These people once decided the fate of peoples and created history. Today their names are almost forgotten, although modern reality is largely the result of the activities of these people. Powerful leaders of states, omnipotent politicians and important public figures of the past. Such an odious person is Zviad Konstantinovich Gamsakhurdia - the first elected president of the state of Georgia, who was in power for a short time, but had a tremendous impact on the further history of the young country.
Noble roots
Our hero was born on March 31, 1939. The family of Zviad Gamsakhurdia was far from simple. Firstly, his father was the famous and respected writer Konstantin Gamsakhurdia. Secondly, the family had noble roots on the paternal side, and princely - on the mother's side. On the one hand, Zviad belonged to the "golden" youth and had a well-off and settled life. On the other hand, the aristocratic roots, the repressions that his father suffered in his youth, the unspoken condemnation of Soviet power that reigned in the family, influenced the worldview and political views of the young man.
He received an excellent education at Tbilisi State University, received a doctorate in philological sciences, worked as an employee of the Georgian SSR Academy of Sciences, and was fluent in several foreign languages. At the same time, Zviad from his youth began to conduct anti-Soviet activities. Unlike his father’s non-intervention policy, the son preferred action.
Fighter with the regime
Gamsakhurdia’s dissident track record has many interesting facts:
- the creation of the illegal youth group "Gorgasliani" fighting for the independence of Georgia;
- distribution of anti-Soviet literature;
- participation in anti-communist demonstrations.
Given the influence of the family in society and timely public repentance, Gamsakhurdia was subjected to fairly easy punishments. In 1956 he was arrested, but escaped imprisonment. In 1977, he was sent into exile in Dagestan for participating in the Helsinki Group, while his colleague was sentenced to ten years.
Interestingly, getting an education, moving up the career ladder and oppositional activities took place in parallel. It was rumored that Gamsakhurdia Zviad Konstantinovich was recruited by the KGB. According to other information, on the contrary, it was persecuted by the Committee and was subjected to constant harassment, searches and even torture.
Journalism and writing
A philologist by education, Zviad Gamsakhurdia was actively engaged in journalistic activities, speaking in the legal field. He was one of the founders of the “Initiative Group for the Protection of Human Rights in Georgia”. The dissident was regularly featured in the Current Timeline legal bulletin. Zviad Konstantinovich worked as the editor-in-chief of the illegal literary and journalistic journal "Golden Fleece" and the journal "Herald of Georgia". Publications were published in Georgian.
After returning from exile to Dagestan after a pardon, Gamsakhurdia got a job as a senior researcher at the Institute of Georgian Literature of the Georgian SSR Academy of Sciences. The books of Gamsakhurdia are still considered to be a valuable literary heritage of Georgia. He is the author of many literary works on religion, literature, myths and culture of Georgia. The opposition politician was even nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Political life
Zviad Gamsakhurdia was respected and popular in his native Georgia. He was a good speaker and a bright personality. When perestroika began, its time had come. Zviad is actively involved in the political game. In 1988, he headed the “Round Table - Free Georgia” bloc, which over time turned into the country's leading political party. Having taken a majority in the new Supreme Council, the Round Table supported the appointment of Gamsakhurdia as chairman of the Supreme Council of Georgia. Gamsakhurdia’s political career was based on supporting nationalist sentiments and the leading role of Georgians in multinational Georgia. This policy eventually led him to collapse.
First President of Georgia
In March 1991, citizens of the Georgian SSR voted in a popular referendum for the sovereignty of the republic and its secession from the USSR. State sovereignty was declared in April, and in May Gamsakhurdia became the first popularly elected president of the new country.
But he did not have to edit long. Already in 1992, he was overthrown as a result of a military coup. Gamsakhurdia with his family fled to Armenia, then hid in Western Georgia. Finally, at the invitation of the head of Chechnya, he took refuge in this republic. Power in Georgia passed to the legendary former Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevarnadze.
Fatal Mistakes of the First President
A philologist by education, President Gamsakhurdia did not understand the economy at all. Moreover, there was not a single economist in the new government. The key positions were taken entirely by humanities. For example, the former sculptor and dissident Tengiz Kitovani looked very strange at the post of commander in chief of the national army. By the way, the appointment of Kitovani became fatal for Gamsakhurdia Zviad Konstantinovich. In the meantime, the country's economy was slowly but surely falling apart, without attention of the head of state. This situation caused strong discontent in the new business circles of the country. Thus, Zviad’s refusal from the total privatization of Soviet property angered the influential criminal circles of Georgia, they did not forgive him for this. Another mistake of the president was a radical and sharply negative attitude towards the national minorities of Georgia.
The fateful event was the long-term siege of Tskhinvali, which was eventually lost. After that, President Gamsakhurdia decided that a bad world is better than a good quarrel, and became more careful. Conflicts and discontent in Abkhazia, Adjara, Ossetia arose everywhere, but so far have been sluggish. Another mistake made by Zviad is the dissolution of the military opposition organization Mkhedrioni and the imprisonment of its leader Ioseliani. At that time, it might have been safer to enter into negotiations.
