The pain of a nation

Armenia | Anno 2017

 

Tuesday, July 18 | Khor Virap – Yerevan

Wednesday, July 19 | Yerevan – Charents’ Arch – Garni – Geghardavank

Thursday, July 20 | Yerevan – Tsitsernakaberd

 

 

Tuesday, July 18 | Khor Virap – Yerevan

It’s three thirty when we reach the industrial outskirts of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. This city has over a million inhabitants, meaning that one in three citizens of the country lives in its capital. And the city is even older than Rome, our guide Sira proudly notes – by exactly 29 years. We know this from cuneiform inscriptions, where the founding year, 782 BCE, is engraved. That’s more than can be said for Rome, as its supposed founding in 753 BCE is based on myths.

 

Yerevan

Most of the buildings are constructed from pink tuff stone. This includes the buildings around Republic Square in the heart of the city, where our driver Arman drops us off – the post office and the seat of the Armenian government, both built from speckled pink stone and dating from 1920, the Marriott Hotel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the History Museum of Armenia.

Only the latter manages to capture our interest. Nayra will take us on a one-and-a-half-hour journey through the history of Armenia. At a large map of the Middle East, we hear the story of Armenia's lost glory. Naidi, land of rivers, the Assyrians called this region, apparently a bit jealous of the many rivers that flow here.

From the 9th to the 6th century BCE, a kingdom called Urartu flourished around Lake Van in present-day Turkey. That kingdom is the distant predecessor of modern Armenia. However, we only encounter the name Armenia for the first time in Persian writings from 520 BCE, during the reign of King Darius.

In 1922 Armenia was incorporated into the USSR. But Mount Ararat was assigned to Turkey

It wasn’t until King Tigranes II in the 1st century BCE that Armenia reached its greatest expansion. Greater Armenia then stretched from Antioch on the Mediterranean Sea to Baku on the Caspian Sea. With an area of 690 000 km², this Armenia-from-sea-to-sea was slightly larger than modern-day France.

Given its location, Armenia has always been a battlefield for the benefit of its larger neighbours. Romans, Persians, Parthians, Seljuks, Mongols, Timurids, Ottomans – you name it. They have all invaded here, usually intending to stay. From the 11th to the 14th century, a small Armenian kingdom managed to hold on for a while in Cilicia, a region just north of Antioch. But after that, Armenia’s independence was lost.

After World War I, the future briefly looked bright. In 1918, Armenia regained its independence. The Turks didn’t like that, nor did the Russians. The latter sent their Red Army to put an end to the situation. In 1922, Armenia was incorporated into the USSR. Before that, Turkey and the Soviet Union had decided amongst themselves how the new border would look. Lenin allowed Turkey to annex a large part of Armenia – including Mount Ararat – as long as he had peace on his southern border.

It was not until 1991 that heavily amputated Armenia would regain its independence.

Impeccable artefacts testify to a mastery that often spans millennia. The stunning presentation here could be the envy of many a museum

Enough talk, there’s a whole museum waiting for us. We quietly shuffle between the display cases, following Nayra, moving from one astonishment to the next. With ease, we’re taken back ten thousand years in time. Impeccable artefacts testify to a mastery that often spans millennia. The stunning presentation here could be the envy of many a museum.

Of course, the world’s oldest leather shoe is part of the collection. As we know, it was discovered in the Areni-1 cave in 2008 and is 5 500 years old. But that seems like a youngster compared to the hand axes and pottery from the 8th millennium BCE. Large clay objects were quite common in the 3rd millennium BCE, as evidenced by a ritual hearth and a massive kettle adorned with dragon motifs. Smaller vessels, on the other hand, were popular as grave goods. The black vessels symbolized death, while the red ones opened up a perspective on rebirth.

 

Yerevan, Ararat

More than four thousand years ago, they already knew how to craft exceptional gold jewellery, or an intricately worked ritual silver cup, decorated with leopards among other things.

