The Caucasian Days of Banin - 3

Umm el-Banu Asadullayeva at the junction of civilizations

By Vestnik Kavkaza

Banin's memoir is a bright piece of the literary mosaic of the Parisian exile. The style of the memoir is similar to the books of the wife of Georgy Ivanov, Irina Odoetseva "On the banks of the Neva River" and "On the Banks of the Seine River." They both wrote about Parisian émigré circles and about their youth. The youth of Odoetseva took place on the Neva River, and the youth of Banin - on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Banin was friends with Teffi, she knew Remizov, Merezhkovsky, Gippius, Lossky and Berdyaev, Ivan Bunin was even in love with her. The most interesting part of her memoir is the description of her time spent in the Caucasus. An autobiographical book by Banin with the same title, published right after the Second World War, is imbued with satire and self-irony. It is a kind of encyclopedia of the life of residents of Baku, which became rich during the oil boom, very personal writing, showing a great understanding of what was happening by the author.


When the February Revolution broke out in Russia, Umm el-Banu was 12. At first nothing had changed. Asadullayev’s family was much more shocked by the deed of the elder sister who escaped with a Russian pilot. A girl from the richest, the most respectable and noble Baku family escaped with non-Muslim! The sister was forced to come back, but the event was called “the greatest shame.”Her father got sad and old. Supporters of the European progress failed. Teachers of French and English were fired; dances, music, and drawing were canceled. Umm el-Banu was sent to a municipal school for Muslim girls. Lectures were read in Azerbaijani and many girls wore charshab. The elder sisters didn’t go to school because they were too influenced by a vicious “progress.” Children from rich families got European education, and here only children from poor families studied. Girls hated Umm el-Banu for no reason and as if she was a class enemy. The teachers were Muslims as well, mostly from Kazan. Kazan Muslims didn’t wear chador and were well-educated, ugly, mean, and shouting. Soon father relented and took Umm el-Banu from awful school.

A son of uncle Suleiman was designated to be her husband. The girl liked her uncle very much – he told the family funny stories about singing Azerbaijani national songs in a hall of the Paris Opera and behaved shamefully in the elite restaurant Maxim. But Umm el-Banu didn’t want to marry his son Asad. She preferred to fall in love with princes. One of her children love was a son of a Georgian prince. He was first to come in their house after cancellation of a forbiddance on house parties. Umm el-Banu was ready to change her faith, deny her family and money for him, but her dreams didn’t come true.

The tsar was overthrown in Russia, Kerensky yield power, and the Civil War clashed the White and the Red. The Empire collapsed… In the context of these shocks, national territories began to self-identify and establish independent republics. In the Caucasus peoples of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia tried to restore their rights. Intensive political life took place in Baku. Due to various political entities, competition, poverty, and the conflict were growing. A well-known Armenian organization established military dictatorship in the country with the motto “Save the country from a Communist revolution!” But there were rumors that this organization was headed by Bolsheviks themselves. Nevertheless, in this black epoch slaughtering of Muslims began.

Representatives of the highest leading layers, notwithstanding their nationality, supported each other. They were united by common interests. A slaughter was started from time to time by a side which was stronger at that moment. In Turkey Christians were exiled and murdered (consequences of the First World War), in Azerbaijan Armenians murdered Azerbaijanis. The Russian government saw the tragedy and stayed indifferent, using the policy “Divide and rule.”

Asadullayev’s waited for Dashnaks in their house with fear. They imagined how the house would be destroyed and all of them would be killed. Telephone was cut off. The house was like a lonely island surrounded by dangerous darkness. At 4 a.m. someone began knocking at the door so loudly that it seemed the house would be ruined, like all hopes. Father took a revolver and stepped out of the room, Amina followed him. It was a sign of bravery of this weak woman. Children prepared for death. But some time later Father and Amina came back. They brought Armenian neighbors who lived in front of their house. They came to offer Asadullayev’s hiding in their house. It meant a lot. They expected the offer with gratitude.

In the morning Umm el-Banu saw lorries. Some people filled them with stuff from their house. The same day father and Amina escaped the city and left children in the Armenian family. The other friend of Mirza Asadullayev, an Armenian as well, hid him and his wife in a safer place.

Sisters lived in the neighboring house two weeks. Umm el-Banu fell in love with an Armenian boy with blond hair and blue eyes. “However, we couldn’t have an affair. Later I met the handsome boy in Paris. And we continue to see each other. When he is angry at me and my sisters he says: “I shouldn’t save these women from slaughtering!”,” Banin wrote.

Fights came to an end, but the city looked awfully. The Asadullayevs rejoined on the board of an oil tank – father decided to took everybody to Iran where it was safer. The ship was ready to sail, but Dashnaks had to check it first. Father was dressed like a worker. Girls played daughters of a captain, Freulein Anna and Amina as if were his Muslim wives. Dashnaks didn’t disturb them. Soon they left their native city.

To be continued