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7/1/1991 - Impressions of Azerbaijan (or travels in trans-Turkiye) by Thomas Goltz

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOLITWRITER SCONSENT ENSTITUTEOFCURRENTWORLDAFFAIRS Part I Peter Byrd Martin ICWA West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 Baku July Dear Peter In effort others might taken aback weight monster report think instance include table contents Aboard Good Ship Turkmenistan Getting There C The Reception Committee Part I January Oth page_e_ Rasulzade Azeri Nat nalism A Quick Walk Through Hiory A Tour Baku Town Oil Field Forests Night Train Nahcivan Turkish Delight Ararat Albans Oendji Cruise Mobile Azeri Refugees Armenian Homes Among Mullahs Muharram Full Circle As gather chapter headings report deals Soviet Republic Azerbaijan curious understood piece estate admit right claimed chunk heart With further I submit m_pressions Azerbai travels _t__a_nN_T z_kiz_ Thomas Goltz ICWA fellow investigatin Turkic nations Central Asia emphasis those Soviet Union Since Institute Current World Affairs Crane Rogers Foundation provided fellowships enable outstanding young adults outside United States about international areas issues Endowed Charles R Crane Institute supported contributions From Like minded individuals foundations Aboard Good _Turkmenistan I write these notes lovely hotels whole world I refer Plaza Park New anley infamous Tommy Arms dumpy hostel Zakho Iraq I specifically captain quaFt Turkmenisban ranscaspia liner manent along Baku Azer baijan Why special Well enoys harbor especially fresco aurant situated vessel smoke shacks affords immediate oximiby within spitting distance Azerbai parliament buildinQ promenade various museums boasbs unique being hostel Baku where foreig folks roubles Unlike Inbouri which laFges outlanders hundred yankee macker Azerbaijan Moscow which accepb Soviet citizens clienbs Turkmenisban falls between reasons aniiot understand grateful suite replete running water multiple portholes costs somethin S The price though important respite hotel affor For running strong hroughout Soviet Azerbaijan desperately trying absor record impressions people places ideas about privacy whatsoever Due confluence cumtance culture personal contacts wonderfully confusing I submit following notes almost sadness there guarantee there second third fourth report Tashkent calls although I would gladly scribble novel based Baku I still miqht I obliged territories where iellowship designed Still I promised myself spouse aqain It place Let recite basics include themes discovery there order sense excit ement delight frustration having imposed constraints Let these notes Impression Azer baijan scratched surface Our visas Soviet Union ecured USA stamped San Francisco Moscow Tashkent entrance route But circumstances found ourselves Turkey expanding include Baku Akshabad Turkmenistan southern route Uzbekistan Then events compelled toward Iraqi Kurdistan I written about length indeed material thretenin9 become itself But travels entranc equir USS limit The visas expire4 July booked Istanbul Baku Plent three But booke4 abDarc weekly Aeroflot flight Aeroflot anything happen Acc orcingJy I precaution limit visas dropping Soviet consul Istanbul There amazement chagrin counselor officer these visas A missing cannot enter USSR As might imagine little cisconcerting especially after laying ously refundable Aer oflot tickets Short going San Fi Jco J happened Baku customs For those ravelec USSB perhaps But I remember maiden journey TashkenZ being There jnment Dt because everyone aboard carrying kilograms luggage Aeroflot folks grossly J flight seemec delight people shuffle J aisles place flare wDcal critics system ejecbed airclafb wisely mouth until finallw HJc shoved Zouris class I pushes hrough series ammed uncomfot cabin This Firs I informed cruel given amount Too given tickets I found Zendan wouldn serve I iquic equest reserved first class sengers Baku shelled S O round The lighb necessarily elayed several hours obligec sweat tarmac comdibioning mnbil finaily mercifully Tupolov mobors Foar Black Sea J East Azerbaijan Upon arrival usual charade ofkefficiency store After debarking Jumpec belly Zhe craft differen level forklifZ hoisZed again umpe4 conveyor Y immigFabion counber It remained eriouslw closed before crush returning Azeri nationals began clawing For right first through Finally unbil folks approachec immigration woncering happen officials found