Military conflicts
The collapse of the Soviet Union set in motion a wide variety of forces in all the former republics. In Georgia, a national confrontation began. Ossetia decided to become autonomous, Abkhazia ceased to support central authority, Adjara was unhappy. In this situation, the Georgian president took a tough stance, saying that he would fight "for the restoration of the religious and national ideals of their ancestors." Under this slogan, persecution of Azerbaijanis took place, clashes with Avars arose. A large-scale military operation was organized against the Ossetian Tskhinvali, resulting in human casualties. Gamsakhurdia later realized the futility of such a policy. But everything has gone too far.
Coup d'etat
Zviad Konstantinovich Gamsakhurdia, through his authoritarianism and intransigence, has made serious enemies in the face of the paramilitary opposition led by Kitovani and the criminal authority of Ioseliani. At the end of 1991, it so happened that the opposition went to protest rallies at the Government House in Tbilisi. The protest was at first peaceful. But very soon the protesters were supported by armed groups led by Tengiz Kitovani. The outcome of the armed conflict was a foregone conclusion. The militants won. Zviad with his family was forced to leave Georgia. Although the conflict was armed, it did not affect civilians who were just waiting for how it would all end. It was a classic military coup, pursuing the change of ruling elites.
Attempt to return
In 1993, Zviad Gamsakhurdia returned to Georgia to regain power. He created in the loyal West Georgia “Government in exile”. Under the slogan of the restoration of legal authority, Gamsakhurdia launched a civil war.
The war was bloody, but fleeting, and ended in the complete failure of the first president of Georgia in connection with his premature and mysterious death. In November 1993, having suffered another defeat in the battle, Zviad and his associates took refuge in the mountains, intending to regain strength and again take revenge.
The death of the president
December 31, 1993 Zviad Gamsakhurdia died. He suddenly died in a mountain village Dzveli Khibula from a bullet wound. According to the testimony of the owner of the house where the tragedy occurred, Gamsakhurdia committed suicide. But why suddenly a man who had grandiose plans for the return of power and who firmly believed in success would shoot? In addition, eyewitnesses said that Zviad had a bullet hole in the back of his head, which clearly excludes the version of suicide. An open and public biography of Gamsakhurdia at the end of his life is full of secrets and speculation.
Murder or suicide?
A special commission to investigate the causes of death of Zviad Konstantinovich rejected the version of suicide. A later investigation into the death of Zviad Gamsakhurdia, organized by his son, confirmed this conclusion. But there was no conclusive evidence of the murder. So far, neither the customers nor the perpetrators of this crime have been identified. They say that the threads of this mysterious affair are drawn to the now also deceased Eduard Shevardnadze. But all this remained at the rumor level. Nothing has been proven, and it is unlikely that the truth will ever become known.
The burial of Zviad Gamsakhurdia also can not be called ordinary. His remains found the last refuge only from the fourth time. First, the first president of Georgia was buried in the mountains, not far from the place of death. Then relatives, fearing vandalism, moved the burial place to Chechnya. There, during the hostilities, the grave of Gamsakhurdia was destroyed and was secretly transferred to another place in Grozny. And only in April 2007 the ashes of the first president were buried with honors in Tbilisi on Mount Mtatsminda, in the pantheon of writers and public figures. It was here that Zviad Gamsakhurdia found his eternal rest.
Descendants
The personal life of Zviad Gamsakhurdia was not distinguished by the same turbulent events as political and social life. Simple personal data: he was twice married, from these marriages he had three sons: Konstantin, Tsotne and George.
The children of Gamsakhurdia also showed themselves quite clearly in the political and public life of the country, in any case, two brothers - Konstantin and Tsotne. Konstantin led the Movement political bloc, which has become a serious opposition force for the government of Mikheil Saakashvili. His brother Tsotne later also joined the fight and was even imprisoned during the reign of Saakashvili. They tell an interesting story that, while persecuting the sons of Gamsakhurdia, Saakashvili declared their father a national hero and awarded him posthumously the order. Although such an act is quite in the spirit of the eccentric ex-president of Georgia.
Mark on history
Zviad Gamsakhurdia - a figure, of course, historical and ambiguous. Georgia still has both its supporters and ardent opponents. Many believe that his intolerance towards small nations has led to a protracted ethnic conflict that continues to this day. Economic problems that were not properly resolved during the period when Gamsakhurdia was in power have had disappointing results and are still tormenting the country. They say that Zviad Konstantinovich was a worthy dissident, but turned out to be a bad president. Perhaps, for many years of the opposition struggle, he used to fight, confront, resist. But he was not ready to lead, negotiate, build and unite peacefully.
Many negatively perceive the personality of Zviad Konstantinovich precisely because of his authoritarian and tough leadership style. Even in order to regain his power, he, without hesitation, unleashed a civil war. In any case, Zviad Gamsakhurdia will forever remain in the history of Georgia the first democratically elected president of an independent country. He was mistaken, committed rash acts, saw the world too idyllically. But an internal fire burned in him, his interests went far beyond the personal sphere, he dreamed of seeing his beloved Georgia strong and prosperous.