Linguistic Policy and the Structure of the Azerbaijani National Government

Dr. Riza Heyet

The group photo of the founders, members, and supporters of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party led by Seyed Jafar Pishavari.

The one-year period of the "Azerbaijani National Government," established in Southern Azerbaijan in 1945, which lasted until 1946, was of vital significance, especially in terms of linguistic and socio-cultural aspects, for the Turks of Southern Azerbaijan. The Turks of Iran, who had been defeated in the political struggle in 1925, were subjected to a severe phase of Persianization along with a prohibition on their language. This phase, which lasted for more than 15 years, was briefly ended in 1945 with the establishment of the "Azerbaijani National Government" by the politicians and intellectuals of Azerbaijan, with Seyed Jafar Pishavari at the forefront. The establishment and continuation of the "Azerbaijani National Government" aimed at eradicating assimilation policies and instilling national identity awareness in the Turks of Southern Azerbaijan during a turbulent one-year period. The linguistic policy of the Turkish language in the "Azerbaijani National Government" gave national identity to the Turkish language. Turkish became the official language of Azerbaijan. Along with the development of the Turkish language in schools, courts, and all official bodies, opportunities for the education and preservation of the languages of other minorities were also provided. In just one year, the number of published books exceeded one hundred volumes. The population of poets and writers of Azerbaijan was established, and cultural relations between the two Azerbaijans were developed. However, with the dissolution of the Azerbaijani National Government in 1946 and the re-subordination of Azerbaijan to the Pahlavi regime, a new and longer period of Persianization began.

As much as the research and evaluation of the period from 1941 to 1945 within the framework of the Pahlavi era is incorrect, it is also inaccurate to separate this period from the period of the National Government. As is evident, the cultural and social foundation of the Azerbaijani National Government was laid during these years. Therefore, in this paper, the years 1941-1946 will be examined under the heading of the period of the Azerbaijani National Government.

The first Pahlavi period ended in 1941 with the occupation of Iran by Allied forces. During this period, the Pahlavi government had close cooperation with the Germans and, without any resistance, surrendered to the occupiers. Reza Shah, who had ruled the country with dictatorship for 20 years, was exiled abroad (Majidi, 2003: 216). Due to the weakness of the central government and the occupation by Soviet forces, intellectuals in Southern Azerbaijan found an opportunity to establish contact with their northern counterparts and to meet and collaborate with them. Without delay, they began publishing books and newspapers in the Turkish language to erase and eliminate the traces of Reza Khan's discriminatory and suppressive policies against Turkish identity and Azerbaijan and to avenge past injustices. Naturally, providing awareness of Turkish and Azerbaijani identity in a short period of time to those educated during the Reza Shah era, who had at least mentally forgotten their identity due to the official government propaganda, seemed very difficult. For the people of Southern Azerbaijan, who were initially subjected voluntarily and later by force to the policy of assimilation, the Turkish language served as nothing more than a means of communication. Economically, Azerbaijan was in a weak position. On the one hand, Southern Azerbaijan was struggling with economic, political, and cultural decline due to the loss of its previous power, and on the other hand, it had to endure the hardships caused by the occupation of Soviet forces and World War II (Moradi, 2003: 310-315). In such a situation, intellectuals who wanted to rescue Azerbaijan from the catastrophe caused by Persian chauvinism and work for its national identity had no choice but to seek help from the Soviet regime. From another perspective, it was inconceivable for intellectuals in Southern Azerbaijan to expect the Soviet army to liberate Azerbaijan and for them to start their activities afterward. These developments, whether intentionally or unintentionally, significantly influenced the intellectuals of Azerbaijan towards socialism. The situation was so chaotic that it was practically impossible to determine who was a nationalist or who was a communist. However, what was observed was that the intellectuals of Southern Azerbaijan worked towards the official recognition and preservation of the Turkish language, which was the first time in history.

After the fall of Reza Shah’s rule, the Tudeh Communist Party, like many other parties, began its activities. Seyed Jafar Pishavari, as we will later see in his role as Prime Minister of the Azerbaijani National Government, played a key role in the founding of the Tudeh Party. In 1943, Pishavari participated in the 14th parliamentary elections from Tabriz, where he was elected as the second candidate out of 12. However, when the parliament failed to grant him a vote of confidence, Pishavari left the Tudeh Party because it did not support him. Afterward, Pishavari, who was publishing the "Azar" newspaper in Tehran, went to Tabriz in 1945 and, with the support of the Soviet government, succeeded in establishing the Azerbaijan Democratic Party. On September 3, 1945, he officially announced the formation of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party through a declaration. The Tudeh Party's branch in Azerbaijan, without informing the central committee, merged with the Azerbaijan Democratic Party. The "Azerbaijan" newspaper, which had been published since 1941 as the news organ of the Azerbaijan Society, became the official organ of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party (Faust, 1994: 55).

Disputes between the Azerbaijan Democratic Party, the Azerbaijani Communists, and the central committee of the Tudeh Party were escalating. The issue of language was one of the most important issues raised. The Azerbaijani founders who had established the Azerbaijan Society in Tabriz in 1941, such as Akhghari, Helal Nasiri, Rahimi, Marzban, Chavoushi, Shabestari, Shams, and later the founders of the Workers' Organization of Azerbaijan, such as Padagan, Vali, Qadri, Alamdoost, Mizani, Nankarani, and Haji Zadeh, were staunch defenders of the idea of re-establishing provincial and local councils. The "Azerbaijan" newspaper, as the organ of the Azerbaijan Society, had, from its early issues, raised the issue of language (1941), stating: "... Azerbaijanis are not Persian speakers and never have been. The government must finally accept this. Our official and mother tongue is Azerbaijani. We will strive with all our might to promote our mother tongue in schools and government departments. Those who attempt to eradicate our language must change their thinking" (Moradi, 2003: 326).

At the first provincial conference of the Tudeh Party, Azerbaijani participants expressed their desire for the official recognition of Turkish in Azerbaijan as the second official language. At the second congress of the party, held in Tehran, one of the participants from Azerbaijan, named Ahmad Hosseini, refused to speak in Persian, causing the conference president to use a translator (Moradi, 2003: 327). However, the Tudeh Party held a different view on this matter. Essentially, the party's language policy was almost identical to the Pahlavi regime's language policy. One of the prominent figures of the party, Taghi Arani, who was of Turkish descent, supported the establishment of a centralized and powerful government and was therefore a staunch advocate for eliminating minority languages. Taghi Arani considered the life and death of Iran to be dependent on Azerbaijan, and at the same time, in his view: Azerbaijanis, due to repeated Mongol invasions and forgetting the Persian language, desired to relearn it (Faust, 1994: 71).

