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THE NATIONAL IMAGE OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN PROVINCES OF TAYK IN THE END OF 16TH CENTURY – 2017-4
Summary
G. M. Badalyan
Key words – Tayk, Gurjistan vilayet, Sergi Jikia, Banak Nahiyah, Karshim Nahiyah, Liva of Panaskert, toponyms, personal names, indigenous Armenian characteristics, chalcedony, Islam.
A remarkable document from Ottoman period composed in the end of 16th century, which is known as “A Spacious List of Taxes of Gyurjistan Vilâyet”has a great importance for the study the historical demography of Tayk. This unique document was kept in the Eastern manuscripts department of the State Museum of Georgia. The context of the manuscript was published in 1947 by prominent Georgian turkologist Sergi Jikia (a propose, the same author has published the Georgian version of the same document in 1941). Needless to say, that the above mentioned manuscript contains many materials on the historical issues of Armenians and Georgians from this period. As we know, in the second half of 16th century the Ottoman Empire gradually subdued the north-western parts of Armenia and Samtskhe Princedome that contains the south-western parts of Georgia (in Georgian საათაბაგო- saatabago). In this region has been created the GyurdjistanVilâyet. The southern part of the last one contains many districts (with their main centers) of Great Armenia’s Tayk Province, such as Olti-Ughtiq, Mamrvan (Nariman), Kamkhis-Kaghamakhik, Panaskert, Banak (Panak, in Georgianბანა-Bana), which were located in Olti (historical Boghkha) brook’s whole pond of the river Tchorokh. Immediately after the Ottoman conquest, a detailed inventory was made here, such as the registration of the number of residents and the economic situation. “The spacious list of taxes of Gyurjistan Vilâyet” is particularly important because it contains almost all the important statistical information as on populated, as well on depopulated areas of the territory. In fact, in each area are noticed the detailed names of the male gender, which were paying the ispenj (25 akche). In the end of 16th century in the area that we are interested has been existed two liva ( districts) – Banak and Olti, which in turn were divided into nahiyah-cantons. The Banak Liva was consist of three small districts: the formal Banak (in Turkish Nısf-ı Penek), Kamkhis (in Turkish Kâmhis) and Panaskert, which had 109 settlements (14 of which were inhabited and the data are missing about 12 of them). The examination of names shows that in the above mentioned three districts have been registered 1974 people, which were representing the whole family, and 1850 (93.7 percent) of them were Armenians. In fact, the names often indicate a presence of Orthodox (Chalcedonian, in source “gürcü”, that is – Georgian) Armenians, which is quite a common phenomenon in Tayk and Upper Armenia. “A Spacious List of Taxes of Gyurjistan Vilâyet ” is also valuable in another point: it fully reveals the unitive policy of Ottoman Empire. If in the mentioned period the new created GyurjistanVilâyet’s population was almost consist of Christians (Armenians and Georgians) in 100 percent, and then only two centuries later, most of them were forcibly converted to Islam and lost their national identity.
METAIZATION IN THE LITERATURE AND THE PROSPECTS OF ITS RESEARCH – 2017-4
Summary
Elena O. Etaryan
Key words – self-referential literature, self-reflection, metafiction, meta-language, meta-narration, meta-description, creating illusions and disillusioning methods of metaization.
The subject of the study of this article is the phenomenon of metaization in literature, which became widespread in the 1960s of the 20th century and most often is used to describe techniques in postmodern literature and experimental literature. It should be noted that the study of this phenomenon also involved Russian formalists and structuralists, up to deconstructivists. Our research highlights the problems associated with the term “metaization”, namely, the diversity in its use, including the problems associated with defining and delineating its techniques (such as narrator’s comments, intertextual links, mise en abyme (story in story), refraction in the narrative, irony plays, textual contradictions, metalepses, paratexts, etc.). The studying of the functions of metaization takes the central place in our article. The conclusion of the article indicates the prospects of researching the subject of our article.
THE PROBLEM OF POSSIBILITY OF PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY – 2017-4
Summary
Davit R. Mosinyan
Key words – history, past, present, philosophy of history, discipline, possibility, historical process, development.
The problem of possibility of philosophy of history is ultimately related to those conditions in which the philosophy of history is thought to be a scientific discipline. This issue logically precedes the philosophy of history as a historical fact. So the main question here is what is the subject of philosophy of history: on the one hand, it studies history, but on the other hand, history seems to be possible through the philosophy of history. The main thesis of this article is that history did not always exist, at least, history in the modern sense. So, the philosophy of history is not a reference to what has already happened or history itself, but rather is a reflection to itself, which in turn means that the philosophy of history exists independently of history and is most connected with the worldview..
WHO IS THE ARMENIAN? – 2017-4
Summary
Key words – Armenia, identity, coherent vision, identity crisis, the principle of justice, bourgeoisization, social ideology.