surely irregular visas The moment truth The result sweaty climax border guards indeed discove something vJsas missing Happily minimal amount timely arrival scene suddenly punched despite revelation missing mepFesen sbandard I happen leave guess along Jde The eception Commit Several years Ankara while Washington Post publJcations became acquainted Azet J espondenb oviet agencF Tass Le Ahmed I always assumed A always assumed asumed became anyway featured television Tut Turkish speaking ourno their miJsb count image problem abroad Ib familiar subject loved culbuFal Ankar I ogram great element while guests endeavored behind Midnight Exp syndFom Kurd8 orure drugs Ahmed maintained irFibabing insist Aze people everyt about Tu music loved appreciated every Ab I thought possibly disingen devious means courting Turkish viewing audience smooze Only I ealize assumpZion I atrived Turkey April I called Ahmed about Oent Asia plans I wanted inclde Azerbaian ibinerary Ahmed ecsbat I going homeland insisted adding Baku visas having family there We would assured shown Azerbaian eedom without paying I nervous I assumed ubional connect figured having would better having In event happe about exactly Ahmed promised would proving things I idiot being bobal under control times Azeri national chatged forsa concer immediate familial wanted ioever thought elations between Soviet Americans fundamentally altered point where suspcted spies welcome I plain about Ahmed begin Because intervention wonderful 43ugh Azemlijan imaginable litble irribabing times obsessive guesting amazing level cultural excharge sheer amount physical covered weeks For Turks And Tur Soviet Azer baijan thing being God It started cleared customs Baku There waiting hours Ahmed sister Kamra Hanim ecbor sanatorium Kahraman hamir pudgy leman named Kazim At litst little confusing figuring bothered explain ionships until journey remained pretty obscu We officially Kamr Kazim house guides Bahu 8hamir Kahraman Of would uually spend night while former freed hostess would daily distance Bey place sprawling villageksubu called Mashtaga around sights Baku deposit village house dinne evening T dandw liZZie cumber because allowed spend envimonme IE typical Azeri family Masht place I would nomally Also given sheer amount ravel involved fairIt All deserve quick racZer Ahmed sister medical doctor assigned unique sanatorium specialized halene rheumatism including barrenness women A handsome woman ommunist Party membe could acquire4 position husband famous instr uctof across Union Initially stayed sanaZor appar bosses coming inspect Dark house enigmatic Kazim Bey The resulth little hostess refused 4inner ations because CP ecenbly would unseemly Kam Hanim callousing mandabory O period Thus 5ransport entertaining assistant Shamir became primary guide dFiver sibter It particular lingual Aze AnaZolian TuFkish faciliby acquite4 couple Zo Tur constant listening Turkish films cassettes lathe lives Istanbul Shamir orphan being Jusb before biFth eaFly I9 Os prisoner Set labor Finland Upon though hedchosen other hundred thousand Azer POs hought ation Tur better returning homelan Enough known music Crimean Tar oblige4 dance suspected Nazi collaborators Baku stayed Isbanbul opened Cove noted oviet author ities denied Shamir CP membership condemned opporturit 8hamJr cnical accept sense humor I found unique among Azors I One could sense having abandoned youbh dreaming disbanb Isbanbul would 8hami obliged bhrough drudgery oball3z aronymous housing complex linin gasoline oleum oducing forced become companion anyone assigned And obsesed being In Feal ranslat payirg always whose money alwaws himself const With these element became rihating because unable anything until managed jumping Nahcivan It Noes sawing ickeZs waibed oubside window wheels In eading above I sense Shamir looks somewhat embit The elemenb became began under needed space counb W exacblw The second prima sonalit involved Kazim BeW owner house called The reason W closer Baku mighb sbayed Kazim abode For Kazim Bey offer material goods plent esent example conbr adicbions Sovieb Azeri socieby things BW ofession Kazim employed gover between point product mainlw ediblegoods His doing amounted somet ubles SI0 month about unski labor mighZ receive Kazim himself merchant In common parlance black become exceeding W wealZhw icabing milking rusbW wheels socialist preform tasks pickin whibe cheese local Kolkoz inging nment ehouse Baku would cheese ibube privabelW profihablw