Vasil Tsereteli ( ka, ვასილ წერეთელი; 1862–1937) was a distinguished Russian Empire medical doctor, journalist, politician and public benefactor. He was born in the village of Tskhrukveti, in the

Chiatura Chiatura () is a city in the Imereti region of Western Georgia. In 1989, it had a population of about 30,000. The city is known for its system of cable cars connecting the city's center to the mining settlements on the surrounding hills. The city ...

district of

Imereti Imereti ( Georgian: იმერეთი) is a region of Georgia situated in the central-western part of the republic along the middle and upper reaches of the Rioni River. Imereti is the most populous region in Georgia. It consists of 11 munic ...

region in Western Georgia, into the family of Prince Giorgi Tsereteli. His brother was Professor

Mikheil Tsereteli Prince Mikheil "Mikhako" G. Tsereteli also known as Michael von Zereteli ( ka, მიხეილ "მიხაკო" წერეთელი) (December 23, 1878 – March 2, 1965) was a Georgian prince, historian, philologist, sociologist ...

, a famous Georgian historian and public benefactor. His son Giorgi Tsereteli was a distinguished orientalist,

Academician An academician is a full member of an artistic, literary, engineering, or scientific academy. In many countries, it is an honorific title used to denote a full member of an academy that has a strong influence on national scientific life. In syst ...

of the

Georgian Academy of Sciences The Georgian National Academy of Sciences (GNAS) ( ka, საქართველოს მეცნიერებათა ეროვნული აკადემია, tr) is a main learned society of the Georgia. It was named Georgian S ...

, his daughter Tinatin Tsereteli was also a famous scientist (jurist) and a Corresponding Member of the Georgian Academy of Sciences. In 1882 Tsereteli graduated from the Classical Gymnasium in

Kutaisi Kutaisi (, ka, ქუთაისი ) is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the third-most populous city in Georgia, traditionally, second in importance, after the capital city of Tbilisi. Situated west of Tbilis ...

and in 1898 from the Medical Faculty of the

Kiev University Kyiv University or Shevchenko University or officially the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv ( uk, Київський національний університет імені Тараса Шевченка), colloquially known as KNU ...

(

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

). He worked as doctor in

Tianeti Tianeti is a townlet in east-central Georgia, in the Caucasus Mountains. Tianeti is the administrative center of Municipality of Tianeti, which also comprises the town of Sioni and 43 neighbouring villages (total area – 907 km2; population ...

, and

until 1926. In Kutaisi he taught hygiene in a

Georgian Gymnasium Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...

. In 1898 he established the

Clinic A clinic (or outpatient clinic or ambulatory care clinic) is a health facility that is primarily focused on the care of outpatients. Clinics can be privately operated or publicly managed and funded. They typically cover the primary care needs ...

in Chiatura. From 1888 onward, he was an active collaborator and author of the main Georgian newspaper ''Iveria'' of

Ilia Chavchavadze Prince Ilia Chavchavadze ( ka, ილია ჭავჭავაძე; 8 November 1837 – 12 September 1907) was a Georgian public figure, journalist, publisher, writer and poet who spearheaded the revival of Georgian nationalism during the ...

. In the 1910s Tsereteli edited the Georgian newspapers of national-democratic direction ''Samshoblo'' and ''Chveni Qvekana''. From 1887 to 1893 he was editor of the Russian newspaper ''Chernomorski Vestnik'' in

Batumi Batumi (; ka, ბათუმი ) is the second largest city of Georgia and the capital of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, located on the coast of the Black Sea in Georgia's southwest. It is situated in a subtropical zone at the foot of th ...

. From 1904 to 1916 Tsereteli was a member of the Georgian Social-Federalist Party. In 1917 he was one of the founders of the Georgian National-Democratic Party. From 1917 to 1919 Tsereteli was a member of the "National Council of Georgia", and from 1919 to 1921 he was a member of the

Constituent Assembly A constituent assembly (also known as a constitutional convention, constitutional congress, or constitutional assembly) is a body assembled for the purpose of drafting or revising a constitution. Members of a constituent assembly may be elected b ...

of the

Democratic Republic of Georgia The Democratic Republic of Georgia (DRG; ka, საქართველოს დემოკრატიული რესპუბლიკა ') was the first modern establishment of a republic of Georgia, which existed from May 1918 to ...

(DRG). On May 26, 1918, he signed the "Act of Independence of Georgia". Tsereteli lived in Tbilisi from1926 until his death. Between 1926 and 1930 he was an editor-in-chief of the Georgian medical journal ''Jansakhkomis Moambe''. Tsereteli died in 1937 in Tbilisi.

References

* Levan Z. Urushadze. Vasil Tsereteli - The National Figure. In: Materials of the Scientific Conference, dedicated to the 150th Anniversary of Vasil Tsereteli (1862-1937), Tbilisi-Chiatura, 2012, pp. 7–15 (in Georgian). * Nino Apakidze. The Private Fund of Vasil Tsereteli. In: Materials of the Scientific Conference, dedicated to the 150th Anniversary of Vasil Tsereteli, Tbilisi-Chiatura, 2012, pp. 16–22 (in Georgian). {{DEFAULTSORT:Tsereteli, Vasil Journalists from the Russian Empire 1862 births 1937 deaths Physicians from the Russian Empire