However, Jafar Pishavari, the founder of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party, wrote in the Azerbaijan newspaper: "... Those who insult our language and claim it is imposed are our sworn enemies. The enemies of Azerbaijan in the past have made great efforts to destroy and silence our beautiful language, but our language has continued to live, and they failed. Intellectuals in Tehran must understand that 'Azeri' is not a simple dialect; it is a pure language with deep roots among the people..." (Moradi, 2003: 332).

In the first statement of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party, important goals and demands were outlined, including the autonomy of Azerbaijan within Iran's borders, the establishment of provincial and local councils, teaching Turkish in primary schools, teaching Persian after the third grade alongside Turkish, the founding of a national university, the development of industries and factories, combating unemployment, expanding trade, establishing trade routes for export, the development of Azerbaijani cities, fulfilling the needs of farmers, abolishing certain illegal taxes, teaching literacy to the people, increasing the number of Azerbaijani representatives in the Iranian parliament from 20 to one-third of the total, and allocating half of the tax revenues to Azerbaijan (Moradi, 2003: 332).

The Azerbaijan Democratic Party’s statement caused a strong reaction in Tehran. Some members of the 14th parliament considered the formation of the party unconstitutional and called for the arrest of its founders. The central government immediately decided to send a governor to Azerbaijan. A person named Farrokh was initially chosen, but due to opposition from the Azerbaijan Democratic Party, Ahmad Bayat was dispatched instead. Bayat's arrival in Azerbaijan led to no significant changes. The first negotiation between the representatives of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party and the central government representatives ended without any results, and Bayat was forced to return to Tehran. The Azerbaijan Democratic Party, having failed to achieve anything through negotiations in Tehran, decided at the Azerbaijani national congress to establish the National Assembly of Azerbaijan. The founding congress sent the final resolution to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the National Assembly, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the resolution, while emphasizing the autonomy of Azerbaijan, it was also stated that Azerbaijan would not separate from Iran or join any other country. According to the resolution, the people of Azerbaijan, by developing the Provincial Association Law outlined in the Constitutional Revolution, had taken steps to establish a national government. Until the elections for the National Assembly and the formation of the national government, a body named the "National Council," consisting of 39 members, was formed to carry out the decisions made. The responsibility for implementing the compulsory teaching of Turkish in all schools, as stated in the resolution, was entrusted to the National Council, and those who obstructed the implementation of the council’s duties were considered enemies of the people of Azerbaijan (Moradi, 2003: 345-347).

At the first session of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan, a secret ballot was held, and M. Ali Shabestari was elected as the Speaker of the Assembly. At the same time, the National Assembly introduced Jafar Pishavari as the Prime Minister and requested that he appoint the remaining ministers on the same day. According to the new cabinet, Dr. Salamollah Javid was appointed as the Minister of the Interior, Jafar Kavyani as the Minister of the National Army, Dr. Mehtash as the Minister of Agriculture, Mohammad Biya as the Minister of Education, Dr. Hossein Orangi as the Minister of Health, Gholamreza Elhami as the Minister of Finance, Yousef Azima as the Minister of Justice, Kabiri as the Minister of Roads, Post, Telegraph, and Telephone, and Reza Rasouli as the Minister of Commerce and Economics. The responsibilities of the Ministry of Labor were temporarily handled by Jafar Pishavari (Moradi, 2003: 369). The absence of a Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated the lack of interest in separating Azerbaijan from Iran. The National Government of Azerbaijan continued negotiations with the central government while also implementing fundamental and deep-rooted changes in Azerbaijan. The National Government of Azerbaijan lasted a total of eleven months, during which time the teaching of Turkish as the official language began in schools. In addition to the six-volume "Anadili" books for primary school classes, other books such as "Textbook for Adults" (64 pages), "Geography, Fifth Grade" (114 pages), "A Brief History of the World, Fifth Grade" (64 pages), "Language of the Homeland; Literary Reading Book, Sixth Grade" (300 pages), "Language of the Homeland: Literary Reading Books for Classes 1 to 6" (82, 87, 112, 183, 244, and 300 pages, respectively) were published. Tabriz University was established, and Tabriz Radio was launched, beginning to broadcast programs in Turkish. The "Azerbaijan" newspaper, as the official organ of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party, continued to publish political, literary, and social content. Alongside reporting on the progress in Azerbaijan, the newspaper raised awareness about the unique language of the Azerbaijani people, their literature, and their glorious history, while working to awaken national consciousness. Poets and writers from both Southern and Northern Azerbaijan, after a long separation, formed a writer's association called the "Congress of Poets." Famous poets like Sahir, Sahand, Balash Azaroghlu, Madineh Golgun, H. Balouri, Yahya Sheida, and many other renowned poets recited their first poems there. The poems recited at these gatherings were published in 1945 as an anthology, including works from 80 poets, under the title "Congress of Poets." Poets such as Ali Farat, M. Biya, H. Safaf, and Mahzun, who had previously written satirical poems, began composing national and social poetry. For Habib Sahir, who had spent many years in restriction and pressure and thus wrote Persian poetry, the opportunity to write Turkish poetry was a new chance. Despite its short lifespan, the National Government of Azerbaijan made remarkable contributions in Southern Azerbaijan, fulfilling many great aspirations. They established over 2,000 elementary and secondary schools in villages and nearly 500 schools in urban areas. Significant changes were made in Azerbaijani agriculture. The publication of dozens of newspapers and books in Turkish began. Azerbaijani theater was established. Statues of Sattar Khan and Bagher Khan were commissioned by the National Government and installed in prominent locations in the city. Under the direct supervision of J. Pishavari, streets were paved with asphalt. The reforms carried out in Azerbaijan over the eleven months, backed by the will of the people and the National Government of Azerbaijan, are services that a government might take ten years to accomplish (Heyet, 2001: 264; Bayramzadeh, 1989: 47; Gokdag, 2004: 53). Most importantly, after years of prohibition, the Turkish language was elevated to the status of the official language of the government.

