The Traces of the 1951–1952 Deportations in the Archives of Ajara: Bureaucracy, Record-Keeping, and Locality

Abstract

The study briefly examines the history of mass deportations carried out in Soviet Georgia from the 1940s to the early 1950s. This includes the expulsion of ethnic Germans in 1941, Kurds, Azerbaijanis, and the so-called "Meskhetian Turks" in 1944, and Greeks, Turks, and other groups in 1949. The authors note that these state-implemented repressions were driven both by security motives and by the Soviet regime's policy toward "unreliable" elements.

Particular attention is paid to the operation "Volna" ("Wave") in 1951 and its impact on the population of Adjara, where ties to relatives abroad and political distrust are identified as the primary reasons for deportation. The article utilises archival materials from both the National Archives of Georgia and the Archive Administration of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, focusing specifically on the records of the Batumi District Finance Department, which document the process of inventorying and assessing deportees' property.

An analysis of these documents reveals a highly bureaucratic approach lacking emotional nuance, as well as the significant role of local authorities in property confiscation and valuation. The paper demonstrates that local archives serve as a crucial source for studying the social and economic consequences of these repressions. Finally, the study highlights that this historical period remains insufficiently researched and emphasises the need for further scholarly investigation.