A particularly surprising find is the almost intact, four-wheeled wooden cart from the 3rd or 2nd millennium BCE. It was excavated in Lchashen, on the shores of Lake Sevan. Although, it wasn’t really a formal excavation – the burial mound simply emerged when the water level of the lake dropped. In a chest on the cart, a body was found in a foetal position, suggesting it was likely a ritual funeral cart. A total of sixteen such carts were unearthed. Nearby, there is another cart that must have been used for actual transport.

Some of these carts are now on display in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. The Russians believed they were entitled to them – after all, they were the ones who lowered the water level of Lake Sevan.

Naturally, the Urartian civilization is also well-represented here. One of the highlights is the seated statue of Arubani, the Urartian goddess of fertility and art, and the wife of the chief god. It is cast in bronze, likely from the 8th or 7th century BC. A winged stone cross from the same period leads archaeologists to speculate that it could be a distant predecessor of the khachkars.

Once Ani was an Armenian capital, its ruins now lie decaying in Turkey

A vast collection of coins serves as a reminder of the greatness of Armenia-from-sea-to-sea from the 1st century BC. With the same pride, Nayra shows us the model of Ani, the City of 1001 Churches. Once an Armenian capital, its ruins now lie decaying in Turkey. Seljuks, Mongols, Timurids, and in between, an earthquake, have forever reduced the city to rubble.

In the same eastern part of Turkey, Nayra points out, many ethnic Armenians converted to Islam for pragmatic reasons. Often, these are orphans raised by Turks, who are not even aware of their Armenian heritage. Nayra calls them Hidden Armenians.

From there, it’s only a small step to the Armenian Genocide. A complete section of the museum is dedicated to it, with historical documents, photographs, extensive texts, and much tragedy.

We ask Nayra if her family suffered during the genocide. No, she replies. But her father died in Nagorno-Karabakh in 1994, she adds in the same breath. A conflict we thought distant suddenly intrudes dramatically into our comfortable lives. Before us stands a woman who must have been around twelve when she lost her father to that war. Somewhat stunned, we leave the museum.

Top

Wednesday, July 19 | Yerevan – Charents’ Arch – Garni – Geghardavank

Dogs and crows – those are the only living creatures you see or hear on the streets this morning. Otherwise, an eerie silence hangs around the hotel, just a few blocks from the city centre. The schools are closed, and Armenians don’t start work until nine o'clock, which likely explains this calm.

 

 

With an extensive city tour ahead of us, Sira quickly reassures us. You can't get lost in Yerevan, she says, since the city is built around Republic Square. Almost every street will eventually lead you back to that square.

Through the morning smog, Mount Ararat is barely visible as the bus climbs above Yerevan. The city's name is probably a corruption of Erebuni, meaning Victory. That was the name of the fortress founded nearly three thousand years ago on one of the hills in the southern suburbs.

But it wasn’t until 1918 that Yerevan became the Armenian capital. Back then, the city had barely 30 000 residents; today, it has thirty times that number.

There she stands, Mother Armenia, a colossal statue 22 meters tall on a pedestal of black tuff stone another 29 meters high. From her hilltop vantage point, she watches over the city, symbolizing the heroic Armenian mother. Sword in hand, she appears ready to defend – along with her husband and sons, she will protect Armenia against anyone who threatens her land. Her feet are pressed together, offering reassurance – she herself will never strike first.

Sword in hand, she appears ready to defend. With her feet pressed together, she offers reassurance

Mother Armenia

Tanks and artillery from World War II surround the monument. Once, a giant statue of Stalin stood on this pedestal, but it was discarded in 1962.

The view over Yerevan is magnificent. We are perfectly aligned with the tree-lined Mashtots Avenue, Yerevan’s own Champs-Élysées. Greenery is everywhere in the cityscape. The climate here is quite dry, so many parks have been deliberately created. This not only adds extra colour to the city of tuff stone but also brings a refreshing sense of life to the landscape.

