Abkhazia Bids Farewell to Stanislav Lakoba, by Demis Polandov

Ekho Kavkaza — Stanislav Lakoba, one of Abkhazia’s most prominent historians and public figures, and a former Secretary of the Security Council of the de facto republic, has died following a car accident (according to updated reports, suffered a heart attack while driving moments before his vehicle collided with a roadside pole — Ed.) over the weekend. His death has prompted an outpouring of tributes across Abkhazia. President Badra Gunba even cancelled his planned visit to Russia in order to attend the farewell ceremony held in Sukhum on 24 September.

A Multifaceted Public Figure

Abkhaz social media has been filled with personal recollections of Lakoba. Former Foreign Minister Viacheslav Chirikba described him as “one of the country’s most iconic personalities – an intellectual, historian, political scientist, publicist, poet, statesman, brilliant polemicist and seasoned politician. He stood at the origins of modern Abkhaz statehood, was a close associate of Vladislav Ardzinba and a member of the legendary ‘golden parliament’, taking an active part in all major events of the pre-war, wartime and post-war years. He also authored remarkable articles and books, including the authoritative textbook History of Abkhazia.”

Lakoba was among a generation of Abkhaz scholars who left academia for politics, not only during the 1992–1993 Georgian–Abkhazian war but also in later years. Yet, as local observers have noted, politics was never his primary ambition. He became known for principled positions – resigning as Secretary of the Security Council in protest against the mass passportisation of residents of the Gal district, which he regarded as both a political manipulation of the electorate and a threat to Abkhazia’s national security.

This principled stand reinforced his reputation as a staunch defender of Abkhazia’s statehood project. As Inal Khashig, editor of Chegemskaya Pravda, wrote, “In the eyes of the ordinary Abkhaz, Lakoba (I still cannot get used to speaking of him in the past tense) is like a tireless knight guarding Abkhaz statehood. No Abkhaz politician, apart from Vladislav Ardzinba, commanded such trust on matters vital to Abkhazia’s sovereignty. Stanislav Zosimovich was a member of the famous ‘golden’ parliament and Secretary of the Security Council, but titles aside he remained Slava, the modest historian whose weight far exceeded that of all Abkhaz politicians combined.”

Former Interior Minister Aslan Kobakhia likewise emphasised Lakoba’s uncompromising stance on independence:

“He was a great man in every respect. A politician with strategic thinking, a major scholar, an unbending patriot. You could disagree with him but you could not ignore him; he always had his own opinion. His vision sometimes displeased both opponents and supporters, yet he never cared what others thought. His position on Abkhazia’s future never changed – only an independent Abkhaz state. His words required no deciphering: he was uncompromising, clear and precise.”

Early Life and Formative Years

In marking Lakoba’s 70th birthday, the Abkhaz journalist Nadezhda Venediktova recalled a vivid portrait of the young Stanislav, parts of which have now been widely shared again. She remembered him as “a nimble boy able to keep a football aloft with his foot and head more than 200 times without letting it touch the ground. He was the star forward of his courtyard team, and there were plans to take him to Tbilisi for further training – plans his father vetoed.”

Even as a schoolboy he joined archaeological excavations in the Kodor Gorge under the guidance of the young scholar Yuri Voronov. While studying at Abkhaz State University he wrote poetry and befriended the renowned artist Varvara Bubnova, who had lived for decades in Japan and chosen Sukhum as her home in her later years. She instilled in him a fascination with the East and began a portrait of him, her last unfinished work. He later honoured her in an essay, Night and the Eyes of the Rain, exploring her artistic philosophy and the search for meaning in the East.

He also spoke fondly of his grandmother in Lower Eshera, “deeply immersed in nature and able to speak with snakes”,  an early encounter with Abkhazian archaism and poetic folklore that shaped his multi-layered view of reality.

In February 1992, he published the article “East and West: Between the Hammer and the Anvil,” in which he predicted political developments then considered unlikely. By that time he was already a deputy of the Supreme Council of the still-autonomous republic. During the Patriotic War of the People of Abkhazia he served as deputy speaker and played a leading role in those fateful events.

