Candide Charkviani
| Kandid Charkviani | |
|---|---|
| კანდიდ ჩარკვიანი | |
| First Secretary of the Georgian Communist Party | |
|
In office 31 August 1938 – 2 April 1952 |
|
| Preceded by | Lavrenti Beria |
| Succeeded by | Akaki Mgeladze |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1907 Tsageri, Kutais Governorate, Russian Empire |
| Died | 13 September 1994 (aged 86–87) Tbilisi, Georgia |
| Nationality | Soviet |
| Political party | Communist Party of the Soviet Union |
Kandid Charkviani (Georgian: კანდიდ ჩარკვიანი, Russian: Кандид Несторович Чарквиани; 1907 – 13 September 1994) was a Georgian party and government official, and First Secretary of the Communist Party of Georgia from 1938 to 1952.
Born in the Tsageri, Lechkhumi region of Georgia, Charkviani graduated from Kutaisi Gymnasium and Tbilisi Engineering Institute. He began his career working for several publications, including major Georgian newspapers.
Charkviani rose to the position of First Secretary of the Georgian SSR through support of Joseph Stalin. Yet Charkviani's promotion was met with strong reluctance from Lavrenti Beria, who had been planning to find a replacement for this position amongst his own protégés. However, Stalin made the choice in favour of the young Charkviani (then 32).
Stalin first learned of Charkviani by reading his articles in the Georgian newspapers. Stalin was appreciative of Charkviani's literary talent so he encouraged the promotion of the youth. Charkviani was appointed Head of the Department of Education and Culture at the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Georgia. In September of the same year he assumed his duties as First Secretary of Georgia's Writer's Union. In this post he made a major contribution to the preparation of an important literary event – the commemoration of the 750th anniversary of "The Knight in the Panther's Skin", a classic poem by 12th century Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli. On 31 August 1938 he was elected as First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Georgia. He remained in this post until April 1952.
Geronti Kikodze, a prominent 20th century Georgian literary critic and thinker, in his memoirs secretly written in 1954, while harshly criticizing the Communist regime and its leaders, distinguishes Candide Charkviani for his humane qualities and strong administrative skills: “Charkviani did not lack compassion, he was not easily convinced by informers, and overall, he was a balanced and modest man. In general, Charkviani was rather rational in handling the affairs of the republic.” (p. 46)
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