Azerbaijan International
Encyclopedia
Azerbaijan International is an independent magazine committed to the discussion of issues related to Azerbaijanis around the world. It was established in 1993 shortly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union
when Azerbaijan
gained its independence. Since then, it has been published quarterly in English
with occasional articles in Azerbaijani language in Latin
and Arabic
scripts. The magazine has offices in Los Angeles
and Baku
.
Each issue includes about 100-colored pages and relates to a specific theme-related topic especially related to culture and social issues including art, music, literature, folklore, architecture, archeology, health, environment, international relations, business, trends and transitions.
Its target audience is international readers in the business, diplomatic and academic communities. However, the magazine has also researched and published extensively about significant topics that are not well known to Azerbaijanis such as the story of how photojournalist Reza Deghati
from Paris
smuggled himself into Azerbaijan to document the tragic events of Black January
1990 when Soviet troops attacked civilians in the streets and how he succeeded in releasing these photos worldwide.
of the Caucasian Albania
n (Old Udi alphabet
) in Mount Sinai
, Egypt
, by Dr. Zaza Aleksidze, the Folklore of Sufi Hamid Cemetery, and the relationship of Maiden Tower
to Winter Solstice
. Also the 2006 Tangaroa Pacific Voyage: Testing Thor Heyerdahl's Theories about Kon-Tiki 60 Years Later.."
Five issues have been dedicated to Azerbaijani literature
- Spring issues of 1996, 1999, 2004, 2006, 2011.
The Literature of Stalinist repressions in Azerbaijan had never been published in English before and is even difficult to find in the Azerbaijani language.
The latest issue: "The Business of Literature: Who Wrote Azerbaijan's Most Famous Novel - Ali and Nino?" in Vol. 15:2-4 (2001), 364 pages and 1200 photos.
Upcoming issue:Azerbaijan International, Vol: 16:1-2: Yusif Vazir Chamanzaminli: His Life, His Works, His Dreams.
Extensive research was carried out over a period of six years (2004–2010) examining documents and materials in 10 languages (Azerbaijani, Russian, English German, French, Italian, Turkish, Georgian, Persian and Swedish). We also relied on archival materials that are archived in the Azerbaijan Republic State History Archives, Institute of Manuscripts (Baku), Centre for Manuscripts (Tbilisi), National Archives (Kyiv), ZMO (Center for Modern Oriental Studies, Berlin) and the incredible library resources available at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Our conclusions are as follows]:
(1) The core author of the novel "Ali and Nino" is Azerbaijani writer and statesman Yusif Vazir Chamanzaminli (1887–1943).
(2) The fingerprints of Lev Nussimbaum (1905–1942), who wrote under the penname of Essad Bey, can be traced to folkloric and legendary material (although much of it is neither culturally or ethnically reliable).
(3) Essad Bey took materials about Tbilisi and Persia directly from Georgian writer Grigol Robakidze (1882–1962)("Das Schlangenhemd," Snake Slough, 1928).
Our research shows that Essad Bey personally knew Robakidze.
(4) Austrian Baroness Elfriede Ehrenfels (1894–1982) registered the work with German authorities, claiming that the pseudonym Kurban Said belonged to her, though evidence of her involvement in the actual writing of the novel has yet to be proven.
Our research counters the claim made in Tom Reiss's book, The Orientalist (New York: Random House, 2005) that Lev Nussimbaum / Essad Bey was the sole author of "Ali and Nino." Essentially, Essad Bey acted as a broker who polished the manuscript and added folkloric elements, but the themes and concerns about Azerbaijan's independence can be traced to the diaries and works of Yusif Vazir Chamanzaminli.
Our research shows a much more complex picture of the world in which the novel was set, Azerbaijan and Europe in the early 20th century, characterized by the chaos brought on by the collapse of empires, the rise of authoritarian systems and the desperation of confused, impoverished refugees and citizens, struggling to survive.
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
when Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
gained its independence. Since then, it has been published quarterly in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
with occasional articles in Azerbaijani language in Latin
Latin alphabet
The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
and Arabic
Arabic alphabet
The Arabic alphabet or Arabic abjad is the Arabic script as it is codified for writing the Arabic language. It is written from right to left, in a cursive style, and includes 28 letters. Because letters usually stand for consonants, it is classified as an abjad.-Consonants:The Arabic alphabet has...
scripts. The magazine has offices in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
.
