Russians in Azerbaijan
Encyclopedia
Russians in Azerbaijan - are the second largest ethnic minority in Azerbaijan. As the largest Russian diaspora in the South Caucasus
region of Eurasia
, the Russian community in Azerbaijan also comprises one of the largest Russian populations outside of Russia
. Russian Community of Azerbaijan noted the 15th anniversary conference Including Ukrainians, the East Slavic
community of Azerbaijan has a population of approximately 200,000, approximately 2% of the total population of Azerbaijan.
Since their arrival at the end of the eighteenth century, the Russian community has played an important role in all spheres of life, particularly during the Soviet period, especially in the capital the city of Baku
.
existed in 1795, the first Russian civilian settlers in Azerbaijan arrived between 1830 and 1850, after the ratification of the Treaty of Turkmenchay
. In 1832, the forced transmigration of Russian dissenters from the interior provinces of Russia to the Transcaucasus region began. In the mid-1830s Russians from the provinces of Tambov
, Voronezh
, and Samara
began to arrive in the Shamakhi and Shusha districts of Azerbaijan, establishing the settlements of Vel, Privolnoye, Prishib, and Nikolaevka Ivanovka. For some time, "sectarians" were forbidden to settle in cities. These settlers were largely exiled Old Believers
, Molokans, Dukhobors, Geres, subbotniks
, and Baptists exiled from Saratovm, Tambov
, Astrakhan
, and other provinces. In 1859 they were allowed to settle in Baku. According to census records, by 1897, the Russian-speaking population of Baku Province was 73,632; another large population of Russians was centered around Yelizavetpol, modern Ganja
, with a population of 14,146.
In the second half of the nineteenth century there was an unauthorized settlement has "title" Russian Orthodox, mostly landless peasants from European Russia. This process has become widespread after the legalization of such migration by a special decree of 15 April 1899 as well. In 1914 there was a large population of Russians in both Baku and Yelizavetpol and the provinces bordering with counties Erivan province, the most large groups were in the Goychay Shemakhin and Lankaran districts of Baku province and the province of the same name Yellizavetpol County .
The favorable economic situation in Baku attracted many people from all over the Russian Empire
. The Russian population in Baku grew from around 37,400 in 1897 to 57,000 in 1903 and reached 76,300 by 1913.
The Inter-ethnic conflicts in the South Caucasus
that accompanied the Georgia
n, Armenia
n, and Azerbaijan
i declarations of independence in 1918 greatly impacted the Russian population. Later Bolshevik formations on the Mugan
led to the departure of the Russian population of the region North Caucasus
. Less than half of them returned to the 1921 in . Russian parties were represented in the parliament of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
up to Sovietization of Azerbaijan in 1920.
Migration trends continued and the Soviet time, when in Azerbaijan (mainly in the city) moved qualified professionals from other parts of the Soviet Union. Russian remained the largest ethnic group in Baku, according to the Census 1926 and 1939 period. In Ganja
Russian population amounted to 8.2% in 1926. Overall, 26.6% of the total urban population of Azerbaijan in 1926 and 35.7% - in 1939 were Russian. The last massive wave of Russian migration in Azerbaijan was observed in 1949, in connection with the development of the industrial city of Sumqayit
north of Baku.
Russian population met with disbelief and subsequent activation of the rise to power by the National Democratic Azerbaijani Popular Front Party in the early 1990s, although the beginning of Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict
local Russian community organizations unanimously supported the position of Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. . The deterioration of the Azerbaijani-Russian relations and the ensuing anti-Russian propaganda of the Popular Front played a role in non-ultimate concern of the Russian population for the future of Azerbaijan. And although, according to the then Russian ambassador to Azerbaijan Shonii Walter, the new government did not conduct a policy of survival of the Russian population, the press and in the mouths of some party leaders supported the nationalist feelings by mentioning Russia
as an ally of Armenia in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and power, sought to deprive Azerbaijan of its newfound independence .
The events of Black January
, the economic downturn, and the war with Armenia, coupled with growing pessimism and psychological discomfort led to the exodus of Russian-speaking population of Azerbaijan. Between 1989 and 1999, the Russian population fell from 392,000 to 142,000.
--approximately 120,000 of 1.7 million people. This is significantly lower than in the middle of the twentieth century when Russians comprised about a third of the population.
Smaller concentrations of Russians, including Cossacks, live in Sumgait, Ganja
, Khachmas, Mingechaur, and Shirvan
. Additionally, small Russian communities, some the descendants of exiles and Old Believers
, live in a number of villages throughout the country including Ivanovka
in the Ismayilli Region; Slavyanka Gorelski and Novoivanovka
in the Kedabek Area; Chuhuryurt and Kyzmeydan Nagarahana in the Shemakhin Area. Approximately 500 Russians live in the the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan.
