The Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan commemorates the 36th Anniversary of the Black January Tragedy
The Azerbaijani Cultural Center in Berlin pays tribute to the victims
January 28th, 2026
On 20 January, 2026, the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Germany marked the 36th anniversary of the Black January tragedy with a commemorative event at the Azerbaijani Cultural Center in Berlin, paying tribute to the victims of one of the most tragic and deadly crackdowns of the late Soviet period.
The programme opened with a moment of silence in memory of those who lost their lives during the events of 20 January 1990, followed by the screening of a German-language documentary produced by the Embassy, which traced the historical background and the violent suppression of peaceful demonstrators in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku.
In his remarks to those present, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Germany Nasimi Aghayev recalled that on the night of 19–20 January 1990, approximately 26,000 Soviet troops entered Baku under orders from the Soviet leadership, seeking to suppress the Azerbaijani people’s growing aspirations for freedom. He noted that the operation claimed the lives of numerous unarmed civilians—including women, children, and elderly persons—and left hundreds more seriously injured. “Black January remains not only a tragic chapter in our history, but also a symbol of honor, dignity, and the unbreakable will of the Azerbaijani people,” Aghayev said. He emphasised that those who lost their lives did so in defence of their country’s freedom, the dignity of their nation, and the right of future generations to live in an independent state.
The Ambassador also underscored the role of Azerbaijan’s National Leader, Heydar Aliyev, who publicly condemned the massacre in Moscow on 21 January 1990 and called for a political and legal assessment of the crime, noting that his courage and principled stance strengthened the national liberation movement and helped lay the ideological foundations for Azerbaijan’s independence in 1991. Fidan Damer, a member of the Board of the German-Azerbaijani Forum, added that the crackdown—intended to break the will of the Azerbaijani people—ultimately had the opposite effect, as “Black January intensified the struggle for freedom and demonstrated to the world the courage, unity, and determination of the Azerbaijani nation,” describing 20 January as a lasting reminder of the price of freedom.
The commemoration continued with the screening of the documentary “Those Born on January 20,” which focuses on the bravery of Azerbaijani sailors who resisted Soviet forces during those tragic days. The event concluded with the opening of a photo exhibition featuring powerful images documenting the tragedy.
