Winter 1996 (4.4)

Aliyev Memorializes a Literary Giant

Above: President Aliyev at the dedication of the literary giant Husein Javid's mausoleum in Nakhchivan, with Javid's daughter, Turan.

Nakhchivan - On October 29, President Heydar Aliyev officially dedicated a mausoleum to the memory of Husein Javid (1882-1944), one of Azerbaijan's great literary figures of the 1920s-30s. Javid was arrested in 1937 during Stalin's purges, and his family became ostracized as an "Enemy of the People." Seven years later, Javid died in exile in Siberia.

About 15 years ago, Aliyev organized a special delegation to bring Javid's remains in Siberia back to Azerbaijan. The mausoleum is located in the author's birthplace, Nakhchivan, which is the Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan separated from the rest of Azerbaijan by a strip of territory belonging to Armenia. The crypt contains the graves of Javid, his wife and son. A sculpture was made to Javid's memory by Omar Eldar. See "Profiles in Transition: When Independence Diminishes Choice," AI 2.2, Summer 1994).

Javid's sole survivor and only daughter, Turan, was honored by the President at this event. (See feature article by Turan Javid, "The Night Father Was Arrested," AI 4.1, Spring 1996). Rasim Aliyev was the architect of Javid's Mausoleum.

From Azerbaijan International (4.4) Winter 1996.
© Azerbaijan International 1997. All rights reserved.