Ottoman Administration of Batumi (April-December 1918)

Abstract

In 1918, the territorial integrity of Georgia and the political future of Batumi were again under threat. Guided by the desire for militaristic intentions, the Ottomans took advantage of the difficult internal situation that had developed in the Russian Empire at the final stage of World War I. According to the Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty, signed under the conditions of the refusal of the Transcaucasian side to participate in the negotiations, the Ottomans made their way into the Batumi region. The Trabzon Peace Conference became a kind of arena for Georgia to turn the situation in favor of the country and sign a fair peace with the Ottomans, although the Ottomans consciously went to restore the borders that existed before 1878 and did not make any compromises. The Ottomans took over Georgian districts (Kars, Artaan, Batumi) by force and in violation of the law, thereby violating the terms of the Brest Armistice, since the agreement did not provide for the direct transfer of the mentioned districts to them. In April 1918, the era of the Ottoman occupation of Batumi began. An Ottoman administration was formed, which was undisciplined and technically inadequate in its content. The state treasury passed into the hands of the Ottomans. The Ottoman language was declared the state language, and the Ottoman lira came into circulation. Strict control was established over oil products. The rights of city self-government were limited, the streets were renamed. A police regime and a curfew were established in the city, which somehow ensured the maintenance of order in the city. From a socio-economic point of view, the city found itself in a difficult situation. Batumi lost its function as a port city. During the occupation, the socio-economic situation of the residents worsened, the Batumi port (the main economic artery) stopped working, factories closed, the unemployment rate in the city increased (a grain deficit arose, bread supplies were limited), etc.). The chaos caused by the occupation led to the migration of part of the population from the city, thus changing the demographic picture of the city to some extent. By holding the so-called referendum, which was held illegally and in violation of the rules, the Ottomans tried to give a legal basis to their occupation, but within a few months, according to the Armistice of Mudros, they had to leave the city and the region, thus historical justice was restored.