The Activity of Jewish Social Organizations in Baku in the Early 20th Century
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.main##
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.sidebar##
Abstract
At the beginning of the 20th century, Baku was a colonial city within the Russian Empire and was considered a significant centre not only in political and economic terms, but also in cultural and social aspects. During this period, the coexistence of diverse ethnic and religious communities within the city, their social and cultural engagement, and the establishment of public organizations played a crucial role in the development of their respective communities. Among these, the Jewish community stood out in particular. Jews actively participated in the political, economic, and cultural life of the time, contributing to both the advancement of their own community and society.
The paper examines the multifaceted activities of Jewish social organizations operating in Baku during the years 1906–1915. The selection of this time period is explained by the formation of social organizations in the Russian Empire. Basing on archival documents, the author examines the activities of such organizations as the Jewish Charity Society, the Baku branch of the Jewish Territorial Organization, the Talmud-Torah Society, the Jewish Literary and Musical Society, and the Society for the Spread of Literacy among Georgian Jews. The paper is aimed at assessing the impact of these organizations on the Jewish community in the social sphere.
Consequently, the organization and activities of the Jewish community in Baku not only highlight the role and place of Jews within the multicultural social fabric of Azerbaijan during this period, but also serve as a compelling example of the efforts made by national and religious minorities to preserve their identity and engage them in civic life under imperial conditions.
How to Cite
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.details##
Baku; Jewish community; Jewish Charity Society; Labor Office; Talmud-Torah Society; Jewish Literary and Musical Society; Society for the Spread of Literacy among Georgian Jews; Baku Branch of the Jewish Territorial Organization; Russian Empire
Бакинские губернские ведомости (1910), № 41, 9 октябрь.
Беккер М. (2018), Национальная политика Азербайджана в начале ХХ века (на примере еврейской общины), Елм и Тахсил, Баку.
Вайнштейн С. & Захарьяев Г. (2010), “Евреи Азербайджана”, IRS Наследие, № 5 (47), c. 36–49, режим доступу: https://irs-az.com/pdf/1291651961663143424.pdf (дата звернення: 13.07.2025).
“Еврейской общине Азербайджана” (2022), в Официальный сайт Президента Азербайджанской Республики, 22 сентября, режим доступу: https://president.az/ru/articles/view/57302 (дата звернення: 13.07.2025).
Национальное архивное управление Азербайджанской Республики (НАУ АР), ф. 46, оп. 2, ед. хр. 99 “Дело об образования в городе Баку отделения Еврейского Территориального Общества”.
Национальное архивное управление Азербайджанской Республики (НАУ АР), ф. 46, оп. 2, ед. хр. 130 «Общество “Распространение грамотности среди грузинских евреев”».
Национальное архивное управление Азербайджанской Республики (НАУ АР), ф. 46, оп. 2, ед. хр. 143 «Дело об образовании Бакинского еврейского просветительного общества “Талмуд-Тора”».
Национальное архивное управление Азербайджанской Республики (НАУ АР), ф. 46, оп. 2, ед. хр. 164 “Дело об образовании Бакинского Еврейского Литературно-музыкального общества”.
Национальное архивное управление Азербайджанской Республики (НАУ АР), ф. 46, оп. 2, ед. хр. 226 “Отчеты разных благотворительных обществ”.
Национальное архивное управление Азербайджанской Республики (НАУ АР), ф. 46, оп. 2, ед. хр. 314 “Переписка с наместниками на Кавказе о разрешении Бакинскому армянскому человеколюбивому обществу устройства вечера”.
Национальное архивное управление Азербайджанской Республики (НАУ АР), ф. 46, оп. 3, ед. хр. 554 «Прошение Правления Бакинского Еврейского Благотворительного общества об открытии “Бюро труда” по устройству безработных ремесленников».
Пулькин М. В. (2008), “Еврейское население Европейского Севера: проблемы социального конструирования (конец XIX – начало XX в.)”, Антропологический форум, № 9, с. 279–298.
Nəzərəliyeva А. M. (2023), Azərbaycanda yaşayan Avropa yəhudilərinin müasir etnomədəni dinamikasının xüsusiyyətləri, tarix üzrə fəlsəfə dok. ... dis. avtoreferatı: 5102.01, AMEA A. A. Bakıxanov adına Tarix İnstitutu, Bakı.