Dynamics of the Russian population in Azerbaijan:
is the first language of more than 150,000 Azerbaijanis, predominantly ethnic Russians
and Russified Azerbaijanis, but also Ukrainians
, Jews
, and other minorities. In 1994, 38% of Azerbaijanis spoke Russian fluently as a second language.
introduced the Russian language to the territory of modern Azerbaijan. By 1830 there were schools teaching Russian in the cities of Shusha
, Baku
, Elizabethpol (Ganja
), and Shemakha; later schools were established in Quba
, Ordubad
, and Zagatala. Education in Russian was unpopular among Azerbaijanis until 1887, when Habib Beg Makhmudbekov and Sultan Majid Ganizade founded the first Russian-Azerbaijani School in Baku. A secular school with instruction in both Russian and Azerbaijani, its programs were consistent with the cultural values and traditions of the Muslim population. Eventually 240 such schools, including a women's college founded in 1901, were established prior to the "Sovietization" of the South Caucasus. Ihe first Russian-Azerbaijani reference library opened in 1894. In 1918, during the short period of the Azerbaijan's independence
, the government declared Azerbaijani the official language, but the use of Russian in government documents continued.
In the Soviet Era, the large Russian population in Baku, increased access to Russian literature, and the improved opportunities afforded to Russian speakers contributed to intensive "Russification" of the population in Baku. By the middle of the twentieth century, the city had become a supra-ethnic and cosmopolitan, uniting people of Russian, Azerbaijani, Armenian, Jewish, and other cultures. The widespread use of Russian meant that some Azerbaijanis considered Russian their native language. In 1970, 57,500 Azerbaijanis (1.3%) called Russian as their native language.
Ismail Bey Kutkashensko and Yusif Vezir Chemenzeminli published original compositions in Russian in the years before the Revolution
. The great champion of the Russian language among the Azerbaijani population was playwright Mirza Fatali Akhundov
, founder of Azerbaijani Drama and Theatre.
Russian-language Azeri literature continued to develop throughout the Soviet era. Its outstanding representatives are Imran Gasimov, Hasan Seyidbayli, Magsud
, Rustam Ibragimbekov
, and Alla Akhundova among others.
In 2003, Russian-Azerbaijani writers "Ray" and the Moscow branch of the Writers Union of Azerbaijan was established. In 2004, an association of writers and poets of "Commonwealth Literature" was established.
Polad Bülbüloğlu
, Flora Kerimova
, the group "Qaya
" and many others. Even after independence from Soviet Union Azerbaijani singers such as Aygun Kazimova
have continued to write and perform songs in Russian.
During the Soviet era, Azerbaijanfilm
produced dozens of feature-length and documentary films in Russian, including famous films like The Telephone, Don't Worry, I'm With You, Asif, Vasif, Agasif and Exam. Films in Russian continue to be produced in Azerbaijan in the post-Soviet era.
ranked Azerbaijan among former Soviet Republics with the worst level of knowledge of Russian, along with Armenia
, Georgia
, Lithuania
, and Tajikistan
.
In 2002, President Heydar Aliyev
issued a decree establishing Azerbaijani as the sole language of government--shop signs, stationery, and printing in Russian were replaced with Azerbaijani. At the same time compulsory teaching of Russian in schools was made optional.
In 2007, by decree of the National Broadcasting Council, live broadcasting of Russian TV channels ceased. Officially, this action was undertaken to protect Azerbaijan's national frequencies, which were declared a "national treasure of the country," from the influence of foreign media. It was rumored however, that the main reason was to eliminate the alleged pro-Armenian orientation of Russian TV channels covering the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh
.
In 2008 the government banned foreign languages broadcasts on Azerbaijani television and radio channels, except for a daily newscast in Russian. This measure faced strong opposition from the media and public. Dissenters argued that Azerbaijan still has a large Russian-speaking community, pointing to the success of the Russian version of the popular TV show "What? Where? When ?". Ultimately an exception was made for Russian programming, but Azeri subtitles are required. Similarly, the Azerbaijani radio station "Europa Plus
," continues broadcasting partially in Russian.
Despite the significantly strengthened the position of the Azerbaijani language in the post-Soviet era, several Russian language periodicals continue to be published in Baku including the "Mirror", "Echo", "Baku Worker", "HSE", and "New Era." The Association of Russian Writers is also active.
spoken throughout the country. At the phonetic level, this influence can be seen specifically in the initial lengthening of vowels, a sharp rise in intonation at the end of a question, and the addition of "d" and "g" affricates . At the lexical level, a number of predominantly vernacular and slang terms of both Azerbaijani and Russian origin have gradually penetrated into print media. Some of the words were included in the online dictionary of Russian dialect "Languages of Russian cities" including: "Demyankov" ("eggplant"), "domashnik" ("slipper"), "sobirun" ("get-together"), "dzhigalit" ("cheat"), "syarfovat "(" be profitable "), and " balashka "(" child ") .
Mikhail Zabelin, is a member of the Board of the International Council of Russian Compatriots. The community is active in most of the country, operating 12 regional organizations in Baku
and 48 district and city branches throughout Azerbaijan. The community has republican status.
The Russian Community founded the Azerbaijan on Russia Educational Center, which became the Baku branch of Moscow International Open University. Currently there are more than 900 students.
On 13 June, 2000 in Baku, Azerbaijan on the basis of Pedagogical Institute of Russian Language and Literature Akhundov was founded by Baku Slavic University
.
