90 years after The Soviet Occupation of Georgia, 1921 25 February

In January, 1921 the Soviet Government decided to annex Georgia. The 11th Red Army was to advance into Georgia on the pretext of supporting the “peasants and workers rebellion against the local Social-Democratic (Menshevik) government” in the country.
On February 11, 1921 Russian colonists settled in the district of Lorri. Demonstrations took place. On February 16 Bolsheviks set up a Georgian Revolutionary Committee (Georgian Revkom) that was to control “peasants and workers rebellion”.
Before the Soviet takeover of Georgia, Filipp Makharadze became chairman of the Georgian Revolutionary committee (Revkom). He had taken only the money-printing machine from Russia. The members of Revkom were as follows: Mamia Orakhvelashvili, Shalva Eliava [he was executed according to the document No. 24395 stored in the archive], Alex (Sasha) Gegetchkori, Besarion Kvirkvelia and others.
In February 11, 1921 the Bolshevist Russian 11th Red Army started to annex Tbilisi. At the outskirts of the city the Russians were resisted by Georgian Army, the people’s Guard of Georgia and volunteers. In Kodzhori and Tabakhmela bitter fighting took place. The enemy couldn’t advance. The battle was becoming more and more bloody.
On February 20 the 11th Red Army was thrown off. On February 22 another battle took place but the aggressors couldn’t achieve their object this time either. On February 23 a day of general mourning was declared in Tbilisi. Those who had died in the battle were buried with great honour. Among the dead was twenty years old Maro Makashvili, daughter of a well-known Georgian poet Kote Makashvili.
On February 24 the situation became very tense. While Georgian Army ran out of every reserve, the 11th Red Army was increased. The Democratic Republic of Georgia didn’t get any support from West European countries. In spite of a staunch fighting, the Georgians were defeated.
The Georgian government decided to flee from Tbilisi to avoid further bloodshed. First it moved to Kutaisi, then to Batumi. The Georgian people lost their aspiration for fighting.
On February 25, 1921 the Soviet forces took the Georgian capital Tbilisi without heavy fighting and declared the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic.
On March 16, the Turkish aggressors invaded Batumi, held military buildings and demanded the Georgian Army to be disarmed. Adjara was under danger of becoming breakaway region of Georgia.
The Georgian government had nothing to do but to begin negotiations with a representative of Revkom, Abel Enukidze who defended the interests of Russia.
On March 18, 1921 Grigol Lortkipanidze, a Menshevik leader of the Democratic Republic of Georgia and Mamia Orakhelashvili, a chairman of the Georgian Revkom signed up an agreement about cessation of hostilities.
At the same time treaty was concluded in Russia due to which Turkey cede Adjara to Georgia. Nobody knew anything about the agreement. For this reason, Giorgi Mazniashvili, a Georgian general mobilized the remnants of the Georgian armed forces and recovered the Black Sea city of Batumi from the Turkish occupation. Thus, Adjara was still a component part of Georgia.
That night Sergo Ordzhonikidze arrived in Batumi on a special train. Sergo Kavtaradze, head of the revolutionary committees in Batumi and Adjara and Giorgi Mazniashvili, military commandant transferred the authority to Ordzhonikidze. It was end of Russian occupation in Georgia.
The newly established Soviet government of Georgia began to waste our country’s property. Sergo Kavtaradze asked Sergo Ordzhonikidze:
‘What shall we do with Noe Zhordania’s and Noe Ramishvili’s phaetons standing in Batumi port?’
‘Don’t worry about it. Give one of them to Zhloba, head of the Cavalry Division of the 11th Red Army and keep the other for you!’ answered Sergo Ordzhonikidze.
On March 18, 1921 the invasion of the Soviet armies toppled down the Georgian government, forcing Zhordania and members of the Constituent Assembly of Batumi to take refuge abroad where he led the government in exile and continued his efforts to earn the international recognition of the Soviet occupation of Georgia. They left the country without recognition of Soviet government of Georgia. It was of great importance in future fighting for the independence of Georgia.
After Russia had occupied Georgia, the Revkom obtained the functions of supreme legislative organ. Besides, the local organs of Revkom were established to govern regions, towns and villages in Georgia. Georgian Revkom was appointed by Moscow.
Revkom was to help the Soviet Union to occupy Georgia and destroy Democratic Republic of Georgia.
At the end of March, 1921 the Revolutionary Committee passed illegal Resolution about retiring the Supreme Legislative Organ, Constituent Assembly of Georgia, executive and law organs and local administrations. The Georgian army and military guard were disbanded.
Although the Soviet Authority was established in Georgia there were no councils. The authority didn’t dare to fix the election. They knew that people would not vote for the Bolsheviks. For this reason, it was decided as follows: ‘Georgia need to be pressed with a hot iron’. (Stalin, meeting of the Central Committee in June, 1921).
Indeed, ‘a hot iron’ destroyed the lives of many people.

http://archive.security.gov.ge/en/saqartvelos_okupacia.html