Volsky Grigol

Volsky, Grigol (January 24 [February 5], 1859, Kutaisi – October 5, 1909, Tbilisi), poet, publicist, and public figure.

From 1878–85, he studied at Novorossiysk (Odesa), Moscow, and Kazan Universities simultaneously in two faculties: medical and philological. In 1887, he returned to Georgia, took an active part in public life, and became closely associated with the figures gathered around the journal Iveria, particularly I. Chavchavadze.

In the second half of 1888, he moved to Batumi and began working as a railway doctor. In the same year, upon the initiative of I. Chavchavadze, he was appointed as the representative of the Society for the Spreading of Literacy Among Georgians in the newly regained Adjara.

For years, he was a member of the Batumi self-government and the leader of its Georgian wing. Volsky made great contributions to the reconstruction, educational, and cultural revival of Batumi.

Volsky began his literary activity at the age of 18. He published journalistic and literary articles initially under the pseudonym "Umtsiparidze" and later under "Ime". In parallel, he translated works by A. Chekhov and H. C. Andersen into Georgian, and translated the works of I. Chavchavadze, Sh. Aragvispireli, E. Gabashvili, D. Megreli, and other Georgian writers into Russian. M. Balanchivadze wrote music to his poem “I Love You Eternally”, which remains a classic example of Georgian romance music up today.

Volsky's activities were highly valued by prominent Georgian writers and public figures: I. Zurabishvili, G. Tsereteli, D. Kldiashvili, and others.

Volsky is buried in Batumi, in the yard of the Georgian church.

Literature: ზ უ რ ა ბ ი შ ვ ი ლ ი  ი., კარგ ქართველთა ხსოვნისათვის, თბ., 2006; კ ო მ ა ხ ი ძ ე  თ., ბათუმის ამაგდარნი, ბათ., 1993;  ნ ა ც ვ ა ლ ა ძ ე  დ., გრიგოლ ვოლსკი, ბათ., 1955; ნ ო ზ ა ძ ე  ც., გრიგოლ ვოლსკი, ბათ., 1999.

G. Lortkipanidze