On November 24, 2009 in the capital of Azerbaijan, the first post-Soviet space "House of the Russian book" was opened and at the opening ceremony which was attended by the head of the Presidential Administration of Russia Sergei Naryshkin.
although a considerable number identify as atheist. The first Russian Orthodox church in Baku
was built in 1815. In 1905, the Baku Eparchy, today the Baku and Caspian Eparchy, was established; it currently oversees five subordinate churches. Outside of Baku there are Russian Orthodox Church
es exists in Ganja
and Khachmaz
. There are officially registered communities of Molokan
s in Baku, Sumgait, and Shamakhi
. .
Azerbaijan is a secular country without an official state religion, the majority of the population is Shia Muslim. While the conflict with majority-Christian Armenia
over the Nagorno-Karabakh
region, March Days
, and the Khojaly Massacre
created anti-Armenian, it has not engendered anti-Christian sentiment. Kōichirō Matsuura
describes Azerbaijan as a "country that should be example to world with its tolerance".
South Caucasus
The South Caucasus is a geopolitical region located on the border of Eastern Europe and Southwest Asia also referred to as Transcaucasia, or The Trans-Caucasus...
region of Eurasia
Eurasia
Eurasia is a continent or supercontinent comprising the traditional continents of Europe and Asia ; covering about 52,990,000 km2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres...
, the Russian community in Azerbaijan also comprises one of the largest Russian populations outside of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Russian Community of Azerbaijan noted the 15th anniversary conference Including Ukrainians, the East Slavic
East Slavs
The East Slavs are Slavic peoples speaking East Slavic languages. Formerly the main population of the medieval state of Kievan Rus, by the seventeenth century they evolved into the Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian peoples.-Sources:...
community of Azerbaijan has a population of approximately 200,000, approximately 2% of the total population of Azerbaijan.
Since their arrival at the end of the eighteenth century, the Russian community has played an important role in all spheres of life, particularly during the Soviet period, especially in the capital the city of 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...
.
History
Although a Cossack outpost near LankaranLankaran
-History:The city was built on a swamp along the northern bank of the river bearing the city's name. There are remains of human settlements in the area dating back to the Neolithic period as well as ruins of fortified villages from the Bronze and Iron Ages. Lankaran's history is rather recent,...
existed in 1795, the first Russian civilian settlers in Azerbaijan arrived between 1830 and 1850, after the ratification of the Treaty of Turkmenchay
Treaty of Turkmenchay
The Treaty of Turkmenchay was a treaty negotiated in Turkmenchay by which the Qajar Empire recognized Russian suzerainty over the Erivan khanate, the Nakhchivan khanate, and the remainder of the Talysh khanate, establishing the Aras River as the common boundary between the empires, after its...
. In 1832, the forced transmigration of Russian dissenters from the interior provinces of Russia to the Transcaucasus region began. In the mid-1830s Russians from the provinces of Tambov
Tambov
Tambov is a city and the administrative center of Tambov Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Tsna and Studenets Rivers southeast of Moscow...
, Voronezh
Voronezh
Voronezh is a city in southwestern Russia, the administrative center of Voronezh Oblast. It is located on both sides of the Voronezh River, away from where it flows into the Don. It is an operating center of the Southeastern Railway , as well as the center of the Don Highway...
, and Samara
Samara
-Geography:*Samara Oblast, a federal subject of Russia*Samara, Russia, a city on the eastern bank of the Volga River, Russia*Samara Bend, the largest bend of the Volga River*Samara Reservoir, an informal name of Kuybyshev Reservoir on the Volga River...
began to arrive in the Shamakhi and Shusha districts of Azerbaijan, establishing the settlements of Vel, Privolnoye, Prishib, and Nikolaevka Ivanovka. For some time, "sectarians" were forbidden to settle in cities. These settlers were largely exiled Old Believers
Old Believers
In the context of Russian Orthodox church history, the Old Believers separated after 1666 from the official Russian Orthodox Church as a protest against church reforms introduced by Patriarch Nikon between 1652–66...
, Molokans, Dukhobors, Geres, subbotniks
Subbotniks
Subbotniks are one of the Russian religious bodies known under the general name of "Judaizing Christian sects". On the whole, the Subbotniks originally differed probably very little from other Judaizing societies. They first appeared during the reign of Catherine II, toward the end of the...
, and Baptists exiled from Saratovm, Tambov
Tambov
Tambov is a city and the administrative center of Tambov Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Tsna and Studenets Rivers southeast of Moscow...
, Astrakhan
Astrakhan
Astrakhan is a major city in southern European Russia and the administrative center of Astrakhan Oblast. The city lies on the left bank of the Volga River, close to where it discharges into the Caspian Sea at an altitude of below the sea level. Population:...
, and other provinces. In 1859 they were allowed to settle in Baku. According to census records, by 1897, the Russian-speaking population of Baku Province was 73,632; another large population of Russians was centered around Yelizavetpol, modern Ganja
Ganja
Ganja is Azerbaijan's second-largest city with a population of around 313,300. It was named Yelizavetpol in the Russian Empire period. The city regained its original name—Ganja—from 1920–1935 during the first part of its incorporation into the Soviet Union. However, its name was changed again and...
, with a population of 14,146.
