Qırmızı Qəsəbə
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Qırmızı Qəsəbə (, ), translated as "Red Town" (russian: Красная Слобода, ; he, , ), is a village and municipality in the Quba District of
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
. It has a population of approximately 3,598 people. Outside of
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
and the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, it is widely believed to be the world's only population centre that is exclusively made up of
Jewish people Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""Th ...
, and is likewise considered to be the last surviving . Located across the Qudyalchay River from the city of
Quba Quba () is a city and the administrative centre of the Quba District of Azerbaijan. The city lies on the north-eastern slopes of Shahdag mountain, at an altitude of 600 metres above sea level, on the right bank of the Kudyal river. It has a po ...
, it is the primary settlement of Azerbaijan's population of
Caucasus Jews Mountain Jews or Caucasus Jews also known as Juhuro, Juvuro, Juhuri, Juwuri, Juhurim, Kavkazi Jews or Gorsky Jews ( he, יהודי קווקז ''Yehudey Kavkaz'' or ''Yehudey he-Harim''; russian: Горские евреи, translit=Gorskie Yevrei ...
; the most widely spoken language in the village is
Judeo-Tat Judeo-Tat or Juhuri (''cuhuri'', , ) is the traditional language of the Mountain Jews of the eastern Caucasus Mountains, especially Azerbaijan and Dagestan, now mainly spoken in Israel. The language is a dialect of Persian which belongs to the ...
. The municipality's names in the Azerbaijani, Russian, and Hebrew languages all translate to the "Red Town" or "Red Village" in a supposed reference to the red tiling used on its buildings. Other sources attribute the name of Qırmızı Qəsəbə to the protected status that it received during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, when its residents were shielded from potential persecution in light of Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union.


Geography


Quba

Quba has been a popular region in Azerbaijan throughout its history, attracting guests visiting Azerbaijan due its proximity to the capital city.
Lezgins Lezgins or Leks ( lez, Лезгияр, Лекьер. lezgijar) are a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group native predominantly to southern Dagestan, a republic of Russia, and northeastern Azerbaijan. The Lezgin are predominantly Sunni Muslims and s ...
, Tats,
Khinalug people The Khinalugs ( az, Xınalıqlılar, Khinalug: , ) are an indigenous people of Azerbaijan and speak the Khinalug language, a Northeast Caucasian language. The Khinalugs are indigenous to the Quba District and have been named after their main v ...
,
Budukh people The Budukhs ( Budukh: Будад, ''Budad'') are an ethnic group primarily from the mountainous village of Buduq in northeastern Azerbaijan, one of the Shahdagh peoples. They speak the Budukh language, which is a Northeast Caucasian language ...
, and
Kryts people The Kryts (self-designated хърыцӏаь) or Gryz ( az, qrızlar) are a people of Azerbaijan who reside in several villages in the Quba, Khachmaz, Ismayilli and Gabala regions, as well as in the cities of Baku and Sumgait. They are one of the ...
were living in peace and friendship with Turks in Quba for centuries. Qırmızı (), being located in Quba, where the Mountain Jews reside, is also important in promoting Quba.


Demographics

Initially spread throughout the mountainous region, the Jewish population of the highlands became centered around Quba. In 1881, 213,138 Jewish people were officially registered in 34 settlements of the
Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historically ...
. Over the past hundred years, along with Mountain Jews, Jews from other
ethnolinguistic group An ethnolinguistic group (or ethno-linguistic group) is a group that is unified by both a common ethnicity and language. Most ethnic groups share a first language. However, "ethnolinguistic" is often used to emphasise that language is a major bas ...
s or such defined by their region of origin also lived in Azerbaijan:
Ashkenazi Jews Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...
,
Krymchaks The Krymchaks ( Krymchak: , , , ) are Jewish ethno-religious communities of Crimea derived from Turkic-speaking adherents of Rabbinic Judaism.Kurdish Jews , image = File:RABBI MOSHE GABAIL.jpg , caption = Rabbi Moshe Gabai, head of the Jewish community of Zakho, with Israeli President Yitzhak Ben-Zvi in 1951 , pop = 200,000–300,000 , region1 = , pop1 ...
, and
Georgian Jews Georgian Jews ( ka, ქართველი ებრაელები, tr) are a community of Jews who migrated to Georgia during the Babylonian captivity in the 6th century BCE.The Wellspring of Georgian Historiography: The Early Medieva ...
. However, since the 19th century, the majority of the Jewish population of the republic consists of Mountain Jews.