Alexander Tamanian envisioned the city not just as a fortress, but also as a garden. The pink city would become the city of love

Yerevan – Cascade

You absolutely must see the Cascade, Sira says proudly. So, Arman drops us off at the statue of Alexander Tamanian. Behind it, the monumental steps of the Cascade descend like a waterfall, while the architect himself leans seriously over a document. That document is the city plan – he is its designer. He envisioned the city not just as a fortress, but also as a garden. The pink city would become the city of love.

 

The Wall (Guy Buseyne)

Smoking Woman (Fernando Botero)

This small park at the foot of the steps is a feast for the eyes. Sculptures are everywhere, and not just any. We recognize the distinctive, rounded style of Fernando Botero, including works like Smoking Woman. There's also The Wall by Belgian artist Guy Buseyne, featuring a man who appears to be walking straight through a wall.

 

Yerevan – Cascade

Originally, the concept of the Cascade dates back to the 1970s. The intention was to connect the upper city with the lower city. However, the 1988 earthquake disrupted those plans. In 2002, the project was revived, and seven years later, it was inaugurated.

 

Cascade

Three glassinators (Andrew Carson)

Seven long escalators take us up through a wide shaft – there’s a height difference of 118 meters. Along the way, contemporary artworks line the left side, yet again a feast for the eyes. On the right, the entrances to the museums embedded in the slope gradually come into view.

 

Home Museum of Charles Aznavour

At the very top, the Charles Aznavour Home Museum demands the most attention. The building was inaugurated just last year by the 92-year-old chansonnier himself.

We stroll along the leafy Mashtots Avenue toward the Matenadaran – officially the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts. Clearly, it’s all about Mashtots here. This is no coincidence; in 405, he single-handedly invented the Armenian alphabet. A seated statue of the monk even stands in front of the institute, with a diligent student hanging on his every word.

In 405, Mesrop Masjtots single-handedly invented the Armenian alphabet

Matenadaran with statue of Mesrop Mashtots

So this is essentially a library. Yawn. A very large library, in fact. Double yawn. It seems almost impossible for it to be any duller; our enthusiasm temporarily wanes. But that’s not counting on Katev. Her boundless energy melts our scepticism away like snow in the sun.

It's so busy that Katev goes through the display cases in random order, depending on where space opens up. They house twenty thousand Armenian manuscripts here. And that doesn’t even include the 3 500 manuscripts in other languages, such as Indian, Persian, Hebrew, and Egyptian. Plus, there are twenty thousand texts that were lost during the genocide.

To start with some trivia, the heaviest manuscript in the collection weighs 28 kg and contains homilies from Muş in present-day Turkey. On the other hand, the lightest manuscript barely weighs 19 grams. But you’ll need a magnifying glass to read that little book.

Nearly three-quarters of a millennium later, the quality of those colours can be described as remarkable

Monks used to embellish their manuscripts with natural colours. Nearly three-quarters of a millennium later, the quality of those colours can be described as remarkable. The crimson red was obtained from the cochineal insect, the blue from lapis lazuli, and the yellow from gold paint.

A manuscript from the 5th century is even bound in an ivory cover. Silver and leather covers were also used. Exceptionally beautiful is the leather cover of a book from the 15th century, encased in silver with a relief decoration of gold and semi-precious stones.

The Armenian alphabet consists of thirty-six letters. But they were more than just letters. Each of those symbols also had a numerical value assigned by Mashtots: from 1 to 9, from 10 to 90, from 100 to 900, and from 1 000 to 9 000. Katev uses the year 1957, the year the Matenadaran was built, as an example. That number is written with the letters for 1,000, 900, 50, and 7. Not very practical, we think. Just try to represent numbers above 10 000. Not to mention multiplying two numbers.

Without false modesty, Katev calls Armenia the Queen of Transcriptions. She supports this claim with biblical transcriptions in Armenian from the 5th century, done by translators who had access to the original Greek version.

There is also a text that refutes the conclusions of the famous Council of Chalcedon – today’s Kadıköy – in 451. It’s a faithful transcription of the original Greek text. A certain Timotheus Aeroluros wrote this pamphlet in 484.

