An exhibition – Repressions of 1937-1938: “Stalin’s Lists on Georgia” – organized by Institute for Development of Freedom of Information, Embassy of Switzerland, South Caucasus Regional Office of the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the Archive of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, was opened at the Goethe Institute.

The exhibition presented the unique documental and photo materials displaying the tragic events developed in Georgia in 1937-1938. These materials have been found by IDFI in the Archives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, its Analytic Department, the Society “Memorial of Georgia”, as well as in the families of the repressed people.

The exhibition was opened by the director of the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information, Giorgi Kldiashvili. The representative of the Embassy of Switzerland in Georgia, Ms. Anita Schlüchter spoke about the importance of the event. She thanked the representatives of the Institute for the carried out work.

It was the first time when the broader society was given opportunity to become familiar with the materials about the victims of repressions and to create impression about the tragic events of 1937-1938. During these years more than 3600 people have been executed by the decisions of the members of Politbureau and Stalin himself. 3100 of them were condemned to the highest measure of punishment – shooting. The sentence was executed in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi and Sokhumi.  

The exhibition presents only small part of the materials, which represent the mechanisms of arresting, holding inquiries, torturing and execution.

The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information will soon publish a work with the same title – Repressions of 1937-1938: “Stalin’s Lists about Georgia” – which will combine the materials about the victims of the “Great Terror”. Those interested will be able to find information about their ancestors, who became victims of 1937-1938 repressions. At the same time, the Georgian population will be better informed about the personal participation of Stalin and Beria in the developments of the Great Terror.

The exhibition aroused large public interest. The event was attended by the descendants of the repressed people and the representatives of the international organizations, civil society and mass media.

With the support of the Goethe Institute the exhibition will be available for two more days.