The main tragedy of modern Armenian society, which turned out to be a whirlpool of internal and external complex and contradictory processes, is the lack of a vision of coexistence together with universal human content. In order to turn the national goals into a political plane, Armenia must become a tempting social environment that will attract Armenians as a magnet. This is hampered by the fact that in Armenia today there are no minimum conditions for the formation of a national environment of coexistence, that is, the formation of common interests and aspirations of an individual, society and state based on the principle of justice, which gives each of them a clear clear vision of a common future. On the contrary, a hedonistic society was formed in modern Armenia. And the younger generation, brought up by such a society, is infected with the same diseases. Overcoming the crisis of self-identification in modern Armenian society by creating a vision of a common future means the formation of the new ideal of Armenia that will fight against the general bourgeoisization of the country. This vision presupposes the existence of a social ideology. Only in the process of formation of internal equilibrium, a new perception of one’s own identity arises, in which the national memory turns into a totality of trembling modern biorhythms.
RECORDS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF DEPORTATIONS AND MASSACRES – 2017-4
Massacres at Ras al-Ain
Summary
Aram A. Andonian
Publication, introduction and notes are prepared by Mihran A. Minassian
The previously unpublished testimony of Aram Andonian, writer, historinan, editor
and national-cultural figure from Constantinople, the survivor of the Armenian genocide, is presented in the first part of the publication. It describes the situation and massacre of the deported Armenians at Ras al-Ain concentration camp. The name list of organizers and implementers of this massacre with specific crime ascribed to each person is given in the second part of the publication.
Ras al-Ain is considered as the second largest slaughterhouse after Deir ez-Zor. According to Aram Andonian, about 70,000 Armenians have been massacred there, not including the number of tens of thousands of people who died as a result of epidemics and famine.
THE UNQUENCHABLE LIGHT OF SAINT LAZARUS ISLAND – 2017-4
Summary
Vardan G. Devrikyan
Key words – Mkhitar Sebastatsi, Mekhitarist Congregation, St. Lazarus Island, Mikayel Chamchian, Songs (Psalms, սաղմոս) of the Patriarch, “Bazmavep”.
The creation of the Mekhitarist congregation in the 17th century was preceded by attempts to revive the traditions of the Armenian monastic life. Mkhitar Sebastatsi became one of the representatives of this movement. In the 1690s, having bypassed the monasteries in the territory of Armenia, he became convinced that it was impossible to create a congregation that would be able to carry out the tasks of the church-spiritual and scientific-cultural life set by reality itself under the unfavorable conditions of that time.
That is why he had to found a Catholic congregation in order to enlist the support of Rome. The congregation, founded in Constantinople in 1701, then it was transferred to Morea (Ancient Peloponnese) in 1703, and finally in 1717 it is settled on the island of St. Lazarus in Venice, where it operates till nowadays.
One of the main reasons for reason for choosing this place was the developped typography of Venice: it was one of the centers of printing in Europe. Here it was possible not only to print high-quality publications, but also to transport them by sea to Constantinople and Smyrna.
We have highlighted the work of the Mekhitarists in separate sections of this article and showed what fundamental researches they carried out in the field of linguistics, lexicography, historiography, historical geography of Armenia, which were subsequently printed with high quality.
A high-quality edition of bible was published, in which Armenian and Latin canons were compared. Original sources of numerous works of the Armenian and translated literature were compiled.
Mekhitarists also contributed to the creative development of the traditions of ancient Armenian literature, smoothly moving to classicism, and then to romanticism, which were given an accentuated national-patriotic orientation.
ARMENIA IN 1937 – 2017-3
Summary
Ararat M. Hakobyan
Key words – repression, J. Stalin, fear, interrogation, A. Khanjyan, treachery, trial, prison, A. Amatuni, Dashnak, anti-revolutionary, investigator, Troika, military tribunal, execution.
The collapse of the Soviet regime in 1991 put an end to the monopoly of the CPSU in the territory of the former USSR. Certain conditions were created in the post-Soviet space for the reassessment of certain pages of history. One of the similar periods in USSR, including Armenia, were the repressions of 1937.
We, as well as many researchers are convinced that the policy of repressions was not due solely to Stalin’s personality, his character and cruelty, but proceeded from the Marxist-Leninist doctrine, from the ideological foundations of the Communist Party, as according to their vision all anti-revolutionary, Trotskyist and other so-called «ideologically antagonistic» elements had to be eliminated so that the true communist society could be formed in the Soviet Union and, if possible, in the whole world.
The unique and difficult past of the historical and political development of tsarist Russia also left a mark on the dictatorial character of Soviet power, the successor to autocratic Russia.
The repressive policy was applied practically from the first days of the Soviet power, it lasted in the following decades, and the peak of the repressions was in 1937.