When the budget for the government of Azerbaijan was approved and 6,020,120 Toman was allocated for culture and education, at the suggestion of Prime Minister Pishavari, an additional 4 million Toman was added to this amount. This demonstrates the importance of Turkish culture for the National Government of Azerbaijan. The government used this budget to also establish a university. Nasrollah Jahanshah Afshar, the head of Tabriz University, wrote in his memoirs: "We accepted a group of students through an entrance exam in September. For students who could not be allocated dormitories, financial assistance was provided for renting houses. Books that were purchased or donated were allocated to the newly established university library for student use." Additionally, between the academic years of 1945-1947, a total of 200 students enrolled in the university (Rahimi, 2003: 96). Ultimately, the National Government of Azerbaijan fell in 1946 following Moscow’s support and the attack of Tehran’s army on Azerbaijan. Most of the leaders of the government, without showing serious resistance, were forced to leave Tabriz and sought refuge in Northern Azerbaijan. Tehran's army ruthlessly killed supporters of the National Government of Azerbaijan. Books and newspapers printed in Turkish during that period were collected from homes and burned in public squares; once again, the spirituality of Azerbaijan was humiliated, and the Turkish language was banned (Moradi, 2003: 457-461).

The famous Azerbaijani poet Samad Vurgun, at the 1952 International Peace Conference in Paris, beautifully tried to draw global attention to this event by reading his protest poem "Yandırılan Kitablar" (The Burned Books):

Executioner! My songs, my verses, they are in my language,

Tell me, has your stone heart ever heard them?

In every gerayli, there is the heart of a thousand mothers...

Every cripple is the child of a sacred wish,

Tell me, has your stone heart ever heard them?

                                    ***

Nature's motherly heart did not give birth to a human as a slave,

Every heart's own world desires happiness,

Every tale of freedom is written with blood...

Nature's motherly heart did not give birth to a human as a slave. (Heiyat 2001: 266-268)

Yandırılan Kitablar

Language Policy of the Azerbaijani National Government

From the very first days of its establishment, the Azerbaijani National Government made numerous statements regarding the necessity of making the Azerbaijani language official. Without a doubt, this issue marks a fundamental difference between this party and other parties in Iran, even the Tudeh Party, which had been founded with Soviet support, and it is also a key characteristic of this party. According to Seyid Jafar Pishavari, the founder of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan and the first Prime Minister of the Azerbaijani National Government, the Turkish language (which he referred to as the Azerbaijani language) was a matter of life and death for the people of Azerbaijan. For this reason, one of the first decisions of the Azerbaijani National Government was to declare Turkish as the official language of the state of Azerbaijan. This issue was of such importance to the newly established government that on December 26, 1946, just 25 days after the establishment of the National Government, a law consisting of 10 articles was enacted. The articles are as follows:

Decisions of the Azerbaijani National Government regarding the language:

The law enacted on April 26, 1946, just 25 days after the establishment of the Azerbaijani National Government, includes 10 articles addressing the issue of language. These decisions were made to facilitate closer communication between the people and government offices, to better address the needs of the people, and to provide opportunities for the development of the language and national culture. The following decisions were made on December 16, 1329 (April 26, 1946):

1. From today, Azerbaijani is declared the official language of the state of Azerbaijan.
2. Government decisions, official declarations, orders issued to the people's army, and legislative bills must all be written in Azerbaijani without exception.
3. The use of the Azerbaijani language is mandatory in all institutions (government, private, commercial, and social). Offices and documents that are not written in this language will not have official status.
4. All judicial proceedings in courts will be conducted in Azerbaijani, and interpreters will be provided for those who do not speak the language.
5. Correspondence between all government offices, institutions, and ministries of Azerbaijan must be in Azerbaijani.
6. Speeches and discussions at meetings and conferences must be conducted in Azerbaijani.
7. Foreigners who speak a language other than Azerbaijani and work in government offices must learn to read, write, and speak in Azerbaijani.
8. The Ministry of Education will organize Turkish language classes for government officials who know how to read and write in other languages. Their working hours will be reduced by one hour.
9. Ethnic minorities residing in Azerbaijan have the right to use their own language in their work. However, alongside their native language, Azerbaijani must also be used in official correspondence and announcements as the official state language.
10. Ethnic minorities living in Azerbaijan can study in their own language in schools. However, teaching Azerbaijani language is compulsory in these schools.
11. The Azerbaijani National Government has approved decisions and regulations regarding the teaching of Azerbaijani in schools. Teachers are also expected to consider teaching in the local language as a national duty.

Prime Minister of the Azerbaijani National Government – Pishavari (Azerbaijan, Issue 96)

In preparing these articles, the decisions of the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan played a key role.

Decisions Approved at the National Azerbaijan Conference on April 12, 1945, Announced by the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan

1. Necessary preparations must be made to teach the Azerbaijani language in all national and state schools.
2. In order to implement Article 19 and prepare national textbooks, a "Textbook Section" should be established in the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan.
3. The editorial board for the textbooks should consist of qualified and experienced teachers.
4. After studying and reviewing the textbooks, the editorial board should report the results of their review to the Ministry of Education.
5. The "Textbook Section" should prepare textbooks in subjects such as literature, history, mathematics, physics, geography, and other fields.
6. A qualified and experienced individual should be selected to manage the "Textbook Section."
7. Within 5 days, the "Textbook Section" should determine the necessary program and budget and submit them for approval to the Ministry of Education.
8. The officials of the "Textbook Section" should prepare and publish all scientific and technical textbooks for grades 1 through 4 within one month.
9. All principals of national and state schools are instructed that as soon as the textbooks are published, they must begin teaching the mother tongue using the textbooks, according to each grade level.
10. All principals, teachers, education officials, and cultural enthusiasts should begin working on the implementation of the above points, which form the foundation of our national language and culture.

