Nikoladze Niko

Nikoladze Niko (Nikoloz) (1843–1928), Public figure, literary critic, Doctor of Law at the University of Zurich, born in Kutaisi, Georgia. In 1861 he entered the Law Faculty of Petersburg University but for active participation in the students’ movement he was arrested and expelled from the university. In 1862-64 he published essays in the Petersburg magazines Iskra and Sovremennik and edited newspaper Narodnoe Bogatstvo. In 1864 he left for foreign countries to continue his studies. Living in Paris, he contributed to newspapers SanktPeterburgskye Vedomosti and Kolokol (on A. Herzen’s invitation). In 1866, in Switzerland he published his first book in French The Government And The New Generation. In 1868, in Geneva he published magazine Podpolnoe Slovo together with M. Elpidin and magazine Sovremennost along with L. Mechnikov. In 1868 N. Nikoladze graduated from the University of Zurich. In 1872-1973 he lived in Paris, where he published newspaper Drosha and endeavored to promote the issue of Tkibuli coal miming. In 1878 he returned to Georgia and launched active literary and public activities: he wrote articles for magazines and newspapers. As of 1978 he published a Russianlanguage newspaper Obzor. The Tsarist government closed the newspaper and N. Nikoladze settled in Stavropol. In 1881 he moved to Petersburg, were he worked for magazine Otechestvennye Zapiski. In 1886 he was one of the leaders of a political movement Meore Dasi in Tbilisi. In 1887-1912 he was elected Mayor of the town of Poti. In 1920 he traveled abroad in the capacity of the Head of the delegation of Manganese Export Society of the town of Chiatura. In 1924 N. Nikoladze returned to Georgia.

N. Nikoladze was engaged in diverse public activity: he was in charge of the projects of Tbilisi water supply, Port of Poti, South Caucasus railway, Grozno-Poti oil pipeline, etc. He greatly contributed to the development of Georgian Literary criticism.

Niko Nikoladze died in Tbilisi and was buried at Mtatsminda Pantheon.