In the second half of the nineteenth century there was an unauthorized settlement has "title" Russian Orthodox, mostly landless peasants from European Russia. This process has become widespread after the legalization of such migration by a special decree of 15 April 1899 as well. In 1914 there was a large population of Russians in both Baku and Yelizavetpol and the provinces bordering with counties Erivan province, the most large groups were in the Goychay Shemakhin and Lankaran districts of Baku province and the province of the same name Yellizavetpol County .
The favorable economic situation in Baku attracted many people from all over the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. The Russian population in Baku grew from around 37,400 in 1897 to 57,000 in 1903 and reached 76,300 by 1913.
The Inter-ethnic conflicts in the South Caucasus
South Caucasus
The South Caucasus is a geopolitical region located on the border of Eastern Europe and Southwest Asia also referred to as Transcaucasia, or The Trans-Caucasus...
that accompanied the Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
n, Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n, and 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 declarations of independence in 1918 greatly impacted the Russian population. Later Bolshevik formations on the Mugan
Mugan
Mugan may refer to:*Merkhav Mugan, Israeli air raid shelter*Mugan Khan, Central Asian Khan*Hovtamej, Armenia*Muğan Gəncəli, Azerbaijan*Muğan, Bilasuvar, Azerbaijan*Muğan, Hajigabul, Azerbaijan...
led to the departure of the Russian population of the region North Caucasus
North Caucasus
The North Caucasus is the northern part of the Caucasus region between the Black and Caspian Seas and within European Russia. The term is also used as a synonym for the North Caucasus economic region of Russia....
. Less than half of them returned to the 1921 in . Russian parties were represented in the parliament of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was the first successful attempt to establish a democratic and secular republic in the Muslim world . The ADR was founded on May 28, 1918 after the collapse of the Russian Empire that began with the Russian Revolution of 1917 by Azerbaijani National Council in...
up to Sovietization of Azerbaijan in 1920.
Migration trends continued and the Soviet time, when in Azerbaijan (mainly in the city) moved qualified professionals from other parts of the Soviet Union. Russian remained the largest ethnic group in Baku, according to the Census 1926 and 1939 period. In Ganja
Ganja
Ganja is Azerbaijan's second-largest city with a population of around 313,300. It was named Yelizavetpol in the Russian Empire period. The city regained its original name—Ganja—from 1920–1935 during the first part of its incorporation into the Soviet Union. However, its name was changed again and...
Russian population amounted to 8.2% in 1926. Overall, 26.6% of the total urban population of Azerbaijan in 1926 and 35.7% - in 1939 were Russian. The last massive wave of Russian migration in Azerbaijan was observed in 1949, in connection with the development of the industrial city of Sumqayit
Sumqayit
Sumgayit is one of the largest cities in Azerbaijan, located near the Caspian Sea, about 31 kilometres away from the capital, Baku. The city has a population of 308,700 , making it the third-largest city in Azerbaijan after the capital Baku and Ganja. The city has a territory of 83 km². It...
north of Baku.
Russian population met with disbelief and subsequent activation of the rise to power by the National Democratic Azerbaijani Popular Front Party in the early 1990s, although the beginning of Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict
Nagorno-Karabakh War
The Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
local Russian community organizations unanimously supported the position of Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. . The deterioration of the Azerbaijani-Russian relations and the ensuing anti-Russian propaganda of the Popular Front played a role in non-ultimate concern of the Russian population for the future of Azerbaijan. And although, according to the then Russian ambassador to Azerbaijan Shonii Walter, the new government did not conduct a policy of survival of the Russian population, the press and in the mouths of some party leaders supported the nationalist feelings by mentioning Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
as an ally of Armenia in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and power, sought to deprive Azerbaijan of its newfound independence .
The 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....
, the economic downturn, and the war with Armenia, coupled with growing pessimism and psychological discomfort led to the exodus of Russian-speaking population of Azerbaijan. Between 1989 and 1999, the Russian population fell from 392,000 to 142,000.
Concentration
According to the 1999 census, Russians comprised 7% of the population of BakuBaku
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...
--approximately 120,000 of 1.7 million people. This is significantly lower than in the middle of the twentieth century when Russians comprised about a third of the population.
Smaller concentrations of Russians, including Cossacks, live in Sumgait, Ganja
Ganja
Ganja is Azerbaijan's second-largest city with a population of around 313,300. It was named Yelizavetpol in the Russian Empire period. The city regained its original name—Ganja—from 1920–1935 during the first part of its incorporation into the Soviet Union. However, its name was changed again and...
, Khachmas, Mingechaur, and Shirvan
Shirvan
Shirvan , also spelled as Shirwan, Shervan, Sherwan and Šervān, is a historical region in the eastern Caucasus, known by this name in both Islamic and modern times...
. Additionally, small Russian communities, some the descendants of exiles and Old Believers
Old Believers
In the context of Russian Orthodox church history, the Old Believers separated after 1666 from the official Russian Orthodox Church as a protest against church reforms introduced by Patriarch Nikon between 1652–66...
