Category Archives: REVIEWS

A SYNTHESIS OF THE HISTORY OF SYUNIK’S STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL
Ashot Simonyan. Commemorative Book of Syunik’s Struggle for Existence 1917-1921

The events of Syunik’s armed self-defense and political struggle between 1917 and 1921 occupy a pivotal place in the modern history of Armenia. Nevertheless, their historiographical representation has long remained partial, disproportionate, and source-wise limited. This period has often been interpreted within generalized political frameworks, overlooking local specificities, regional actors, as well as the internal continuity of armed resistance and state-building efforts [Harutyunyan 1984, 318, 325-330, Khudaverdyan 1988, 64-71, 115-124, 146-157, Grigoryan 1989, 73-88, Abrahamyan 2003, 209-252, Simonyan 2004, 19–32].

In this context, Ashot Simonyan’s Memoir-Chronicle of Syunik’s Struggle for Survival, 1917–1921 emerges as a significant contribution, both in terms of source studies and historiographical advancement.

The work under review is not a monograph in the classical sense. Rather, it constitutes an extensive documentary-historical compendium that integrates both published and unpublished materials. The genre designation “memorial chronicle” is justified, insofar as the author refrains from theoretical generalizations and prioritizes the sequential and chronologically accurate presentation of factual material. The main body of the volume consists of forty-eight chapters, structured into seven thematic sections, followed by appendices comprising twelve additional chapters that significantly broaden the source base of the study.

The principal merit of the work lies in its extensive and meticulously assembled corpus of sources. The author makes use of materials from the National Archives of Armenia, including investigative files of the repressed, as well as Armenian archival collections in Beirut and Boston. The source base is further reinforced through the incorporation of rare judicial documents, most notably the records of two trials held in Tabriz: the first concerning the fall of Mountainous Armenia, and the second relating to the failure of the self-defense of Artsakh in March–April 1920.

Of particular importance is the systematic incorporation of extensive documentary materials from the Armenian National Archive, specifically from Fund No. 1191 associated with the repressive structures of the VChK–GPU NKVD system, complemented by related records from the State Archive of Armenia. Despite their inherent ideological and political bias, these documents contain valuable biographical data, eyewitness testimonies, and official assessments concerning participants in the Syunik struggle for survival. Their consistent use substantially enhances the empirical foundations of the study and contributes to a more comprehensive reconstruction of the historical context. The cautious use of these sources, for understandable reasons, makes it possible to reveal not only the internal logic of the political struggle in Mountainous Armenia (Lernahayastan), but also the mechanisms of the early Soviet repressive practices.

Noteworthy informational value is carried by the memoirs of local participants and eyewitnesses, unpublished personal recollections, and periodical press materials from regional centers (Yerevan, Baku, Shushi, Goris) as well as from the Armenian diaspora. These sources collectively enable the reconstruction of the individual trajectories of Syunik’s military, political, and civic figures, including members of the clergy and the civilian population. The extensive system of footnotes—incorporating biographical references and parallel testimonies—further imparts a reference-like dimension to the work and substantially enhances its scholarly merit.

From a historiographical perspective, the work constitutes a significant contribution to the reinterpretation of the events in Syunik between 1917 and 1921. It demonstrates that the armed resistance of 1920–1921 was neither spontaneous nor accidental, but rather a logical continuation of earlier processes of self organization and self-defense, triggered by successive Turkish, Azerbaijani, and later Soviet aggression. The struggle of Mountainous Armenia and the political and military activities of Garegin Nzhdeh are presented according to principles of historicity, framed within narratives consistent with state-building logic, thereby avoiding the emotional embellishments often observed in the works of certain Armenian authors [Ruben 1982, Gevorgyan 1991, 25-48, 85-86, 123-125, Abrahamyan 1991, 3–14, Garegin Nzhdeh, Free Syunik, Beirut, 1999].