Minister of Culture and Education of Azerbaijan – M. Biriya (Azerbaijan Newspaper, Issue 84)

ُOne of the important activities of the Azerbaijani National Government was the establishment of the Azerbaijani National University in Tabriz. Upon its foundation, the university began with faculties of medicine, agriculture, and pedagogy. The Faculty of Pedagogy consisted of departments in history, language and literature, philosophy, law, physics, mathematics, and natural sciences (experimental fields). The government entrusted the Ministry of Education with the responsibility of selecting professors and preparing Turkish-language textbooks. (Azeri Journal, Issue 1, Fall 2003: 46)

Turkish Press during the Azerbaijani National Government

After the fall of Reza Shah and the emergence of freedom, many newspapers were published in Southern Azerbaijan. Of the 36 newspapers that were published in Azerbaijan between 1941 and 1946, 15 were in Turkish or Turkish-Persian. A total of 26 newspapers, including Persian-language newspapers, covered topics such as the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan, the National Government, Azerbaijan's autonomy, and the introduction of national figures. (Majidi 2003: 217)

Azerbaijan Qəzətəsi (Azerbaijan Newspaper)

The most important newspaper of this period was the Azerbaijan newspaper, which was published as the organ of the Azerbaijan Society until 1945 and as the official organ of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan from 1945 to 1946 in Tabriz. (See Appendix 11)

In its initial period, which was published under the name Azerbaijan Democrat, the newspaper covered topics such as the importance of governing Azerbaijan by the will of the people, the central government, criticism of the policies of the United States and the United Kingdom in the country, and support for a democratic government in Iran and Southern Azerbaijan. The management of the newspaper during its first period was overseen by A. Shabestari, and its editorial leadership was held by Shams. During this period, the newspaper was published twice a week. (Rostamov 1993: 7; Majidi 2003: 31)

M. Majidi states that during the first period of publication, the newspaper was only published in Persian, while V. Mustafa emphasizes the publication of the newspaper in both Turkish and Persian. The positive attitude of the Azerbaijan newspaper towards the Turkish language in the first period increased the possibility of publishing the newspaper in two languages. As mentioned in the December 24, 1320 (1941) issue, an article on the language issue stated: "Every nation must preserve its national language, customs, and traditions, and manage its own affairs and progress. The interference of other nations in its language and other matters is illegal and against freedom. We declare that Azerbaijan, with its own language, people, and traditions, has the right to preserve its mother tongue, teach it in schools, and publish books in this language." (Mustafa 2000: 113).

At the same time, the newspaper advocated for the independent thinking of the Azerbaijani people and criticized the term "Iranian nation" as incorrect.

According to the newspaper, "A nation is defined as a people with its own language, culture, and identity." These characteristics exist in Azerbaijan but not in Iran, because Iran is a multi-ethnic country. Therefore, no language can be considered the sole language of an independent Iran. (Mustafa 2000: 110-111).

After the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan took control, the Azerbaijan newspaper became the official organ of the party. In its second period of publication, the newspaper resumed under the management of Ali Shabestari. The editorial team for issues 98-151 was led by Ahmad Mousavi, for issues 152-246 by Fethi Khoshkanabi, and for issues 247-288 by Ismail Shams.

The language of the newspaper during this period was primarily Turkish. A large portion of the editorials were signed with "P" by J. Pishavari and "J" by Salamullah Javid. (Azerbaijan Newspaper, Issue 110: 1-2) An article in the first issue of the second period of the newspaper, titled "Our Party Works", includes the editorial's signature. In the editorial, in addition to mentioning the start of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan’s activities, despite the party’s belief in the independence of Iran, there is an emphasis on the necessity of the Azerbaijani people's right to self-determination. The same issue also includes an article titled "The Language of Our Newspaper". After referring to the infinite richness of the Turkish language and its deep roots in the heart and blood of the people, the importance of the newspaper is emphasized. According to the author of the article: “The Azerbaijani language is so powerful, and its grammar and syntax are so firm and natural that even if words from Persian and Arabic are removed, one can still write and explain great ideas and lofty goals in this language.” (Azerbaijan Newspaper, Issue 1)

Almost every issue of the newspaper published summaries of J. Pishavari’s speeches. In Issue 6, J. Pishavari, in his article titled "The Historical Work of Our Party", discussed the membership and registration of tens of thousands of people in the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan in a short period of time and the formation of a powerful movement. He emphasized that their sacrifices are needed to achieve national freedom. In the same issue, an article by Javad Sharifzadeh, a theater actor from Tabriz, repeatedly mentioned the performances of operas by the famous composer Uzeir Hajibeyov, including "Məşhədi İbad", "Arshin Mal Alan", "Leyli and Majnun", and "Shah Abbas and Khorshid Banu", which were staged in the cities of Tabriz, Khoy, and Urmia. The article also highlighted the warm reception of the public at each of these performances. (Azerbaijan Newspaper, Issue 7)

Theatre during the Azerbaijani National Government

In the work of Akram Rahimli, there is information regarding theatre during the Azerbaijani National Government. According to Rahimli, theatre groups such as "Azerbaijan," "Ferdowsi," "Iran," "Tabriz," and "Haqiqat," which had been operating in a preliminary manner before the establishment of the Azerbaijani National Government, laid the foundation for Azerbaijani national theatre during this period with the support of theatre artists from the Azerbaijan Republic. The main themes of Azerbaijani national theatre were love for the homeland and nation, the struggle against ignorance and superstitions, morality, enlightenment, and the social problems of women. Among the plays that were performed most frequently during this period were "O Olmasin Bu O Olsun" (also known as "Məşhədi İbad"), "Arshin Mal Alan" by Uzeyir Hajibeyov, "Aydın", "Od Gəlin", "Almas" by Jafar Jabbarli, and many drama works by J. Mohammad Qalizada. On March 28, 1946, by the decision of the Azerbaijani National Government, the State Drama Theatre of Azerbaijan was established in Tabriz. (Rahimli 2003: 99-100)

