South Azerbaijan

APA presents an article by Mahammad Rahmanifer titled "What happened during the National Government period?" as part of the "Explore South Azerbaijan" project.

Previous articles within the project can be found here.

In our previous article on the anniversary of the establishment of the National Government of Azerbaijan, we discussed its historical roots and the various processes that took place during that period. In this article, we will discuss the work done by the government during its one-year activity, the programs and approaches it implemented.

As we have noted, on December 12, 1945, the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis was opened with the participation of representatives elected by the people from all over South Azerbaijan. On that day, the Majlis appointed Seyid Jafar Pishevari as Prime Minister and gave him the authority to form the government cabinet. In the afternoon, Pishevari presented his proposed ministers to the Majlis, explaining the future plans of the government. Pishevari's cabinet was able to win the vote of confidence of the parliament and began work that very evening.

(Cabinet of Ministers of the Azerbaijan National Government)

When the Azerbaijan National Government was officially established and began its activities on December 12, 1945, most of the Azerbaijan cities and villages came under this government's control. However, in important cities such as Urmia and even Tabriz, the central government army was still resisting and did not want to surrender. 2 days after the establishment of the Azerbaijan National Government, the barracks in Tabriz bowed to the will of the people of South Azerbaijan and were forced to surrender. Still, the barracks in Urmia continued to resist for some time.

Programs implemented by the Azerbaijan National Government

When we deeply examine the programs presented by Pishevari to the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis, it becomes clear that these are not the words of idle politicians, but practical programs that can be implemented. Below are some of the important activities of the government in South Azerbaijan during the year.

Programs implemented regarding our language and culture

The Azerbaijan National Government could not remain indifferent to the language and cultural demands of the South Azerbaijani Turks. From the moment Reza Shah came to power in 1925, the Turkish language was banned in Iran, and no books, newspapers, publications, theaters, or concerts could be given in this language. All of these prohibitions were lifted after the establishment of the Azerbaijani National Government. Despite all the problems it faced from the beginning, the newly established Azerbaijani National Government paid special attention to education and culture. The renovation of dilapidated schools, the construction of new schools, the opening of the Azerbaijan University, the opening of a radio station in Tabriz, the holding of concerts and theaters, the opening of private schools for orphaned children, the provision of education in the mother tongue, and the printing of textbooks in the mother tongue were the most important steps taken by this government for the sake of Azerbaijani culture.

(Azerbaijan University was opened in Tabriz by the Azerbaijan National Government)

January 6, 1946, was an unforgettable day for the Turks of Southern Azerbaijan. On that day, the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis adopted several decisions on various issues, especially regarding the Turkish language, Azerbaijan University, and the situation of orphans. According to the decision, Azerbaijani Turkish now had the status of the official state language, and from that day on, it became mandatory to write all official documents in Azerbaijani Turkish. With this decision, Turkish became the official language of state and education in Southern Azerbaijan during the Azerbaijan National Government. In addition, the government supported poets and writers who wrote in Azerbaijani Turkish. Many poets of that period wrote on topics such as war, resistance, and identity struggle. In addition, the visit of a group of poets and writers from Northern Azerbaijan to Southern Azerbaijan in January 1946 and their participation in literary meetings in Southern Azerbaijan should be considered one of the most striking events in cultural life in Southern Azerbaijan, according to some researchers.

The establishment of the National Government allowed the establishment and rapid development of the Turkish-language press and publications in South Azerbaijan. The main ones of these newspapers and magazines, numbering more than 50, were the official publication of the Azerbaijan National Government, “Azad Millat”, “Yeni Sharg”, “Azerbaijan Ulduzları”, “Şefa”, “Demokrat”, “Günesh”, “Kitap Seğadesi”, “Şairler Majlisi”. In addition to news about the activities of the government and the opinions of Azerbaijani leaders, the “Azad” newspaper published texts written in response to the claims of the Iranian government leaders or their supporters.

As a result of Pishevari’s efforts, “Tabriz Radio” began broadcasting in a short time, on April 7, 1946.