The documents and biographical dossiers included in the appendices substantially expand the source base, which in previous studies of the period had been relatively limited. Although the book exhibits some uneven coverage of events in specific districts (Meghri, Sisian), it emphasizes the overall breadth of the material and highlights avenues for further scholarly research. The work also reveals certain technical inconsistencies in the formation of its scholarly apparatus—particularly regarding references, bibliographic entries, and formatting uniformity—which in some cases do not fully align with current academic standards. Nevertheless, these shortcomings do not diminish the overall value of the study. On the contrary, they underscore the potential for further refinement of the manuscript and its more effective engagement in academic discourse, especially given the exceptional scope of the factual database and the distinctive nature of the primary sources employed. Through its comprehensive presentation of factual material and its reconstruction of regional events, the work can serve as a foundational basis for subsequent scholarly research, thematic expansions, and more in-depth analyses incorporating newly accessible archival materials.

Particular significance is attached to the interpretation of Soviet repressions as a continuation of the struggle by other means. The mass persecutions targeting the military-political elite of Syunik, members of the Armenian Parliament, local self-government bodies, and the clergy are presented not as random or chaotic occurrences, but as deliberate political actions aimed at undermining and dismantling the institutional foundations of Armenian statehood established in Syunik.

Overall, Ashot Simonyan’s Memoirs of the 1917–1921 Struggle in Syunik represents a significant contribution to Armenian historiography. By combining archival documents, memoirs, press materials, and judicial sources, the work fills longstanding gaps in the study of Syunik’s history while simultaneously serving as an important step toward the restoration and preservation of historical memory—a task that remains highly relevant for our society today.

THE SCIENTIFIC HERITAGE OF THE HISTORIAN
(A Critical View of Karen Hayrapetyan’s Two-Volume Work)

This review examines the two posthumously published volumes of historian Karen Hayrapetyan, who passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic, which bring together the core part of his scholarly legacy devoted to the issues of Western Armenian refugees and factionalism in the First Republic of Armenia (1918–1920). The posthumous publication of Karen Hayrapetyan’s intellectual legacy in two volumes constitutes a substantial contribution to Armenian historical scholarship and the politics of memory surrounding the First Republic of Armenia. The research explores the interrelation between the influx of Western Armenian refugees and the problem of factionalism during 1918–1920, grounded in an exceptional range of archival sources and statistical data. Hayrapetyan interprets mass displacement not as a humanitarian catastrophe alone but as a defining moment in the reconstruction of Armenian statehood and the reconfiguration of national identity.

Through his detailed analyses, he demonstrates how the fragile cohesion between Eastern and Western Armenians deteriorated under political and social pressures, leading to fragmentation that undermined the foundations of statehood. The study of the First Western Armenian Congress reveals the political and psychological dimensions of this tension, highlighting competing visions of sovereignty and nation-building. His reflections on governmental policy – relating to refugee settlement, resource allocation, and civic responsibility – are invaluable for understanding how the young republic sought to balance compassion with institutional capacity.

By consolidating dispersed writings into a unified corpus, the two-volume edition closes major historiographical gaps and provides a structured foundation for subsequent inquiry. It simultaneously demonstrates how state-building in Armenia was both a struggle for political legitimacy and a moral endeavour to preserve dignity under existential threat. Hayrapetyan’s methodology, characterised by intellectual integrity and empathy, exemplifies a form of historical scholarship where patriotism is inseparable from critical analysis.

The posthumous publication of Hayrapetyan’s two-volume work also stands as a monument to scholarly integrity and his selfless dedication to Armenian studies. It offers the reader a profound synthesis of historical reasoning, moral clarity, and civic awareness – qualities rarely so harmoniously balanced. In preserving Hayrapetyan’s analytical voice, the publication ensures that the conversation between history and the nation’s moral imagination continues across generations.

A MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT OF EUROPEAN ARMENOLOGY

Contemporary Armenian studies were enriched in 2024 by a valuable new German-language publication, co-authored by distinguished Armenologists, German Professor Tessa Hofmann and Norwegian Dr. Winfried K. Dallmann. The substantial volume, titled “Das geopolitische Schicksal Armeniens. Vergangenheit und Gegenwart” (“The Geopolitical Fate of Armenia: Past and Present”), is original and highly significant from multiple perspectives. First and foremost, the book presents a comprehensive history of the Armenian people from the earliest times to the present day. Importantly, it provides scholarly and compelling interpretations of issues related to different historical periods, issues on which the perspectives of foreign researchers at times lacked objectivity. Secondly, the work is structured two parts and comprises eighteen chapters. The first part presents the millennia-long history of the Armenian people up to the declaration of independence of the Third Republic of Armenia, while the second part, consisting of eight chapters, covers the events of the following thirty-five years. This testifies to the authors’ recognition of the importance of the modern period, marked by both triumph and tragedy, challenges, victories and defeats, as well as a host of unresolved issues. Central of this era lies the Artsakh conflict and the developments directly related to and surrounding it.

Another important merit of the book is the fact that the narrative is thoroughly mapped out. In other words, when presenting Armenia across different historical periods, the authors include corresponding maps, which make the material more concrete and render the authors’ conclusions and generalizations more compelling and irrefutable.

The work, which offers a comprehensive account not only of Armenia and the Artsakh conflict but also of the history of the Armenian diaspora, serves as a unique encyclopedia or textbook for anyone seeking deep and thorough knowledge of these subjects, as well as of the regional and international developments that have unfolded in these contexts.

HISTORICAL AND STRATEGIC FOUNDATIONS OF MILITARY CONSTRUCTION IN ARTSAKH

This review examines Mher Harutyunyan’s monograph «Military Construction in Artsakh, 1991–2006», which provides a foundational historical and strategic analysis of the military-institutional development of the Republic of Artsakh during its formative post-Soviet period. The monograph offers a multidimensional exploration of the establishment, consolidation, and doctrinal evolution of the Defense Army of Artsakh (DAA), framed within the geopolitical and security challenges posed by Azerbaijani aggression.

Key thematic directions addressed in the monograph include: the institutionalization of armed forces and defense governance (1992–1994), the development of military infrastructure and logistics under resource-limited conditions, the training and professionalization of officer corps through both domestic and international frameworks, and the implementation of territorial defense and fortification strategies in the post-ceasefire period (1994–2006).

The review highlights the author’s effective use of primary sources, including classified archival materials, official publications, military press, and personal testimonies, many of which have gained unique historiographic value following the forced displacement of Artsakh’s population in 2023.

Particular attention is paid to the book’s conceptual contributions to the understanding of military construction as a key component of state-building under conditions of political non-recognition and existential threat. The monograph is not merely a descriptive chronology but a systematic and theoretically informed analysis that interfaces military history with national security studies, conflict theory, and institutional resilience.

The review underscores the work’s relevance for academic disciplines such as military history, political science, and strategic studies. It also notes its potential utility for policy planners and defense professionals concerned with the design of adaptive and context-specific national security strategies, especially in contested regions.

In light of its methodological rigor, originality, and applied analytical insights, the monograph represents a significant contribution to the evolving field of post-Soviet military transformations and de facto state studies.

ARMENIAN ORAL LITERATURE

Armenian Folklore in the Russian-language “Collection of Materials Describing Places and Tribes of the Caucasus”

The collection comprises texts from the Armenian folklore heritage, originally published in the Russian-language multi-volume “Collection of Materials for Describing Places and Tribes of the Caucasus” (1881-1915). The collection include texts of Armenian folklore texts, including prose, lyrical, and paremiological pieces, collected from Zangezur, Nakhichevan, and Echmiadzin districts (uezd) The Elizavetpol, Tiflis, Erivan Governorates of The Tsarist Russian Empire. The presented materials offer insights into both national and historical-geographic characteristics, as well as universal themes, making them valuable for comparative academic research. The texts within the collection have remained largely unaltered, faithfully representing the language and content of the original materials, with no additional linguistic or textual modifications. However, the texts were adapted to modern reading standards, considering the contemporary Russian language orthography and punctuation. Furthermore, certain texts are supplemented with scholarly annotations. This collection is intended for philologists, folklorists, ethnographers, as well as individuals with an interest in South Caucasus culture.