Articles Published in the Azerbaijan Newspaper

In the Azerbaijan newspaper, various articles were published, such as: "Our Party Moves Forward" ("فرقه‌میز ایرلی گئدیر"), "One of the Great Disasters" ("بؤیوک بلالاردان بیری"), "State Assembly" ("ایالت انجمنی"), "Everyone Must Know" ("هامی بیلمه‌لیدیر") (Persian) (Issue 4); "Telegram Sent to the London Assembly" ("لندن انجمنینه گؤندریلن تلگراف"), "On the Path of Creating National Press" ("میللی مطبوعات یاراتماق یولوندا") (Issue 10); "Reactionism Has Risen" ("ارتجاع باش قالدیردی"), "Azerbaijan's Great Creator and Educator, Rushdie" ("آذربایجانین بؤیوک خالق و معارف خادمی رشدیه"), "Signs of Fascism in Iran" (Persian) (Issue 11), "On the Occasion of Our First Congress" ("فرقه‌میزین بیرینجی کنگره‌سی مناسبتیله"), "Members of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan Must Know" ("آذربایجان دموکرات فرقه‌سی عضولری بیلمه‌لیدیر") (Issue 12); "Solution to the Problem of Landlords and Peasants" ("ارباب و رعیت مسئله‌سینین حلی"), "Towards a New Life" ("یئنی حیاتا دوغرو") (Issue 13); "Leave Us to Our Own State" ("بیزی اؤز حالیمیزا قویسونلار"), "The Public Meeting of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan" ("آذربایجان دموکرات فرقه‌سینین عمومی ییغینجاغی") (Issue 14); "Azerbaijan Will Not Be Deceived Again" ("آذربایجان بیر داها آلدانمایاجاقدیر") (Persian) (Issue 15); "Azerbaijan Will Not Forget Its Historical Duty" ("آذربایجان اؤز وظیفه‌سینی اونوتماز"), "Berlin Film" ("برلین فیلمی") (Issue 16); "Our First Congress" ("برینجی کنگره‌میز"), "Solution to the Balkan Problem" ("بالکان مسئله‌سینین حلی") (Persian) (Issue 17); "The Autonomy Issue and the State Assembly" ("مختاریت مسئله‌سی و انجمن ایالتی"), "The Decision of the Azerbaijani Youth Living in Qazvin" ("قزوین‌ده یاشایان آذربایجان جوانلارینین قراری") (Issue 18); "Why is Farukh Sent?" ("فرخ‌و نه اوچون گؤندریرلر"), "Know Azerbaijanis" ("آذربایجانلیلاری تانیین") (Persian) (Issue 19), and poems such as: "Love of Homeland" ("وطن سئوگیسی") (Issue 6), "Right and Freedom" ("حاق و آزادلیق") (Issue 7), "It Will Not Live" ("یاشماز") (Issue 10), "Smile Azerbaijan" ("گول آذربایجان") (Issue 11), "Long Live Azerbaijan" ("همیشه‌لیک یاشا آذربایجان") (Issue 12), "Wake Up, O People of Azerbaijan" ("اویان ای آذریستان اهلی") (Issue 13), "Why" ("نیه") (Issue 14), "The Thieves Have Gained Courage and Go Somewhere Every Night" ("اوغرولار ال-قول آچیب هر گئجه بیر یانا گئدیر") (Issue 16), "To Honourable Azerbaijan" ("شرفلی آذربایجانا") (Issue 17), "Come, Friends, Come" ("گلین دوستلار، گلین") (Issue 18), "Homeland" ("وطن") (Issue 19).

Newspaper "Mellat Azad"

The newspaper Mellat Azad was published 73 days after the establishment of the Azerbaijani National Government, from February 24, 1946 (5th of Esfand 1324) until December 1946 (Azar 1325), under the management of Ismail in Tabriz as the official organ of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan. This newspaper, published three times a week in Turkish, contained 4 pages measuring 43x28 cm. It extensively covered important topics such as the decisions of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan, political and social freedoms, the introduction of famous Azerbaijani figures, critical issues concerning Azerbaijan, domestic and international news, and government announcements. The newspaper was black and white with illustrations, and it was published in a total of 116 issues. After the fall of the Azerbaijani National Government, it was forced to cease publication. (Majidi 2003: 140; Rostamova 1993: 188; Uzun 2002: 73; Abutarbiyan 1987; Jalili 1996: 152-153)

Newspaper "Qalabe"

The first issue of Qalabe was published in Tabriz on March 1946 under the management of Mohammad Biya, the Minister of Education of the Azerbaijani National Government. The newspaper was the official organ of the Workers' and Peasants' Society of Azerbaijan. The language of the newspaper was Turkish. The content consisted of news related to socialist parties, workers, and the laboring masses of Azerbaijan, and it was published in 2-4 pages with dimensions of 32x42 cm. After the fall of the Azerbaijani National Government, the newspaper was forced to cease publication. (Majidi 2003: 140; Rostamova 1993: 188; Uzun 2002: 73; Abutarbiyan 1987; Jalili 1996: 152-153)

Newspaper "Yeni Şark" (New East)

The first issue of Yeni Şark was published in Esfand 1322 (1943) as the official organ of the Azerbaijan branch of the Tudeh Party, under the management of Mahmood Torabi in Tabriz. Although the possibility of the newspaper’s publication was mentioned in 1941 by the 21 Azar newspaper, published in Baku, other sources mention 1943 as the date of its publication. The newspaper was published under the name Khawar-e-Nou in Persian until December 1945, and then as Yeni Şark in Turkish from December 1324 (December 1945) to December 1946. While Enver Uzun mentions the dimensions of the newspaper as 34x47.5 cm, Musa Majidi states that the dimensions in the early issues were 32x46 cm, which later changed to 28x42 cm. The content of the newspaper consisted of decisions of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan, news, and announcements concerning Azerbaijan. Yeni Şark ceased publication after the fall of the Azerbaijani National Government. (Majidi 2003: 103-104; Uzun 2002: 75; Rostamova 1993: 132-133; Abutarbiyan 1987; Jalili 1996: 207-208)

Newspaper "Azerbaijan Ulduzu" (Star of Azerbaijan)

The first issue of Azerbaijan Ulduzu (Star of Azerbaijan) was published on December 16, 1944, in both Persian and Turkish in Tabriz. The newspaper, managed and edited by M. Ali Helal Nasiri, served as the organ of the Workers' and Peasants' Society of the Tudeh Party of Iran. It was published in 6-8 pages, with dimensions of 24x34 cm. The newspaper had a circulation of 180 subscriptions per year and sold at 5 rials per issue. The content of the newspaper included both humorous and serious, critical articles. One of the notable writers for this newspaper, who continued his journalistic career under the name Azerbaijan Ulduzu during the period of the Azerbaijani National Government, was the famous journalist Ismail Shams. In the fourth issue of the second publication period, topics such as negotiations by the Security Organization regarding Iran, social activities of women, the life of the poet Qatran Tabrizi, and Azerbaijan's relations with neighboring countries were discussed. (Majidi 2003: 35-36; Uzun 2002: 55; Rostamova 1993: 19-67; Jalili 1996: 31)

Newspaper "Medeniyet"

The first issue of Medeniyet, published in Turkish in Tabriz by the Soviet Cultural House, is believed by Abutarbiyan to have been published in Farvardin (March-April) 1946, and by Majidi in Shahrivar (August-September) 1946. The newspaper consisted of 4 pages and was sized 28x36 cm, covering political, literary, and satirical topics. The first issue of Medeniyet featured a colored page with a photograph, and included a poem by the famous Azerbaijani satirical poet, Mojeza Shabestari. The newspaper ceased publication after the collapse of the Azerbaijani National Government. (Majidi 2003: 164; Abutarbiyan 1987; Jalili 1996: 178; Rostamova 1993: 113)

Newspaper "Urmia"

