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AZERBAIJANI LEADERS OF WORLD WAR LL EQUAL TO STALIN - HISTORIAN
Leyla Tagiyeva News.Az
news.az
May 11 2010
Azerbaijan
Eldar Ismaylov News.Az interviews Eldar Ismaylov, head of the Center
"For civil public", professor of the Baku State University and famous
historian.
How should Azerbaijan treat the ideas of reviewing results of the
Second world war, as well as countries and organizations proposing
such initiatives?
Azerbaijan is a participant of war and as he is a participant of the
anti-Hitler coalition, it can be considered that the war led with the
countries of anti-Hitler coalition was fair and its results feature
the people's efforts in the struggle for victory. In addition, the
issue is about the degree the Patriotic war can be applied to the
history of Azerbaijan. Can Azerbaijan consider this war patriotic?
Undoubtedly, it can. Naturally, this war was patriotic for the people
before my generation, for the people of my generation and for the
people of the generation following mine. As the Azerbaijani population
took the war as a struggle for justice, this influenced the position
of the Azerbaijani government too.
Meanwhile, how can the state and the society treat the Azerbaijani
legion partaking in the war on the side of fascist Germany?
This is an important issue for Azerbaijan. At the same time, it
should be taken into account that the war was patriotic for the whole
population of Azerbaijan. It is necessary to confess this for a part
of the Azerbaijani population did not feel links to the history of the
Soviet state, a part of the population was insulted and resented with
the Soviet system. The population was seriously wounded, therefore,
it could not perceive this war as its own, that is as the war of its
people. In this connection, the war was perceived as a struggle for
restoration of violated rights by a greater part of the Azerbaijani
population, as well as Russians, Ukrainians, Byelorussians, Georgians,
Armenians and other peoples. Therefore, the legion formation cannot
be connected only with some subjective reasons. Its creation cannot
be connected with objective reasons, as a struggle of a part of the
population against Bolsheviks.
The Azerbaijani legion created in 1943 and Azerbaijani battalions
fighting before than in 1942 on the Caucasus front consisted of people
mostly not accepting the Soviet power or socialistic system. They
could not reconcile with the occupation of Azerbaijan by the Russian
troops. At the same time, it should be taken into account that there
was a polarization of opinion within the Azerbaijani society. But
mostly, a greater part of the population sympathized to the socialistic
system.
Is there a need to assess and define the role of Azerbaijan in this
war and how can be feature this war in Azerbaijani historiography?
I think the war for Azerbaijan was Patriotic like for the whole
Soviet Union. It can hardly be said that Azerbaijanis fighting for
Germany were struggling for freedom and independence of Azerbaijan,
since if Germany had won in that war, Azerbaijan would hardly gain
independence. Nevertheless, most people considered like that and fought
on the side of Germany. I knew most of those people, therefore, I would
like to note that probably they were persuaded of the righteousness
of their actions. But this does not mean they were right.
How can the public treat war participants fighting on the side of
the Soviet Union and Hitler Germany?
The present generation does not know anything about this war. They
have the only homeland-Azerbaijan. Naturally, in these conditions that
war seems alien to the young people, that is the war of a different
state. We should admit that. Therefore, Moscow is not closer to them
than Washington or Berlin. I have been teaching at a high school for
many years and I can say that the Soviet Union is not home for the
present generation of young people who were mostly born after the
90's. Therefore, Patriotic war cannot be patriotic for them. We were
born in the Soviet Union and it was our homeland. But this does not
mean that the next generation should also treat this issue like this,
they have a right to think differently.
Which can be the attitude to Stalin in the light of the recent demands
to rehabilitate this historical personality including in Azerbaijan?
My attitude to Stalin is clear. Before war, he committed genocide of
the Soviet people, including Azerbaijanis. We cannot reject this. The
soviet union was based on the principle of class struggle, that is
provision of welfare of people envisioned termination of another
part of the people. In this connection, I would like to repeat that
Stalin committed genocide of his own people regardless of their
ethnic belonging.
As for Stalin's activity during war, he demonstrated himself as
a real commander and a leader of the state. Speaking about it, we
should adhere to the principle that history cannot be treated equally,
it request objective analysis.
And how can the Azerbaijani leaders of the period of war be assessed?
The then leaders of Azerbaijan must be assessed the way Stalin war.
They all followed Stalin's policy and thus promoted genocide. On
the other hand, in definite periods of life they played a great
role in consolidation of people. First of all, I imply Mirjafar
Baguirov. He played his role in the development of Azerbaijani
national self-identification. These processes were going on par,
though contradicting to each other. But we cannot judge the dead,
this is not real. Therefore, the events and behavior of people should
be treated in terms of that period.
Is it correct to raise the issue of granting the status of hero city
to Baku today?
Yes, the issue is legitimate. Undoubtedly, Baku and the overall
Azerbaijan played a great role in resisting fascist aggression. But
if this problem cannot be settled today, I think it is senseless to
raise this issue.
I would like to note that the status of a hero city was for the
first time granted to four cities including Sevastopol, Stalingrad,
Leningrad and Odessa. Then, considering political conjuncture it was
granted to different cities, in particular, Minsk, Kiev, Moscow and so
on. These were the subjective wishes of different leaders. However,
after granting this status to the aforementioned four cities,
addition granting of the same title to other citizens was senseless,
especially, raising this issue after the USSR collapse in order to
grant the status of a hero city to Baku is impossible, because it is
unclear who will grant the status of the hero city, which stats will
grant the status to the cities that are not part of a single state.