, live in a number of villages throughout the country including Ivanovka
Ivanovka
Ivanovka is an estate near Tambov, Russia, which used to be the summer residence of the Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff in the period between 1890 and 1917 . It was the family home of his aristocratic relatives, the Satins. Many of Rachmaninoff's earlier masterpieces were created in its...
in the Ismayilli Region; Slavyanka Gorelski and Novoivanovka
Novoivanovka
Novoivanovka is a village and municipality in the Gadabay Rayon of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 1,665....
in the Kedabek Area; Chuhuryurt and Kyzmeydan Nagarahana in the Shemakhin Area. Approximately 500 Russians live in the the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan.
Dynamics of the Russian population in Azerbaijan:
| 1926 | 1939 | 1959 | 1970 | 1979 | 1989 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 220,545 | 528,318 | 501,282 | 510,059 | 475,255 | 392,304 | 141,700 |
Language
Russian languageRussian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
is the first language of more than 150,000 Azerbaijanis, predominantly ethnic Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
and Russified Azerbaijanis, but also Ukrainians
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
, Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
, and other minorities. In 1994, 38% of Azerbaijanis spoke Russian fluently as a second language.
History
In the first half of the nineteenth century, Russian colonization of the South CaucasusSouth Caucasus
The South Caucasus is a geopolitical region located on the border of Eastern Europe and Southwest Asia also referred to as Transcaucasia, or The Trans-Caucasus...
introduced the Russian language to the territory of modern Azerbaijan. By 1830 there were schools teaching Russian in the cities of Shusha
Shusha
Shusha , also known as Shushi is a town in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh in the South Caucasus. It has been under the control of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic since its capture in 1992 during the Nagorno-Karabakh War...
, 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...
, Elizabethpol (Ganja
Ganja
Ganja is Azerbaijan's second-largest city with a population of around 313,300. It was named Yelizavetpol in the Russian Empire period. The city regained its original name—Ganja—from 1920–1935 during the first part of its incorporation into the Soviet Union. However, its name was changed again and...
), and Shemakha; later schools were established in Quba
Quba
Quba is a rayon in northeastern Azerbaijan. The capital is located on the Kudyal River at 41.37°N, 48.50°E....
, Ordubad
Ordubad
Ordubad is the second largest town and a municipality of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. It is the capital of the Ordubad rayon. It has a population of 10,372....
, and Zagatala. Education in Russian was unpopular among Azerbaijanis until 1887, when Habib Beg Makhmudbekov and Sultan Majid Ganizade founded the first Russian-Azerbaijani School in Baku. A secular school with instruction in both Russian and Azerbaijani, its programs were consistent with the cultural values and traditions of the Muslim population. Eventually 240 such schools, including a women's college founded in 1901, were established prior to the "Sovietization" of the South Caucasus. Ihe first Russian-Azerbaijani reference library opened in 1894. In 1918, during the short period of the Azerbaijan's independence
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was the first successful attempt to establish a democratic and secular republic in the Muslim world . The ADR was founded on May 28, 1918 after the collapse of the Russian Empire that began with the Russian Revolution of 1917 by Azerbaijani National Council in...
, the government declared Azerbaijani the official language, but the use of Russian in government documents continued.
In the Soviet Era, the large Russian population in Baku, increased access to Russian literature, and the improved opportunities afforded to Russian speakers contributed to intensive "Russification" of the population in Baku. By the middle of the twentieth century, the city had become a supra-ethnic and cosmopolitan, uniting people of Russian, Azerbaijani, Armenian, Jewish, and other cultures. The widespread use of Russian meant that some Azerbaijanis considered Russian their native language. In 1970, 57,500 Azerbaijanis (1.3%) called Russian as their native language.
Russian-language Azerbaijani literature
The first works by Azerbaijani authors in Russian appeared in the nineteenth century. In 1883 Ahmed Bey Javanshir wrote a historical sketch in Russian entitled "On the Political status of Karabakh Khanate between 1745-1805."Ismail Bey Kutkashensko and Yusif Vezir Chemenzeminli published original compositions in Russian in the years before the Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
. The great champion of the Russian language among the Azerbaijani population was playwright Mirza Fatali Akhundov
Mirza Fatali Akhundov
Mirza Fatali Akhundov , former – Akhundzade , was a celebrated Azerbaijani author, playwright, philosopher, and founder of modern literary criticism, "who acquired fame primarily as the writer of European-inspired plays in the Azeri language"...
, founder of Azerbaijani Drama and Theatre.
Russian-language Azeri literature continued to develop throughout the Soviet era. Its outstanding representatives are Imran Gasimov, Hasan Seyidbayli, Magsud
Magsud Ibrahimbeyov
Magsud Mammad oglu Ibrahimbeyov, also spelled Ibragimbekov is an Azerbaijani writer and member of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan.-Life and contributions:...
, Rustam Ibragimbekov
Rustam Ibragimbekov
Rustam Mammad Ibrahim oglu Ibrahimbeyov, also spelled Ibragimbekov is Azerbaijani, Soviet and an Azerbaijani-American screenwriter, dramatist and producer, well known beyond his home Azerbaijan and the CIS....
, and Alla Akhundova among others.
In 2003, Russian-Azerbaijani writers "Ray" and the Moscow branch of the Writers Union of Azerbaijan was established. In 2004, an association of writers and poets of "Commonwealth Literature" was established.
