75th Anniversary of Victory: Life and Struggle of Azerbaijani People during Great Patriotic War

2020 was declared the year of the 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941 – 1945 in Member Nations of Commonwealth of Independent States. The CIS Interparliamentary Assembly launches a series of publications describing how the peoples of the fraternal republics fought and worked during the war years, how each of them contributed to the common Victory.

From the first days of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, the Azerbaijani people stood up against the invaders.

Love for the Motherland was manifested not only in the martial exploits of the soldiers, but also in the heroic work of industrial and agricultural workers and intellectuals who did not spare themselves for the sake of the common goal, making a significant contribution to the Victory on the home front.

Over 130 types of weaponry, ammunition and military equipment were produced in Baku.

The oil engineering factories in Azerbaijan began production for military use since the second half of 1941. They launched the production of the legendary Katyusha rocket launchers and rockets for them, Shpagin machine pistols (PPSh), bottle bombs (“Molotov cocktails”), the flammable substance for which was developed by the distinguished Azerbaijani chemist Yusif Mammadaliyev.

Two aircraft factories, on which fighter aircrafts UTI-4 and Yak-3 were manufactured, operated in the Baku village of Keshla. A large aircraft repair plant operated in Ganja. 782 aircrafts as well as over 1,500 aircraft engines and other spare parts were repaired there to be sent to the front. The repair facilities for submarines deployed in Baku at a time when the main repair bases in the Baltic and the Black Sea were controlled by the Nazis were invaluable.

During the war 70% of the total Soviet oil was produced in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan, rightfully referred to as the main fuel supplier of the country, has become one of the most powerful arsenals of the Red Army. During the war years more than 70% of the total oil produced in the USSR, 80% of gasoline and more than 90% of motor oils were produced in Azerbaijan.

Marshals of the Soviet Union repeatedly stressed the fact that the oil industry of Azerbaijan made an immeasurable contribution to the victory over Nazism in the so-called “engine war”, ensuring the consistent supply of the required amount of fuel to the front line. 

From 1941 to 1945, 75 million tons of oil, 23.5 million tons of gasoline and hundreds of thousands of tons of lubricants for various purposes were produced in Azerbaijan.

200 new types of war products were mastered by light industry companies.

Despite the acute shortage of labor force, raw materials and equipment during the war, Azerbaijani manufacturers mastered the production of 200 new types of products, including overcoats, sheepskin coats, earflaps, felt boots, mittens, woolen socks, bedding for hospitals, equipment for shelters, firefighting equipment etc.

Food industry enterprises also contributed to the common cause. They managed to significantly increase the production of special wartime products, for instance, to organize the production of medicines previously imported from abroad on the basis of local raw materials. Particularly noteworthy is the activity of some enterprises in the meat and dairy sector, which managed to launch the production of medications for the endocrine system.

Women and adolescents replaced men in agriculture.

500 thousand tons of cotton and hundreds of thousands of tons of agricultural products were produced in the Republic during the wartime. The production of strategically important silk was quadrupled; the sown area of ​​industrial crops of military importance was expanded.

Despite all the difficulties and hardships, agriculture workers composed mostly of women and adolescents managed to adequately substitute their husbands and fathers, providing the army and population with food and industry with raw materials.

76 military hospitals operated in Baku and throughout the Republic

Cultural centers, institutes, schools and health centers were turned into military hospitals. A large group of doctors led by the famous surgeon and academician Mustafa Topchibashev get back on the line more than 440 thousand Soviet soldiers and officers using advanced treatment methods, including methods of his own design. For military units, 15 thousand nurses and medical volunteers were trained.

About 640 thousand Azerbaijani people were called to the front line.

Almost one fifth of the population of the Republic fought on the battlefields, including 10 thousand women and 40 thousand volunteers. More than 300 thousand died in the battles. Azerbaijani soldiers and officers took part in the defense of the Brest Fortress, Leningrad and Moscow, in the battle of Stalingrad and Kursk, participated in the liberation of the Caucasus, Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic States and Eastern Europe, and the battle for Berlin.

Azerbaijani women, partisan military doctors Aliya Rustambekova and Sara Ibragimova, aviators Leyla Mamedbekova and Zuleykha Seyidmammadova, anti-aircraft gunner Almaz Ibragimova, captain of the shipping company Shovket Salimova, as well as Shafiga Akhmedova, Pakiza Manafova, Zuleykha Rzayeva, Shafiga Akhadova, Medina Akhmedova and many others courageously fought the enemy.

