Dimitri Shalikashvili’s “The Diplomatic Representation of Georgia in Turkey in 1921”: A Text of the Memoir Genre

Abstract

Dimitri Shalikashvili represents one of the prominent figures of the Georgian émigré community of the 1920s. As a Georgian military attaché, he left behind a significant legacy that includes diaries, memoirs, and articles published in the émigré press. These texts form part of the valuable cultural heritage preserved by Georgian emigrants. Dimitri Shalikashvili’s works are no exception in this regard. Such writings are always distinguished both by their vivid depiction of historical circumstances and by their emotional engagement with the cultural and social processes of the past.
It is well documented that in 1921 the representation of the Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918–1921) was present in Ankara—then known as Angora—with the objective of establishing diplomatic relations with Turkish Kemalist authorities. The notes of Dimitri Shalikashvili provide an account of this diplomatic mission.
The diaries of D. Shalikashvili encompass several important aspects. The entries distinctly reflect the aspirations of the democratic government of Georgia and the relations between Georgia and Turkey at the time. They vividly preserve the cultural and social realities of early twentieth-century Turkey, and document attitudes toward the Bolsheviks in Turkey.
The diaries represent a text of multifaceted scholarly and cultural significance. They form an integral part of the historical narrative of the First Democratic Republic of Georgia, conveyed through the author’s adventures and those of other participants in the events described. The text vividly reconstructs the international atmosphere of the early twentieth century and reveals the dramatic dependence of a small and embattled nation upon the geopolitical interests of other powers. At the same time, the work is of considerable importance as a memoir text, displaying numerous stylistic markers characteristic of the author's narrative manner, including skillfully rendered portraits of historical personalities, distinct personal traits, and detailed observations concerning hospitality, environment, clothing, and other aspects of everyday life. Through such descriptive observations and characteristic digressive passages, the text also acquires particular significance from a cultural perspective, revealing the author’s broad intellectual outlook and expansive thinking. For these reasons, The Diplomatic Representation of Georgia in Turkey in 1921 may be regarded as one of the significant examples of Georgian émigré literary heritage.