Public Lecture on the Topic: Dimitri Amilakhvari - Legendary Hero of the French Legion: Unknown Pages of the Biography was Held

A public lecture was held on the topic: “Dimitri Amilakhvari - the Legendary Hero of the French Legion: Unknown Pages of the Biography” on March 29. The event was organized by the Faculty of Social Sciences.

The lecture was conducted by Rusudan Labadze, Doctor of History, Scientific Secretary of the Commission for the Study of Georgian Historical Sources of the Georgian Academy of Sciences.

The speaker reviewed Dimitri Amilakhvari’s path, military achievements and important events developed around him.

Please note that the French army officer, originally from Georgia Dimitri Amilakhvari, also known as “Bazorka”, grew up in Georgia until he was 14 years old, and then he moved to a foreign country with his family. He lived in Paris since 1922. He studied at Saint-Cyr military school, after which he served in North Africa, in the French Foreign Legion.

Foreign Legion Major Dimitri Amilakhvari joined General Charles de Gaulle’s “Free French” army immediately after the German occupation of France. Dimitri Amilakhvari participated in the Eritrean campaign, and especially distinguished himself during the capture of the city of Massaui, where he captured several Italian squadron minesweepers and many prisoners in a surprise attack. He participated in the Syrian campaign, capturing the city of Damascus. Dimitri Amilakhvari received the rank of lieutenant-colonel and was appointed the commander of the half-brigade of the Foreign Legion. In 1942, Dimitri Amilakhvari was awarded the “Liberation Cross”. He died heroically in the battle of El Alamein. Posthumously, he was awarded the highest rank of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor.

It is worth noting that the President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, in 2021, posthumously awarded Dimitri Amilakhvari the title of National Hero for representing Georgia in the international arena, for his invaluable contribution to the creation of a particularly positive attitude towards Georgia, and for his sacrifice of human values.

The public lecture held at CIU was attended by administrative/academic staff and students of the university.