Council of People's Commissars of Azerbaijan


The Council of People's Commissars of Azerbaijan was established as the governing body of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. Accounts differ as to whether it was formed on 28 April 1920 or at the First All-Azerbaijan Congress of Soviets, 6-19 May. The 11th Red Army had moved into north Azerbaijan following the defeat of General Anton Denikin's Volunteer Army. The Baku Bureau of Kavkraikom of the Russian Communist Party had held a joint meeting with the Communist Party of Azerbaijan on 27 April at which they formed the Azerbaijan Revolutionary Committee. This new body issued an ultimatum to the government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, who immediately surrendered: The Red Army had sent an armoured train directly to Baku which arrived on 28 April. The terms of the surrender passed lawful power to Azrevkom, to whom several key figures had been appointed in their absence. In particular Nariman Narimanov was absent having travelled to Moscow to see Lenin and Stalin and only arrived in Baku on 16 May. Thus although he was declared the chairperson of the AzSovnarkom, this was a role he could only truly assume when he arrived in the middle of the First All-Azerbaijan Congress of Soviets. The senior Bolsheviks responsible for stage managing the foundation of the AzSovnarkom were Sergei Kirov and Grigoriy Ordzhonikidze.

Original membership of AzSovnarkom

Established 28 April 1920:
On 28 November 28, Movsum Kadyrli was appointed People’s Commissar of Health of the AzSSR. He held this position until January 21, 1935.