Ulvi Rajab (; 1903, Janivri, near

Batumi Batumi (; ka, ბათუმი ), historically Batum or Batoum, is the List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), second-largest city of Georgia (country), Georgia and the capital of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, located on the coast ...

– 2 January 1938,

Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...

) was an

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...

i stage actor.

Life and career

He was born Ulvi Shashikadze ( ka, ულვი შაშიკაძე) in the village of Janivri (presently in

Adjara Adjara ( ka, აჭარა ''Ach’ara'' ) or Achara, officially known as the Autonomous Republic of Adjara ( ka, აჭარის ავტონომიური რესპუბლიკა ''Ach’aris Avt’onomiuri Resp’ublik’a ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

) to a Muslim Georgian family. His stage name Rajab derived from his father's first name. He lost his father at an early age. He received primary education in

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

where he went with his aunt, but dropped out following the beginning of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and began making a living. In 1918, he returned to Batumi where he attended the play ''

Othello ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'', often shortened to ''Othello'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare around 1603. Set in Venice and Cyprus, the play depicts the Moorish military commander Othello as he is manipulat ...

'' staged by an Azerbaijani theatre troupe led by Huseyn Arablinski at the local Actors' Society. He decided to join the troupe but appeared in minor roles until 1922, when he replaced an absent actor as Soltan bey in ''

The Cloth Peddler The Cloth Peddler or Arşın Mal Alan may refer to several Azerbaijani film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emoti ...

'' and was recognized for his talent. Following the political turmoil of the early 1920s, Rajab began working as an actor at the Azerbaijani State Drama Theatre in

Tiflis Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი, ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), ( ka, ტფილისი, tr ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia ( ...

, Georgia. In 1925, the theatre's stage director Alexander Tuganov was invited to work for the

Azerbaijan State Academic Drama Theatre The Azerbaijan State Academic Drama Theatre () is an academic theatre of drama in Baku, Azerbaijan. History of the theatre The theatre has its origins in Culture of Azerbaijan, national holidays and dances. Elements of theatricality were contain ...

in Baku, Azerbaijan. Tuganov accepted the invitation and offered the young and promising Rajab a position in the theatre. Rajab worked at the Drama Theatre in Baku as an actor for the rest of his life.His Question "To Be or Not to Be?" Was Also Answered by Bullets
''Azadliq''. 4 August 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2012. In 1933, he was awarded the title of Honorary Artist of Azerbaijan. Critics described Rajab's performances as one where "realistic depth is combined with romantic emotion".
Great Soviet Encyclopædia. Rajab's repertoire consisted of roles in various genres, including heroic ( Siyavush in ''Siyavush'' by

Huseyn Javid Huseyn Javid (), was born Huseyn Abdulla oghlu Rasizadeh (24 October 1882, Nakhchivan – 5 December 1941, Shevchenko, Tayshetsky District), was a prominent Azerbaijani poet and playwright of the early 20th century. He was one of the founders ...

, Mikhail Yarovoy in ''Enemies'' by

Konstantin Trenyov Konstantin Andreyevich Trenyov (, – May 19, 1945) was a Soviet Russian writer and playwright, USSR State Prize laureate (1941), best known for his Russian Civil War history drama '' Lyubov Yarovaya'' (1926). File:Виталий Тренев � ...

, etc.), tragic (

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

in ''

'' and

in ''

'' by

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

, Elkhan in ''The Fire Bride'' by

Jafar Jabbarly Jafar Gafar oghlu Jabbarly, (, 20 March 1899, Khizi – 31 December 1934, Baku) was the eminent Azerbaijani and USSR, Soviet writer, the founder of the Azerbaijan Soviet dramaturgy. He was a director, playwright and screenwriter. Life After his ...

, etc.), romantic (

Romeo Romeo Montague () is the male protagonist of William Shakespeare's tragedy ''Romeo and Juliet''. The son of Characters in Romeo and Juliet#Lord Montague, Lord Montague and his wife, Characters in Romeo and Juliet#Lady Montague, Lady Montague, he ...

in ''

Romeo and Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...

'' by William Shakespeare and Sheikh Sanan in Sheikh Sanan by

Uzeyir Hajibeyov Uzeyir bey Abdulhuseyn bey oghlu Hajibeyov (18 September 188523 November 1948) was an Azerbaijanis, Azerbaijani composer, musicologist and teacher. He is recognized as the father of Azerbaijani classical music. He composed the music of the Az� ...

), and dramatic (Borodin in ''Fear'' by Alexander Afinogenov, Satin in ''

The Lower Depths ''The Lower Depths'' (, literally: ''At the bottom'') is a play by Russian dramatist Maxim Gorky written in 1902 and produced by the Moscow Arts Theatre on December 18, 1902, under the direction of Konstantin Stanislavski. It became his first ma ...

'' by

Maxim Gorky Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (; – 18 June 1936), popularly known as Maxim Gorky (; ), was a Russian and Soviet writer and proponent of socialism. He was nominated five times for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Before his success as an aut ...

, etc.) In 1937, in the midst of

Great purge The Great Purge, or the Great Terror (), also known as the Year of '37 () and the Yezhovshchina ( , ), was a political purge in the Soviet Union that took place from 1936 to 1938. After the Assassination of Sergei Kirov, assassination of ...

in the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

he was arrested, charged with "counter-revolutionary activity". Reportedly the accusation stemmed from Rajab owning a collection of records of

Turkish folk music Turkish folk music () is the traditional music of Turkish people living in Turkey influenced by the cultures of Anatolia and former territories in Europe and Asia. Its unique structure includes regional differences under one umbrella. It includ ...

. He was found guilty by the Military Board of the Supreme Court of the Soviet Union and executed by firing squad on 2 January 1938. On 7 December 1955, the sentence was revoked and Rajab was posthumously exonerated. His nephew Nodar Shashygoghlu was an acclaimed Azerbaijani actor.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rajab, Ulvi Azerbaijani male stage actors Soviet male stage actors 1903 births 1938 deaths Great Purge victims from Azerbaijan Soviet rehabilitations People from Batumi Azerbaijani people of Georgian descent Executed Azerbaijani people People of Adjarian descent