Leyla Tagiyeva News.Az
news.az
May 11 2010
Azerbaijan
Eldar Ismaylov News.Az interviews Eldar Ismaylov, head of the Center
"For civil public", professor of the Baku State University and famous
historian.
How should Azerbaijan treat the ideas of reviewing results of the
Second world war, as well as countries and organizations proposing
such initiatives?
Azerbaijan is a participant of war and as he is a participant of the
anti-Hitler coalition, it can be considered that the war led with the
countries of anti-Hitler coalition was fair and its results feature
the people's efforts in the struggle for victory. In addition, the
issue is about the degree the Patriotic war can be applied to the
history of Azerbaijan. Can Azerbaijan consider this war patriotic?
Undoubtedly, it can. Naturally, this war was patriotic for the people
before my generation, for the people of my generation and for the
people of the generation following mine. As the Azerbaijani population
took the war as a struggle for justice, this influenced the position
of the Azerbaijani government too.
Meanwhile, how can the state and the society treat the Azerbaijani
legion partaking in the war on the side of fascist Germany?
This is an important issue for Azerbaijan. At the same time, it
should be taken into account that the war was patriotic for the whole
population of Azerbaijan. It is necessary to confess this for a part
of the Azerbaijani population did not feel links to the history of the
Soviet state, a part of the population was insulted and resented with
the Soviet system. The population was seriously wounded, therefore,
it could not perceive this war as its own, that is as the war of its
people. In this connection, the war was perceived as a struggle for
restoration of violated rights by a greater part of the Azerbaijani
population, as well as Russians, Ukrainians, Byelorussians, Georgians,
Armenians and other peoples. Therefore, the legion formation cannot
be connected only with some subjective reasons. Its creation cannot
be connected with objective reasons, as a struggle of a part of the
population against Bolsheviks.
The Azerbaijani legion created in 1943 and Azerbaijani battalions
fighting before than in 1942 on the Caucasus front consisted of people
mostly not accepting the Soviet power or socialistic system. They
could not reconcile with the occupation of Azerbaijan by the Russian
troops. At the same time, it should be taken into account that there
was a polarization of opinion within the Azerbaijani society. But
mostly, a greater part of the population sympathized to the socialistic
system.
Is there a need to assess and define the role of Azerbaijan in this
war and how can be feature this war in Azerbaijani historiography?
I think the war for Azerbaijan was Patriotic like for the whole
Soviet Union. It can hardly be said that Azerbaijanis fighting for
Germany were struggling for freedom and independence of Azerbaijan,
since if Germany had won in that war, Azerbaijan would hardly gain
independence. Nevertheless, most people considered like that and fought
on the side of Germany. I knew most of those people, therefore, I would
like to note that probably they were persuaded of the righteousness
of their actions. But this does not mean they were right.
How can the public treat war participants fighting on the side of
the Soviet Union and Hitler Germany?
The present generation does not know anything about this war. They
have the only homeland-Azerbaijan. Naturally, in these conditions that
war seems alien to the young people, that is the war of a different
state. We should admit that. Therefore, Moscow is not closer to them
than Washington or Berlin. I have been teaching at a high school for
many years and I can say that the Soviet Union is not home for the
present generation of young people who were mostly born after the
90's. Therefore, Patriotic war cannot be patriotic for them. We were
born in the Soviet Union and it was our homeland. But this does not
mean that the next generation should also treat this issue like this,
they have a right to think differently.
Which can be the attitude to Stalin in the light of the recent demands
to rehabilitate this historical personality including in Azerbaijan?
My attitude to Stalin is clear. Before war, he committed genocide of
the Soviet people, including Azerbaijanis. We cannot reject this. The
soviet union was based on the principle of class struggle, that is
provision of welfare of people envisioned termination of another
part of the people. In this connection, I would like to repeat that
Stalin committed genocide of his own people regardless of their
ethnic belonging.
As for Stalin's activity during war, he demonstrated himself as
a real commander and a leader of the state. Speaking about it, we
should adhere to the principle that history cannot be treated equally,
it request objective analysis.
And how can the Azerbaijani leaders of the period of war be assessed?
The then leaders of Azerbaijan must be assessed the way Stalin war.
They all followed Stalin's policy and thus promoted genocide. On
the other hand, in definite periods of life they played a great
role in consolidation of people. First of all, I imply Mirjafar
Baguirov. He played his role in the development of Azerbaijani
national self-identification. These processes were going on par,
though contradicting to each other. But we cannot judge the dead,
this is not real. Therefore, the events and behavior of people should
be treated in terms of that period.
Is it correct to raise the issue of granting the status of hero city
to Baku today?
Yes, the issue is legitimate. Undoubtedly, Baku and the overall
Azerbaijan played a great role in resisting fascist aggression. But
if this problem cannot be settled today, I think it is senseless to
raise this issue.
I would like to note that the status of a hero city was for the
first time granted to four cities including Sevastopol, Stalingrad,
Leningrad and Odessa. Then, considering political conjuncture it was
granted to different cities, in particular, Minsk, Kiev, Moscow and so
on. These were the subjective wishes of different leaders. However,
after granting this status to the aforementioned four cities,
addition granting of the same title to other citizens was senseless,
especially, raising this issue after the USSR collapse in order to
grant the status of a hero city to Baku is impossible, because it is
unclear who will grant the status of the hero city, which stats will
grant the status to the cities that are not part of a single state.