Church and Scholarship

The Council of the Holy Metropolis of Abkhazia noted his contributions as a churchman and historian:

“On 15 May 2011 Stanislav Lakoba was elected to the Council from among the laity and since then became one of its most active members. He made a significant contribution to the development of the Abkhaz Church, enriching its intellectual heritage. Thanks to him, the Church Archaeological Museum of the Holy Metropolis of Abkhazia acquired unique materials now part of the nation’s spiritual patrimony.

His work was rooted in unshakable faith in justice, state wisdom and scholarly insight. A native of Sukhum, from youth he dedicated himself to the study of history. As a historian and professor he gained international recognition as one of the leading Caucasus specialists. His fundamental works and textbooks on the history of Abkhazia remain a priceless legacy for future generations. He was endowed not only with a researcher’s talent but also a poetic gift, his verses reflecting a soul striving toward eternal truths.”

“The Great Terror” Project

Lakoba played a leading role in documenting Stalin-era repressions. With Council of Europe support, he oversaw the project that produced the three-volume work The Great Terror in Abkhazia (Abkhaz ASSR): 1937–1938, published in 2017. The study drew on archives in Sukhum and Tbilisi to provide families with information about the fate of their relatives. Thousands of people, including the present author, learned when their kin were sentenced and executed. The project also published court protocols revealing previously hidden details of the cases.

Contested Histories

Lakoba authored and co-authored numerous monographs and textbooks on Abkhaz history. Unsurprisingly, his interpretations drew criticism from Georgian scholars, covering everything from medieval history to the 1992–1993 war. Yet disagreement did not diminish his stature. Over the years he contributed frequently to “Echo of the Caucasus,” and his interviews were popular with both general readers and specialists. One of his best-known interviews, for the project The War in Abkhazia, was titled “If Yeltsin Had Opposed It, the War in Abkhazia Would Not Have Begun.”

Criticism also came from Russian quarters. Some politicians bristled at his portrayal of periods of “Russian dominance” in History of Abkhazia. In 2010 Russian MP Konstantin Zatulin attacked the textbook for this reason, and others objected to Lakoba’s principled use of the term “Russian–Caucasian War” instead of the more common “Caucasian War.”

Lakoba responded robustly. His reply to Zatulin, published under the sardonic headline “Zatulinism” in Nuzhnaya Gazeta, stated:

“For decades, even centuries, many inconvenient aspects of Abkhaz history were ignored. They first began to be highlighted over 20 years ago. In 1988 my book of historical and cultural essays about Russian writers, directors and artists who lived and worked in Abkhazia during the 1910s–1930s was published in Sukhum. Today it is a bibliographic rarity. It depicted the old, multi-ethnic Sukhum and its brilliant intelligentsia, the interplay between Russian and Abkhaz cultures. At the time it was attacked by Tbilisi nationalists. In principle, my polemic with Georgian historians – indeed, a real historiographical war – continues to this day. Like Mr Zatulin, they pluck topics and paragraphs out of context and interpret them their own way. But now new times are coming: blows land from another side, from behind, confusing history with politics and politicising Abkhazia’s problems. Historians now have to defend themselves from those who label unwelcome authors as ‘anti-Russian’, clearly serving someone’s political agenda.”

An Enduring Legacy

Stanislav Lakoba’s polemical style was instantly recognisable. His essays and commentaries themselves constitute a historical resource, offering insights into both the events he chronicled and the intellectual culture of post-Soviet Abkhazia. He combined the rigour of the scholar, the principles of the statesman and the sensibility of the poet – a rare blend that shaped not only the academic field but also the national consciousness.

As Abkhazia bids farewell to Stanislav Lakoba, his life’s work continues to resonate across the country’s intellectual, political and spiritual landscape, a lasting testament to a historian, statesman and patriot whose influence extended far beyond his time.

This article was published by Ekho Kavkaza and is translated from Russian.