The National Council and the Adoption of the State Coat of Arms of the Democratic Republic of Georgia

Abstract

The research was carried out within the framework of the Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia Grant Project “The Beginning of the Contemporary Georgian Parliamentarianism: The National Council of Georgia-The Parliament of Georgia”. Grant Code: FR-23-2950   The report examines the discussion that took place over several months (June-September 1918) regarding the development of the State Coat of Arms of the Democratic Republic of Georgia. The discussion commenced following Georgia’s declaration of independence on May 26, 1918, when the need to create Georgian banknotes—referred to as Georgian bonds—was introduced to the agenda. The State Coat of Arms was intended to be featured on the banknotes. The discussion surrounding this matter sparked significant disagreement and was ultimately resolved on September 17, 1918. The main method used during the research is the content analysis of documents (of the materials of the National Council shorthand records and press). During the ongoing discussion about the coat of arms, despite differences of opinion, two main points of view emerged: a large part of the leading political force, the Social Democratic Party, supported the depiction of a chained Amiran, freeing himself, on the Coat of Arms of Georgia. Opposite it was Tetri Girogi with Seven Rays, which was supported by experts invited to discuss the issue. The report outlines the principal arguments presented by both sides to support their respective positions and to counter opposing viewpoints. During the discussion of the issue, the history of the creation of state coats of arms was touched upon, and two types of argumentation were also identified: ideological (regarding the chained Amiran as a revolutionary symbol) and historical (regarding Tetri Giorgi). The proposal to declare the chained Amiran as the state coat of arms was put forward by Irakli Tsereteli, a prominent figure in the Social Democratic Party, and was supported by the party's leader, Noe Zhordania. According to Irakli Tsereteli, “When we give Amirani's expression to our Coat of Arms, the spiritual aspiration of the democratic part of our entire people and its current situation will be reflected there.” However, there was no unity of opinion in the Social Democratic Party on this issue. The speech of Ivane Javakhishvili at the August 5, 1918, session of the special commission created to develop the Coat of Arms was of decisive importance for resolving the issue of the Coat of Arms (the commission included about twenty members - Niko Nikoladze, Ivane Javakhishvili, Ioseb Imedashvili, Grigol Diasamidze, Shalva Meskhishvili, Irakli Tsereteli, Noe Zhordania, Samson Pirtskhalava). Ivane Javakhishvili, as an expert, participated in the creation of the Coat of Arms of the Democratic Republic of Georgia. Ivane Javakhishvili proposed that ”Tetri Giorgi” be adopted as the Coat of Arms of the Georgian state, arguing that this choice would be the most appropriate. According to Commission Chairman Konstantine Makashvili, “At this meeting, the commission received a comprehensive and well-substantiated report from Professor Javakhishvili. Following a brief discussion, it was unanimously decided that the Georgian coat of arms should feature Tetri Giorgi with seven rays.” The matter was ultimately settled on September 17, 1918, during the 39th session of the National Council. At the session, debate once again arose over the design of the State Coat of Arms—whether it should depict the chained Amiran or Tetri Giorgi with seven rays. During the vote, the Social Democratic fraction allowed its members to vote according to their own views. It can be said that this decision stemmed from the fact that the majority of the party did not support the position of the party leaders on recognising Chained Amiran as a Coat of Arms. The voting results reflected the prevailing sentiment in the National Council: 33 members supported the declaration of Tetri Giorgi as the Coat of Arms of Georgia, 17 were opposed, and two abstained. Only 16 deputies supported the adoption of the chained Amiran as the State Coat of Arms, while 34 voted against it. A crucial decision for the state was made correctly by a majority of the votes. As a result, Tetri Giorgi with seven rays was adopted as the State Coat of Arms of the Democratic Republic of Georgia.