Or the geometry of Euclid, still the foundation of modern planar geometry. It is a second transcription, translated from Greek via Arabic to Armenian. The translation dates from the 7th century, and the manuscript from the 12th century.

For historians searching for source material, this must be the Holy Grail.

And it just keeps going. A book by Copernicus. A text by Ptolemy. The first Armenian criminal code from 1303. A dictionary from the 12th century… For historians in search of primary sources, this must be the Holy Grail.

As we leave Yerevan behind for a few hours, Sira takes a moment to examine the social conditions in Armenia. And they are far from rosy. Twenty percent of the workforce is unemployed. Healthcare is fairly good, to the extent that medical tourism is organized here from neighbouring countries. However, not everyone has health insurance. In fact, Armenians are just beginning to discover what health insurance is actually for.

In the centre of Yerevan, a two-bedroom house can easily cost you around $ 150 000. Outside the centre, you might be able to find a three-bedroom home for about $ 80 000.

Getting married costs money, too. Girls often delay their marriage until they are 25 or even 28 years old. Boys take even longer. It wasn’t always this way.

 

Yeghishe Charents’ poems are considered among the finest produced by Armenian literature

Meanwhile, walnut trees pass by the window. This region is well known for them. The expansive view over the rolling plain is also highly praised. Yeghishe Charents often enjoyed this scenery. His poems are considered among the finest produced by Armenian literature. He survived the fury of the genocide but not that of Stalin.

 

Charents’ Arch – Armenian Folk Songs

A modest stone structure bears his name – Charents’ Arch. An accordion player welcomes us with a tune. With Mount Ararat in the background, the view from under the arch has a magical quality. Even National Geographic has been lured by it.

But today, Mount Ararat is absent from view, thanks to the smog. This absence is more than compensated by the unexpected presence of a few singers. They are professionals, and their selection of Armenian folk songs leaves a deep impression on us.

 

Garni – Azat Valley

Just after noon, we arrive in Garni. Visitors swarm in droves among the souvenir stalls on their way to the temple. Even complete fox furs are offered for sale here.

 

Garni – Azat Valley

You can certainly call it unique, the temple that awaits us on an advanced rocky promontory. For once, it’s not a structure of Christian significance, but a classical temple. Taking all proportions into account, it even reminds us a bit of the Athenian Parthenon.

We know that the temple dates from the 1st century CE from the Greek inscription that Trdat I had carved into a rock. The structure is dedicated to the god Mihr, better known by his Persian name Mithras. However, pagan gods had already been worshipped here at least a thousand years earlier, as established by archaeologists.

You won’t encounter a pagan temple anywhere else in Armenia

Garni – Roman Temple of Mithras

You won’t encounter a pagan temple anywhere else in Armenia. Yet, in this thoroughly Christian country, there are still an estimated twenty-five thousand Armenians who adhere to a pagan cult. They celebrate New Year on August 11 at four in the morning. This is the day when, in the east, the constellation Orion first rises just before the sun. Orion is associated with Hayk, the great-great-grandson of Noah and the legendary founder of Armenia.

A man plays the duduk, a woodwind instrument with a tradition spanning two to three thousand years

 

Melancholic music greets us from the temple. A man plays the duduk, a woodwind instrument with a tradition spanning two to three thousand years. Its mournful tones evoke those of an oboe and resonate with sadness – a perfect soundtrack to the tragedy of this people.

The interior of the temple is quite bare. A square hollow in the floor would have once contained water. Bronze plates against the walls would have reflected the sunlight along with the water.

 

Garni – Temple of Mithras

Once again, it is the impressive location that adds value to the temple. In all directions, we gaze over barren mountains, marked by the jagged scars of valleys. Below us, over a hundred meters straight down, the turbulent Azat River carves its way through the gorge. It wraps around the rock outcrop on which the temple is built like a horseshoe. The location could not have been chosen more strategically.

For centuries, Christians left this pagan temple untouched, building their church neatly beside it. However, in 1679, an earthquake was not so gentle. The temple lay in complete ruins. It wasn't until the mid-20th century that it was thoroughly restored.

