Family Stories

[Guest]

Anyone care to share the stories of their parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents fleeing the Genocide and/or leaving the homeland, and how they settled into their new homes? I'd appreciate hearing them.

 

[This message has been edited by Pilafhead (edited October 24, 2000).]

[Guest]

I have already told the forum about my great grandfather who was from Gelibolu (Gallipoli). His parents and siblings were killed by the Turks. This was in the early twenties, after the main genocide. In fact, most Armenians, from what I understand, who were living in the West were spared during the genocide, yet were attacked after (the famous massacres of the Greeks and Armenians of Smyrna for instance). He was taken in by a Turkish family who were friends of the family. They raised him from age 12 to his early twenties, thus he spoke Turkish better than Armenian. When he was in his early twenties, he made his way to Iran, why I am not sure. There he met my great grandmother, whose family had been in Iran for centuries. My great grandfather lived to the ripe old age of 90, I remember him so well. Poor thing had a stroke years earlier, but he always was happy to see his half-breed great grandson! Thanks to him and my great grandmother, who was spry and sharp as a cord, I was forced to speak Armenian in order to communicate with them (garmir p'lav g'sarkes?)

[Guest]

My paternal grandfather's family - 7 brothers and 4 sisters has been slaughtered by the Turks in Shabin Garahisar. He has hidden himself in their dog's kennel, thus saving his life.

 

My paternal grandmother, her brother and sister have been saved by a Turkish family. The parents have been slaughtered in Arabkir area in Western Turkey.

 

My maternal grandparents are from Marash, Cilicia. The grandma and here sister have been saved by French Missioners, and put in a Catholic Orphanage – they have grown up Catholic – something that I found out when I was twenty-something. The grandpa’s parents have frozen to death during the night in the desert. The parents have asked a caravan of younger Armenians to take the kids with them, and they will join them the next morning. Probably they have felt that they were not going to make it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by MJ (edited October 25, 2000).]

[Guest]

My family, on both sides comes from Marash. They escaped through Syria, Lebanon, France and then Brazil. Our last name is quite unusual and we were lucky not to have had any close relative massacred.

[Guest]

Yes, you are lucky Boghos, thank goodness. My grandfather was orphaned at the age of five and lost every single family member: dont ask me how he escaped, becuase I don't think I am likely to get the answer.

 

In any case, he came to Cyprus with his Aunt (the only one left) you see, he came from a very rich background. So the aunt blackmailed him that if he did'nt do what she told him then he wont gain any inheritence. Being the stubborn little soul that he was (bless him) he lost it. Something on the forum got me thinking, so I asked my mum , just the other weekend, to tell me more about what happenned. She told me this little bit I am telling you now, that I didn't even know of.

 

Long live Armenian stubborness! Hooray!

 

You can see where I'm coming from now. The Aunt also disowned him because of the greek/armenian thing and he died when I was six, so I never knew him. All the family I have now love me to bits, they spoil me rotten. I couln't be any happier with them! I think that's why I am more family orientated than my peers as well. But I always felt there was a part of me that was missing, because I am not fully greek, and have never known any of my armenian family.

 

Some times I look at my cousins and uncles.... even just the other day when I just came off the forum, and I was looking for my cousin at her place of work, so I could take her to her house. I grew up with her like a twin. But that day, I looked at her and thought, "there's a part of me you dont know about...you dont know the half of it"

[Guest]

Bur anyway, that enough of me and my selfish posts! I thought all your stories were very touching(and the rest of you Trail of tears story - yes, I consulted your notes you gave me and interpreted the rest!) we have all got this same history in our souls...

MJ the part about the desert and their children almost made me cry.

[Guest]

My family's history is somewhere inbetween Boghos and the rest of you.

 

MY MOM'S MOM

 

My grandmother's parents came from Dikranegert in 1905ish to New York/New Jersey. My great-grandfather arrived speaking perfect English and as a result, worked at Ellis Island translating for arriving Armenians. Some other family members also came to the US but many stayed in Dikranegert and are presumed to have been massacred.

