QAZIS (AZIZ) SALIHOVICH QUBAYDULLIN (1887-1937) Historian

Qazis Qubaydullin was born in June 1887. He received his primary education at a seminary. In 1909, he entered Kazan University, Faculty of Law, graduating in history in 1916. In 1917-1919, he was engaged in teaching activity in secondary schools and in 1919-1925 at Kazan University. He authored textbooks on the history of Tatar people, Tatar literature, ancient world history, Russian history, and religion. In 1925, he authored “Tatar History” book in Tatar language, which is considered the only complete work of its kind even today. Qazis Qubaydullin moved to Baku in 1925. A year later, in 1926, he was elected a privatdozent at the Department of History of Turkic Nations, Azerbaijan State University, and also dean of the Historical and Public Department, Eastern Pedagogical Institute. He became a professor in 1927 and was appointed dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, Azerbaijan State University. From 1925 to 1937, he was employed as a research fellow and archivist at Azerbaijan State Central Archive. He was the first to introduce and publish archive documents as a historical source. In 1926, he was one of the organizers of the first Turkology Congress, which he also addressed. In 1931, he gave lectures at Baku, Moscow and Central Asian universities. He was a member of USSR People`s Research Institute, Marksists` Historic Society, Azerbaijan State Research Institute, Historic and Archaeological Society, Tatar Studies Society and other organizations. From 1933 to 1935, he carried out research and teaching activity in Pyatigorsk, Kabardino-Balkaria and Kazan. He returned to Baku in 1936. In 1936-1937, he headed the Department of History of USSR Peoples, Azerbaijan State University. Qazis Qubaydullin published over 150 papers in Tatar, Uzbek, Russian and Azerbaijani languages. He fell victim of repression in 1937, and was fired from the university and Azerbaijan branch of USSR Academy of Sciences and then arrested.