The battle of Moscow involved more than a thousand Azerbaijani people, many of them were awarded the medal “For the Defense of Moscow”. Among them are tank regiment commander Azi Aslanov, Major General Yagub Guliyev, Majors Mukhtar Suleymanov and Ahad Shamsizade, captain Israfil Ismailov, lieutenants Museib Allakhverdiyev and Mamedrasul Pashayev, second lieutenant Parviz Tagizade, sergeant Ramedim Sadraddimidov, machine gunner Idris Veliyev, private Ragim Karimov, sniper Ziba Ganieva, military doctor Aliya Rustambekova and others.

Azerbaijani people have glorified themselves with many acts of heroism. For instance, the pilot Huseynbal Aliyev shot down six enemy fighters defending the Leningrad sky. He received 17 injuries, but was able to land his plane before his death. For his courage and dedication, he was posthumously awarded the Order of Lenin.

8 December 1941 was one of the most difficult days in the battle of Moscow. That day 20 soldiers led by first sergeant Israfil Mammadov have resisted the attacks of more than 400 Nazis for 10 hours near the village of Pustynki near Novgorod. Israfil Mammadov personally killed three officers and more than 70 enemy soldiers in this unequal battle. He became the first Azerbaijani to be awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for his act of heroism.

The platoon under the command of sniper Baloglan Abbasov and the tank regiment of Azi Aslanov have distinguished themselves in the Battle of Stalingrad. For valor and fearlessness, Baloglan Abbasov was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, and Asi Aslanov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. He received the second Hero Star for forcing the Berezina river and liberation of the village of Pleshchenitsy and 508 other settlements.

Gafur Mammadov and Idris Suleymanov also became the heroes of the Soviet Union for courage and bravery during the liberation of the North Caucasus; Melik Magerramov, Mikail Alekperov, Ami Mammadov and Faris Safarov earned their titles for valor in battles in Ukraine; Ziya Buniyatov and twenty other natives of Azerbaijan got Hero Stars for the resilience and heroism shown in the battles in Poland and Czechoslovakia.

A special contribution in the defeat of the Nazi hordes was made by the Azerbaijani national divisions: 77th, 223rd, 396th, 402nd, 416th (Taganrog). The 77th division showed itself during the liberation of Poland and Czechoslovakia, the 223rd division – during the liberation of Yugoslavia, and the 416th Taganrog Azerbaijan National Division went a glorious military path from the Caucasus to Berlin, playing an important role in its fall.

Azerbaijanis also actively participated in the partisan movement, fighting the Nazis in France and Yugoslavia, in Ukraine and Belarus.

128 Azerbaijani people earned the title of Heroes of the Soviet Union 

For military valor and acts of bravery performed during World War II 128 Azerbaijanis received the title of Heroes of the Soviet Union, 15 became full holders of the Order of Glory, thousands were awarded military orders and medals.

Caring for veterans is one of the priorities of state policy of Azerbaijan

The national leader of the Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev stressed in one of his speeches the enormous role of the heroism of Azerbaijani people in the Second World War.

75 years after the Victory over Nazism, the Republic still honors the memory of the events of that era and the hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis fallen on the battlefields. 9 May is celebrated as Victory Day and is a day off in Azerbaijan.

The signing of orders to increase care for veterans and strengthen their social protection by the President of the Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev has already become a tradition on the eve of the holiday.

In accordance with the Order of the President of Azerbaijan of 23 April 2019, participants of the Second World War were provided with one-time financial assistance in the amount of 1,000 manat, the war widows, persons awarded orders and medals for dedicated work in the home front, workers of special forces who fulfilled their duties in the interests of the army and navy in the home front or in operational zones, persons awarded a medal and badge “For the Defense of Leningrad”, as well as former residents of besieged Leningrad were provided with assistance in the amount of 500 manat.

In addition, in accordance to the Executive Order of the President of Azerbaijan Republic of 7 May 2019, 300,000 manat were allocated from the Presidential Reserve Fund to strengthen the material and technical base of the Organization of War, Labor and Armed Forces of the Azerbaijan Republic and to address the current challenges of the association’s work.

Speaker of the Milli Mejlis of the Azerbaijan Republic Sahiba Gafarova stressed that these measures indicated the great attention paid to the veterans of the Second World War and comprehensive care for them is one of the priorities of the state policy of Azerbaijan.