 

My grandmother was actually born in the US (New Jersey) in 1920.

 

I recently found out that my grandmother's family were somewhat wealthy/well-to-do in the old country. This is probably why they were able to get out early.

 

I have vague recollections of my grandmother's mother (she was the only one alive when I was born). A funny aside about her was that she was a huge wrestling fan and loved Hollywood tabloid magazines.

 

I recently saw a picture of my grandmother's father for the first time (on the back of the AGBU magazine). Needless to say, I was very excited

 

 

MY MOM'S DAD

 

My grandfather's parents also came to the US during the first decade of the 20th century. Also from Dikranegert--see, my grandparents are actually first cousins, once removed! Hey, who hasn't had a crush on one of their cousins at one time or another

 

My great-grandfather was a very strong, tall man (6'7")--family stories have it that he killed turks with his hands in the alleys(?)of Dikgranegert.

 

My great-grandfather's brothers also came here, but two sisters were massacred. One of the brothers was discovered by accident, I believe, at an orphanage. He and another brother had set out across the desert, but only he made it. I am very fortunate to have known this uncle of my grandfather.

 

My great-grandmother had two sisters (one of which was born here). There were 8 others that died, but I do not think due to the massacres.

 

One uncle on this side used to sing on the rooftops in Dikranegert. When necessary, he would warn Armenians (via song) that turks were coming. They also had all kinds of secret passages between the houses and also in and out of the city (Dikranegert was a walled city). They had to leave a pregnant sister one time because she could not fit through one of the passages.

 

Like my grandmother, my grandfather was also born in the New Jersey, but his family moved from the US to Beirut from around the time of his birth until he was 7. As a child, my grandfather and traveled with his father buying and selling jewelry and antiques. As a result my grandfather was fluent in English, Armenian, Turkish, Arabic, and French. An amazing man that I wish I could talk to on an intellectual level today. He died when I was 20--long before I wanted to pick his brain on Armenian politics, history, music, etc.

 

 

Sorry for the long winded post but the more relevant aspects of my family are really aunts and uncles rather than my direct relations.

[Guest]

Kazza,

 

The November 1999 issue of the AGBU magazine focused on the Armenians of Greece. If you did not see this let me know, maybe I can scan it and make it available via the Web.

[Guest]

Great topic Mike.

Well my paternal grandfather , Antranik Aharonian , was from Zeitun, Cilicia . Him and his brother survived the massacres, while his parents and sisters were killed and starved to death in Der Zor.His mother died in his arms from starvation while his father was killed while fighting. Remember him talking about it makes my body shiever. He saw many wild and brutal things , but somehow this made him stronger to continue his life. His stories has been recorded by an Armenian organization which recorded the memories of the survivors. I think these archives are now in Boston. He witnessed , while hiding at the opposite hills, the burning of hundreds of Zeituntsi in the Sourp Astvatzatzin church. They had taken refuge there , but the Turks blocked the doors and set the church on fire.

 

My paternal grandmother, Elmast Depoian ***** , was from Dikranagerd ( today’s Diarbakir ). Her father was a very rich and influential figure in the city so he managed to pay their way out from the city. However she had many horrible stories to tell.

 

My maternal grandparents. My great grantfather , Mardiros Metrebian and his wife Anna Tarpinian, were from Sis in Cilicia ( capital of Armenian Cilicia ). Somehow they managed to survive and came to Lebanon ( I have to ask my mom about their story).

My other great grandmother, Siranoush Emirelian (maiden name ) was a little 'princess' in Marash (Cilicia ). She was the only survivor from her family of 11 brothers. Her brothers resisted and were killed brutaly. She was saved by the Protestants missionaries and taken to the orphanage in Lebanon. Then she worked as a maid in the Protestant school to bring up her 3 children , who became orphans very early in their life. My grandmother Ojeni, was a real angel , God bless her soul.

 

All of them were great parents and grand parents. I believe all of the survivors, having seen the horrible acts , had come to value life and tried hard to love and care their children

 

[This message has been edited by raffiaharonian (edited October 25, 2000).]