Independence Day (Azerbaijan, 28 May)

Independence Day (Azerbaijani: Müstəqillik Günü) honours the date on which the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) was founded as the first secular democratic state in the Muslim East: 28 May 1918. Since 1990, Republic Day is celebrated as a national holiday in Azerbaijan.[1]

A ceremony held on Istiglaliyyat Street in 2019.

Until 2021, it was marked as Republic Day. In October 2021, it was renamed and became Independence Day.[2][3]

History of Republic Day

The Russian Empire was overthrown by the short-lived February Revolution in 1917. The national movement of people who were trampled by the tyranny existed in the country started. On 28 May 1918 the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918–1920), the first secular democratic state in the Muslim East was proclaimed. The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, founded by Mammad Amin Rasulzadeh, was the first parliamentary republic and the first democratic, legal and secular state in the Turkic and Islamic world.[4]

First flag of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, 24 July-9 November 1918
Flag of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and the Republic of Azerbaijan

Among the important accomplishments of the ADR was the extension of suffrage to women, making Azerbaijan one of the first countries in the world, and the very first majority-Muslim nation, to grant women equal political rights with men. The first state, which officially recognized the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was the Ottoman Empire. That historic event took place on 4 June 1918.[5] On 9 November 1918 on the basis of the proposal by Mammad Amin Rasulzadeh the three-color flag of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was adopted.[6]

Until then the flag of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was red. The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was able to operate in a tense and complicated socio-political situation for only 23 months. The Soviet Union invaded Azerbaijan on 28 April 1920. Though the idea of independence was not defeated, and in 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Empire, Azerbaijan again declared its independence.[7][8]

Declaration of Independence
Declaration of Independence of Azerbaijan
Original text of the Declaration in Azerbaijani
Created28 May 1918
LocationNational Museum of History of Azerbaijan
SignatoriesHasan bey Aghayev, Fatali Khan Khoyski, Nasib Yusifbeyli, Jamo bey Hajinski, Shafi bey Rustambeyli, Nariman bey Narimanbeyov, Javad Malik-Yeganov and Mustafa Mahmudov
PurposeTo announce the independence of Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan declared independence from Russian Empire in Tiflis on 28 May 1918.[9]

The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was founded by the Azerbaijani National Council in Tiflis on 28 May 1918 after the collapse of the Russian Empire that began with the Russian Revolution of 1917. The Muslim representation in the defunct Transcaucasian Seim had constituted itself into the Azerbaijani National Council, and on 28 May 1918 proclaimed that a new nation was born. So far only a geographical reference, Azerbaijan now became the name of a state, and some 2 million people, called variously Tatars, Transcaucasian Muslims, and Caucasian Turks, officially became Azerbaijanis.[10]

Celebrations

One year after the founding of the ADR, a military parade on the site of the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum took place on Republic Day.[11] The first jubilee celebrations in honor of the holiday took place in 1998. This events were widely celebrated in accordance with the decree “On the Celebration of the 80th Anniversary of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan” that was signed by President Heydar Aliyev on 30 January 1998.[12] On 26 May, President Aliyev delivered a speech to the National Assembly[13] and a day later, he delivered a gala speech in honor of the occasion.[14] In 2001, Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow visited the country for the first time to attend the Republic Day celebrations.[15] In 2008, a postage stamp was issued in connection with the 90th anniversary of the Republic.[16]

Locations

In honor of this day the station of the Baku underground is named. Initially, it was called "April 28", since on 28 April 1920, Soviet power was established in Azerbaijan, and the ADR ceased to exist. However, after the Republic gained independence for the second time, the name, reminiscent of the Soviet past, was replaced by "May 28". It was enough to rename only letters, the numbers remained the same.[17]

  • Plaque commemorating the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
    Plaque commemorating the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
  • Stamp of Azerbaijan
    Stamp of Azerbaijan

See also

References
  1. Rais Rasulzade (his grandson), "Mammad Amin Rasulzade: Founding Father of the First Republic," Archived 2011-12-08 at the Wayback Machine in Azerbaijan International, Vol. 7:3 (Autumn 1999), pp. 22–23.
  2. "Milli Məclis bayramların adlarını dəyişdi". yenisabah.az. 15 October 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  3. "Respublika Günü və Milli Müstəqillik Gününün adları niyə dəyişdirilir?". oxu.az. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  4. Tadeusz Swietochowski. Russia and Azerbaijan: A Borderland in Transition. Columbia University Press, 2077. ISBN 0-231-07068-3, ISBN 978-0-231-07068-3 and Reinhard Schulze. A Modern History of the Islamic World. I.B.Tauris, 2000. ISBN 1-86064-822-3, ISBN 978-1-86064-822-9. Citations are at Talk:Azerbaijan Democratic Republic#First or second
  5. Michael G. Smith. Anatomy of a Rumour: Murder Scandal, the Musavat Party and Narratives of the Russian Revolution in Baku, 1917–20. Journal of Contemporary History, Vol. 36, No. 2 (Apr., 2001), pp. 211–240
  6. Atabaki, Touraj (2000). Azerbaijan: Ethnicity and the Struggle for Power in Iran. I.B.Tauris. p. 25. ISBN 9781860645549.
  7. Swietochowski, Tadeusz (2004). Russian Azerbaijan, 1905–1920: The Shaping of a National Identity in a Muslim Community. Cambridge University Press. p. 129. ISBN 0-521-52245-5.
  8. ""The Fate of some of the ADR Parliament Members", Azerbaijan International (7.3) Autumn 1999". Archived from the original on 2018-06-14. Retrieved 2017-07-29.
  9. Азербайджанская Демократическая Республика (1918–1920). Элм. 1998. p. 316. ISBN 5-8066-0897-2.
  10. Tadeusz Swietochowski. Russia and Azerbaijan: A Borderland in Transition. New York: Columbia University Press, 1995. ISBN 0231070683, p. 129
  11. "В Баку состоялся военный парад по случаю 90-летия Вооруженных сил - ОБНОВЛЕНО". 26 June 2008. Archived from the original on 2018-01-02. Retrieved 2018-01-02.
  12. "Welcome to Heydar Aliyevs Heritage Research Center". lib.aliyevheritage.org. Archived from the original on 2020-08-05. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
  13. "Welcome to Heydar Aliyevs Heritage Research Center". lib.aliyevheritage.org. Archived from the original on 2020-08-10. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
  14. "Welcome to Heydar Aliyevs Heritage Research Center". lib.aliyevheritage.org. Archived from the original on 2020-08-10. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
  15. "Welcome to Heydar Aliyevs Heritage Research Center". lib.aliyev-heritage.org. Archived from the original on 2020-08-13. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
  16. Kazemzadeh, Firuz (1951). The Struggle for Transcaucasia: 1917–1921. The New York Philosophical Library. pp. 124, 222, 229, 269–270. ISBN 0-8305-0076-6.
  17. 125 H.C.Debs., 58., February 24, 1920, p. 1467.
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