# Jafar Kavian

Ja'far Kavian or Jafar Mammadzadeh (1895, Tabriz – 1975, Baku) was a fedai, politician, major general, Minister of People's Army of the Azerbaijan National Government established in Tabriz, and a member of the National Assembly of the Azerbaijan National Government. He was a member of the Iranian Communist Party, the Central Committee of the Tudeh Party, and the organizing committee of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party.
He participated in the Constitutional, Khiyabani, Lahuti, and 21 Azar movements, leading fedai units in the Khiyabani, Lahuti, and 21 Azar movements.
For his bravery in the establishment of the Azerbaijan National Government, he was awarded the "21 Azar" medal and the "Sattar Khan" order.

## Life
### Early years

Jafar Mammadzadeh, son of Muhammad Ali, was born in 1895 in Tabriz. He received his primary education at a madrasa in one of Tabriz's mosques. In 1908, he participated in the Constitutional Revolution under the leadership of Sattar Khan alongside his father and brother. After the movement was defeated, he moved to Baku with his brother Israfil. During his time in Baku, he worked as a tailor. In 1914, after two years, he returned to Tabriz. Until 1918, he engaged in secret revolutionary activities as a member of the Social Democratic Party. Among the fedais and his comrades, he was known by the nickname "Mashedi." To escape persecution, he lived for a while in the territories of the Azerbaijan Republic, including Baku and Nakhchivan. In 1920, he participated in the Khiyabani movement, leading a fedai unit called "The People's Wrath."
In 1922, a movement led by Abulqasim Lahuti took place in Tabriz, in which Jafar Kavian participated as a fedai leader. Shortly afterward, the movement was suppressed by Cossack forces. To escape persecution, Kavian fled to Tbilisi with Abulqasim Lahuti. There, he joined the United Transcaucasian Federal Party and was sent to Baku by the party to further his political education. From 1922 to 1924, he studied at the Higher Party School named after Lenin, specializing as a political worker. After graduating, in 1925, he was appointed chairman of the Mountain-Mining Workers' Union in Nakhchivan by the Azerbaijani Communist Party. In 1926, as a representative of the Nakhchivan ASSR, he participated in the All-Union Congress of Mine Workers held in Baku. In 1927, on the instructions of the Comintern, he was sent to Iran, where he conducted clandestine revolutionary activities in Tabriz, Rasht, Mazandaran, and Tehran.
He participated in the establishment of the Iranian Communist Party and took part in the party's first and second congresses in 1928, where he was elected a member of the Central Committee and secretary of the party's Tabriz branch. At the end of 1930, he was arrested. The court accused him of publishing and distributing leaflets in Tehran for May 1, being a member of the Communist Party, and engaging in activities against Iran's independence. He served 6 years and 7 months in solitary confinement at the Qasr-e Qajar prison. After being released in 1937, he was exiled to the city of Zanjan.

### During the National Government of Azerbaijan

In 1941, after the Soviet army entered Iran, Jafar Kavian was freed from exile and returned to Tabriz. He joined the Tudeh Party and was elected as a member of its Central Committee. In mid-1944, he became one of 17 members elected to the reorganized Tudeh Party's Tabriz City Committee. Until 1944, he was active in various organizations in Tabriz and participated in the establishment of groups such as the "Anti-Fascist" and "People's Party."
On September 14, 1945, during a meeting in Tabriz, a 14-member Organizing Committee, including Jafar Kavian, was established to form the Azerbaijan Democratic Party. Additionally, he was one of the fedais leading the fedai forces in Tabriz and took part in clearing the city of Shah's troops.
The first session of the National Assembly of the Azerbaijan National Government was held on December 12. Among the elected representatives, 26, including Jafar Kavian, could not attend the first session as they were at the front. He was elected as a representative for Marand. On the same day, he was appointed Minister of People's Army by Seyid Jafar Pishevari, the head of the newly formed government. Within a short period, the People's Army was organized, comprising 300 officers of various ranks, including 14 colonels and 9 generals. The total strength of the army reached 18,000 personnel, and several military schools were established. By a decision of the Azerbaijan National Government, Jafar Kavian was awarded the rank of major general.
On December 20, 1945, the National Assembly of the Azerbaijan National Government passed a law on the establishment of the "Qizilbash" People's Army. The newly formed army was given the name "Qizilbash," the same name Shah Ismail Khatai had given to his army. A General Military Headquarters for the "Qizilbash" People's Army was established. Members of this headquarters included Jafar Kavian, Abdulqasim Azimi, Ghulam Yahya, Ja'far Pishevarii, Mirza Rabi Kabiri, Mahmud Panahiyan, Navayi, Mohsun Milaniyan, and Abdulreza Azar.
In 1946, Jafar Kavian was awarded the "21 Azar" medal and the "Sattar Khan" order for his participation in the national-democratic movement and his bravery in the establishment of the National Government.
On December 13, 1946, the Iranian army, supported by the United States and Britain, entered Tabriz, marking the fall of the Azerbaijan National Government.

### After the collapse of the Azerbaijani National Government

After the dissolution of the National Government, Jafar Kavian moved to Baku in 1947. Following orders from Mir Jafar Bagirov, he and other party leaders were initially placed in Mardakan. He participated in the activities of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party in Baku until 1953. Jafar Kavian passed away in January 1975 in Baku. Although he was to be buried in the Alley of Honor, his family's wishes led to his burial in the cemetery of Bakıxanov settlement.

## Family

Jafar Kavian's father, Mahammadali, was from the village of Sahlan near Tabriz. His mother, Zivar , was from the village of Gullu, located around Marand. Both his father and brother, Israfil, were participants in the Constitutional Revolution. After the movement was suppressed, his father was arrested and, after being tortured in prison, passed away. Sahlanlı Mahammadali is also depicted in the novel "Sattar Khan" by Panahi Makul.
Jafar Kavian married Sakina. From this marriage, he had five children: Kave (born in 1927), Puran (born in 1930), Malahat (born in 1931), Marks (born in 1937), Maisa (born in 1942), and Israfil Kavian (born in 1947).

## Memory

In 1947, the film "Arazın O Tayında," directed and written by Esfir Shub, was released. The film deals with the processes leading up to the establishment of the Azerbaijan National Government, which existed between 1945 and 1946. Jafar Kavian also appeared in the film.
In 1975, a necrology for Jafar Kavian was published in the newspaper "Azərbaycan," the press organ of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party. In 1969, Mohammad Biriya, the Minister of Culture and Education of the Azerbaijan National Government, dedicated a poem titled "Yadigar" to Jafar Kavian.
Jafar Kavian is also mentioned in the book "Son Döyüş" by Akram Salimzadeh and Rzabala Nureliyev about Islam Aliyev.
On May 16, 2014, Jafar Kavian's archive, including the Sattar Khan order, the 21 Azar medal, his sword, military uniform, and other personal belongings, was donated to the Azerbaijan Independence Museum by his son Marks Kavian. These exhibits are displayed in the museum's section dedicated to South Azerbaijan.
On April 3, 2015, the Azerbaijan Independence Museum held an event-exhibition titled "Illuminated Memory" in honor of Jafar Kavian's 120th anniversary.