Firidun bay Kocharli – outstanding Azerbaijani writer, literary critic and philologist
Baku, March 16, AZERTAC
Shusha - the pearl of Karabakh, which was liberated from Armenia's decades-long illegal occupation on November 8, 2020, and declared as the “Cultural Capital of Azerbaijan” by President Ilham Aliyev, gave a birth to a host of prominent Azerbaijani personalities, scientists, art and public figures, including poetess, singers, composers.
Firidun bay Kocharli was born on January 26, 1863 in Shusha, and known as "Azerbaijani scientist, critic and pedagogue" in the history of Azerbaijani literary criticism and pedagogical thought.
He taught the Azerbaijani language and calligraphy at the Iravan gymnasium in 1885-1890 and 1893-1894.
While teaching at the Iravan gymnasium, Firidun bay Kocharli translated the works of famous Russian writers such as Pushkin, Lermontov, Koltsov and others, into Azerbaijani.
Renowned Azerbaijani writer Mirza Fatali Akhundzade's story "Aldanmish Kevakib (Deceived stars)" was first translated into Russian by Firidun bay Kocharli.
It is also a gratifying fact that the first notes on the literary relations between Azerbaijan and Russia belong to Firidun bay Kocharli.
In 1884, while studying at the Gori Teachers' Seminary, he wrote “The Teaching of Socrates”.
As a graduate of the Gori Teachers' Seminary, he staged his first theatrical performance in 1886.
In 1890, he staged the comedy "Monsieur Jordan and the dervish Mastali Shah" in Iravan.
He also translated works of Mirza Fatali Akhundov, Jalil Mammadguluzade and other local and foreign writers into foreign languages.
In 1910, he was appointed temporary instructor of the Azerbaijan branch of the Gori seminary.
In 1918-1920, he worked as the director of the Gazakh Teachers' Seminary, which was opened on his initiative on the basis of the Gori Teachers' Seminary.
Later he opened the first orphanage in Gazakh as well.
As Firidun bay Kocharli said, the teaching profession is above of all other professions. He had called a teacher “a beacon illuminating the future”.
The prominent writer had always stressed the importance of involvement of girls in education.
The eminent educator was bringing to the attention of people that an educated woman would raise her children as literate in the future.
After his death, the first part of the "Historical materials of Azerbaijani literature" book was published in 1925, and the second part of the book was published in 1926. His book "Gift to children" written for children was published in 1967, 1972 and 2013 respectively.
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