The advent of 1915 in Baku, as well as throughout the Russian Empire, was not accompanied by festive events - the state was at war, which involved major European powers. On the one hand, Russia, Britain and France and on the other, Germany and Austria-Hungary fought for hegemony on the continent. Behind are five months of the war, thousands are dead and tens of thousands are wounded. In these circumstances, there was no mood for the holiday.

Echoes of war

The thunder of guns did not reach Baku, and the political, economic and cultural life of the city went on. Nevertheless, the breath of war was felt here too. For the treatment of ill and wounded soldiers of the Caucasian Front, hospitals were opened in the city. There were about 20 of them, and they were accommodated mostly in school buildings and were able to receive up to 5,000 fighters. However, the city never received such a large number of ill and wounded soldiers at a time - after recovering, the soldiers returned to the front.

After Turkey joined the war, Turkish prisoners of war - soldiers and officers - began to arrive in Baku. Among them were also sick and wounded soldiers. They were left in the city for treatment, while the rest were sent to the island of Nargin.

The most tangible sign of the war was the rising price of food, especially bread, sugar and meat. But the city lived its measured life - cinematographers attracted people with new movies, wrestlers in the circus of the Nikitin Brothers, including several world champions demonstrated their strength and agility, the Tagiyev Theatre staged performances, and the Mayilov Theatre successfully hosted opera singers from St. Petersburg and Moscow.

Along with the state authorities (city government, provincial government, city council and others), which established various committees to help the sick and wounded soldiers and families of soldiers called up to the war, national charities, including the Baku Muslim Charitable Society chaired by a member of the City Council, Mirza Asadullayev, took an active part in taking care of them.

The "Dark Days" of Kars Muslims

At the end of the 1890s, Russia took over the former Turkish territories of Kars and Batumi populated mainly by Muslims. The acquired territories were divided into Kars and Batumi regions. In the course of hostilities, the Turks managed to advance within these areas and take most of them. It is possible that the local Muslim population enthusiastically greeted the Turkish soldiers. December 1914 saw a major battle between Russian and Turkish troops in the village of Sarikamis. It ended with the defeat of the Turks. The Kars and Batumi regions came under the control of the Russian army again. Dark days began for the Muslim population of the region, especially Kars. The seriousness of the situation is proved by a number of appeals to the population of the region from the temporary governor-general Zubov in late December 1914 - early January 1915.

"The hostile attitude of some of the uncultured Christian population of the region towards local Muslims, observed since the beginning of the war, resulted in recent days in open attacks, the result of which was the murder of several Muslim civilians. This extremely sad phenomenon, which is not peculiar to Russian subjects, should not take place within our country. ... I appeal to the virtuous Christian population to influence the uncultured portion of the population in order to prevent any hostile attitudes towards the local peaceful Muslims," one of the appeals said.

However, the "uncultured part of the Christian population" did not attach importance to the governor-general's appeal. On 12 January, Zubov was forced to issue the following order: "The hostile attitude of the Christian population of the region to the Muslims, despite my repeated appeals, not only is not ending, but unfortunately, is even intensifying. Apart from the murders of completely innocent Muslims, according to my information, the Christian population of the region sometimes dares to commit armed robberies, looting and different acts of violence in Muslim villages under the guise of revenge ... I suggest that the military governor of the Kars region warn the Christian population that all persons found to have committed any violence against Muslims will be immediately surrendered to the military court by me to be tried according to the laws of war."

It is not difficult to guess who Governor-General Zubov was referring to when he mentioned "some uncultured part of the Christian population" in his appeal.

According to statistics, at the beginning of the war more than 25 per cent of the population in Kars region were Armenians, about 20 per cent - Turks and about 15 per cent - Kurds. Russians, Ukrainians and Poles comprised a total of about 10 per cent.

The assumptions can be confirmed by the following fact: On 4 May, the Caucasus military district court considered charges against a volunteer of the Armenian squad, Agababov. He was charged with the premeditated murder of four Muslims and an attempted murder of a fifth one in the city of Kars on 16 December 1914 on grounds of tribal and religious hatred. The court found Agababov guilty only of attempted murder and sentenced him to 12 years of hard labour.

Call for assistance

Almost at the same time as the order of Governor-General Zubov, Baku newspapers reported about a telegram sent by the military governor of the Kars region, Colonel Podgurskiy, to the chairman of the Baku Muslim Charitable Society, Mirza Asadullayev. It stated: "The Muslim population of the Kars region suffered terribly from the war. It is a terrible disaster. There is no help from anywhere. I appeal to the public for assistance."

