The presentation of the book of Michael Reinhard Hess, docent of Giessen University in Germany, turkologist scientist, named “The heritage of Shusha. “History and development path of the cultural capital of Azerbaijan” was held at the State Committee for Affairs of Refugees and IDPs.

The historical significance of the liberation of Shusha was emphasized at the event. This new book of the German scientist was evaluated as a great contribution to the history of Victory of our nation, and gratitude was expressed to the author. It was emphasized that this is the first scientific fundamental monograph about Shusha published by a foreign author in a foreign language outside the country. It was brought to attention that M. Hess is one of the closest friends of Azerbaijan, he studies our language, literature, culture, and history with inexhaustible enthusiasm and skillfully promotes it.

M. Hess said in his speech that the purpose of writing and publishing the book is to convey the rich heritage of Karabakh and Shusha in the literary and cultural history of Azerbaijan to Western readers. He pointed out the importance of spreading information about Azerbaijan more widely in Europe, and said that the book is the next step in this direction, and at the same time, it is a reliable source for those who want to conduct scientific research about our country. The German scientist also expressed approval from the relevant institutions and scientific circles of our country for their support to his research.

The participants of the event noted that they felt great pride in the liberation of the territories which have been under the occupation of Armenia for many years, including Shusha, by our brave army under the leadership of the President, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev.

The representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Rizvan Nabiyev, gave detailed information to the participants of the event about the German scientist’s activities in connection with Azerbaijan, life and creativity, as well as his book “The heritage of Shusha...” published earlier this year. He noted that it is important for Western scientists to personally investigate that the territorial claims of Armenians against Azerbaijan are groundless due to historical facts and scientific research and to support the emergence of the real truth. M. Hess was able to show in the book with irrefutable evidence that Shusha belongs to the Azerbaijani people not only according to international law and from a political-historical point of view, but also due to its unique literary, cultural and ethnographic heritage.

Shusha intellectuals Yunis Huseynov, Vasif Guliyev, the chairman of the Public Council under the Committee, Anar Khalilov, and others spoke at the event and highly appreciated the German scientist’s research on the city, which has a unique place in the history of Azerbaijan, and creation of a work of art, thanked him and wished him success in his future creative activities.

After the presentation, the Chairman of the State Committee Rovshan Rzayev and Mikhail Hess met with Irma Weber, an 80-year-old woman of German origin, an IDP from Shusha. As one of the German families who lived in Russia along the Volga until the Second World War, the Webers were deported to Siberia in 1941. Irma’s widowed mother remarried here with an Azerbaijani man originally from Shusha. A boy and a girl were born from that marriage. Then the family moved to Shusha. Mrs. Irma also worked here at school No. 4, and in 1992 she took refuge in Baku as an IDP from Shusha. M. Hess listened to the life story of the German lady from Shusha with interest and had a sincere conversation with her. Later, he signed the book “The Heritage of Shusha…” and gave it as a present.

After the meetings at the State Committee, the German scientist also visited the St. Gregory Armenian Church in Baku. Mayil Ahmadov, director of the Presidential Library, gave the guest detailed information about the church. He said that rare Armenian literature and a depository fund are kept in the church. M. Hess also visited the “Savior” Evangelical-Lutheran German Church in Baku. The German guest was accompanied by Nasimi Narimanov, adviser to the chairman of the State Committee.

M. Hess took part in the wedding of an internally displaced family in Baku and got to know the traditions of Azerbaijan again.

It should be noted that the book “The Heritage of Shusha...” is the third book written by Michael Reinhard Hess regarding Armenia’s territorial claims against Azerbaijan. The book “Tanks in heaven. Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict” reflecting the objective position of Azerbaijan was published in German in Berlin in 2016, and the book “Karabakh from the 13th century to 1920. Opening of the history of Azerbaijan” was published in English in Munich in 2020.

The presentation of the book “The heritage of Shusha...” is planned today at ADA University and tomorrow at Azerbaijan Languages University.