David was distingiushed by his foresingt and sharp intellect. That is why wealth was not his master but his servant. He knew very well that money was a bad master but could be a very good servant and, indeed, he made the best use of it for the good of his country. He managed his wealth and money as his generous heart and soul prompeted him and by doing so he has immortalized himself in the hearts of all Georgians.

Barrels.Even though Sarajishvili himself knew the theory and practice of cognac production perfectly, he invited liquer and cognac specialists from France. Soon his products successfully competed with imports from Europe. In the early 20th century, Sarajishvili’s brand held more than two thrids of the market of the Russian Empire. It’s generally recognized that David Sarajishvili was a pioneer and a fonder of cognac production not only in Georgia and the Caucasus but also in the Russian Empire.

დავით სარაჯიშვილი მეუღლესთან ერთად

David Sarajishvili with his wife

Thanks to his product, the consumer obtained a high quality cognac made of pure wine spirit without any additives. In 1899-1913 different Sarajishvili products were awarded 14 medals including 8 gold medals.

Niko Nikoladze’s daughter, Rusudan, who regarded David a saint man and called him the epitome of humanity and nobleness recalls: “Once Akaki, who was visiting us joked: “What would I do, dear Niko, without David Sarajishvili?”

“You would be able to withstand poverty Akaki, but what would happen to the Georgian theatre to the Societies for the Promotion of Literacy and the poor actors and students without David’s help?”

David Sarajishvili was a reach and successful entrepreneur but, unlike many other wealthy people, he did not consider money as an end in itdelf, but as a means for doing charity. In his obituary for David Sarajishvili Alexandre Khakhanashvili wrote:

“ There has not been any significand undertaking initiated in the course of the past 30 years witch David Sarajishvili had not contributed to or supported materially Publication of newspapers,

magazines and books, supporting artists, singers, musicians and scientists, rehabilitating schools and churches, helping the sick and the poor, hostind foreign.

David Sarajishvili was born 155 years ago on 27 October, 1848 to the family on a wealthy merchand and landowner Zakaria Sarajishvilis were ganted the title of a Tbilisi Citizen by King Vakhtand VI.

Tbilisi was at that time a place of lively trade, Delighet with the success of Tbilisi merchants, King Vakhtang VI decided to encourage trade and rewiwe civil life by introducing the tittle of a Tbilisi Citizen. David’s ancestors, like their worthy descendant, were distinguished by charity and selfless care for theis homeland.

David’s mother Elisabed Savaneli, Zakaria’s right hand and the pillar of the family, played a prominent part in Dacid’s uobringing. Like her husband, she was a generous, well-educated woman and benefactor of the poor and needy.

Having receiven his primaru education at home, David continued his studies first at the Hake boarding School and later at the Boys First Classical Gymnasium witch he graduated with honors in 1866.

In 1871 he graduated from the latter with doctor’s degree in chemistry. The same year he defended a dissertation and was awarded the degree of a Doctoe of Philosophy. David, however, was not satisfied with what he had already achieved and until 1878 he continued studying agricultural science, first at Hopenheim and

Halle and later in France where he specialized in viticulture and wine-making, David vas so fascinated with the production of vodka, liqueurs and, especiallu cognac that after returning to Georgia he decided to use all his knowledge and experience for dovelopingand promoting thid bussiness in his country.

Hiis father’s death on 26 May, 1880 precipitated David’s return tp Georgia.

After returning home, David married Ekaterine Porakishvili, the daughter of a well-know merchant and entrepreneur in Tbilisi, Ivane Porakishvili. Like David, Ekaterine had been well-educated and besides Georgian, was fluent in Russian, English, French adn German.

The prperty of David’s uncle Solomon Sarajishvili, who died chidless, added to 700 thousand manats inherited by David from his father. The young entrepreneur used his inheritance in prudent and practical manner. He bough, upgraded and built new winerier and already by the turn of the century he had a thtiving business,

producing distillatipn of vodka, purification and denaturalization of spirit, making various types of liqueurs and rum, distilling spirit for cognac and making cognac. 

Prior to Sarajishvili, no one in the entire Russian Empire had tried to determine an active balance of wine materials for cognac spirit, distillment of cognac spirit using French tevhnology and aging it in oak and local public figures and people of art and ringing them closer to one another – all this will be David’s enduring legacy.” 

The more one learns about David Sarajishvili and his wife Ekaterine, the more one comes to respect and admire them.

Sarajishvili’s two houses – one at 13 Machabeli Streer and the other on Sasakhle were famous for their hospitality.