Each issue includes about 100-colored pages and relates to a specific theme-related topic especially related to culture and social issues including art, music, literature, folklore, architecture, archeology, health, environment, international relations, business, trends and transitions.
Its target audience is international readers in the business, diplomatic and academic communities. However, the magazine has also researched and published extensively about significant topics that are not well known to Azerbaijanis such as the story of how photojournalist Reza Deghati
Reza Deghati
Reza Deghati, born 1952 in Tabriz, Iran is an Iranian-French photojournalist, who works under the name Reza .-Biography:Reza has covered much of the globe for National Geographic Magazine. Several films about Reza's work have been produced by National Geographic Television, most notably Frontline...
from Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
smuggled himself into Azerbaijan to document the tragic events of Black January
Black January
Black January , also known as Black Saturday or the January Massacre, was a violent crackdown of the Azerbaijani independence movement in Baku on January 19–20, 1990, pursuant to a state of emergency during the dissolution of the Soviet Union....
1990 when Soviet troops attacked civilians in the streets and how he succeeded in releasing these photos worldwide.
Unique Editions
Other unique articles include research about the discovery and deciphermentDecipherment
Decipherment is the analysis of documents written in ancient languages, where the language is unknown, or knowledge of the language has been lost....
of the Caucasian Albania
Caucasian Albania
Albania is a name for the historical region of the eastern Caucasus, that existed on the territory of present-day republic of...
n (Old Udi alphabet
Old Udi alphabet
The Caucasian Albanian alphabet, sometimes called Old Udi script , was an alphabet used by the Caucasian Albanians, one of the ancient and indigenous Northeast Caucasian peoples whose territory comprised parts of present-day Azerbaijan and Daghestan...
) in Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai , also known as Mount Horeb, Mount Musa, Gabal Musa , Jabal Musa meaning "Moses' Mountain", is a mountain near Saint Catherine in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. A mountain called Mount Sinai is mentioned many times in the Book of Exodus in the Torah and the Bible as well as the Quran...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, by Dr. Zaza Aleksidze, the Folklore of Sufi Hamid Cemetery, and the relationship of Maiden Tower
Maiden Tower (Baku)
The Maiden Tower or also known locally as Giz Galasi located in the Old City, Baku in Azerbaijan is an ancient tower with cultural affinity corroborating the presence Zoroastrians, Sassanians, Arabs, Persians, Shirvanis, Ottomans, and Russians...
to Winter Solstice
Solstice
A solstice is an astronomical event that happens twice each year when the Sun's apparent position in the sky, as viewed from Earth, reaches its northernmost or southernmost extremes...
. Also the 2006 Tangaroa Pacific Voyage: Testing Thor Heyerdahl's Theories about Kon-Tiki 60 Years Later.."
Five issues have been dedicated to Azerbaijani literature
Azerbaijani literature
Azerbaijani literature refers to the literature written in Azerbaijani, which currently is the official state language of the Republic of Azerbaijan and is widely spoken in northwestern Iran and eastern Turkey...
- Spring issues of 1996, 1999, 2004, 2006, 2011.
The Literature of Stalinist repressions in Azerbaijan had never been published in English before and is even difficult to find in the Azerbaijani language.
The latest issue: "The Business of Literature: Who Wrote Azerbaijan's Most Famous Novel - Ali and Nino?" in Vol. 15:2-4 (2001), 364 pages and 1200 photos.
Upcoming issue:Azerbaijan International, Vol: 16:1-2: Yusif Vazir Chamanzaminli: His Life, His Works, His Dreams.