History


Jews in Quba and Azerbaijan

The first Jewish settlement in the area was named "Kulgat" on the left bank of the Gudjalchay, just a few kilometers from present day Qırmızı. The old gravestones in the Kulgat area and other evidence that had been partially destroyed during the attacks of
Nadir Shah Nader Shah Afshar ( fa, نادر شاه افشار; also known as ''Nader Qoli Beyg'' or ''Tahmāsp Qoli Khan'' ) (August 1688 – 19 June 1747) was the founder of the Afsharid dynasty of Iran and one of the most powerful rulers in Iranian h ...
in the early 18th century prove that the Jews had lived here.


Jewish town across from Quba

While the highland Jews had been in the area around Quba since at least the 13th century, the formal creation of Krasnaya Sloboda is traced back to the 18th century. In 1742 the Khan of Quba, Huseynali Khan, gave the Jews permission to set up a community free of persecution across the river from the city of Quba. Originally referred to as ''Yevreyskaya Sloboda'' "Jewish Settlement", the name was changed to ''Krasnaya Sloboda'' "Red Settlement" under
Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
rule. The massive settlement in the Red Town began in 1731. After the death of Huseynali Khan in 1758, his son Fatali Khan was the ruler of the
Quba Khanate The Quba Khanate (also spelled Qobbeh; fa, خانات قبه, Khānāt-e Qobbeh) was one of the most significant semi-independent khanates that existed from 1747 to 1806, under Iranian suzerainty. It bordered Caspian sea to the east, Derbent Kha ...
. Fatali Khan, highly appreciating the loyalty, wisdom, and industriousness of the Mountain Jews, gave them a great opportunity for engaging in agriculture, gardening, trade, and crafts. Favorable living conditions created for Jews in Quba caused the relocation of Jews from other villages, such as
Qusar Qusar District (; az, Qusar rayonu; lez, КцIар район, script=Latn) is one of the 66 districts of Azerbaijan. It is located in the north-east of the country and belongs to the Guba-Khachmaz Economic Region. The district borders the dis ...
, Uçgün, Şuduq, Griz, and even from Baku,
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
,
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
and other places to Quba. The Jews who moved here had previously lived in nine disparate settlements. Jews from Gilan moved to the settlement in the 1780s. The Gilaki settlement of the Gilani Jews located in the center of the Red settlement. People coming from
Baku Baku (, ; az, Bakı ) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world a ...
and Quba lived in the settlement of Mizrahi (Hebrew: "East"). Migration from different locations influenced the diversity of employment. For example, Jews moving from mountainous regions were engaged in various agricultural fields, and people who immigrated from Iran were engaged in trade. Finally, Mountain Jews who escaped attacks and persecutions joined the shelter of heading Husseynanli Khan in Quba. The Quba Khanate, in development during the rule of Hussein Khan (1722-1758) and his son Fatali Khan (1758-1789), consist of the northern lands of Azerbaijan and southern
Dagestan Dagestan ( ; rus, Дагеста́н, , dəɡʲɪˈstan, links=yes), officially the Republic of Dagestan (russian: Респу́блика Дагеста́н, Respúblika Dagestán, links=no), is a republic of Russia situated in the North C ...
, from
Derbent Derbent (russian: Дербе́нт; lez, Кьвевар, Цал; az, Дәрбәнд, italic=no, Dərbənd; av, Дербенд; fa, دربند), formerly romanized as Derbend, is a city in Dagestan, Russia, located on the Caspian Sea. It is ...
to
Lankaran Lankaran ( az, Lənkəran, ) is a city in Azerbaijan, on the coast of the Caspian Sea, near the southern border with Iran. As of 2021, the city had a population of 89,300. It is next to, but independent of, Lankaran District. The city forms a dis ...
. Since 1722, Mountain Jews have settled in the territory of Gudyalchay. Among
Russian Jews The history of the Jews in Russia and areas historically connected with it goes back at least 1,500 years. Jews in Russia have historically constituted a large religious and ethnic diaspora; the Russian Empire at one time hosted the largest pop ...
, the town once was known as "little Jerusalem". The town has had an influx of financial support from relatives living in
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
and features a new synagogue, the ''Bet Knesset''. However, after Azerbaijan's independence in 1991, many residents emigrated to
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
, the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, and
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
, and the population dropped from the roughly 18,000 that lived there during the communist era.