 

Roman bath house – Hypocaust

Further along lie the ruins of a palace. The bathhouse attracts the most interest. It turns out to have a primitive form of underfloor heating. The large floor tiles rest on small pillars, creating a hollow space. An oven pumps hot air into this space, allowing the tiles to radiate a comfortable warmth. Such a Roman hypocaust was an expensive and labour-intensive affair, as the oven had to be constantly supplied with fuel. In one of the rooms, a partially intact floor mosaic can still be admired.

 

Roman Bath House – Floor Mosaics

At Garni Rest Host, Larissa is in charge. She serves us delightful bundles of lavash, the thin slices of soft bread filled with various ingredients that we were already introduced to in Haghpat. As we untie the bundles, the aromas of korgyn rise up – an appetizing one-pot dish made of potatoes, tomatoes, and meat.

Of course, they bake the lavash themselves here. They use a tonir for this, a clay vat that is completely buried in the ground. Indians refer to it as a tandoor.

 

Tonir		Fresh dough for the lavash
Roll out the dough, …		… stretch it over a holder …
… and stick it to the hot wall of the tonir
Wait 15 to 20 seconds …		… and the lavash is ready

Orange-red flames flicker irregularly over the edge of the vat. The oven is at temperature, the burning wood is removed, and the preparation can begin. The fresh dough is rolled out into large, oval shapes and stretched tightly over a holder. This makes it easy to smack the dough against the inner wall of the glowing oven. It stays there for fifteen to twenty seconds until it is cooked. Since 2014, this technique has been listed by Unesco as an intangible cultural heritage.

For dessert, sweet sujukh is served, another Armenian specialty. Walnuts are strung together and soaked in a syrupy mixture of grape juice. This solidifies into a sticky cylinder that is sliced into pieces. The Armenian version of Snickers, giggles Sira.

 

Azat Valley

Upstream along the Azat, there is even more to experience. As early as the fourth century, monks began retreating into asceticism there. They nestled high against the rock walls in caves, often accessible only by ropes or ladders. When Gregory the Illuminator built a monastery down in the valley, it was named Ayrivank, which means the Cave Monastery.

The Monastery of the Spear owes its name to the spear with which Longinus pierced the side of Christ

Geghardavank Monastery

That changed when the monastery came into possession of a spear. Not just any spear, but the genuine Holy Lance – the spear with which Longinus pierced the side of Christ to ensure that He was dead. From then on, the monastery would be known as Geghardavank, or the Monastery of the Spear. It is said that Judas Thaddeus, one of the twelve apostles, brought the spear to Armenia. Nowadays, you will search in vain for the spear here, as it has been transferred to Etchmiadzin, the Vatican of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

In 1997, a large rock suddenly rolled down the slope and plopped right among the visitors

Geghardavank Monastery – Courtyard with large rock

This monastery has the qualities of a fortress. In the middle of the courtyard, a large rock immediately catches the eye. It’s quite a sizable chunk, about three-quarters of a meter in diameter. In 1997, it suddenly rolled down the slope and plopped right among the visitors. Despite the crowd in the square, no one was injured. You can’t help but call that a miracle, especially in an environment like this. For us, it remains a sinister realization. Somewhat unsettled, we turn our gaze upward. Is more trouble looming above?

 

Avazan rock church

Church of the Mother of God

The monastery is built against the rock wall. Moreover, the buildings are partly hewn from that rock. Only the largest church, dedicated to the Mother of God, stands entirely free. From its monumental narthex, two short tunnels lead us into the rock churches.

 

Khachkars

The smaller of the two, the Avazan, is carved around a natural spring. It is a rather modest rock church and is the oldest in the complex. Abundant holy spring water flows from the rock face. According to popular belief, drinking it promotes pregnancy. This spring once served as the centre of a pagan cult.

 

Father and son light candles

Figure in rock church

More prominent is the second rock church. This is no coincidence, as it is the burial place of the founder of the Prosh dynasty, along with his wife. He was the one who purchased the monastery in the 13th century and immediately had the rock churches carved out.

