მეორე მსოფლიო ომი და ქართულ-იტალიური ნონკონფორმისტული გამოცდილება (ახალ საარქივო მასალებზე დაყრდნობით)

The outbreak of World War II caused immense reaction in Georgian emigration. One wing, including social-democrats, regarded Britain and France as Georgia’s political allies, and the other gravitated to Berlin, because it saw in Nazi Germany an instrument for re-establishing the independent national homeland which had been extinguished by the Bolsheviks. Hoping to benefit on nationalist and anti-Bolshevic sentiments among the Caucasian and Asiatic peoples of the Soviet Union, the German army recruited several national units from these peoples. Even before the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, Amt VI C, the Russian desk in the foreign intelligence division in RSHA (Reich Main Security Office), had developed a close relationship with the more fanatical nationalists around the émigré leader Micheil Kedia. The Russian bureau, which was very desperate to get information from the Soviet Union, soon came to consider the Georgians one of its most important assets. For this purpose and Kedia’s direct solicitation the group of paratroopers “Tamar I” and “Tamar II” was formed to land in Georgia. Despite the active cooperation with the German government, the leader of the Georgian emigrant movement did not agree with the “Nazi brutal policy” and kept close friendship with influential Germans who were in confrontation with Hitler. In the hope of Kedia’s numerous contacts, famous Georgian theologian and Kartvelologist Mikheil (Michael) Tarkhnishvili applied to him for an assistance. Archival documents, particularly “Interrogation of father Michael, 29 July 1999, Regina Coeli Prison” show that the priest had a cherished dream – to establish a Georgian Catholic College in Rome. To carry out this goal, a large amount of money was needed. Kedia assured his countryman that he could easily secure financing from other sources who would be happy to contribute to such a noble project. For Kedia the college would become a symbol of Georgian identity and a centre for nurturing nationalist aspirations in the young seminarians who would leave there. In return for their support, the Germans would be allowed to use the college for certain in telligence and propaganda purposes. They planned to set up a wireless station inside the college for direct contact to Berlin. It also expected to send to the college several agents selected from the so-called “Georgian legion”, which Germany had recruited from Georgians living in European exile or captured while serving in Red Army Units. These agents would be trained in espionage, but would pose as clerical students in order to move freely about Rome without arousing suspicion and to ease their penetration of ecclesiastical institutions. So, Kedia instructed father Michael to apply for the funds at the office of Herbert Cappler of the German embassy. Herbert Cappler was SS Obersturmbannführer who held the post of police attaché at the embassy of Italy. His office was situated at 20 Via Tasso, an address that would become notorious among Romans as a synonym for police terror. On September and October 1943 Michael Tarkhnishvili visited Cappler’s office twice. He was told that an anonymous benefactor had contributed generously the handsome sum to start college. But he was also asked if he could pass on any information that he might pick up from the friends inside Vatican and if he can allow the Germans to set up a radio station in the new Georgian College. Father Michael’s surprise gave way to shock. What German official had suggested was completely out of question. He pointed out that such activity would be contrary to his priestly calling and that he could never agree to participate in espionage, especially against Vatican. In that case he was told that the money for Georgian College would not be forthcoming and without farther argument he was shown to the door. By that time a new character appeared on the scene. His name was Vasil (Basilius) Sadatierashvili and he had been Mikhael Tarkhnishvili’s room-mate in a Constantinople seminary. Politically active in “White Giorgi”, the Georgian fascist movement, he was acting as an interpreter for the military command on the Corso d’Italia and as an occasional informant for the Gestapo on the Via Tasso. He was ordered to carry out espionage activities in Georgian College to fulfil the main task of German intelligence service – to infiltrate the Vatican by placing agents in the many ecclesiastical institutions in Rome. It’s hard to believe but it’s true that the campaign involving professionals of the Reich Main Security Office have failed as a result of the non-conformism and principle stand of the Georgian priest on the one hand and the appearance of Allied forces on the outskirts of Rome on the other. Since Michael Tarkhnishvili was the only participant in the affair in allied hands, he soon found himself in Regina Coeli prison. After two months of investigation counterintelligence officers concluded that there was not sufficient evidence to hold subject for trial on espionage charges. It would be difficult to even charge subject as a collaborator of the Germans. Upon his release from prison, Father Michael entered a papal institution where he remained happily engrossed in his books until his death in the late 1950s. Basilius Sadatierashvili had disappeared from Rome and was never found. As of Micheil Kedia, he settled down in Switzerland. The dream of his life – liberation of Georgia from Bolshevic occupation had failed miserably. Disillusioned he commited suicide in 1953. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]