Jewish religious practices

Two synagogues exist in Qırmızı Qəsəbə: the Six Dome Synagogue which was built in 1888 and renovated in 2000, and "Giləki" (Hilaki) synagogue which was built in 1896 and renovated recently. Residents speak in three languages:
Judeo-Tat Judeo-Tat or Juhuri (''cuhuri'', , ) is the traditional language of the Mountain Jews of the eastern Caucasus Mountains, especially Azerbaijan and Dagestan, now mainly spoken in Israel. The language is a dialect of Persian which belongs to the ...
, spoken by Mountain Jews in daily life, Russian and
Azeri Azerbaijanis (; az, Azərbaycanlılar, ), Azeris ( az, Azərilər, ), or Azerbaijani Turks ( az, Azərbaycan Türkləri, ) are a Turkic people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. They are the second-most numer ...
. One of the two schools here is taught in Azeri or Russian.


Notable residents

* Yevda Abramov (1948–2019) - politician, member of the
Parliament of Azerbaijan The National Assembly ( az, Milli Məclis), also transliterated as Milli Mejlis, is the legislative branch of government in Azerbaijan. The unicameral National Assembly has 125 deputies: previously 100 members were elected for five-year terms ...
*
Yakov Agarunov Yakov Agarunov (russian: Агарунов Яков Михайлович , translit=; he, יעקב אגארונוב; 25 April 1907 – 31 May 1992) was a Mountain Jew poet, playwright, political and public figure of Azerbaijan, author of the new ...
(1907–1992) - was a poet and playwright * Zarakh Iliev (born 1966) - billionaire property developer, born in Krasnaya Sloboda * Yagutil Mishiev (born 1927) - publicist *
God Nisanov In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...
(born 1972) - billionaire property developer, Vice-President of the
World Jewish Congress The World Jewish Congress (WJC) was founded in Geneva, Switzerland in August 1936 as an international federation of Jewish communities and organizations. According to its mission statement, the World Jewish Congress' main purpose is to act as ...
*
German Zakharyayev German Rashbilovich Zakharyayev (russian: Герман Рашбилович Захарьяев; born July 7, 1971, Gyrmyzy Gasaba, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet Union) is an Azerbaijani-born businessman, public figure and philanthropist. He is a vice-pr ...
(born 1971) - businessman, Vice-President of the
Russian Jewish Congress The Russian Jewish Congress is a non-profit charitable fund and Russian Jewish organization. It was established in 1996 by a group of Jewish businessmen, workers and religious figures with the goal of reviving Jewish life in Russia. It unites som ...
*
Albert Agarunov Albert Agarunovich Agarunov ( az, Albert Aqarunoviç Aqarunov) (25 April 1969 – 8 May 1992) is a Jewish National Hero of Azerbaijan and Starshina of the Azerbaijani Army who died during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War. He was among Azerbaijani ...
- Jewish National Hero of Azerbaijan


See also

*
History of the Jews in Azerbaijan The history of the Jews in Azerbaijan dates back many centuries. Today, Jews in Azerbaijan mainly consist of three distinct groups: Mountain Jews, the most sizable and most ancient group; Ashkenazi Jews, who settled in the area during the late ...


References


Notes


Sources

* *Inga Saffron,
The Mountain Jews of Guba
, ''The Philadelphia Inquirer''. July 21, 1997, page 1. Accessed on May 1, 2006 *Tom Parfitt,

, ''The Daily Telegraph'', April 27, 2003, Accessed on October 21, 2014 *Amiram Barkat,
The village people
, ''Haaretz'' September 29, 2006, Accessed on September 30, 2006


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gyrmyzy Gasaba Azerbaijan–Israel relations Historic Jewish communities in Asia Historic Jewish communities in Europe Jewish communities Jewish enclaves Jews and Judaism in Azerbaijan Populated places in Quba District (Azerbaijan) Shtetls