Heydar Huseynov
Encyclopedia
Dr. Heydar Najaf oglu Huseynov (Azeri
: Heydər Hüseynov) (3 April 1908, Erivan – 15 August 1950, Baku
) was an Azerbaijan
i philosopher and academician.
, then to Stavropol
, until they finally settled in Baku
where he received secondary education, graduated from the Azerbaijan State Pedagocical Institute with a degree in linguistics in 1931 and a Candidate of Sciences degree in philosophy. He was fluent in Persian
. Beginning in 1932, Huseynov taught philosophy at various postsecondary institutions and published his works Dialectical Materialism (1935) and Dialects and metaphysics (1939) in Azeri. From 1936 on, he was involved in the publishing of the Azerbaijani Soviet Encyclopædia and in 1940 he became head of the project. He was the editor of the four-volume Russian-Azeri Dictionary, for which he was awarded Stalin Prize, the highest ranking award in the Soviet Union
at the time. In 1944, he was appointed Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan. Almost simultaneously Huseynov wrote his fundamental 733-page work entitled On the history of Azerbaijani phisolophical and sociopolitical thought in the nineteenth century (it was published in 1948). His work was recognised with him being granted a doctoral degree along with being promoted to Professor of Marxism-Leninism
. In addition, he was awarded with his second Stalin Prize in March 1950. Overall Huseynov wrote around 100 scientific works, mostly having to do with Azerbaijani literary thought.
organs in May 1950. Huseynov was accused of presenting murid
ism, a philosophical Sufi movement in the Caucasus
in the mid-19th century, and specifically its propagator Imam Shamil
, in the preface to his book as a "progressive democratic national liberation phenomenon (...) contrary to Marxist ideas and (...) the movement's reactionist and nationalist nature that served the interests of the English capitalism and the Turkish sultan." Upon reviewing the monograph, the Committee for Stalin Prize in the field of literature and arts forwarded its observations to the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union and as a result, Huseynov was stripped off his award. Huseynov was excluded from the Communist Party and laid off from the Academy of Sciences. Unable to deal with criticism from the state organs and his own colleagues and foreseeing his arrest, Huseynov committed suicide by slicing his veins on 15 August, 1950.
Azerbaijani language
Azerbaijani or Azeri or Torki is a language belonging to the Turkic language family, spoken in southwestern Asia by the Azerbaijani people, primarily in Azerbaijan and northwestern Iran...
: Heydər Hüseynov) (3 April 1908, Erivan – 15 August 1950, 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...
) was an 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...
i philosopher and academician.
Life
Huseynov was born in Erivan (present-day Yerevan, Armenia) into the petty bourgeois family of Haji Najaf Karbalai Huseynoglu and his wife Mashadi Gulsum, being the youngest of their six children. His father died shortly after Heydar's birth. After their eldest son Yusif was killed in an ethnic conflict in 1918, the family moved first to BatumiBatumi
Batumi is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast and capital of Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia. Sometimes considered Georgia's second capital, with a population of 121,806 , Batumi serves as an important port and a commercial center. It is situated in a subtropical zone, rich in...
, then to Stavropol
Stavropol
-International relations:-Twin towns/sister cities:Stavropol is twinned with: Des Moines, United States Béziers, France Pazardzhik, Bulgaria-External links:* **...
, until they finally settled in 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...
where he received secondary education, graduated from the Azerbaijan State Pedagocical Institute with a degree in linguistics in 1931 and a Candidate of Sciences degree in philosophy. He was fluent in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
. Beginning in 1932, Huseynov taught philosophy at various postsecondary institutions and published his works Dialectical Materialism (1935) and Dialects and metaphysics (1939) in Azeri. From 1936 on, he was involved in the publishing of the Azerbaijani Soviet Encyclopædia and in 1940 he became head of the project. He was the editor of the four-volume Russian-Azeri Dictionary, for which he was awarded Stalin Prize, the highest ranking award in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
at the time. In 1944, he was appointed Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan. Almost simultaneously Huseynov wrote his fundamental 733-page work entitled On the history of Azerbaijani phisolophical and sociopolitical thought in the nineteenth century (it was published in 1948). His work was recognised with him being granted a doctoral degree along with being promoted to Professor of Marxism-Leninism
Marxism-Leninism
Marxism–Leninism is a communist ideology, officially based upon the theories of Marxism and Vladimir Lenin, that promotes the development and creation of a international communist society through the leadership of a vanguard party over a revolutionary socialist state that represents a dictatorship...
. In addition, he was awarded with his second Stalin Prize in March 1950. Overall Huseynov wrote around 100 scientific works, mostly having to do with Azerbaijani literary thought.
Criticism and death
Despite immediate positive recognition of his prize-winning work, Huseynov's work was met with criticism by the Communist PartyCommunist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
organs in May 1950. Huseynov was accused of presenting murid
Murid
Murid is a Sufi term meaning 'committed one' from the root meaning "willpower" or "self-esteem". It refers to a person who is committed to a Murshid in a Tariqa of Sufism. Also known as a Salik , a murid is an initiate into the mystic philosophy of Sufism. When the Talib makes a pledge to a...
ism, a philosophical Sufi movement in the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
in the mid-19th century, and specifically its propagator Imam Shamil
Imam Shamil
Imam Shamil also spelled Shamyl, Schamil, Schamyl or Shameel was an Avar political and religious leader of the Muslim tribes of the Northern Caucasus...
, in the preface to his book as a "progressive democratic national liberation phenomenon (...) contrary to Marxist ideas and (...) the movement's reactionist and nationalist nature that served the interests of the English capitalism and the Turkish sultan." Upon reviewing the monograph, the Committee for Stalin Prize in the field of literature and arts forwarded its observations to the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union and as a result, Huseynov was stripped off his award. Huseynov was excluded from the Communist Party and laid off from the Academy of Sciences. Unable to deal with criticism from the state organs and his own colleagues and foreseeing his arrest, Huseynov committed suicide by slicing his veins on 15 August, 1950.