The First Democratic Republic of Georgia merely existed for three incomplete years (1918-1921), yet, left an important trace on the history of our country.

Its legacy left valuable experience to the modern Georgian state and became the subject of our pride. May 26th, the first constitution of Georgia, the heroic act of the cadets, and the invasion of the Red Army in Tbilisi on February 25th, 1921 – these are the main publicly known facts about the history of the First Republic, however, this short phase of liberation is still in need of scrutiny.

This was a democratic state that: held elections with the participation of both men and women, on the periphery of the former Russian Empire earlier than many developed countries; implemented a constitution; established state institutions; passed antidiscrimination laws for ethnic and religious minorities;

exercised women’s rights; established a multi-party government system; advanced political thought and established the debate culture. 

The collection of documents about the First Republic, serving as the basis of our knowledge on the three year long independence period, is stored at the National Archives of Georgia. The archives are also home to numerous unique photos from 1918-1921.