THE MORPHOLOGY OF THE ARMENIAN LANGUAGE NOWADAYS

About the book “Modern Armenian Language: Morphology” by Yu. Avetisyan

After the last textbook presenting the morphology of the Modern Armenian language, almost half a century of silence in this field of research was broken by the publication of a new book of the same title. It is also true that morphological changes in language occur slowly, so it is natural that large-scale studies in this dimension can be published intermittently for decades. Yuri Avetisyan’s “The Modern Armenian Language: Morphology” is a worthy work in terms of content and structure – thoughtful, structured, restrained, with an accurate combination of scientific caution and courage, a study that has important scientific and educational value at the present stage of the Armenian language.

The structure, serious content and rich practical material with examples in this book really make it possible to fully use it as a university textbook, since it includes not only extensive theoretical material, from historical views on this morphological reality to the separation and filtering of outdated forms and new combinations, but also tools for conducting practical and research work, for example, the section “Topics of Reports and Essays” presented at the end of the book, or the “Dictionaries” section highlighted in the “Literature” section.

BOOK BY DAVID MOSINYAN “NIKOGHOS SARAFYAN: IN SEARCH OF A LOST ENVIRONMENT” – 2024-3

Knarik A. Abrahamyan
Ph.D in Philology

Summary

Keywords – Davit Mosinyan, Nikoghos Sarafian, philosophy, literary relations, theoretical observations, critical mind.

The book by Davit Mosinyan is dedicated to the examination of the creative layers of Nikoghos Sarafian, one of the outstanding representatives of French- Armenian literature, taking into account and discussing the literary and theoretical material about the author (Harutyun Kurkjian, Marc Nichanian, Krikor Beledian, Seta Kilejian, Suren Danielyan, Arthur Andranikyan, Lilit Seyranyan and others).

In the review, the author’s goals and principles are addressed, structural features of the book were particularly emphasized, the creative relations with N. Sarafian and the authors of the preceding period, his literary teachers (Eghia Temichipashian, Intra, Vahan Tekeyan, Hagop Oshagan and others), as well as the relations between the author and the environment (“We”, “Boys of Paris”, French- Armenian literary figures). Nikoghos Sarafian is a philosopher-writer, and Davit Mosinyan observed him primarily in the context of his profession philosophy (Soren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Spinoza, Martin Heidegger, Arthur Schopenhauer and others) emphasizing the peculiarities of the approaches of the French-Armenian writer. The conclusion is that extensive scientific research work has been carried out, which conributes to the discovery of the cognitive values of N. Sarafian’s work.

THE HISTORY OF THE HEROIC SETTLEMENT OF ARTSAKH – 2024-3

Mkrtchyan E. S., Khtsaberd and the Offspring of My Life (Memoirs), Yerevan, Real Print Publishing, 2023, 280 pp. + 58 pp., illustrations.

Mher A. Harutyunyan
Ph.D. in History

Summary

Keywords – Khtsaberd, Hadrut, Artsakh, Nagorno-Karabakh, memoirs, professor, settlement, etymology, research, genealogy, historical memory, resident, word formation, grammar, school, indigenous people, forced displacement.

In the context of the Azerbaijan-Turkey aggression from 2020 to 2023, which led to the occupation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and the threat of genocide against the indigenous Armenian population with subsequent forced displacement, rethinking and popularizing the history of the once-existing “eastern regions” of Armenia has gained significant importance. This is due to the need to convey to international specialized and authorized organizations the demand for urgent measures to preserve the Armenian historical and cultural heritage, which is being destroyed, appropriated, and distorted in the occupied territories of historical Armenia, to maintain the historical memory of our compatriots and unite them around the idea of returning to their homeland, as well as to strengthen our counterarguments in the information war imposed on Armenia and the entire Armenian nation.

From this perspective, it is worth noting that the initiative of Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor Eduard Samsonovich Mkrtchyan to present the history of his native village of Khctaberд in his memoirs can serve as a positive example for publishing books dedicated to other settlements of Artsakh.

Professor E. Mkrtchyan’s memoirs were published by decision of the Scientific Council of the Armenian State Pedagogical University named after Kh. Abovyan. The book was prepared for publication by the Syunik Center for Armenian Studies. The editor of the book is Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor Mher Kumunts.

The author of the memoirs has presented the history of his native village of Khctaberд, its language, genealogies, the origins of toponyms, and other interesting information. All of this is presented in the context of significant events in the life and work of Professor E. Mkrtchyan.

