Ziya Musa oglu Bunyadov ( sometimes spelled in English as Zia Buniatov or Bunyatov) (21 December 1923, Astara – 21 February 1997, Baku) was an Azerbaijani historian, academician, and Vice-President of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan. As a historian, he also headed the Institute of History of the Azerbaijani Academy of Sciences for many years. Bunyadov was a World War II veteran and Hero of the Soviet Union. Life Ziya Bunyadov was born on 21 December 1923 in the town of Astara in Azerbaijan. His father, originally from Bibiheybat village of Baku, was a customs officer and, due to his work, the Bunyadov family changed their residence several times. After finishing secondary school in Goychay in 1939, he joined Baku Military School. In 1942 he was sent to World War II to fight on the Caucasus Front, near the town of Mozdok. Krasnaya Zvezda (Red Star), the official newspaper of the Soviet Army, wrote about Bunyadov in 1942: "sly, swift as a tiger, the intelligence officer Ziya Bunyadov, who under improbable conditions, in the most complex situation could clearly orient himself, bring precise data about the number, armament and location of the enemy. He was valued in the battalion for his romantic soul and literary erudition" . He went on to fight on the European Front and participated in the Soviet capture of Warsaw and Berlin. Ziya Bunyadov was awarded the Soviet Union's highest military honor, Hero of the Soviet Union, for his actions in the battle over a bridge on Pilica river in Poland on 14 January 1945, resulting in 100 enemy fatalities and 45 enemy prisoners taken. As well as this medal, for his participation and heroism in World War II Bunyadov was also awarded the honors Red Banner, Red Star, Alexander Nevsky, and 2nd degree Patriotic War. For a year after the end of war, he was deputy military commandant of the Pankow district of Berlin. Academic career After the war, Bunyadov graduated from the Moscow Institute of Oriental Studies and in 1954 defended his doctorate dissertation. He returned to Baku and started working at the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of the Azerbaijan SSR. Here he progressed from the position of research associate to chief scientist, head of the Institute of History, corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences and then finally full academician and vice-president of the Academy of Sciences.