REFERENCES
“Adres-kalendar’, 1920”, in Gosudarstvennyy Arkhiv Azerbaidzhanskoy Respubliki (GA АR) [State Archives of the Republic of Azerbaijan]. (In Russian).
Bakinskie gubernskie vedomosti (1910), No. 41, October 9. (In Russian).
Becker M. (2018), Natsional’naya politika Azerbaidzhana v nachale XX veka (na primere evreyskoy obshchiny), Elm i Takhsil, Baku. (In Russian).
Vainshtein S. and Zakharyaev G. (2010), “Evreyi Azerbaidzhana”, IRS Heritage, № 5 (47), c. 36–49, available at: https://irs-az.com/pdf/1291651961663143424.pdf (accessed July 13, 2025). (In Russian).
“Evreyskoy obshchine Azerbaydzhana” (2022), in The Official Website of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, September 22, available at: https://president.az/ru/articles/view/57302 (accessed July 13, 2025). (In Russian).
Natsional’noye arkhivnoye upravleniye Azerbaydzhanskoy Respubliki (NAU AR) [National Archive Department of the Republic of Azerbaijan], Fund 46, Inventory 2, File 99 “Delo ob obrazovanii v gorode Baku otdeleniya Evreyskogo Territorial’nogo Obshchestva”. (In Russian).
Natsional’noye arkhivnoye upravleniye Azerbaydzhanskoy Respubliki (NAU AR) [National Archive Department of the Republic of Azerbaijan], Fund 46, Inventory 2, File 130 “Obshchestvo ‘Rasprostraneniye gramotnosti sredi gruzinskikh evreyev’ ”. (In Russian).
Natsional’noye arkhivnoye upravleniye Azerbaydzhanskoy Respubliki (NAU AR) [National Archive Department of the Republic of Azerbaijan], Fund 46, Inventory 2, File 143 “Delo ob obrazovanii Bakinskogo evreyskogo prosvetitel’nogo obshchestva ‘Talmud-Tora’ ”. (In Russian).
Natsional’noye arkhivnoye upravleniye Azerbaydzhanskoy Respubliki (NAU AR) [National Archive Department of the Republic of Azerbaijan], Fund 46, Inventory 2, File 164 “Delo ob obrazovanii Bakinskogo Evreyskogo Literaturno-muzykal’nogo obshchestva”. (In Russian).
Natsional’noye arkhivnoye upravleniye Azerbaydzhanskoy Respubliki (NAU AR) [National Archive Department of the Republic of Azerbaijan], Fund 46, Inventory 2, File 226 “Otchety raznykh blagotvoritel’nykh obshchestv”. (In Russian).
Natsional’noye arkhivnoye upravleniye Azerbaydzhanskoy Respubliki (NAU AR) [National Archive Department of the Republic of Azerbaijan], Fund 46, Inventory 2, File 314 “Perepiska s namestnikami na Kavkaze o razreshenii Bakinskomu armyanskomu chelovekolyubivomu obshchestvu ustroystva vechera”. (In Russian).
Natsional’noye arkhivnoye upravleniye Azerbaydzhanskoy Respubliki (NAU AR) [National Archive Department of the Republic of Azerbaijan], Fund 46, Inventory 3, File 554 “Proshenie Pravleniya Bakinskogo Evreyskogo Blagotvoritel’nogo obshchestva ob otkrytii ‘Byuro truda’ po ustroystvu bezrabotnykh remeslennikov”. (In Russian).
Pul’kin M. V. (2008), “Evreyskoye naselenie Evropeyskogo Severa: problemy sotsial’nogo konstruirovaniya (konets XIX – nachalo XX v.)”, Antropologicheskiy forum, No. 9, pp. 279–298. (In Russian).
Nəzərəliyeva А. M. (2023), Azərbaycanda yaşayan Avropa yəhudilərinin müasir etnomədəni dinamikasının xüsusiyyətləri, tarix üzrə fəlsəfə dok. ... dis. avtoreferatı: 5102.01, AMEA A. A. Bakıxanov adına Tarix İnstitutu, Bakı. (In Azerbaijani).

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.