Ali and Nino Research
The recent triple edition of the 2011 edition of Azerbaijan International (Vol. 15:2-4) deals with the mystery surrounding the identity of the author of the novel "Ali and Nino http://www.azer.com/aiweb/an_covers/123_ali_nino_cover.html" which appeared under the pseudonym Kurban Said, first published in 1937 in German by the Austrian publishing house E.P. Tal. The issue is entitled: "Who Wrote Azerbaijan's Most Famous Novel: Ali and Nino? The Business of Literature." http://azer.com/aiweb/categories/magazine/ai152_folder/152_index_eng.html (Vol. 15:2-4, 364 pages, 1200 photos which is available in separate editions in English or Azerbaijani http://azer.com/aiweb/categories/magazine/ai152_folder/152_index_az.html.Extensive research was carried out over a period of six years (2004–2010) examining documents and materials in 10 languages (Azerbaijani, Russian, English German, French, Italian, Turkish, Georgian, Persian and Swedish). We also relied on archival materials that are archived in the Azerbaijan Republic State History Archives, Institute of Manuscripts (Baku), Centre for Manuscripts (Tbilisi), National Archives (Kyiv), ZMO (Center for Modern Oriental Studies, Berlin) and the incredible library resources available at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Our conclusions are as follows]:
(1) The core author of the novel "Ali and Nino" is Azerbaijani writer and statesman Yusif Vazir Chamanzaminli (1887–1943).
(2) The fingerprints of Lev Nussimbaum (1905–1942), who wrote under the penname of Essad Bey, can be traced to folkloric and legendary material (although much of it is neither culturally or ethnically reliable).
(3) Essad Bey took materials about Tbilisi and Persia directly from Georgian writer Grigol Robakidze (1882–1962)("Das Schlangenhemd," Snake Slough, 1928).
Our research shows that Essad Bey personally knew Robakidze.
(4) Austrian Baroness Elfriede Ehrenfels (1894–1982) registered the work with German authorities, claiming that the pseudonym Kurban Said belonged to her, though evidence of her involvement in the actual writing of the novel has yet to be proven.
Our research counters the claim made in Tom Reiss's book, The Orientalist (New York: Random House, 2005) that Lev Nussimbaum / Essad Bey was the sole author of "Ali and Nino." Essentially, Essad Bey acted as a broker who polished the manuscript and added folkloric elements, but the themes and concerns about Azerbaijan's independence can be traced to the diaries and works of Yusif Vazir Chamanzaminli.
Our research shows a much more complex picture of the world in which the novel was set, Azerbaijan and Europe in the early 20th century, characterized by the chaos brought on by the collapse of empires, the rise of authoritarian systems and the desperation of confused, impoverished refugees and citizens, struggling to survive.
Web sites
Azerbaijan International also sponsors four major Web sites.- AZER.com (launched 1996) - Archives Azerbaijan International magazine from 1993
- AZERI.org (launched 2000) - Azerbaijan Literature and English translation
- AZgallery.org (launched 1999) - "Discover the Little Known World of Azerbaijani ArtAzerbaijani artAzerbaijani art has a long and interesting history. Works of art made from metal extracted from Nakhichevan, Migachevir, Gadanay, Gandja and other places are approximately 5000 years old. Crockery, weapons and adornments found here are not historical facts alone, but valuable sources which testify...
" - HAJIBEYOV.com (launched 2001) - "Celebrating the Legacy of Azerbaijan's Great Composer Uzeyir HajibeyovUzeyir HajibeyovUzeyir bey Abdul Hussein oglu Hajibeyov was an Azerbaijani and Soviet composer, conductor, publicist, playwright, teacher, translator, and social figure from Azerbaijan. He is recognized as the father of Azerbaijani classical music and opera...
(1885-1948)"
External links
- Azerbaijan International, Vol. 15:2-4 "Who Wrote Azerbaijan's Most Famous Novel - Ali and Nino?"
- What people say about Azerbaijan International's research about the authorship of "Ali and Nino"
- Azerbaijan International Magazine (AZER.com) archived since 1993
- Artistic covers of Azerbaijan International
- Editorials by Betty Blair in Azerbaijan International (English and Azeri)
- Five Year Jubilee of Azerbaijan International Magazine: President Heydar Aliyev's Speech (Winter 1997, AI 5.4)
- Ten Year Jubilee - Azerbaijan International Magazine: An Interview with Myself as Editor by Betty Blair (Winter 2002, AI 10.4)
- Azeri Language and Literature
- Azeri Language in Social Context
- Celebrating the Legacy of Azerbaijan's Great Composer: Uzeyir Hajibeyov
- Research by Tamar Injia: Evidence of plagiarism from Georgian writer Grigol RobakidzeAli and Nino – Literary Robbery!Ali and Nino – Literary Robbery! is a book of literary criticism written by author, researcher and professor of Georgian language and literature - Tamar Injia...