Once a week famous writers and public figures would get together on Davis’s house in Sasakhle Street.

The latest works of different writers were first readhere, usually followed by discussions and exchange of ideas, ending with excellent food and drinks. 

Iakob Mansvetashvili recalls : “we never left Ilia in peace. We wanted him to write a new story for the Iveria newspaper. We knew that he had already begun writing something, realizing one of his earlier intentions.

First he called the story “Giorgi” and then changed the title to “The otxaraant Widow” ... The newly born story had to be baptized. 

David Sarajishvili was the irreplaceable and inseparable godparent of Ilia’s works. In fact, he was such a generous and loving godfather that he always held the baptixing ceremonies at his own house. 

This is how “Hermit” was baptized and this time too Sarajishvili was not going to break the established tradition. It was around eight o’clock in the evening when a larje number of distinguished guests began to gather in Sarajishvili’s vast and beautiful house in Sololaki...

Ilia read his story. It was a long story so it was after midnight when the generous host invendet all of us to supper. We went into wide dining room with a magnificent table laid in the center. Supper proceeded very gaily cinducted masterfully by he toastmaster of the evening – Rapiel Eristavi.

At one time the Society for the Promotion of Literacy was located in the house in Sasakhle Street. In 1887 Akaki Tsereteli lived here for severad months and Ivane Machabeli and Artut Laist also stayed here for some time. In the early 1900s, David brought down his ancestor’s house there.

Today this very building, where the loving couple celebrated their silver wedding in September 1905, houses the Writers Union of Georgia.

“How xould you call me childless? Aren’t al the children who are the hope and future of this country and who need to be raised and educated for the benefit of Georgia all mine?” In 1988, the author of these words founded a special committee chaired by Niko Tskhvedadze to identify gifted young Georgians and provide them with the necessary support to allow them to continue their studies in Russia and abroad

Sarajishvili made a charitable donation od 30 000 manats and simultaneously provided grants to individual students. David’s scholarship holders were composers Dimitri Arakishvili, Meliton Balanchivadze, Ia Kargareteli, Kote Potskhverashvili; painters Mose Toidze, Gigo Gabashvili, Grigo; Meskhi, Shalva Kikodze;

sculptor Iakob Nikoladze; opera signers Vano Sarajishvili, Valerian Kashakashvili; professors Solomon Cholokashvili, Mikheil Shalamberidze, Ilia Kipshidze, Mose Janashvili; the future Khathalikos-Patriarch of Georgia Kalistrate, Archil Kartvelishvili and many others. He provided financial support to Akaki Shanidze,

also to David Kadradze and Kondrate tatarashvili when they studied in Paris, and Tedo Sakhokia and Geronti Kikodze in Brussels.

In his farewell speech at Sarajishvili’s funeral, Giorgi, the Bishop of Imereti said: “Had David not spent hundreds of thousands every year on benevolent causes, he would have left behind a property of twenty or forty milion. He has daposited his wealth in a much better bank,

investing it in his native people whom he loved whole-heartedly. For him wealth was a means for reviving his homeland to its previous grandeur, but under the new hirtoruc conditions.”

In 1906, David Sarajishvili threw a handful of gold coins into the foundation of Tbilsi State University and donated 60 000 manats to Niko Tskhvedadze who was in charge of the construction of the university building. “Take this for the start but don’t disclose my name. As the work progresses let me know how much more you’ll need. 

I’m always at your disposal.” Iakob Mansvetashvili relates that Sarajishvili spared nothing for the University, his promissory notes were encashed in hundreda of thousands by many banks.

Without David Sarajishvili’s generous material assistance to the Mtskheta Svetitskhoveli Restoration Committee established in the 1890s which was responsible for the protection and restoration of the Didube, Mtatsminda, Blue Monastery, Kashveti and other historic sites, it would have been impossible to preservve many of the monuments existing in Georgia today.

Assistance to the Mtskheta Svetitskhoveli Restoration Committee established in the 1890s which was responsible for the protection and restoration of the Didube, Mtatsminda, Blue Monastery, Kashveti and other historic sites, it would have been impossible to preserve many of the monuments existing in Georgia today.

When the decision was made to replace the old fractured building of the Kashveti Church with a new one,the commission took David’s advice and rejected the development of a new desing for the church. Thry made a decision to build an exact copy of the Samtavisi Church instead. This contruction was also financed by Sarajishvili.

In 1901, after Ilia’s death, Alexsandre Sarajishvili took charge of the Iveria newspaper, which was then experiencing serious financial problems. It was thanks to the contributions made by Prince Konstantine Mukhranski and David Sarajishvili that the newspaper was saved from closing down. David Sarajishvili gave financial assistance to the construction of the People’s Theatre. 