Urmia was the organ of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan's Urmia branch, published in Turkish in the city of Urmia. According to Abutarbiyan, the newspaper was first published on January 24, 1946. There is limited information about the newspaper, but according to Enver Uzun, it was published 25 times in total, twice a week. Jalili, however, believes it was published weekly. (Majidi 2003: 74; Rostamova 1993: 150; Abutarbiyan 1987; Uzun 2002: 109; Jalili 1996: 57)

Newspaper "Azar"

Azar was the organ of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan's Zanjan branch, published by Manoochehr Saeed Vaziri on January 30, 1946, in Turkish. The content of Azar was primarily political, reflecting the decisions and activities of the Azerbaijani National Government in Zanjan. Like other Turkish newspapers of this period, Azar ceased publication after the collapse of the Azerbaijani National Government. (Majidi 2003: 26; Rostamova 1993: 11; Jalili 1996: 27; Uzun 2002: 48)

Newspaper "Vatan Yolunda" (For the Homeland)

The newspaper Vatan Yolunda was published in Tabriz in Turkish between 1942 and 1946, during the occupation of Azerbaijan by the Soviet Union in World War II, with the support of the Soviet Red Army. It was managed by (editorial team) Ejderoglu, H. Shahgeldi, Jafar Khadan, and Reza Quliyev. The newspaper, which consisted of 4 pages with dimensions of 29x42 cm, covered topics such as World War II news, victories of the Red Army, introductions of artists and scientists from Northern Azerbaijan, heroes of the Socialist World War, news from the National Assembly of Southern Azerbaijan, and slogans against fascism. (Majidi 2003: 186; Jalili 1996: 204-205; Rostamova 1993: 128)

Death to the German Occupiers

According to information provided by Rostamova, Death to the German Occupiers was published and distributed as a pamphlet in Tabriz between 1943-1944. As indicated by its name, the newspaper contained content against the German occupation and fascism, and it was published three times a month.

Magazine "Shafaq"

Shafaq was the organ of the Iranian Society, Tabriz branch, which worked to establish cultural ties with the Soviet Union. The magazine was first published in Tabriz in August (July) 1945. Shafaq mainly featured literary and artistic content, and occasionally published articles in Persian. This magazine, averaging 60 pages and sized 17x24 cm, was published monthly. (Jalili 1996: 138; Rostamova 1993: 76; Abutarbiyan 1987). According to M.S. Tabatabai, the magazine was published in a total of 12 issues. (Tabatabai 1999: 460)

Newspaper "Adabiyat Sahifesi" (The Journal of Literature)

There is no precise or confirmed information regarding the exact date of the first publication of Adabiyat Sahifesi (The Journal of Literature), which was managed by Mohammad Beyria. While Enver Uzun, without providing a source, states that the newspaper was published in 1941, Musa Majidi, after reviewing the fifteenth issue and emphasizing that no date was included in that issue, claims that it was published between 1945-1946. Jalili also mentions its publication in 1945. Rostamova, who claims to have access to the first issue, states that the date indicated in the newspaper is 1943. The Adabiyat Sahifesi newspaper, which was published in two pages with dimensions of 22x36 cm, covered topics such as Azerbaijani literature, patriotic poems, and some political-related subjects. (Majidi 2003: 59; Rostamova 1993: 80-81; Jalili 1996: 53; Uzun 2002: 62)

Magazine "Günəş" (Sun)

There is very little information available about the Günəş magazine in the book Azərbaycan Dövrü Mətbuatı (Press of the Azerbaijani Period). This magazine was published in September 1946 by the Society of Poets and Writers of Azerbaijan in Tabriz. It contained topics related to art, social issues, and history. (Rostamova 1993: 214)

Newspaper "Nedayi Gorgan"

“Nedayi Gorgan” was the organ of the Gorgan Committee of the Tudeh Party, published in Gorgan in both Persian and Turkmen by Ahmad Qasemi. Nedayi Gorgan was one of the few newspapers published by Turkmens during that period. No further information is available about the newspaper.

Newspaper "Judet"

The first issue of the Judet newspaper was published in July 1927 in Ardabil under the management of Hassan Judet. The newspaper ceased publication in 1938, and five years later, it was revived under the management of Gholamhossein Habibollahi and the editorial leadership of Hassan Judet. During its second period of publication, Judet served as the organ of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan, Ardabil branch, and was published in both Turkish and Persian. The owner of the newspaper, Hassan Judet, was one of the prominent intellectuals of his time, and he was the first to establish a library, theater hall, and printing house in Ardabil. The newspaper ceased publication in 1946. (Majidi 2003: 95; Tabatabai 1999: 252; Jalili 1996: 93; Rostamova 1993: 46; Uzun 2002: 59-60)

Newspaper "Javanlar" (Youth)

Javanlar was published in Turkish as the organ of the Youth Branch of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan in Tabriz. The first issue of the weekly Javanlar was published on May 15, 1946, and the last issue was published in December 1946. Uzun (incorrectly) states that the newspaper was first published in 1942. The weekly newspaper ceased publication after the collapse of the Azerbaijani National Government. (Jalili 1996: 92-93; Majidi 2003: 94-95; Abutorabian 1987; Uzun 2002: 59)

Book Publishing during the National Government of Azerbaijan

During the period of the National Government of Azerbaijan, just as with the publication of Turkish newspapers and magazines, there was also a revolutionary movement in the role of Turkish language publishing. Most of the books published during this period were in Turkish or Persian, and they focused on topics related to the Azerbaijan issue. Turkish prose, alongside poetry, rapidly began to improve during this period, unlike in previous eras. The most important publication was the six-volume book series titled Vatan Dili (Language of the Homeland), intended for schools. The first lesson started with the letters "A" and "T", with words like "At" and "Ata" (horse and father) used as examples. Students were taught to form sentences and write them from the very first lesson. This section continued on page 47 of the book. The book, which was prepared under the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan, paid special attention to the selection of sentences, which included proverbs and phrases related to Azerbaijan. For example:

• "Şəhərimizə hələ çox məktəb lazımdır" (Our city still needs many schools) (p. 33)
• "El gücü, sel gücü" (The power of the tribe is like the power of a flood) (p. 39)
• "Çalışqan adam zərər çəkməz" (A hardworking person does not suffer loss) (p. 42)
• "Zakir Azərbaycanın böyük şairidir" (Zakir is the great poet of Azerbaijan) (p. 43)
• "Mən Azərbaycanda yaşayiram" (I live in Azerbaijan) (p. 43)
• "Sabr ilə halva pişər, ey qura senden – bəsələsən atlas olar tut yarpağından" (With patience, halva is made—if you take care, silk is made from mulberry leaves) (p. 45)
• "Dalıdan atılan daş topuğa deyir" (A stone thrown from behind strikes the heel) (p. 46)
• "Zulmlə abad olan, ədalətlə bərbad olar" (What is built with oppression will be destroyed with justice) (p. 46)