Russian language in art
Since the second half of the nineteenth century, Russian folk and pop songs have appeared in repertoires of Bulbul, Muslim Magomayev, Rashid BehbudovRashid Behbudov
Rashid Behbudov was an Azerbaijani singer and actor. He sang in Azerbaijani, Russian, Persian, Turkish, Hindi, Armenian, Urdu and Bengali among other languages....
Polad Bülbüloğlu
Polad Bülbüloglu
Polad Bülbüloğlu is a Soviet and Azerbaijani singer, actor, politician and diplomat. Bülbüloğlu is currently the Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Russian Federation.-Biography:...
, Flora Kerimova
Flora Kerimova
-Reference:...
, the group "Qaya
Qaya
Qaya is a village in Baku, Azerbaijan....
" and many others. Even after independence from Soviet Union Azerbaijani singers such as Aygun Kazimova
Aygun Kazimova
Aygun Alasgar qizi Kazimova is an Azerbaijani singer, songwriter, pop musician and actress, and a six-time winner of the Grand Music Award for best concert, videoclip and song. She is considered Azerbaijan's leading pop star, and is seen as a cultural icon for the South Caucasian nation in fast...
have continued to write and perform songs in Russian.
During the Soviet era, Azerbaijanfilm
Azerbaijanfilm
Azerbaijanfilm is an Azerbaijani state film production company. It was established in 1920 as a photo-cinema department at Azerbaijan SSR People's Commissariat, and in 1923 renamed to "Azerbaijani Photo-Cinema Office"...
produced dozens of feature-length and documentary films in Russian, including famous films like The Telephone, Don't Worry, I'm With You, Asif, Vasif, Agasif and Exam. Films in Russian continue to be produced in Azerbaijan in the post-Soviet era.
Russian language today
Outside of the capital, the use of Russian sharply declined after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Similarly, the Russian-speaking subculture in Baku experienced strong decline due to emigration of a large numbers of Russians. Nevertheless the Russian language continues to feature prominently in the daily life of people in Baku. As in Soviet times, today the use of Russian in Azerbaijan is concentrated among the intellectuals and "elites" of the nation, however, a survey conducted by the Eurasia Heritage FoundationEurasia Heritage Foundation
The Eurasia Heritage Foundation is a Russia-registered non-government organization established in Moscow in 2004 to study current political, economic and social trends in the New Independent States. In 2005 the foundation opened its representative office in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv...
ranked Azerbaijan among former Soviet Republics with the worst level of knowledge of Russian, along with Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, and Tajikistan
Tajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
.
In 2002, President Heydar Aliyev
Heydar Aliyev
Heydar Alirza oglu Aliyev , also spelled as Heidar Aliev, Geidar Aliev, Haydar Aliyev, Geydar Aliyev was the third President of Azerbaijan for the New Azerbaijan Party from June 1993 to October 2003, when his son Ilham Aliyev succeeded him.From 1969 till 1982, Aliyev was also the leader of Soviet...
issued a decree establishing Azerbaijani as the sole language of government--shop signs, stationery, and printing in Russian were replaced with Azerbaijani. At the same time compulsory teaching of Russian in schools was made optional.
In 2007, by decree of the National Broadcasting Council, live broadcasting of Russian TV channels ceased. Officially, this action was undertaken to protect Azerbaijan's national frequencies, which were declared a "national treasure of the country," from the influence of foreign media. It was rumored however, that the main reason was to eliminate the alleged pro-Armenian orientation of Russian TV channels covering the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, lying between Lower Karabakh and Zangezur and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains...
.
In 2008 the government banned foreign languages broadcasts on Azerbaijani television and radio channels, except for a daily newscast in Russian. This measure faced strong opposition from the media and public. Dissenters argued that Azerbaijan still has a large Russian-speaking community, pointing to the success of the Russian version of the popular TV show "What? Where? When ?". Ultimately an exception was made for Russian programming, but Azeri subtitles are required. Similarly, the Azerbaijani radio station "Europa Plus
Europa Plus
Europa Plus is Russia's first and the most popular commercial radio station. They started broadcasting on April 30, 1990. It is mainly formatted with Hot AC/Top 40....
," continues broadcasting partially in Russian.
Despite the significantly strengthened the position of the Azerbaijani language in the post-Soviet era, several Russian language periodicals continue to be published in Baku including the "Mirror", "Echo", "Baku Worker", "HSE", and "New Era." The Association of Russian Writers is also active.
Features of the Russian language in Azerbaijan
The Russian dialect spoken in Azerbaijan differs from standard Russian due to the influence of the Azerbaijani languageAzerbaijani 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...
spoken throughout the country. At the phonetic level, this influence can be seen specifically in the initial lengthening of vowels, a sharp rise in intonation at the end of a question, and the addition of "d" and "g" affricates . At the lexical level, a number of predominantly vernacular and slang terms of both Azerbaijani and Russian origin have gradually penetrated into print media. Some of the words were included in the online dictionary of Russian dialect "Languages of Russian cities" including: "Demyankov" ("eggplant"), "domashnik" ("slipper"), "sobirun" ("get-together"), "dzhigalit" ("cheat"), "syarfovat "(" be profitable "), and " balashka "(" child ") .