 

Imitation dome in the rock church

Inside the rock church, it appears as if there is a dome above our heads. However, this is merely an illusion; it is the rock walls that converge towards a small opening. Sunlight streams in through this opening, casting a subtle interplay of light and shadow on the relief sculptures. The walls, pillars, and ceilings are all covered with these intricate carvings – no surface has remained unworked. It is fascinating, as all of this has been meticulously chiselled from the solid rock.

 

Entrance hall of Avazan with stylized lions

On the wall, two stylized lions gaze directly at us. They are chained together, a ram holds the chain between its jaws. The lions' tails end in dragon heads. There’s quite a bit of pagan symbolism in this Christian space, if you ask us. Fortunately, the familiar eagle is also present, holding a lamb in its talons.

 

Stylized lions, ram, eagle and lamb

Lighting candles

Higher up, we seek out the narthex of Papak, another descendant of the Porsh dynasty. A somewhat longer tunnel leads us into the rock, adorned with man-sized, crimson crosses that decorate the walls. This brings us to a monumental vestibule, complete with arches and pillars.

 

Nartex by Papak with processed walls …

…and pillars

Sunlight pours abundantly through an opening in the imitation dome, illuminating the space. Nothing gives the impression that we are deep inside a solid rock. Only the occasionally pockmarked surface of the carved walls and pillars reminds us that this is the result of patient, yet arduous hand chiselling.

One of the visitors starts singing spontaneously, which happens quite often here. The acoustics of this space are indeed unparalleled. It’s no coincidence that Geghardavank was renowned as a music school in its time.

 

Monumental narthex of Papak with an opening to the mausoleum (back right, where a man is looking)

A strange opening, about the size of a football, presents us with a mystery. At the bottom of a corner of the narthex, it provides a glimpse into the mausoleum one level lower. Is this a construction oversight? Did the builder miscalculate while carving this rock church? Or was it intended to allow the sounds of musical performances to resonate into the mausoleum?

 

Yerevan – Vernissage – Chess games galore

Back in Yerevan, Arman drops us off in the heart of the city at the Vernissage, an open-air market for traditional Armenian crafts. Stalls selling only chess sets are in abundance.

 

It was completed in 2001 to commemorate 1 700 years of Christianity in Armenia

Cathedral of Saint Gregory the Illuminator

But it is the Cathedral of Saint Gregory the Illuminator that captures our interest. It's within walking distance from here. It is the largest church in Armenia. Being a newcomer, it was only completed in 2001 to commemorate 1 700 years of Christianity in Armenia.

The fact that there are exactly 1 700 seats is of course no coincidence. About twenty believers have taken their place on this quiet Wednesday afternoon. Light and space are the most striking features, along with the intensity with which some express their faith here.

 

Relic of Saint Gregory the Illuminator

A distillery that pretends to be a museum has a certain aroma to it – an alcoholic one, to be exact. Yet, that's exactly what the Ararat Museum is all about. Sira wants to immerse us in the wonderful world of Armenian brandy, with opportunities for tasting and, of course, purchasing. Who are we to object?

More than nine million bottles of brandy leave the premises each year, begins Sushan. This generates an annual turnover of 400 million euros. Ninety percent is destined for export, with seventy percent going to Russia, she adds with a giggle. The rest is distributed to 35 other countries. The blending is done exclusively here in Yerevan, though the production facilities of the Yerevan Brandy Company are scattered throughout Armenia.

Only indigenous grapes are used, ones that are practically born and raised in Armenia. The harvest happens in September or October, but Ararat doesn’t handle this directly. Instead, they collaborate with 2 399 suppliers, mostly small farmers. Sushan proudly refers to it as a social project.

Ninety percent of the brandy produced is destined for export. Of which seventy percent for Russia

After the harvest comes the pressing, fermentation, and – just like with French cognac – the double distillation. The first distillation yields 39 % alcohol, and the second, 72 %.