The second part of the book consists of textual examples. The material, presented in both prose and poetry, includes short stories or riddles. The careful selection of proverbs used in the book can be observed:

Examples:

• "Ne tökərsən aşına o gələr qaşığına" (What you pour into your stew will end up in your spoon)
• "Qonşuya ümid olan şamsız yatar" (Someone who hopes in their neighbor sleeps without dinner)
• "Özü yıxılan ağlamaz" (He who falls by himself does not cry)
• "Atılan ox geri qayıtmaz" (An arrow shot does not return)
• "Dostun min əkse az, düşmənin bir əkse çoxdur" (A thousand friends is few, one enemy is too many) (p. 59)
• "Tək əldən səs çıxmaz" (One hand cannot make a sound)
• "Qurd tükünü deyir, xüsusiyyətini dəyişməz" (A wolf changes its fur, not its nature)
• "Vicdanı olmayanın imanı da olmaz" (He who has no conscience also has no faith) (p. 65)

The second book begins with the lesson "Birinji Ders Günü" (First Day of the Lesson). From the ninth lesson onwards, questions related to the lessons are included at the end. Drawing and handicrafts are also taught to the children. Proverbs are particularly important in the second book as well:

• Bir mix bir nalı, bir nal bir atı, bir at bir mərdi, bir mərd bir eli qurtarar (One nail saves one horseshoe, one horseshoe saves one horse, one horse saves one man, one man saves a tribe)
• Qara günün ağ günüdə var (A dark day also brings a bright one)
• Qorxaq gündə yüz yol ölür, igid ömründə bir yol (A coward dies a hundred times a day, but a brave man dies only once in his life) (p. 45)

At the end, there is a poem called "Quşlar" (Birds), which includes the meanings of four words:

• Nıçun: Why?
• Yoxsa: Rather
• Yavıq: Close
• Sovuq: Cold (p. 38)

The book concludes with the text "21 Azər Bayramı" (21st Azar Holiday). After explaining the anniversary of the establishment of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan, the text reads as follows:

• Azərbaycan bizim əziz vətənimizdir (Azerbaijan is our dear homeland)
• Biz vətənimizi sevərik (We love our homeland)
• Azərbaycan Milli Məclisi bizim ümid evimizdir (The National Assembly of Azerbaijan is our house of hope)
• Milli Məclisimiz daimi olacaq (Our National Assembly will remain permanent)
• Azərbaycan xalqı onun bayrağının kölgəsində hər zaman xoşbəxt yaşayacaq (The people of Azerbaijan will always live happily under the shadow of its flag)

In the textbook prepared for the third grade, along with regular texts, the names of animals and information about the distinctive features of each are provided. Two great heroes of the Constitutional Revolution, namely Sattar Khan and Baqer Khan, are introduced. Poems about the homeland are published, and with the sentence “Az çoxa tabedir” (The minority is subject to the majority), children are taught the lesson of democracy. The third-grade textbook consists of a total of 112 pages. The fourth volume of the book has not been found.

The textbook defined for the fifth grade, which is 244 pages long, begins with the introduction of the famous Azerbaijani poet Ali Akbar Sabir. The book continues with the introduction of great Azerbaijani poets and writers, and poems and prose writings about love for the homeland and the mother tongue are given as examples. After page 164, a new section titled "Qonşu xalqların müasir ədəbiyyatı" (Contemporary Literature of Neighboring Peoples) begins. In this section, authors and poets such as the Russian writer Maxim Gorky, the Persian poet and writer M.T. Malik al-Shu'ara, the Kurdish poet Hejar Sharafkandi, and the Armenian poet Ohannes Qoqasyan are introduced, with examples from their works. The book ends with proverbs, riddles, and a glossary.

"Ana Dili" (Mother Tongue)

As previously mentioned, alongside the textbooks, several other books were published by the Ministry of Education of the Azerbaijan National Government:

• Akabir Uchun Ders Kitabi (Textbook for Adults), Ministry of Education, Tabriz 1946, 64 pages.
• Coğrafya, Beşinci Klas İlköğretim Sınıfı İçin (Geography for the Fifth Grade), Ministry of Education, Tabriz 1946, 114 pages.
• Mükhtasar Dünya Tarihi, Beşinci İlköğretim Klası İçin (A Short History of the World for the Fifth Grade), Ministry of Education, Tabriz 1946, 64 pages.
• Vatan Dili, Edebî Kıraat Kitabı, Altıncı İlköğretim Klası İçin (Homeland Language, Literary Reading Book for the Sixth Grade), Ministry of Education, Tabriz 1946, 300 pages.

Between 1941 and 1946, several books were published in South Azerbaijan, especially in Turkish, in the following chronological order (Mousavi 1994; Mashkur 1996):

• Edebî Eserler (Literary Works) (a collection of poetry and prose), Tabriz, 1941.
• Itimad M. Mahdi, Va'de Nahar (Promise of Lunch), Tabriz, 1943.
• B. M., Oboşdan Khorozo (The Rooster of Dawn), Tabriz, 1943.
• Jalil Mohammad Qelizadeh, Publication İSKİC, Tabriz, 1944.
• Khezari Hasan (1945). Turkish Compositions, including self-study and instructions on tuning the tar and its systems, Chaman Ara Publishing, Tabriz.
• Şairler Meclisi (Council of Poets), Poets’ Council Publishing, Tabriz, 1945.
• Divan-i Hayran Khanum, Iran-Soviet Cultural Relations Association (İSKİC) Publishing, Tabriz, 1945.
• Rostam Suleiman (1945), Şairlerin Sesi (The Voice of Poets), Literature Publishing in Foreign Languages, Baku.
• Divan-i Mojeza Shabestari, İSKİC Publishing, Tabriz, 1945.
• Fadai (1945). Bakhtiyarname, İSKİC Publishing, Tabriz.
• Afendiev A. (1946). Sahnə Grimləri, Gənc Aktyorlara Kömək (Stage Makeup, Assistance to Young Actors), Medeniyet Publishing, Tabriz.
• Reza Rasul (1946), Vafa, Literature Publishing in Foreign Languages, Baku.
• Asasname və Nizamname Cəmiyyət Ədəbiyyatı Azərbaycan (Constitution and Regulations of the Azerbaijani Literary Society), (Y.Y.Y.), Tabriz, 1946.