The Russian Society in Azerbaijan
The Russian Community of Azerbaijan was established on 5 May, 1993 and has about 70,000 members. Russian community of Azerbaijan, the ICRC The Chairman, MP Azerbaijani parliamentNational Assembly of Azerbaijan
The National Assembly , also transliterated as Milli Majlis is the legislative branch of government in Azerbaijan. The unicameral National Assembly has 125 deputies: previously 100 members were elected for five-year terms in single-seat constituencies and 25 were members elected by proportional...
Mikhail Zabelin, is a member of the Board of the International Council of Russian Compatriots. The community is active in most of the country, operating 12 regional organizations 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...
and 48 district and city branches throughout Azerbaijan. The community has republican status.
The Russian Community founded the Azerbaijan on Russia Educational Center, which became the Baku branch of Moscow International Open University. Currently there are more than 900 students.
Education
There are more than 300 schools across the country, including 18 local high schools and 38 secondary specialized schools that provide instruction in Russian.On 13 June, 2000 in Baku, Azerbaijan on the basis of Pedagogical Institute of Russian Language and Literature Akhundov was founded by Baku Slavic University
Baku Slavic University
Baku Slavic University , sometimes referred to as Baku Slav University, is a public university located in Baku, Azerbaijan.BSU's history is tied to Azerbaijan's at tenuous times in history with Russia...
.
On November 24, 2009 in the capital of Azerbaijan, the first post-Soviet space "House of the Russian book" was opened and at the opening ceremony which was attended by the head of the Presidential Administration of Russia Sergei Naryshkin.
Religion
The majority of Russians in Azerbaijan are adherents of Orthodox ChristianityOrthodox Christianity
The term Orthodox Christianity may refer to:* the Eastern Orthodox Church and its various geographical subdivisions...
although a considerable number identify as atheist. The first Russian Orthodox church 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...
was built in 1815. In 1905, the Baku Eparchy, today the Baku and Caspian Eparchy, was established; it currently oversees five subordinate churches. Outside of Baku there are Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
es exists in Ganja
Ganja
Ganja is Azerbaijan's second-largest city with a population of around 313,300. It was named Yelizavetpol in the Russian Empire period. The city regained its original name—Ganja—from 1920–1935 during the first part of its incorporation into the Soviet Union. However, its name was changed again and...
and Khachmaz
Khachmaz
Khachmaz is a city in Northeastern Azerbaijan's Khachmaz region. It is located about 10 km from the Caspian Sea, below Khudat, and to the east of Quba. It is located at 41-28N, 48-48E at an elevation of 27m. Khachmaz is 170 kilometres north of the capital Baku...
. There are officially registered communities of Molokan
Molokan
Molokans are sectarian Christians who evolved from "Spiritual Christian" Russian peasants that refused to obey the Russian Orthodox Church, beginning in the 17th century...
s in Baku, Sumgait, and Shamakhi
Shamakhi
Shamakhi or Shamakhy is a rayon of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and a town in the rayon. It is the historical center of the region of Shirvan.The town is west of Baku. It has more than 20,000 inhabitants, among them Azerbaijanis and Russians...
. .
Azerbaijan is a secular country without an official state religion, the majority of the population is Shia Muslim. While the conflict with majority-Christian Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
over the Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, lying between Lower Karabakh and Zangezur and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains...
region, March Days
March Days
The March Days, or March Events, refer to an inter-ethnic strife and massacres of up to 12,000 Azerbaijanis and other Muslims that took place between March 30 and April 2, 1918 in the city of Baku and adjacent areas of the Baku Governorate of Russian Empire.Facilitated by a political power struggle...
, and the Khojaly Massacre
Khojaly Massacre
The Khojaly Massacre was the killing of hundreds of ethnic Azerbaijani civilians from the town of Khojaly on 25–26 February 1992 by the Armenian and Russian armed forces during the Nagorno-Karabakh War...
created anti-Armenian, it has not engendered anti-Christian sentiment. Kōichirō Matsuura
Koichiro Matsuura
is a Japanese diplomat. He is the former Director-General of UNESCO. He was first elected in 1999 to a six-year term and reelected on 12 October 2005 for four years, following a reform instituted by the 29th session of the General Conference...
describes Azerbaijan as a "country that should be example to world with its tolerance".
Notable people
- Larisa DolinaLarisa DolinaLarisa Aleksandrovna Dolina is an Azerbaijani-born prominent Russian jazz and pop singer and an actress...
— Soviet and Russian pop singer, jazz singer, actress, Honored Artist of Russia (1993), People's Artist of Russia (1998). - Mstislav RostropovichMstislav RostropovichMstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich, KBE , known to close friends as Slava, was a Soviet and Russian cellist and conductor. He was married to the soprano Galina Vishnevskaya. He is widely considered to have been the greatest cellist of the second half of the 20th century, and one of the greatest of...
— Soviet and Russian cellist and conductor, People's Artist of USSR (1966). - Veronika Dudarova — Soviet and Russian symphony conductor, People's Artist of USSR (1977).
