Every year on 25th February, the nation of Georgia pauses to mark one of the darkest chapters in its history. Soviet Occupation Day, known in Georgian as საბჭოთა ოკუპაციის დღე (sabch’ota okupats’iis dge), is observed annually to commemorate the Red Army invasion of Georgia in 1921. On government buildings across the country, flags fly at half-staff. Memorial events are held. And a nation reflects on what it means to lose, and eventually reclaim, its independence.
The Democratic Republic of Georgia
To understand why this day matters, one must go back to 1918. After the February Revolution that began in Russia in 1917, Georgia effectively became independent. In April 1918 it joined with Armenia and Azerbaijan to form the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic, but left after one month and declared independence as the Democratic Republic of Georgia on 26th May.
It was a remarkable, if short-lived, experiment in self-governance. The three years that the republic existed were full of achievements and mistakes and make for a very important page in the history of Georgia. The country adopted a progressive constitution that guaranteed the rights of women, religious minorities, and ethnic minorities, and even abolished the death penalty, extraordinary provisions for the era.
Tragically, that constitution never had a chance to take root. On 21st February 1921, the Constituent Assembly adopted the first Constitution of Georgia in Tbilisi. The document lasted only four days. At the time when the Constituent Assembly of Georgia unanimously adopted the constitution, instead of a popular celebration, shooting was heard in the streets, the Red Army had already invaded Georgia.
The Invasion
The Soviet invasion was orchestrated by two Georgian-born Soviet officials, Joseph Stalin and Sergo Ordzhonikidze, under the pretext of supporting working-class rebellions in the country. The irony was stark: the architects of Georgia’s destruction were themselves Georgian.
The 11th Red Army invaded Georgia on 12th February, 1921, from the territories of Soviet Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Georgian army, people’s guard, and volunteers met the 11th Red Army on the outskirts of Tbilisi. The main battles took place in the region of Kojori and Tabakhmela. After several days of bloody battles, Georgia was defeated and became part of the Bolshevik empire.
Interestingly, the invasion was not entirely agreed upon in Moscow, Russia had even recognised Georgia’s independence the year prior. The assault came in brazen violation of a peace treaty signed between the two nations in May 1920.
On 25th February, the triumphant Red Army entered Tbilisi. Bolshevik soldiers engaged in widespread looting. The Revkom headed by Mamia Orakhelashvili and Shalva Eliava ventured into the capital and proclaimed the overthrow of the Menshevik government, the dissolution of the Georgian National Army and People’s Guard, and the formation of a Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic.
Decades of Soviet Rule
The country was forced to become one of the Soviet Republics, politically, culturally, and economically repressed under Soviet rule for the next 70 years, overwhelmed with absolute violations of human rights. Political purges, cultural suppression, and the dismantling of Georgian institutions followed swiftly after the takeover.
Yet the Georgian spirit proved difficult to crush. Despite all odds, the small country kept fighting for its freedom and independence from its monstrously huge neighbour, regularly revolting against the Russian invaders in 1924, 1937, 1956, 1978, 1989, and 2008.
Georgia regained independence months before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Georgian Supreme Council declared independence on 9th April.
Establishing the Memorial Day
On 21st July 2010, Georgia declared 25th February Soviet Occupation Day to recall the invasion of Georgia in 1921. The Georgian parliament voted unanimously in favour of the government’s initiative. The decision instructs the government to organize various memorial events on every 25th February and to fly national flags half-staff to commemorate hundreds of thousands of victims of political repressions of the Communist occupational regime. The holiday was first formally observed in 2011.
The Day’s Enduring Significance
Soviet Occupation Day is more than a historical footnote. It is an act of collective memory, a deliberate refusal to allow the events of 25th February, 1921, to fade into silence. For many Georgians, this date is not merely a historical milestone, it is a symbol of resistance and a call to remember the sacrifices made for national sovereignty.
The relevance of the day has not diminished with time. 20% of Georgia’s territory is currently occupied by the Russian Federation, which obviously never plans to give up the idea of rebuilding its lost Soviet Union. For Georgians, the past and the present are deeply intertwined, and Soviet Occupation Day serves as both a memorial and a reminder of the ongoing struggle for full sovereignty.
Understanding the events of 25th February 1921, is crucial for appreciating the complex tapestry of Georgian history. This historical memory is essential for ensuring that the lessons of the past inform future decisions, both within Georgia and in the broader context of international relations.
Leave a Reply