Features of the Turkish Language During the Azerbaijan National Government Period

As discussed in earlier sections, the status of the Turkish language in South Azerbaijan during the Constitutional period and before the Pahlavi era was not favorable. Despite the complete legal freedom of the Turkish language, Persian was used in official settings, while Turkish continued to survive and maintain its presence mainly in informal conversation and poetry. During that time, due to the short lifespan of Turkish and Turkish-Persian newspapers and magazines (which were few in number), there was no lasting impact on the people. As a result, Azerbaijanis' disregard for their language, coupled with the Qajar dynasty’s submission to Reza Shah under British pressure, and the subsequent rise of extreme nationalism, led to Turkish being banned. This fifteen-year period of prohibition of the Turkish language came to an end with the Second World War, when Iran was occupied by Allied forces. Azerbaijan intellectuals once again emphasized that the Turkish language was vital for Azerbaijan's survival and started publishing Turkish newspapers, magazines, and books with full force.

The Turkish language used in publications during this period was not the same as that of the Constitutional era. While Azerbaijani Turkish was banned in Iran, it continued to develop in Northern Azerbaijan. Intellectuals from Southern Azerbaijan began to re-establish its prominence by drawing from Northern Azerbaijan, starting from the point of its prohibition in Iran (1925). A similar situation was observed after the Islamic Revolution in Iran.

The achievements of the intellectuals of Southern Azerbaijan in this regard can be explained as follows:

In addition to the publication of books and newspapers during the Azerbaijan National Government period, the Turkish-speaking people of Northern Azerbaijan played a significant role in the publication of Turkish literature, with Northern Azerbaijan being a key institution. Many of the founders of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party, who were writers for Turkish newspapers in Southern Azerbaijan, had lived in Northern Azerbaijan for some time. After learning the literary language of Azerbaijan, they returned to Southern Azerbaijan to engage in journalistic and publishing activities. A notable example of this is Jafar Pishevari, the Prime Minister of the Azerbaijan National Government and the editor-in-chief of the Azerbaijan newspaper.

During the Azerbaijan National Government period, the learning of the Turkish language was done consciously, especially using resources from Northern Azerbaijan.

In the written language of this period, dialectal features were gradually disappearing, but generally, some characteristics of the Turkish language of Southern Azerbaijan remained. With some reforms, the Arabic alphabet was adapted to fit the Turkish language, and the letter "nun ghunna" was replaced with the regular "nun."

In the sentences, punctuation marks such as periods and commas were used, and the use of Persian phrases that were commonly used in the past was minimized. Instead of the letter "i," which was used for the sound "é" in the past, the letter "ئ" was used, though in some cases, the old letter can still be found (due to habit). In textbooks, efforts were made to use the letter "ئ." The spelling of words with Arabic-Persian roots was preserved without any changes. Instead of the "Ö" sound at the beginning of a word, "ئو" was used, and in the middle of a word, "ؤ" was selected and used in textbooks.

In the writings of J. Pishevari, when applying the future tense for the first person plural, instead of the suffix "ik," the suffix "ییز" (İz), which was used in Old Azerbaijani Turkish and modern Turkish, was used: "گؤره جه‌ییز" (Azerbaijan newspaper, issue 6); "ئده جه‌ییز" (Azerbaijan newspaper, issue 18).

During the Azerbaijan National Government period, not only books and newspapers were written in Turkish, but also letters and official documents were written in Turkish. Here, we provide several concrete examples to show the use of Turkish in the media, publications, letters, and official documents of that time:

Example 1:

… دیلیمیز خالقین یاراتدیغی داستانلار، ضربالمثللر، حکایه و ناغیللار واسیطه‌سی ایله دونیانین ان بؤیوک دیللری‌ایله رقابت ائده‌بیلر؛ شاعرلریمیز و ادیبلریمیز بو دیل واسطه‌سی ایله اؤز احساساتلارینی و اؤز هنر و صنعتلرینی وجودا گتیریب خالقین نظرینی جلب ائده‌بیلرلر.

... Our language, through the stories, proverbs, tales, and narratives created by our people, can compete with the greatest languages of the world; our poets and writers can express their emotions and bring their art and craftsmanship to life through this language and capture the people's attention.

Example 2:

بیر گون معلم شاگردلری شهردن کنارا گزمگه آپاردی. معللیمین تاپشیریغی‌ایله شاگردلر مختلف جور داشلار ییغدیلار. معللم داشلارین برک-بوشلوغونو یوخلاتدیردی. داشلارین بعضی‌سی برک، بعضی‌سی بوش ایدی. داشلارین رنگینی سوروشدو. هره الینده‌کی داشین رنگینی دئدی. شاگردلر داشلارین مختلف رنگده اولدوقلارینی دا اؤگرندی. معللم شاگردلردن داشین نه‌یه لازیم اولدوغونو سوروشدو… (  وطن دیلی،  کتاب درسی کلاس 3)

One day, the teacher took the students on an excursion outside the city. Following the teacher’s instructions, the students collected different types of stones. The teacher tested the stones for hardness and softness with the students. Some stones were hard, while others were soft. He asked about the colors of the stones. Each student named the color of the stone in their hand. The students also learned that the stones were of various colors. The teacher and the students discussed what the stones were needed for...

(Vatan Dili, 3rd-grade textbook)

Example 3:

آقای محمد باقر حسینی اشهری، خیابانی مدرسه‌سینین معللمی، بازرسی اداره‌سینین وئردیگی گزارشه گؤره، سیز تدریس ایشیزی جدیتله باشا آپاریب کامل علاقه‌ایله انجام وظیفه ائدیرسیز. بونا گؤره وزارت سیزدن بو وسیله‌ایله قدردانلیق الیر.

آذربایجان معارف و اوقاف وزیری- بی‌ریا

Mr. Mohammad Baqer Hosseini Ashari, the teacher of the school on Khiyabani Street, according to the report of the Inspection Department, you are carrying out your teaching duties with great seriousness and full dedication. Therefore, the Ministry expresses its gratitude to you through this.

Minister of Education and Culture of Azerbaijan - Biriya



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The link to the original article in Farsi:

سیاست زبانی و ساختار حکومت ملی آذربایجان