The distilled liquid is then aged for at least three years in barrels made of Caucasian oak from Nagorno-Karabakh. These barrels are still crafted by hand using traditional methods, with each craftsman producing about one ton per day. However, even with this meticulous process, around 20 litres of brandy evaporates from each barrel annually – a phenomenon known as the angel’s share. This loss has to be replenished from other barrels.

But there's another issue. Workers who spend a long time in these aging rooms can become unintentionally intoxicated due to the evaporated alcohol. This creates an awkward situation, especially if they encounter a police checkpoint afterward. As a precaution, these employees carry certificates explaining the unavoidable effects of their job. Sushan leaves it to our imagination how the authorities might deal with drivers claiming occupational intoxication.

Only when the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is resolved, the Barrel of Peace will be opened

Ararat Museum – Armenian brandy

Barrel of Peace

In 1994, they set aside a special barrel known as the Barrel of Peace. It will only be opened when the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is resolved, or more concretely, when all the objectives of the Minsk Process are achieved. How realistic this expectation is remains to be seen, but for now, six flagpoles stand guard over the barrel, each bearing the flag of a nation involved in the Minsk negotiations. On the far right we recognize the flag of Armenia, on the far left that of archenemy Azerbaijan – as far apart as possible, of course. Still, this is a unique view. You won't find an Azerbaijani flag anywhere else in Armenia, Sushan knows for sure.

Whenever a head of state visits, Ararat goes out of its way to impress. A common tradition is to set aside a barrel from that specific year for the distinguished guest, allowing them to decide how long they wish to age it. The longer, the better the result, Sushan adds meaningfully.

When a head of state comes to visit, a barrel of that year is set aside for the noble guest. We recognize the names of Lech Walesa and Boris Yeltsin

Barrel for Lech Walesa (2005)

Barrel for Boris Jeltsin (2002)

Noble unknowns they are to us, these former apparatchiks from the CIS republics. Only the barrels of Lech Walesa and Boris Yeltsin ring a bell for us. Especially the latter intrigues us, as that heavy drinker has been dead for ten years now. Maybe we can lay claim to his barrel, as he himself doesn’t need it anymore? Unfortunately, his rights pass to his family, Sushan remarks.

In Russia, they call Armenian brandy cognac without hesitation. However, in the European Union, it must be called brandy. The only difference with true French cognac, Sushan says, is that Armenian brandy uses non-distilled water, while the French only use distilled water. The chauvinistic French want nothing to do with importing Armenian brandy – something that surprises even the French businessman who, quite by chance, has joined our group.

Just before seven, we leave the Ararat Museum, not without first having sampled both a three-year-old and a ten-year-old brandy.

 

Yerevan – Republic Square

Along the wide Tashir Street, we stroll back to the hotel. It's packed with people. It feels like all of Yerevan has come out, from toddlers to the elderly. The contrast with the peace and quiet of this morning couldn't be greater. Terraces, restaurants, and cafés are full to the brim. And it will stay that way for a few more hours, Sira assures us. Stepping into a restaurant at 10 p.m. for a long meal is more of a rule than an exception in Yerevan. The bustle won’t quiet down until well past midnight.

Many have already made their way to Republic Square. There must be a few thousand spectators enjoying the Dancing Fountains. Young and old alike are captivated by the high-tech spectacle. This is a regular event, every evening, all summer long.

Fast or slow, classical or pop, jazz or rock – it doesn't matter. In perfect sync, hundreds of fountains paint a vibrant fresco of light and colour

Yerevan – Dancing Fountains

Fast or slow, classical or pop, jazz or rock – it doesn't matter. In perfect sync, hundreds of fountains paint a vibrant fresco of light and colour against the backdrop of stately, illuminated facades. There’s something almost orgasmic about the sight of the wild, spraying, swaying, and swirling water jets as we head into the night.

Top

Thursday, July 20 | Yerevan – Tsitsernakaberd

Leaving Yerevan without visiting Tsitsernakaberd is unthinkable. Heads of state visiting Yerevan cannot neglect it, and neither can we. Rightfully so, as this Swallow’s Fortress is the site of the Armenian Genocide Memorial and Museum. What Yad Vashem is to Jerusalem, Tsitsernakaberd is to Yerevan.