I hought impolite exact Ahmed Kamr Hanim might More rfect deliht personally abher His epossessing viewed aspect dusty outside compound walls veibable palace viewed within The estate consisted comfotable storey flanked second kitchen abbac hamam sbyle separate andma about cherry pomegranate apple tended Kazim ethnic Russian gardener kslave Within hosing units seven televisions several stereos More fabulous owned Lada public Volgas The fourth white Mer cedes Benz sedan purchased somehow Ahmed It under gadsden shack awaiting presence Baku J immediately invite visit income associated police KOB It lacked wheel exotic being difficult obtain ofessional procurer Kazim There other rinket endless supply export vodka caviar Brazils instant Coffee Kazim Jo flock mainbained animal section estate there slaught religious holidays For Kazim religious after fashion anyway insist attend Fari language Shiit indoctrinat night chool He about future plump daugh Hamida eemec nterest imitating Turkish named Ahu Tugba finishing school The happy househo complete dominat Nazi woman force eveFy chance hewing mouth every smiled weeping bears finally abode Our third inter ocutor different first Hanim eldest Kahraman At first seemed unnec essary turned golden guide A student ussian clear onoyed privileged youbh spending draftee soldier Azeg baian mainly racks house corrupt police chief family 3enda Oenci which IAit parent conbac education ahraman would clear degree Zhe Zhe nominaclabuma position member elite J socialism But something profoundly shaken Kahr which fundamentally perspective party ivilege parrlobi It night Januar etched Azeris gouged consciousness Kahraman It night Soviet Army rolled Baku killed Zople Kahraman JanuarX_ZOb avoid detailed endering events leading selrinal night Kahraman thoughta happened ermath following suffice Kahraman evening oviet crushing rabid Islamic fundamenbalists saving hundz innocent A menian C hFistians doing Kahraman differenb perspecbive Army friends prove point USS namely Glasnosb freedom A similar lesson taught Balt states world condemnabion Baku massacre western liberal voice aised And Ka Faman divined reasons indifference A ushed beneat Kremlin tanks Cihrist resonance group ouZside counbr generally usbed within relatively affluent sbWle Aze argebs Glasnos crackdown Kahraman could never Union Mo 3orbs PaFt afber famous He would Zirelessly remembrance markers naming bhose fallen where He linger imary memorial Shal Park Baku For merly called Kirov Par honor S close associa Marshall Kir governor Azerbaijan Sovie venue manner ainment become graveyard dedicat January All resgaur houses banned espect The monument brown granige sbabue Igeneral Kirov meanwhile pedest overlooking Baku Hari famous communiat memor Commissar killed Sovie forces burly Bolshivik conquest Azer Fearing repeat popular uprising Janura commtmis aubhor bobher repair memor And publications libera devoZed Januar maaaacre Kahraman doCumentar subject eplet gruesome close ushed bdies ended rrorgue shogs autopsies killed wiaher bulle Soviet At deniea having Azeri physician served 8oviet MD Vie Nam erviewed progr showed would enter along shoulder leaving ecover victim We besging ground weapons Kahr disgust A 9rfect group Muslim fundament Fag heada warning Although Kahr continued study Russian concerted effort bring kitchen Azeri snuff preferr lanuage medium discourse Unlike baked Tur Tur keism Aze whose consciousness essed itself memorizing names deeds Tu movie Kahraman voraciously elligen critically As sourc casual information events across Union specific Azerbaian He pains helping anslate first headlines followin articles lively Azeri opposition press which seemed inter Mister Abulfez Elchebi leader Azerbaian People Fr concluding their party congress decisions included suppo Boris Yelt lifting martial country rather naive danger euniting Soviet Iranian Azerbaian print exceedingly poinan cartoons One refered coming parliamentar election September Az esident C point Unique state Martial Law Seneral Pinochet himself elected President democat C One wonder honor r0epeat Other political painful reports concerning trade deals Japan great Soviet Indust Tokyo import Soviet light bulbs heavy machine graers Soviet Industry comes Later chagrin revealed Japan Japanese merely wanted crates light bulbs machines scrap We ended spending great Kahraman RasulzadeandAzeri Nationaiism In totally losing faith Soviet system Kahraman thinking compatriots something something described