- Alexander Macheret — film director, screenwriter, Honored Art Worker of RSFSR (1940).
- Emmanuel Vitorgan — Soviet and Russian film and theater actor, Honored Artist of Russia (1990), People's Artist of Russia (1998).
- Konstantin Adamov — actor and film director, People's Artist of Azerbaijan SSR (1972).
- Yuli GusmanYuli GusmanYuli Solomonovich Gusman is a Soviet, Russian and Azerbaijani film director and actor. He is the founder and CEO of the prestigious Nika Award.- Life and career :...
— Soviet, Russian, and Azerbaijani film director and actor; founder and CEO of the prestigious Nika AwardNika AwardThe Nika Award is a prestigious annual ceremony held by the Russian Academy of Cinema Arts and Sciences which was established in 1987 in Moscow, Russia by Yuli Gusman, and ostensibly modelled on the Academy Awards . Russian Academy Award takes its name from Nike, the goddess of victory...
. - Yuri Avsharov — actor, People's Artist of Russia (1995).
- Vladimir MenshovVladimir MenshovVladimir Valentinovich Menshov is a Soviet and Russian actor and film director. He is noted for depicting the Russian everyman and working class life in his films. Like many other Russian filmmakers, he studied acting and directing at the state film school VGIK, the world's oldest educational...
— Soviet and Russian actor, director, screenwriter, producer, Academy Award winning film producer, People's Artist of Russia (1991). - Boris VannikovBoris VannikovGeneral Boris Lvovich Vannikov , Soviet government and military official, a three-star General. People's Commissar for Armament from January 1939 through June 1941, and for Ammunition from February 1942 through June 1946. From 1945 through 1953 Vannikov was Head of the 1st Main Directorate of the...
— People's Commissar of arms (1939–1941) and ammunition of the USSR (1942–1946), Minister of Agricultural Engineering of the USSR (1946), thrice Hero of Socialist Labor. - Georgy PoltavchenkoGeorgy PoltavchenkoGeorgy Sergeyevich Poltavchenko was the Russian Presidential Envoy to the Central Federal District. He was assigned acting governor of Saint Petersburg in August 2011....
— governor of Saint Petersburg (2011–). - Pavel Romanenko — mayor of UlyanovskUlyanovskUlyanovsk The city is the birthplace of Vladimir Lenin , for whom it is named.-History:Simbirsk was founded in 1648 by the boyar Bogdan Khitrovo. The fort of "Simbirsk" was strategically placed on a hill on the Western bank of the Volga River...
, Russia (2001–2004). - Victor Akishkin — Minister of Health of the Astrakhan Oblast of Russia.
- Vladimir DekanozovVladimir DekanozovVladimir Georgievich Dekanozov ) was a Soviet senior state security operative and diplomat.-Before Second World War:...
— People's Commissar of the food industry (1936-1938) and Minister of Interior of Georgian SSR (1953) - Matvey SkobelevMatvey Skobelev-Trotsky's Disciple in Vienna :Skobelev was born in the family of a wealthy Baku oilman . He joined the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party in 1903. After the Russian Revolution of 1905 he went abroad to study at a polytechnic in Vienna...
— member of the Social-Democratic movement in Russia, the minister of labor in the Russian Provisional Government (1917). - Alexander Chernozhukov — Hero of the Soviet Union.
- Alexander Isipin — Hero of the Soviet Union.
- Boris Tikhomolov — Hero of the Soviet Union.
- Democrat Leonov — Hero of the Soviet Union.
- Michael Kapitonov — Full Cavalier of the Order of Glory.
- Joseph Braginsky — Soviet orientalist and member of the Academy of Sciences of the Tajik SSR (1951), Honored Science Worker of the Tajik SSR.
- Lev LandauLev LandauLev Davidovich Landau was a prominent Soviet physicist who made fundamental contributions to many areas of theoretical physics...
— prominent Soviet physicist who made fundamental contributions to many areas of theoretical physics, winner of the Nobel Prize in PhysicsNobel Prize in PhysicsThe Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded once a year by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895 and awarded since 1901; the others are the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel Peace Prize, and...
, Hero of Socialist Labor. - Valery Subbotin — Soviet and Russian scientists in the field of thermal physics, corresponding member Academy of Sciences of the USSR (1968).
- Igor Ashurbeyli — general director of Russia's largest air-defence weapon manufacturers Almaz (developers of S-300 antimissile systems).
- Garry KasparovGarry KasparovGarry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, a former World Chess Champion, writer, political activist, and one of the greatest chess players of all time....
, Grandmaster and World Champion
See also
- İvanovkaIvanovkaIvanovka is an estate near Tambov, Russia, which used to be the summer residence of the Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff in the period between 1890 and 1917 . It was the family home of his aristocratic relatives, the Satins. Many of Rachmaninoff's earlier masterpieces were created in its...
- one of the largest Russian villages in Azerbaijan. - Azerbaijan-Russia relations
- Azeris in RussiaAzeris in RussiaAside from the large Azeri community native to Russia's Dagestan Republic, the majority of Azeris in Russia are fairly recent immigrants. Azeris started settling in Russia around the late 19th century, but their migration became intensive after World War II. It rapidly increased with the collapse...