Guba, April-May 1918. Documented Pogroms of the Muslims
138
firing from cannons, machineguns and rifles. Many people fled, while
those who stayed were trying to find shelter somewhere. Anyone who
appeared in the street or inside the courtyards was shot down im-
mediately. The Armenians entered the town and occupied it. This was
followed by massacre and plunder. The Armenians were breaking into
homes, robbing residents and killing indiscriminately all men, women
and children.
They came to my home too, however they failed to find me. The
next day arsons started. When it calmed down a bit, I left my shelter
and headed towards the square where the head of the squad, Ama-
zasp, was speaking in front of the people. I only got the end of his
speech where he said that they are the Bolsheviks and they came to
restore the law and order. As this is done, they are leaving now. On
the ninth day, the whole unit withdrew. The Armenians left a lot of
people killed, stole huge sums of money and personal assets, and left
more than a hundred houses in ashes. In Amazasp’s squad, I saw one
Armenian from Guba, a tall slender old man whose name and family
name are unknown to me.
The Armenians looted my shop and stole personal assets worth
of 90 thousand rubles from my residence. There is nothing I can add
to this.
Read aloud and signed in Arabic characters
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, l.40
File No.58
Record of Examination
On this 16th 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: Meshadi Hamdulla Aliyev, aged 40, a Guba resi-
dent, literate.
Soon after the events in Baku in March this year, a Bolshevik