EDUCATIONAL ASPECTS OF CRITICAL POINT OF VIEW OF EUROPEAN TRAVELERS ABOUT RUSSIAN-GEORGIAN RELATIONS

A number of works were dedicated to Russian-Georgian relations during the existence of the former Soviet Union. Their goal was to give a false colouring to Russian policy in Georgia and Caucasus. The Soviet historiography avoided the truth of this attitude, neglected the stark facts and did not represent what reality was. Textbooks and other works were created as though Russia was” a rescuer” and “a devoted friend” for Georgia. Falseness was taught at schools and universities.
That’s why foreign travelers’ notifications are considerably important in order to renewal reality of the attitudes between Russia and Georgia. They contain significant information about political, economical and cultural lives of Georgia and Caucasus.
The present study deals with discussing and analyzing of three European travelers’ points of view about Georgian-Russian relations in the XIX-XX centuries and a comparative analysis has been carried out of the above mentioned period of time. These European travelers are: Zhak Fransua Gamba-a consul/an adviser in Georgia, a French archaeologist, public man and traveler Baron De Bai and a German researcher Morits Vagner.
New details about Georgian-Russian relations have been found out from educational point of view which are worth taking into consideration in public school teaching programs and university curriculums as well.
The result of this research are important both from theoretical and practical points of view. They will help students of Georgia and Caucasus in developing a new vision and in responding such questions as following:
• Europe and Georgia;
• Motivation of Russia in Caucasus;
• Russian-Georgian relations in the first quarter of the XIX century as one of difficult items for Caucasus and its new vision;
• Critically perceiving Russian-Georgian and Russian-Caucasian relations;
• Problems and their analysis related to this question;
• Comparative analysis of Russian-Georgian relations in the past and today.
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