georgia.

In the course of this year, there have been many important occasions to remember and mark the 100th anniversary of the establishment of First Democratic Republic of Georgia, including at the Tbilisi State University, which was founded in 1918. The handing over of the Chkhenkeli archive was Switzerland’s unique contribution to the anniversary year, with the support of the Swiss Embassy in Georgia.

The Ambassador of Switzerland in Georgia, Lukas Beglinger, spoke about the Swiss contribution.

“It was not widely known that substantial archives of the Chkhenkeli family were being kept in Switzerland, due to Kita Chkhenkeli’s living in Zurich,” he said.

Kita Chkhenkeli, brother of Akaki, established a Georgian faculty at the Zurich University, established publishing house Amirani in Zurich, was the creator of the most comprehensive Georgian-German dictionary, and authored the book ‘Introduction to the Georgian Language.’ The Zurich University granted him the degree Honoris Causa (Honorable Doctor of Philosophy).

“Thanks to the initiative of distinguished Swiss citizens Thomas Häusermann, Thomas and Marianna Krayer, who deserve to be qualified as true friends of Georgia, these archives can today be handed over to TSU,” Beglinger noted.

“Before Akaki died, he sent his archive to his brother Kita, realizing that it would be safer in Switzerland,” Thomas Häusermann, one of the current owners of the archive, told us. “When he died, he left it to Lea Flury, one of his students and the one who continued the activities of Amiran, founded by Kita for publishing his 'Manual of the Georgian Language' and his Georgian-German Dictionary. This was in Communist times and Lea kept the documents hidden because she realized their value to Georgian history.”

In order for the information not to be lost, Häusermann, Thomas Krayer and Marianna Krayer, to whom Flury entrusted the archives, digitalized the whole archive and gifted the original and one hard copy of the digitalisation to the university.  

The Georgian faculty established by Kita Chkhenkeli at Zurich University was eventually abolished, meaning that Bern University featured the only Georgian language center in Switzerland which is now discontinued due to a lack of finances. In his speech, Häusermann made a plea to the Georgian side not to let this happen.

“My request to the Georgian government and TSU is to do what you can to ensure  the teaching of Georgian language, which was started by Kita Chkhenkéli, be continued. And that a memorial plaque be placed on the house in Zürich where Kita worked and lived.”

The archives are expected to offer new insights into Georgia’s troubled history a hundred years ago. Their being in Georgia also makes them accessible to researchers here.

Rector of the Tbilisi State University, Giorgi Sharvashidze, spoke of the importance of the archive for the new generation and thanked the Swiss for making such a vital addition to the TSU archive for research purposes.

“This is a unique gift for our youth,” he said. “I’m confident there will be a lot of historical facts revealed for the future generations, facts that show how people existed who were unceasing in their fighting the [Russian] occupation and promoting the idea of Georgia’s freedom.”

“I see numerous youth in this library making use of the research materials,” said Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure, Maia Tskitishvili. “This archive is for the interest of the new generation, not only TSU students but all who have an interest in rediscovering their nation’s history.

This material gives us the chance to claim back our history. 100 years ago, we were already a modern democratic country and these archives contribute to showcasing that. I congratulate TSU on the receipt of such valuable material and look forward to the discoveries and publications that will no doubt result from this archive being returned to Georgia.”

It was a sentiment echoed by Ambassador Beglinger: “I have no doubt that in today’s world of widespread distorted historical narratives and misrepresent ations, Georgia stands to gain from such a scientific approach to its own history.”

By Katie Ruth Davies