In conclusion, it can be noted that E. Mkrtchyan’s valuable publication aims to become a reference book for the reading audience. The usefulness of the book is evident both for specialists in Armenian studies and for the broader reading public interested in the history of Artsakh. The publication of the book is relevant in terms of restoring the territorial integrity of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, recognizing the international right to return to the homeland, and substantiating the historical, political, and legal aspects of its status.

SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE FIELD OF GENOCIDE STUDIES – 2024-1

Tessa Hofmann, Der Genozid an den indigenen Christen des Osmanischen Reiches: Armenier, Griechen, Syro-Aramäer/Assyrer/Chaldäer։ eine ausführliche Dokumentation mit drei Modulen von je neun Unterrichtseinheiten

Summary

Gerayer A. Koutcharian (Berlin, Germany)
Doctor of Natural Sciences

In Germany and beyond, the philologist and genocide scholar Tessa Hofmann is considered an expert on the genocide of the Ottoman Christians, which was also the first large-scale genocide of the 20 century. In my review of Tessa Hofmann’s most recent work “The Genocide of the Indigenous Christians of the Ottoman Empire” (2024), I emphasize that the book serves a dual purpose: it serves as a very comprehensive introductory reading on the course and methods of the Ottoman – Young Turk and Kemalist – genocide of over three million indigenous Christians (Armenians, Greek Orthodox Christians, Syro-Aramaeans, Assyrians and Chaldeans) in the Ottoman Empire and in northwest Iran, which was temporarily occupied by the Ottomans in 1914 and 1918. In the second part of her book, she presents three modules, each with nine teaching and learning units for school lessons on genocide.

Until now, there have been no such handouts in Germany, where the largest diaspora of Turks is located (with the exception of the federal states of Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt, where they are now out of print). A special feature of the book is also its inclusive approach, which includes all Christian victims and illustrates the interactions between the acts against Greek Orthodox, Armenian and Syro-Aramaic Christians. An extensive bibliography as well as contributions by Roy Knocke (Director of the Lepsius House in Potsdam) on Johannes Lepsius and two associations of members of Turkish descent on coming to terms with the past and the culture of remembrance round off this extremely remarkable book, which will hopefully find its way into German schools.

REFERENCES

Hofman T’., Qristoneay bnik joghovurdneri tseghaspanut’yune’ Osmanean kaysrut’ean mej: Hayer, yoyner, siriats’i-arameats’iner /asoriner/, qaghdeats’iner. Manramasn vaveragrut’yun- baghkatsatc 3 masits ev usutsman 9 miavorits’. Vaylersvist’-Meternikh, “Haze ev K’eohler” hrat., 2024 (in Armenian).

THE MEMOIRS OF A NATION-STATE FIGURE

“Memories of the past” / Z. Yeolian; Compilers: A. Azizyan, A. Simonyan; Yerevan, “Lusakn”, 2023, 612 pages.

Summary

Mher A. Harutyunyan
Ph.D. in History

The articles of Zakar Yolyan, one of the foremost figures of the Armenian National Liberation Struggle and ARF leader of the first quarter of the 20 century, mostly published in the press, formed the bases of a large book of memoirs of this socio-political and state figure, initiated by Aghasi Azizyan and Ashot Simonyan.

The relevance of the memoirs, summarized in a separate collection by Z. Yeolian, is due to the author’s desire to rethink the past, to draw lessons from history and to outline the sequence of correct steps respectively. As an active participant or witness of important political events of the time, Z. Yeolian provided reliable and as impartial as possible testimonies and memoirs. His knowledge came not only from his close ties with ARF leaders in Baku and Zangezur, but also from his frequent contacts with leaders of the Bolsheviks and other socio-political currents. Thanks to this and especially to the fruitful activity in Zangezur, which, in fact, is reflected in the work of Z. Yeolian in his voluminous memoirs, many events and names of heroes were saved from inevitable oblivion and have now become an inexhaustible source of inspiration and imitation for the present and future generations.