In the mid-1950s, when criticism of the cult of personality began, the blame for repressions was unilaterally imposed only on Stalin. This was done in order to somehow save the reputation of the CPSU. It is also obvious that other leaders involved in this black case, tried to avoid personal responsibility. The reality is that Stalin adhered and consistently followed the Leninist course, while other leaders, out of fear or out of conviction, approved of his policy.
After Stalin’s death (1953), the repressions were greatly reduced. As a result of changes in the international and domestic situation, repressions took a more hidden and mild form, the methods of violence and persecutions changed.
Based on the false position of further aggravation of the class struggle, the party-state bodies formed an unhealthy socio-political atmosphere of distrust, fear and betrayal, in order to put pressure on people. In consequence of this policy, people often reported to each other without any grounds to expose the so-called «enemies of the people».
Mostly through false testimony, torture during interrogations, falsification of signatures and other methods, «confessions» were often extorted, groundless accusations, court judgments were made. Judicial proceedings lasted only 15-20 minutes and military tribunals or Trojkas sentenced thousands of innocent people to 1 category (execution) and the second category (prison and exile).
According to available data, in 1920-1953 the total number of repressed people in Armenia was about 42,000. The most absurd is that the authorities of Soviet Armenia periodically received from Moscow a concrete plan on how many «enemies of the people» they should expose, and the Armenian government has always exceeded its plan to emphasize its adherence to the ideas of Marxism-Leninism and socialism. Planning the economy for the Soviet system can be understandable, but the fact that even the human life was planned, proves that the system was dictatorial.
Our observations of a thousand terminated and declassified court cases in the fund 1191 of the Armenian National Archive show that in the 1930s there were no political or anti-Soviet, terrorist, Trotskyist, Dashnak and nationalist groups and organizations in Armenia. The reality is that there were some individuals, writers and intellectuals in Armenia, who were concerned by the problems facing their country and the Armenian people, so they expressed a desire that the unjustly occupied lands of Armenia, such as Kars, Karabakh, Surmalinsky district, Nakhchivan and others were returned to Armenia.
80 years after political repressions, our observations allow not only to restore the historical reality and pay tribute to thousands of innocent victims, but also provide an instructive lesson for those who have dictatorial tendencies and send a message to democratic states and civil society so that they live and never forget about freedom and justice.
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTS ON THE ASSASSINATION OF DJEMAL PASHA – 2017-3
Summary
Aghasi P. Azizian
Key words – «Nemesis», Djemal Pasha, ARF Dashnaktsutyun, Stepan Tsaghikyan, Petros Ter-Poghosyan, Artashes Georgyan, ARFD Central Committee in Georgia, avengers, arrests.
In the fall of 1919 in the capital of independent Armenia – Yerevan, the 9th General Assembly of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun adopted a historic and daring decision to punish the Young Turks responsible for the Armenian Genocide and Musavatists who continued their policy in the Eastern Transcaucasus. This operation went down in history under the name «Nemesis».
On July 21, 1922, the Central Committee of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun of Georgia organized the terror of Djemal Pasha. Member of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party – Stepan Tsagikyan from Khotorjur (Sırakonak) was the chief responsible for the implementation of the operation. On his initiative, his compatriot, as well as a member of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun party, excellent marksman Petros Ter-Poghosyan and Artashes Gevorgyan joined the operation. Two members of the committee of the Georgian ARF Dashnaktsutyun center – Koryun Ghazazyan and Tigran Avetisyan, were monitored the work, organized meetings with people who knew Djemal and followed his movements and meetings through a whole network of intelligence officers.
The understandable silence of real heroes in the future served as an occasion for opportunists who were aware of some episodes of this heroic operation, to declare themselves assassins of Djemal. The presented documents undoubtedly confirm that the terror against Jemal was initiated and implemented by the Georgian Central Committee of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun – Dashnaks Stepan Tsaghikyan, Petros Ter-Poghosyan and their compatriot, nonpartisan Artashes Gevorgyan.
David Petrosyan. Narration, Media-text, Reverse Perspective Yerevan, YSU, 2017, 184pp. – 2017-3
Summary
Sergey A. Aghajanyan
Key words – Narration, speech, media-text, reverse perspective, essay, scientific method, term, identity, text, variant reading.
The summary presents the content and structure of the fragmented monograph «Narration, Media-text, Reverse Perspective» by D. Petrosyan. The work consists of three parts. The first section articles aim at finding out the connection between narration and reverse perspective in the context of mythical and rational time, space and memory.
The main problem of the second part is the dialogistic character of mediatext, inter-textual and inner-textual development where linear connections and relations from media to auditorium and vice versa are shown.
The final collection of essays aim at the synthesis of the previous two sections on metaphysical level. Here the peculiarities of author’s artistic perception of a human being are revealed.