1889 – 1973
Christine (Chito) Sharashidze was born in the village of Dvabzu, Guria, in 1889.
She engaged in a political activity when studying at St. Nino gymnasium in Kutaisi. Because of spreading illegal literature and handwritten newspapers, she was expelled from the school. Christine (Chito) Sharashidze was an active participant in revolutionary rallies staged in Tbilisi in 1905 and 1906.
In 1919, Christine (Chito) Sharashidze was elected a member in the National Council of Georgia from the Social-Democratic party. She was a member of the public education and editorial commissions. After the fall of the Democratic republic of Georgia, on one year’s anniversary of the Sovietization of Georgia, 25 February 1922, the 10th pedagogical vocational institution, under the leadership of Chito Sharashidze and with the participation of students, went on strike in protests against the Sovietization of the country. After the Sovietization of Georgia, Christine (Chito) Sharashidze was arrested several times. Her family was also repressed.
Chito Sharashidze conducted a pedagogical activity. From 1940, upon the invitation of Ivane Javakhishvili and Simon Janashia, she worked on the research of Georgian manuscripts. From 1941 to 1964, she worked in the department of manuscripts at the State Museum of Georgia and the Academy of Science of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. Chito Sharashidze prepared important historical papers about the history of Georgian press, as well as Khevi and Southern Georgia.
“A lecture titled “Georgian Women in New Georgian Prose,” delivered by Christine (Chito) Sharashidze at the Georgian theatre on Sunday morning, 2 March, proved quite interesting and impressed the audience. The publication of this lecture is recommended.”
Theatre and Life, issue #1; 1914