Z. Yeolian’s vivid and lively memoirs preserve the former industrial centre of the Caucasus – Baku, in the social, political and cultural life of which the role of the numerous Armenian populations was significant. The author’s unique testimonies are not only about the ARF, but also about other Armenian parties and foreign political movements, organizations and figures, as well as their connections, and represent important material for our historiography.

Remarkable archival materials extracted from the National Archives of Armenia and other sources, as well as valuable information about his personal life and family members significantly enriched the content of the book.

Thus, summing up, it can be stated that the reader is presented with a valuable book, which has scientific, historiographical and primary source value and is intended to contribute to the full study and rethinking of the history of the Armenian nation in the first quarter of the XX century.

REFERENCES

1. Azizean A., Arkhivayin vaveragrer Jemal P’ashayi spanut’ean masin, “Vem”, T’ (ZHE) tari, t’iv 3 (59), 2017 (In Armenian).
2. «Ants’eali yusher»/Z. Yeolean; Kazmoghner, A. Azizean, A. Simonean; Ar’ajabani heghinak, A.Simonean, grakhos, A. Yakobean, Yer., “Lusakn”, 2023 (In Armenian).
3. Arts’akhi yev Zangezuri hay azgabnakut’yan zinvats ink’napashtpanut’yan patmut’yunits’ (1918- 1920 t’t’.). Vaveragrer yev hushagrut’yunner / Kazm., M. A. Harut’yunyan, “Kachar” taregirk’, Girk’ 15(179-190), Shushi, «Kachar» gitakan kentroni hrat., 2021 (In Armenian).
4. Gyulkhandanean A., Yeghap’okhakan demk’er, “Hay’renik’” amsagir, Boston, 1936, N 6 (In Armenian).
5. Zohrabyan Ed., Yolyanner. Vaveragrakan vipak: Khmb., A.M. Aristakesyan, Yer., «Sovetakan grogh», 1988 (In Armenian).
6. HAA, F.47, ts’.2, g.365, t’.267 (In Armenian).
7 .HAA f.105, ts’.1, g.2805, t’.97 (In Armenian).
8. HAA, F.198,ts’.1, g.39,t’.30 (In Armenian).
9. HAA, f. 252, ts’. 2, g. 34 (In Armenian).
10. Hakhverdyan S., Gorisi amp’op’ patmut’yun, Yer, “Zangak-97”, 2005. (In Armenian)
11. Hushamatyan ankakhut’yan. Hayastani hanrapetut’yan 1918-1921 t’t’. petakan gortich’nerĕ, kazmets’ Mayk’l Babayanĕ, Yer., 2019 (In Armenian).
12.”Vani razmakan gortsoghut’yunnerĕ (1915 t’. april-mayis)” t’argm., A. Ashkhatuni, “Alik” orat’ert’ (T’ehran) 2 Yunis 1954 t’., N 120. (https://tert.nla.am/archive/NLA%20TERT/Aliq%20Tehran/1954/1954%28120%29.pdf) (mutk’, 26.12.2023), 3 Yunis 1954 t’., N 121, ej 2 (https://tert.nla.am/archive/NLA%20TERT/Aliq%20Tehran/1954/1954%28121%29.pdf) (mutk’, 26.12.2023), 6 Yunis 1954 t’., N 122, ej 1-2 (https://tert.nla.am/archive/NLA%20TERT/Aliq%20Tehran/1954/1954%28122%29.pdf) (mutk’, 26.12.2023):
13. Vardanyan S., Tohmanunner: Gorisi taratsashrjan: Khmb., V.V. Zadayan, Yer., “Arants’ hrat.”, 2015 (In Armenian).
14. P’ampuk’ean Ye., H Y Dashnakts’ut’ean tcatskanunnerĕ bararan. andznanunner, teghanunner, t’uanshanayin tsatskagrer, Yer., “Lusakn”, 2023 (In Armenian).
15. Staryy i novyy Goris/Staryy i novyy Goris/ Sen Oganisyan; [per. na russkom T. Barsegyan; Per. po-angliyski S. Avetisyan; gl. red. S. Oganesyan; Foto: P. Pogosyan i dr.], Yer., “Naapet”, 2018 (In Russian).