2020-09-21

22 September 2020 marks the 100th year anniversary of birth of Ahmadiyya Jabrayilov, Azerbaijani origin guerrilla and hero who was the member of French Resistance Movement

 

2020 marks 100 year anniversary of Ahmadiyya Jabrayilov, who was a heroic son of the Azerbaijani nation, a  prominent representative of the anti-fascism resistance movement, and a legendary guerrilla.

Ahmadiyya Jabrayilov was born on 22 September 1920 in Shaki district of Azerbaijan. In 1941, during the early days of the II World War, he was deployed to the front. Ahmadiyya was sent to Ukraine in April 1942, where he was appointed as the deputy of a political leader in 350th battalion. He participated in the fights around Barvinki-Lozovaya-Izyum districts of Ukraine within this battalion. He was awarded as a chief lieutenant due to his bravery.

In April 1942, his plane was shot around Kursk. He was heavily wounded and taken hostage by Nazi Germans. Ahmadiyya was sent to concentration camps near Barvinka and Lviv. When his attempt to escape did not succeed in 1943, he was sent to Montoban concentration camp, near Toulouse, France by the Nazis.

During his time at Montauban, he built connections with French partisans via Janna, the maid of the concentration camp leader. Soon, Janna and her friends freed Ahmadiyya from hostage and he joined the French resistance movement. In a short time, he became of the active members of the resistance movement and was known under the nicknames “Kharko”, “Fraji”, “Brave” and “Armed Michel”.

Ahmadiyya participated in the fights for freedom of France during 1943-45 and showed exemplary bravery. Nazis appointed 10.000 DM on his head. On 1 March 1945 Ahmadiyya Jabrayilov blew up the railway and prevented enemies from sending thousands of French people to concentration camps in Germany. He was wounded while saving 500 French children, being taken by Nazis to a concentration camp. Since he was disguised in a uniform of a Nazi officer, he was treated in a German military hospital for a while. Afterward, he was appointed as a military commander to Albi. He transmitted important information to guerrillas during this time and took hostage many Nazi officers and handed them to guerrillas. He blew up bridges, enemy’s stocks of food and armory, burnt the houses where Nazi officers were living. Under his command, enemy tanks in the center of Lyon were destroyed. France appreciated his bravery and awarded him with many orders and medals. He was honored with the “military medal” of France, which allowed officers to go in front of generals during military parades.

On 25 November 1946, Ahmadiyya returned to the Soviet Union with the help of Charles de Gaulle. In 1966, Charles de Gaulle met Ahmadiyya Jabrayilov during his visit to the Soviet Union.

In 1986, Ahmadiyya Jabrayilov was awarded 5 medals of France: War Cross, Military Bravery Cross, Medal of French Resistance Movement, Medal for Bravery, Medal for Being Wounded. He was invited to Paris to participate in ceremonies dedicated to 100 year anniversary of Charles de Gaulle in 1990.

Ahmadiyya Jabrayilov died in a car accident in Shaki, Azerbaijan on 10 October 1994.

You can visit virtual-exhibition, prepared by Azerbaijani National Library on Ahmadiyya Jabrayilov, by visiting this link: http://anl.az/el/vsb/Ehmediyye_Cebrayilov/index.htm

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