Ruhullah Ahundov Azerbaijani revolutionary, party and state figure, publicist Date of Birth: 01.01.1897 Country: Azerbaijan

1. Early Life and Education
2. Revolutionary Career
3. Soviet Leadership
4. International and Intellectual Contributions
5. Literary and Historical Pursuits
6. Downfall and Rehabilitation

Early Life and Education

Ruhlullah Akhundov was born into a family of educators in the Baku Governorate. He received a multifaceted education, graduating from a madrasa, a real school, and a trade school, becoming proficient in several Eastern and Western languages.

Revolutionary Career

In 1916, Akhundov joined the workforce at a printing press. In 1917, he became a member of the Azerbaijani "Left" Socialist Revolutionary group. During the tumultuous years of 1918 and 1919, he edited the Bakinsky Sovet Izvestia and the illegal Azerbaijani Bolshevik newspaper Kommunist, respectively. In 1919, he officially joined the Communist Party.

Soviet Leadership

After the establishment of Soviet power in Azerbaijan, Akhundov held various high-ranking positions within the Communist Party of Azerbaijan (b). He was in charge of rural affairs, served as the Secretary of the Baku City Committee, and edited Kommunist and other publications. From 1924 to 1930, he served as the Secretary of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan (b), Director of Azerneshar (the state book publishing house), and People's Commissar of Education.

International and Intellectual Contributions

Akhundov actively participated in international communist gatherings as a delegate to the 10th-17th party congresses and the 2nd Congress of the Comintern. In his later years, he turned his attention to academia, working at the Institute of Party History and the Art Administration Department of the Council of People's Commissars of Azerbaijan SSR. He also played a pivotal role in establishing the Azerbaijan branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

Literary and Historical Pursuits

Akhundov was a prolific author, publishing works on history, art, and literature. He is credited with being one of the first to translate the writings of Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and Lenin into Azerbaijani. Furthermore, he edited a two-volume Russian-Azerbaijani dictionary (1928-1929).

Downfall and Rehabilitation

In 1938, Akhundov's fortunes took a tragic turn. He was abruptly removed from all his posts, expelled from the party, and arrested. He was sentenced to death by the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court and executed on April 21, 1938. His remains were buried at the secret NKVD burial ground known as Kommunarka-Loza. In 1959, Akhundov was posthumously rehabilitated and reinstated into the party. He was also awarded the Order of Lenin.