Azer ionaI The symbols Azeri dating Republic Azerbaijan 191i_ first esident Muhammad Amin Rasulzade Beldom encount western annals Resulzade would appear incipled heroes egion The religious family managed Pel language clerical education never graduated school began literary political inter apprentice Tiblisi based newspaper Shark Rus Easter Russian graduat level writer other nationalist newspapers Along encount began coope socialist movement Caucasus befriended people Josef Stalin Kalinin V ashiniski During evolut ionar movement If Rasulzade drawn Teheran where edited anobher newspaper I0 Persian before being evicted Persian authorities He found refuge Istanbul where apparently abandoned devotion socialism became involved xplicit Azeri Turkish ationalism This found expression Bahu benef general amnst occasion O0h anniversary House omanov began ublihing paper Ac Clear Word Jng vernac Azeri Turkish medium His break aftermath World Nat One political vacuum Cauc formed collapse Czar allowed other Azer nationalists found Bepublic Azerbaian which president The republic lasted years before Bolsheviks moved ioned Azer Jn favour neighboring rival 8ovieb Armenia Specifically orridof Lake Sevan Ir anian frontier Azerbaian Armenia detaching province Nahcivan Azerbai3an while highland province Karabaqh autonomous The fruit these ritcrial adaptations today aulzade pposed other nabionalisb elemenbs Azerbaian atrested intervention Joe Sbalin brought Moscow instead Old Joe suggested Oommunist P asulzade lined quisling thrown prison years before managing escape Turhey Finlarid He later Ankara where But memory lives short live4 state become symbols Azeri naZionali His portrait everywher imple green banner firsL Azeri eDublic crescent middle instead hammer UsuallT bears iption Cyr illic Latin based scripb asulzade encour unfurled never taken The phrase sound Jar Czar Nikolaus words where imperial banner removed quibble Basulzade redit coining nation stand attention Of great asulzade efforts Latinize Persify Azeri Turkish before Mustafa Kemal Atatur announced revolutionary language reforms neighbc Bepublic Turkey True movement longer precedents ially efforts Orimean Tartar intelleotual Ismaei 8aspirali Saspirinski But Basulzade fallen grace remained prime movers Azer adopting script script along Latinized version Turkic languages Central Asia thrown favour Cyrillic 1930s Now generation vowing eturn Cyrillic Latin future gument every Latin letter written building throughout Azerbaijar ranging omisyoncu signs advertisincj goods shops title pages newspapers magazines silent homage Azeri A quick context differences between Azer Anatolian Turkish might Tur gists there The languages I prefer dialects eminently ually inSelligible after bending eatest barriers immediate under tanding being simple preent eaent tense Anatolian Tur distinction whereas Azeri atter Too Azer retained consonants Q X Tzch which droppeJ thoqr aphic Anatolian Tu still several dialects notably those Turkish theast Alo Azeri Turkish retains Per Arabic Anatolian Tur having uboect Mister Atatur Je lslamification campaign Natur newer words Ameri Rus ppoed French English Anatolian Turkish The differences similarities between Jily studied noteworthy addition newspaper scene Zama cauqhter publication tanbul basegN itself organ Turkklslam ynthesis movement Printed Saku Jistr ibuted everywhere Azer baijan standard Anato Tu theme personalities relating Tur version Lati Azeri Azerbaian ubject In terms content these latter article light directed attracting attention Latinization cause purveying information politically presence paper highest interest clear there those Turkey intellectual Azerbaijan there authority Saku willing Relate another aspect inchoate Tukih nationalism AzerbaiOan popular Jist ibuted daily newspaper ommunist cribes founders Turkish states history It starts Atilla Hun progresses familiar entities foundinq tracition claime Turke including Chenqiz KP Timu Osman eponymous Or roman Empi point Safavi Ismael below I similar culminating At Republic TuFkey founded pinned everywher oughout Anatolia But those Fihr Turkish states laiming every historic obhers their Azeris added hitoric their live4 state insez immediately befor Mister At This heady stuff indeed Rasulzade adopted Azeri Comm party The banner facade enbal Communisb Party headquarter across martyrs interior second floor Lenin Museum along displays sector consisted foFmerly banned publications period embossed black alons walls