Guba, April-May 1918. Documented Pogroms of the Muslims
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dead bodies of slain Muslims, men, women and children. My mother
Parijahan got blind and deaf from the shock, and this was exactly
the reason why my sister Madina had also passed away. My nephew
Mammadmussa Mammadali oghlu was in town together with his fa-
ther and brother who were killed by the Armenians. It was him who
identified the Armenian residents of Guba among the killers and
arsonists. These were: Vartan Avakov, Arutyun son of Baba, barber
Jevad, Mirza Amirjanov, Sasha Lukyanov, Tatevos son of Yagub.
The total damage I suffered as a result of plunder of my personal
assets is about two hundred thousand rubles. This is all I can testify.
Records read aloud to an illiterate interviewee.
Translated by E.Khanbudaghov (certified by a signature)
Signed by A.Novatski, the member of the Commission
Reference: SARA, f.1061, op.1, d.96, l8.
File No.49
Record of Examination
On this 12th day of December, 1918, in Guba
Novatski, the member of the Ad Hoc Investigation Commission
established by the Government of Azerbaijan, examined the following
person as a witness, pursuant to the Criminal Court Regulations:
Witness: Mammadali Kerbalai Irzagulu oghlu, aged 40, a
Guba resident, literate.
On May 1 this year, closer to the evening, the rumors were
spread in Guba that the Bolsheviks were 5 versts away from the town
ready for an assault. My sister Meshadi Bibikhanum visited me to con-
firm this news. I advised her to get together at my place rather than
in hers to wait and see what happens. My sister said there is no way
she could stay with us and left. I sent my wife with children to Mullah
Hajjibaba Akhundzadeh and sent someone to advice my sister to go
there too. Meanwhile I decided to stay at home.
When it got dark in the evening I heard the sounds of gunfire,
however I never left my home, so I had no idea of what was going
on. The next day, Meshadi Mussa Zeynal oghlu, a lunatic passed by
my hose shouting something. I looked at him through the gap in the