ZAKARIA CHICHUA’S UNPUBLISHED WORK „MY ARCHIVE“

Abstract

The unpublished manuscript „My Archive“, written by the prominent Social Democrat and pharmacist Zakaria Chichua (1875–1951), is preserved in the Central Historical Archive of the National Archives of Georgia (Fund 2135, Inventory 1, File 1). The work consists of two notebooks, and the memoirs were written in exile in France in 1929. The text is handwritten in black ink, and numerous pages contain insertions, deletions, and the author’s marginal comments and clarifications. The manuscript’s chronological scope spans from the late 19th century up to the year 1905. Zakaria Chichua reflects on the purpose of writing his memoirs. He expresses the hope that this work will serve as a mirror of his time: whoever looks into it will see the flaws and obstacles of the era, as well as the narrow and wide paths he himself has traversed, often thorny and challenging. Chichua’s manuscript is of particular interest for a number of reasons. It provides a vivid depiction of the flawed educational practices that prevailed in the Ozurgeti Theological Seminary in the late 19th century ─ methods which, according to the author, instilled in students a disdain for schooling rather than a love of knowledge. The manuscript devotes significant attention to the formation of Georgian Social Democracy, the internal ideological conflicts between its two main branches, and the struggles of workers and students in their pursuit of rights, the 1905 Revolution, and others. Having spent part of his life in Russia, Chichua integrates the experiences and observations from this period into his memoirs as well. The manuscript highlights the activities of several notable Georgian Social Democrats, including: Joseph Stalin, Noe Zhordania, Isidore Ramishvili, Noe Ramishvili, Benia Chkikvishvili, Noe Khomeriki, Philip Makharadze, Mikha Tskhakaia, Sasha Tsulukidze, Vlasa Mgeladze, Silibistro Jibladze, and others. Zakaria Chichua’s „My Archive“ serves as a valuable primary source for the study of the socio-political processes unfolding in Georgia from the late 19th century to the early 20th century.