SALUTARY CAUTION

The centenary of the First World War has awakened the interest of historians in this event of the recent past, which played a huge role in the future world order in Europe. It should be recognized that there are quite a few little-studied chapters in the history of this war. Of course, the events taking place in Baku one hundred years ago and the attitude of Azerbaijanis to the war are of particular interest to us.

Sympathy of Muslims

By the way, about the attitude to the war. This is what the chief of the local criminal police Rudenko reported to the Baku governor on 1 November 1915: "The mood among the Caucasian Muslims in general and among our local ones in particular is in constant and direct relation to the state of affairs on our Turkish front. If the Turks launch an offensive - the mood among the Muslim masses markedly increases, and if they retreat, it becomes smoother. Whatever you say, the majority of Muslims in the higher and lower strata of the population are on the side of the Turks. Hope for complete calm among Muslims if the fortune of war changes against us can be deceptive. Information from Muslim sources says that the attention of the Muslims is now focused on the Balkan events. They are eagerly waiting for the Germans to unite with the Turks and for the Turks to launch an offensive on their fronts again. Then, if there are Turkish successes, a Muslim uprising is possible." It is known that not only Muslims of the Caucasus sympathized with the Turks and, of course, their ally Germany.

However, despite the latent sympathy of the Muslims for the enemies of the empire, on 25 June Nicholas II signed a decree "On the mobilization of the non-Russian male population of the empire to work on the construction of fortifications and military communications in the area of the army, as well as any for other necessary defence work for the state". According to the decree, men aged from 19 to 43 were subject to mobilization to dig trenches and build other facilities. Moreover, each region - the Caucasus, Turkestan and Steppe Region - were obliged to allocate a certain number of people for front-line work. The imperial decree certainly caused a negative reaction among the Muslim population.

First, the Muslim suburbs of Russia received information about the signing by Nicholas II of a decree on calling up the local population for military work, while the text of the decree itself came later. This fact alone caused a lot of rumours. On the other hand, not only the information concerning the tsar's decree, but the decree itself contained a lot of uncertainties, which caused concern among the Muslim population.

Authoritatively and authentically in Tagiyev's style

Haci Zeynalabdin Tagiyev outlined them most clearly. Working in the archives of political documents at the presidential administration of Azerbaijan, we found a document written in the Azeri language entitled "Report of Haci Zeynalabdin Tagiyev handed over on 30 June 1916 to the Baku governor for submission to the supreme authority in the Caucasus". The report notes that although the news of the war left a "heavy mark" on the Muslims, it nevertheless caused "a rise in the spirit". "We, Muslims, believe that protecting the honour of the motherland is important and necessary for us, and we do not want to stay away from other edges of the homeland and are ready to do everything in our power to defend the motherland," writes Tagiyev. To confirm his words, he cites the participation of the Caucasian Cavalry Division in the battles: "The well-known courage shown by Muslims of the Caucasian Cavalry Division, who did not spare their lives for the country and the tsar, will find its rightful place in the future history of this war." Tagiyev welcomes the emperor's decree on calling up Muslims for front-line work. According to him, the decree indicates that the supreme authority considers Muslims to be equal citizens of Russia. He refers to the tsar's decree as "legitimate and desirable".

"The Islamic religion, first of all, recommends that Muslims defend their homeland. Patriotism and love for the country is in the blood of the Muslim, these qualities are transferred to the Muslim child with breast milk and do not leave him until the end of his life. Any Muslim is ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of the motherland," the report says. However, Tagiyev notes shortcomings in the decree of Nicholas II, which should be eliminated by corresponding instructions and explanations by officials. At the same time, he emphasizes the role of the media in educating the public about the provisions of the decree.

According to Tagiyev, it is first of all necessary to clarify the procedure and term of the recruitment of Muslims for front-line work. "He (one who is called up - author) will think that all men aged 19 to 25 (inaccuracy, the decree says 43 - author) will go at the same time or be called up shortly, and therefore, the herds and crops will be left without ploughmen and unattended, and the family and children - without men and care," he points out. Tagiyev said that questions of faith were important for Muslims. He writes that the royal decree does not answer the question: "Will conditions be created for Muslims to perform their duties and rituals or not?"

Tagiyev also considers it necessary to take action and take care of the families of Muslims who are called up. "Russian women are known for their grip, and they can control themselves and their families in the absence of their husbands, and they have no equal in this regard. The Muslim woman in hijab is ignorant and unemployed, and for this reason, she cannot manage the family and do without her husband." In conclusion, Tagiyev suggests "suspending the call-up until the importance and meaning of the tsar's decree is explained to the dark mass... With the help of instructions, widely explain to the people the questions which we mentioned above and which may arise in this series so that people are able to find the answers in these instructions. These instructions should be translated into the Turkic language and circulated among the people, the government circles are obliged to inform people and give proper explanations. Muslim newspapers can print the instructions and explain them to those who know how to write and read. Thus, the people will know the truth, and there will be no room for suspicions and misunderstandings."

The reverse reaction

Tagiyev's cautions were truly prophetic. The fact is that in response to the imperial decree, the population of Turkestan rose up. The immediate cause of the uprising was the rumours that absolutely the entire male population will be called up to dig trenches. Unrest began on 4 July 1916 as police in Khujand fired at demonstrators demanding the destruction of the lists of those mobilized. Soon the flames of rebellion spread to other areas, and on 17 July, martial law was imposed in Turkestan. The uprising was brutally suppressed. According to some reports, the number of Kyrgyz people alone killed in it was at least 150,000. With regard to the Caucasus, the mobilization of the Muslim population here was suspended by the government until 15 September 1916. Mammad Amin Rasulzada wrote in Aciq Soz newspaper on 22 August 1916 that "glad tidings came for Muslims from Tiflis yesterday - on 21 August the governor of His Imperial Majesty in the Caucasus exempted the Caucasus Muslims from the execution of the 25 June decree".

1 September marks the 90th anniversary of the death of the unique man, philanthropist, great and true Azerbaijani, Haci Zeynalabdin Tagiyev.