Our Intelectuals:

The Pirayev’s Brothers

The current century will be remembered by our nation as a continuous line of endless persecution and repression. Genocide, exile, detention and annihilation have been coming after Assyrians. So many people have been fated to see dashed hopes and lost opportunities. But despite all these difficulties the talent and industry helped some of them to make the grade in life. There are still many Assyrians who have made a career in the economy, army, art or athletics.

As a good example of this tendency, it is four sons to Jacob Pirayev who came to Tiflis in 1914 from his village of Shamshadjian (Urmia) to try some odd job. His young sons showed a good intention to get a fine skill all along and to become real professionals eventually.

The eldest son Abraham was born in Iran in 1905. Since 1914 his family had to move to Tiflis, Baku, Mozdok and back to Tiflis again in the successive years. He always proved to be the best student, and at 17 he was accepted to be a member of the Communist party of the Soviet Russia. In 1927 Abraham Pirayev was admitted to study in the Communist University of the Working People of the East, which he finished successfully in 1931 and preceded to post- graduation. But soon he was returned to resume his party job in Tiflis. In this time around he took part in the society "Khoyad Attur." In 1934 he was elected deputy chairman for the Georgian branch of the "Khoyad" society called "the All Union society for Assistance to Working Assyrians." In 1936 Abraham Pirayev was assigned chairman of the district council in Tbilisi. From this job he was arrested as "the public enemy" or "traitor of the nation" in November 6, 1937, and soon he was executed. He was convicted on a typical charge at the time: espionage, nationalism, and sabotage. Although it is obvious the communist Stalin’s determined that liquidation of national organization including “Khoyad” society purges and repression A. Pirayev was rehabilitated and restored in his party membership later in 1956.

The tragic life of his elder' brother influenced Vladimir Pirayev (born 1917) 3 so much that he was born first expelled from the institute as the brother of the "nation's enemy", and then struck off from the party listing alike. He suffered very hard indeed, and soon he developed - a mental disease and was taken to hospital. In 1961 Vladimir committed a suicide.

The third brother Mikhail was one of the best goalkeepers in the first soccer division. And things, actually, turned a little bit better for him eventually. According to Valentin Sarkisov, a famous soccer reporter, The Soviet goalkeeper£ school was very popular in the world then So while Alexei Khomich was called "the tiger" in England 1945, several years later the British journalists called M. Pirayev "the black panther."

Mikhail started his career in "Spartak" Football Club of Tbilisi. But in 1952 he was transferred to play for Red Army Flyers in Moscow. Mikhail Pirayev recalled that "In 1937 my elder brother was arrested, and father appealed to different organization on enquiry over 10 running years, but he only received one and the same answer 10 years in exile without correspondence." His friends advised him to go to Moscow and play for Red Army Flyers and Vasilij Stalin who openly supported the club would probably want to help him with enquiries. The same year V. Stalin then the lieutenant general of the air forces kindly received the young player, and soon he learnt about his elder brother. Actually the news was too sad for Abraham was executed on the seventh day after detention.

In 1953 Mikhail was playing for "Spartak" Football Club of Moscow, one of the first division leaders; he won a champion title the same year. A year later 1 he got with "Spartak" a silver medal. Then he was transferred back to Tbilisi where he played for "Dynamo" FC till 1958.

Konstantin Pirayev, the youngest brother, finished a high law school in Moscow, worked as attorney for many years in Tbilisi and played chess in many competitions. His dedication to the game was turned into a second profession eventually. Actually he was a chess club instructor as well as the Republican class referee. K. Pirayev passed away in 1989.

Recently in Tbilisi they celebrated the 75th anniversary of M. J. Pirayev. The lo- cal newspaper "The Night Tbilisi" printed an interview with him: It said, "Mikhail Pirayev finished his career in 1958. So the young football fan just might only hear his name through the grape wine really it's a shame. Actually it was one of the best goalies in his time. Very fast, flexible, quick and smart, able to make a futile save even."

Today Mikhail Pirayev is a highly respected man with the elder’s council of the Assyrian National Congress of Georgia.