The Portrait Of The Founder Of University – In Emigrant’s Memories
Abstract
It is said that “a great man is great even in details”. This is how we should discuss the episodes of life and work of a great scientist, academician Ivane Javakhishvili, which are depicted in the memories of Georgian political emigrants.
First of all, we will cite the report of a famous emigrant Mikhako Tsereteli, which he made in 1940 in Berlin at the event dedicated to Ivane Javakhishvili: “Ivane Javakhishvili died!” I heard this terrible news several weeks ago and it broke my heart, I suppose the news broke the hearts of all Georgians alike, all for whom Ivane Javakhishvili was familiar name.
I don’t say “Professor Ivane Javakhishvili” or “Scientist IvaneJavakhishvili”, I just mention him by name and surname since he was unique like Ilia Chavchavadze. The latter’s name and surname has always been connected with “greatness” and similarly, Ivane Javakhishvili’s name is associated with great intellect, research of Georgia’s past, with great personality, who was born on Georgian land and will always remain its pride.
Ivane’s titles were numerous – he was a professor, academician, scientist, he was the rector of the university for a long time, etc. There were other academicians, professors, university rectors, but they didn’t have the same value as Ivane Javakhishvili, that’s why we are gravely sorry to lose him as we knew him, knew his invaluable contribution to the Georgian science. We value him and feel all the greatness,
power and purity of his personality.
In his report, which was published in the magazine “Revenue de Kartvelologie” (vol. XXIV, p. 323-360), the author gives a deep scientific analysis of Ivane Javakhishvili’s contribution to the publication of “The History of the Georgian Nation” in two volumes.
“The History of Georgian Nation” is a real pearl among Ivane Javakhishvili’s works, in which he depicted the lives of great kings and other public figures and described the history of Georgian nation and its politics.
Alongside with Ivan eJavakhishvili’s scientific contribution, MikhakoTsereteli mentions his personal qualities. Ivane Javakhishvili’s great personality, his bravery and strong will are discussed in Givi Kobakhidze’s essay “Ivane Javakhishvili”, which was published in 1956 in the newspaper “The Georgian Nation”. Here, the author pays special attention to one fact: “In 1937, during the great repression, when Stalin and Beria’s terror physically affected Georgian people, Beria called Ivane Javakhishvili to his office “to talk about serious issues”... He “asked” Ivane to write a history of Georgian Bolshevik Party. Beria must have thought that at the time of terror Ivane Javakhishvili would not dare to refuse, would agree to write the history of “outstanding” Communist Party and would lose his name which he had deserved and gained among Georgian people. But he was bitterly mistaken. Ivane Javakhishvili refused! He said: “Since my youth, my goal has been to learn the Old History of Georgia. I want to serve this goal till death. You have a lot of young historians who will write the history of political party much better”.
At the end of his memories Givi Kobakhidze remarks on Ivane Javakhishvili’s contribution: “Ivane teaches us how to take care of our nation, every time, in the present and future... Last century, it was Ilia Chavchavadze who led the way. The XX century belongs to Ivane Javakhishvili!”
Ivane Javakhishvili’s great personality is also mentioned in the emigrant Vakhtang Ghambashidze’s memoir: “The wonderful group photo was crowned by a group of professors around the rector, and among them was our precious Ivane Javakhishvili whose face was full of satisfaction and awe. One of his noble actions was to appoint Professor P. Melikishvili the first rector, who created strong roots for Georgian education: he put an experienced scientist as a head which had a great importance for a young university”. The complete image of the scientist and a great personality is given in Grigol Robakidze’s memoir “Ivane Javakhishvili”, which he wrote in Berlin 1944 and which was published Paris in 1964.
There are a lot of memories about Ivane Javakhishvili in emigrants’ works : “If Javakhishvili had been born in those times, he might have been another Ekvtime or Giorgi Mtatsmindeli, Efrem Mtsire or Grigol Khantsteli, for he had the same importance in present day Georgia as those great fathers did in Georgia of old times”.
