Page 21 - Azərbaycan xalçaları

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we would see that in just one day everything in their houses had
been thrown about and they themselves were jammed into cars
and driven away”.
During the Soviet period, conspiracies against both the popula-
tion and the territory of Nakhchivan continued. Due to the decision
of the Transcaucasian Central Executive Committee Presidium
dated February 18, 1929, the Gurdgulag, Khachik, and Horadiz
villages of the Sharur uyezd; Oghbin, Aghkhach, Almali, Itgiran,
and Sultanbey villages of the Shahbuz province of Nakhchivan
uyezd; the Gorchevan village of the Ordubad uyezd; as well as a
part of the Kilit village lands, in all totaling 657 square kilometers,
were given to Armenia. The territorial conspiracies against Nakh-
chivan continued as well in 1930: the Armenian Mehri district was
created at the expense of the Aldara, Lehvaz, Astazur, Nuvadi, and
other lands of Azerbaijan.
The Nakhchivan ASSR made worthy contributions to the vic-
tory over fascism during the 1941-1945 war.46 Najafgulu Rafi-
yev (1912-1970), Gazanfav Akbarov (1917—1944), and Abbas
Guliyev (1916—1998) from Nakhchivan were awarded the title
of Hero of the Soviet Union and thousands of brave men fought
with honor against fascism on the frontlines of the war. The high-
octane gasoline discovered by the great chemist scholar, academi-
cian Yusif Mammadaliyev, played a decisive role in the victory of
Soviet aviation over the fascist army.
Despite the historic merits of Azerbaijan, as well as Nakhchivan,
in the victory over fascism in World War II, no serious changes oc-
curred in the country’s spiritual-political life. The Soviet govern-
ment continued its unjust policy and discrimination against Azer-
baijan. Deportation of Azerbaijanis from the Armenian SSR, their
own ancestral lands, was carried out from 1948 to 1953. In 1968-
1969, Armenians made new territorial claims against Azerbaijan.
However, the great son of the Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev
did not allow the realization of these plans.
The years of Heydar Aliyev’s leadership over Azerbaijan during
the Soviet period marks a period of advancement of the life of the
Republic, as well as Nakhchivan. In the 1970s and early 1980s, a
remarkable revival took place in the socio-economic, political, and
cultural life of Nakhchivan. During this period, a new Constitution
was adopted in the Nakhchivan ASSR (1978) in accordance with
the Constitutions of the USSR and the Azerbaijan SSR.
In the first period of Heydar Aliyev’s leadership in Azerbaijan,
the Armenians’ plans of seizing new territories from Azerbaijan,
including the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, did not succeed.
Nevertheless, after Heydar Aliyev left his post in Azerbaijan in
Heydar Aliyev Monument and Museum. Nakhchivan.
Azerbaijani carpets / NAKHCHIVAN GROUP