Topics from the History of Georgian Youth Organizations

Almost every political party operating in Georgia at that time had its own youth organization; various artistic and scientific circles also emerged. The organized involvement of youth in the life of the newly established first Georgian university was significant too. This continued until the occupation of the Democratic Republic of Georgia by Soviet Russia in 1921, which led to the monopolization, among other areas, of youth associations by the state. After the Soviet authorities established control over youth organizations, the previously existing organizations disappeared or went underground. However, alongside illegal activities, the Organization of Georgian Young Marxists, led by Mikheil Khundadze, continued its activities outside Georgia, in emigration.

The present publication consists of two works concerning the youth organizations that emerged in Georgia between 1918-1929 and various historical sources preserved in the library of Tbilisi State University, which are being published for the first time. Letters from Mikheil Khundadze's correspondence with the Youth International and Karl Kautsky have been specially translated for this publication.