The successful activies of the Society for the Promotion of the Georgian Peasantry Revival Committee, the choirs of lado Aghniashvili and Ioseb Ratili, as well as the establishment of the Historical and Ethnographic Society and a number of other societies and associations.

When in the summer of 1907 David learned of Ekvtime Takaishvili’s intention to carry out an archaeological expedition in the Akhaltsikhe, Akhalkhalaki and Artana districts, he immediately called Ekvtime and gave him money for the expedition.

Philipe Gigichaishvili recollects: “He donated money in such a way as if it belonged to the beneficiaries themselves and had nothing to do with his personality. Modesty kindness and sincerity characterized his every action. All of us admired and loved him for this”

In Kutaisi a young man was introduced to Sarajishvili. David was offered to taste the lemonade that this young man was producing. He liked the drink very much and aked the young man why he was not expanding the enterprise. The young man explained that he was unable to do so due to the lack of money and asked for Sarajishvili’s help.

David agrees without hesitation. The man was Mitrophane Lagidze.At Sarajishvili’s funeral Grigol Shakhnazarov, a worker in one of his wineries said in his farewell speech: “Unike other employers, you have always regarded us as human beigns. You have gladly accepted our demand when we asked for a nine-hour working day in the winery. To that you said nothing more than this: 

“ If you wand to have a normal rest, what you are asking for is not that. “ Havinf said so, you gave instructions over the telephone to introduce an eight-hour working da. You were the first to give us a two-week paid vacation. You gladly accepted our request to have a reading room at your winery and you paid readily for it.”

In 1910 David was taken ill with an incurable disease. He underwent a surgery I Berlin but the operation did not relieve his condition and on June 20, 1911 the gread Georgian passed away. In Germany, a month before his death, David complained : 

“ I am dying. How peacefully I would die if I had a hope for my country’s better future.” Georgia mourned its devoted son with tremendous pai. The Sakhalakho Gazeti newspaper wrote: “It is believed that a sick man, dying from an incurable disease becomes selfish. 

Think of David’s last words, his testament and you will immediately understand that in this respect too this extraordinary ma was different from others. He crowned his outstanding life and deeds with a worthy will. His last wish was to share the common hardships and the sufferings of his homeland.

David Guramishvili’s words “ He did, but by his will he still continues to accomplish good deeds” are truly about him.The will that he made in 1910 in Rostov on his way to Berlin, left everyone overwhelmed : he left most of his property to Georgia.

After David’s death Iacob Gogebashvili wrote: 

“I cannot relate fully his immense contributions or unmatched charity. I shall only note that he inherited a modest sum from his father, which he turned into millions through his knowledge and skill And finally, he has left all hir fortune gained through honest enterprise and irreproachable actions to his country”.

In August 1916 still young but with her health shaken after her husband’s death, Ekaterine Porakishvili-Sarajishvili passed away. “I don’t want to be buried in pomp. I need neither a crown nor a monument. Don’t spend money on me and give all my property to my nation.” 

She was buried in the Didube Pantheon next to her husband. This is what “Theatre abd life” wrote about her: “After David’s death, she took charge of her husband’s enterprise and trebled the production. She was personally involved in everything and everywhere, and managed the business wisely.” Like her husband. Ekaterine bequeathed a large part of her property to her homeland.

In 1939 on instructions from the authorites of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Respublic, the city council issued a document addressed to Davit and Ekaterine’s relatives which said: “Only persons who have worked in the sphere of literature, science and art may be buried in the Pantheon. Since D. Sarajishvili and his spouse do not belong to the indicated category, they have not been included in the list of persons to be buried here. Therefore,

you are required to transfer the remains of D. Sarajishvili and his spouse to another cemetery within a period of 10 days. V. Enikolopashvili, Director of the pantheon.”

On 1 December, 1939 the remains of David and Ekaterine Sarajishvili were transferred to the Vake cemetery.

On 24 June, 1995 thanks to the efforts of Sarajishvil’s pipils and his grateful countrymen the remains of David and Ekaterine Sarajishvili were reinterred in the graveyard of the Kahsveti Church.

Today someone may think that Georgia has paid duetribute to David Sarajishvili and Ekaterine We would permit ourselves to disagree with this opinion. We, theus descendants, can only contend that we have paid homage to our great ancestors when their dream comes true and when civil consciousness,

.

an honest way of life and the values embraced by great Ilia, great David Sarajishvili and their c-thinkers prevails in our country.

David Japaridze