The South Azerbaijan Theater considered one of the oldest and most developed theaters in the Islamic world, was closed during the reign of Reza Shah. Like many cultural spheres, the South Azerbaijan Theater was revived during the reign of the Azerbaijan National Government. For the first time, in 1945, the South Azerbaijan Theater received state support, and theater halls began to open in many cities of Azerbaijan in a short time. On March 28, 1946, the Azerbaijan State Theater was opened with a festive ceremony in Tabriz. In 1946, by the decision of the National Government of Azerbaijan and the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijan Philharmonic Society was established, consisting of 85 artists. The “Ashglar Group” was the most popular collective of the philharmonic. One of the greatest successes of the Azerbaijan Philharmonic Society was the inclusion of women in the world of art. At that time, the “Girls' Dance Group” was established, and girls and boys performed various Azerbaijani folklore dances together. Even though during the reign of Reza Khan, Azerbaijani Turks were forbidden to perform national dances and Turkish music, many professional artists were trained in a short time.

Land reform

In 1945, the long-standing tension between farmers and landowners reached its peak. In Iran, the Tudeh, as a communist party, openly sided with the farmers in this conflict and sometimes incited them against the landlords. Despite the concern of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party for the poor farmers and peasants, it wanted to put an end to the conflicts between farmers and landlords, since it was a national party, not a class party.

The need for a peaceful resolution of the tensions between farmers and landowners was reflected both in the founding declaration of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party and in the program of the Azerbaijan National Government. Making farmers landowners was also a desire of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party. The initiative to make farmers landowners belongs to the Azerbaijan Democratic Party founded by Sheikh Muhammad Khiyabani. Khiyabani began to do this in South Azerbaijan in 1920, but after the overthrow of the short-lived autonomous government he established, these lands were taken back from the farmers. During the one year of the Azerbaijan National Government's activity, the Azerbaijan Democratic Party distributed a total of 257,066 square kilometers of agricultural land to landless farmers for free and provided 209,096 farmers with land suitable for agriculture.

Jobs and workers

When the Azerbaijan National Government took office, the unemployment rate was at a very high level as a result of the central government's policies towards South Azerbaijan. Eliminating this and improving the situation of workers was one of the promises of the Azerbaijan National Government. The Azerbaijan National Government did its best to fulfill this promise. Factories and workshops that had been closed for some reason resumed their activities with the support of the state. The Azerbaijan National Government banned the import of products manufactured in Azerbaijan to develop national production and support factories and workshops.

The adoption of the labor law, annual paid leave, determination of the minimum wage, the law on an 8-hour working day, the law on overtime pay, the ban on hiring boys and girls under the age of 14, and compulsory insurance of employees are among the decisions adopted by the National Government of Azerbaijan.

Women and children

The National Government of Azerbaijan attached great importance to the rights of women and children. While not only in the East and the Middle East but even in many countries of the Western world, women still did not have the right to vote, South Azerbaijani women managed to obtain this right during the period of the National Government of Azerbaijan. Women also had the opportunity to work in government offices, factories, hospitals, and schools. In addition, more than 300 women were employed in the National Army of Azerbaijan. These events also attracted the attention of those involved in women's rights in other regions of Iran. Even the Iranian Women's Rights Association sent a telegram to Pishevari, congratulating her on these actions.

(Female members of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party read the “Azerbaijan” newspaper)

On December 26, 1945, just a few days after the establishment of the Azerbaijan National Government, the “Azerbaijan Women’s Club” was established in South Azerbaijan. This organization quickly opened its branches in many cities of South Azerbaijan and organized a series of conferences to educate women. Women’s associations had a long history in Azerbaijan, but after Reza Shah came to power, they were all closed. During the Azerbaijan National Government, Azerbaijani women once again had the opportunity to defend their rights and freedoms in an organized manner. South Azerbaijani women played an active role in the establishment and continuation of the Azerbaijan National Government, some of whom even lost their lives on the way, becoming heroes of the Azerbaijani resistance.

Children, the most vulnerable segment of society, also received their due share from the central government’s policy towards South Azerbaijan. In the early days of its establishment, the Azerbaijan National Government tried to improve the situation of children, especially orphans, by adopting laws. The decision of the National Government of Azerbaijan on January 6, 1946, is noteworthy. According to the law, all orphans aged 3-14 were to be taken to educational centers opened by the National Government, where they were to receive education and be provided with shelter. The Ministry of Health proposed to open special children's centers for the care of children under the age of three.

Final word

Even the opponents, enemies of the Democratic Party, and, of course, impartial observers admit that the services and work done by this government for the people of South Azerbaijan in one year were something that the Pahlavi government had not seen or, rather, did not want to see for Azerbaijan in the last 20 years. After many years, the Turks of South Azerbaijan had a government that belonged to them and worked for them, and there was no greater happiness than this. But let us not forget that the one-year period of the national government in South Azerbaijan was a period of closeness, empathy, and strengthening of relations between Azerbaijanis on both sides of the Araz River.