We regret to note that before the telegram from Podgurskiy, the Baku public, including its prominent representatives, did not provide support - either moral or material - for the affected Muslim population of the Kars region. "When the floor is given for idle chatter and loud phrases - we are in the first row. And when some kind of sacrifice or effort is needed, we are the last, or we are not even around... the Armenians have up to 20 such committees (meaning committees to assist refugees - editors) ... Isn't the number of our victims and the amount of our troubles worth having at least one such committee?" Ceyhun Hacibayov wrote bitterly in Kaspi newspaper, of which he was an employee. Publicist Omar Faiq Nemanzada spoke out less abruptly in Iqbal newspaper: "We have a lot more needy people than other nationalities. But their refugees are already finding help from their co-religionists. There is nothing like this among us."

Zubov's order and Podgurskiy's telegram seem to have awakened the Baku public from sleep. A deputation composed of A. M. Topchubashov, A. B. Quliyev, F. Khoyski and others went to Tbilisi to meet with the governor of the Caucasus about the developments in the Kars region. The deputation was received by the assistant governor for military affairs, General Myshlovskiy, who assured them that those responsible for attacks on Muslim civilians will be found and punished. The board of the Baku Muslim Charitable Society appealed to Baku governor Colonel Martynov to allow fundraising for the Muslim victims of the war. Such permission was soon received.

In early February, the charity issued an appeal to the public to donate money and things for the Muslim population of the Kars region. To explore and clarify the situation on the ground, members of the society, Dr Xosrov Pasa bay Sultanov and merchant Aga Bala Quliyev were sent to Kars. Dr Mahammad Rza Vakilov was sent to Sarikamis. Soon Kars received two wagons of flour, food and warm clothes. The food and warm clothes were sent to the Poskhovsky section of Akhalkalaki District of Tiflis Province, where about 5,000 refugees from the Kars region had found shelter.

"Little and often fill the purse"

The board of the Baku Women's Charitable Society also decided to take part in the collection of donations. For this purpose, a committee chaired by Liza Muxtarova was elected. S. Axundova, Sona Haciyeva, Xadica Hacinski, Sara Teregulova, S. Abdullayeva, Rahila Hacibababayova, B. Babayeva, Hanifa Malikova and Xadica Alibayova also organized receipt of donations at home. Ziba Qayibova, Tura Abdullayeva, Sara Abdullayeva, Sariya Sarifova, Maryam Sulkevich and A. Ahmadbayova also actively participated in fundraising. On the initiative of the committee, Hacibayov's opera "Asli and Karam" was staged at the Tagiyev theatre. All the proceeds of the performance - about 2,000 roubles - were sent to the Muslims of the Kars region.

One of the prominent public figures of the time, Xadica Alibayova, published an appeal to Muslim women in Sadaye Haqq newspaper: "My brothers and sisters! The moral duty of all Muslims without exception is to participate in the misfortune that has befallen our brothers. If our husbands are taking part in any common effort, then we, women, are also obliged to take an interest in this matter and undertake some of the care. The sense of humanity obliges us to take part in the plight of our unfortunate sisters and children."

The governor of the Caucasus allowed the Baku Muslim Charitable Society to organize on 7 May a campaign to collect money in mugs from the sale of Fraternal Assistance badges in favour of the Muslims of the Transcaucasia affected by the war. On this day, famous persons in the city went round shops, offices and homes with a mug in their hands and collected donations. According to some reports, about 150,000 badges were sold and more than 20,000 roubles were raised. The Women's Charitable Society also took an active part in the collection of donations with mugs.

The activities of the Baku Women's Charitable Society resonated with the Muslim women of Yelizavetpol. According to Iqbal newspaper, a general meeting of intelligent Muslim women was held on the eve of the Novruz holiday in the house of Qazi Axund Huseyn Pisnamazzada. The meeting was attended by more than 20 women. The meeting unanimously resolved to rename Novruz Bayram as Qara Bayram and not to hold celebrations; walk the streets during the holiday, go into houses and collect donations; and ask the Baku Women's Charitable Society to open an office in the city of Yelizavetpol.

The broad involvement of women in public processes was welcomed by millionaire Murtuza Muxtarov, who announced his intention to build an office for the society at his own expense. In 1914, the Baku Muslim Charitable Society got its own building built by another millionaire Musa Nagiyev. However, Muxtarov failed to realize his plans. Otherwise, our city would have got another building comparable to Ismailliyya by its magnificence...