 

What Yad Vashem is to Jerusalem, Tsitsernakaberd is to Yerevan

During the Soviet period, even speaking about the genocide was not allowed. But the Armenians remained steadfast. Starting in 1965 – the 50th anniversary of the genocide – they demanded the construction of a monument to keep the memory of those horrific events alive. Their persistence paid off, and in 1967, a monument was erected to serve both as a memorial and a research centre. Just a few years ago, it was restored. As we climb up the hill overlooking the city, we can’t help but notice that Mount Ararat is once again shrouded in mist.

It’s still early in the morning, and the parking lot is empty when we arrive. Immediately, our attention is drawn to a collection of fir trees of various sizes and colours – memorial trees planted by dignitaries who have visited the genocide monument. Among the prominent figures who have left their mark here are Jacques Chirac, François Hollande, and Pope John Paul II.

A hundred-meter-long wall bears the names, not of individual victims, but of entire villages and towns where Armenians were massacred. Four tombstones commemorate those who fell in the Nagorno-Karabakh war.

A sharp, needle-like obelisk, 44 meters high, symbolizes the rebirth of Armenia. Upon closer inspection, the seemingly perfect pillar reveals a massive crack running from top to bottom. The two parts just barely miss touching each other, as if they were violently torn apart and need only a slight nudge to be reunited.

The two parts just barely miss touching each other, as if they were violently torn apart and need only a slight nudge to be reunited

The small piece symbolizes Eastern Armenia, the land we now call Armenia. The larger piece represents Western Armenia. Just the name alone makes any Turk bristle, as it refers to present-day Eastern Anatolia – Turkish territory. Although both parts are temporarily separated, the hope is that they will one day be reunited. This is what the Armenians want the world to understand here.

 

Twelve memorial stones for twelve lost provinces

Twelve large memorial stones symbolize the twelve provinces that Armenia once had to surrender to Turkey. They stand in a circle, leaning inward, as if to protect the eternal flame. This flame flickers vigorously from a round opening, exactly one and a half meters below ground level. This is no coincidence, as one and a half million is the estimated number of Armenians who lost their lives in the genocide. The floor also slopes slightly toward the flame, ensuring it draws all the attention.

Carefully and thoughtfully, an old woman cleans the floor of the monument as if it were her own finest room

Eternal flame for 1,5 million victims of the genocide

Carefully and thoughtfully, an old woman cleans the floor of the monument as if it were her own finest room. In a semicircle, she has arranged fresh flowers as a tribute to the victims. She probably does this seven days a week, unpaid, as a dedicated volunteer.

Emotions often take precedence here, especially when Armenians from the diaspora come to visit. Each of them has some poignant story about the events of that time, Sira knows.

We ask Sira if her family also suffered during the genocide. That turns out not to be the case. One of her great-grandmothers managed to escape unscathed from Muş, near Lake Van, in the east of present-day Turkey.

As we leave Yerevan behind for good, Sira passionately recounts the story of the genocide. It certainly didn’t come out of nowhere, she emphasizes. Armenians were always a marginalized minority in the Ottoman Empire. In 1896, the sultan ordered the killing of four hundred thousand Armenians simply for advocating for more rights.

In 1908, it seemed that improvement was on the horizon. The Young Turks had deposed the sultan. A more progressive, western-oriented society seemed to be in the making. From then on, Armenians could expect more tolerance.

 

Rebirth of Armenia from Eastern and Western Armenia

But things turned out differently. Three ministers, the so-called three pashas, managed to steer the revolution in their favour. Soon their power was as absolute as that of the deposed sultan. Turkification became the new norm. If there were no Armenians left in Turkey, then there would be no Armenian issue in Turkey either. It was that simple. Furthermore, the deportation of the Kurds also fit into that picture.

This concept was implemented in four steps. First, all men aged 18 to 60 were conscripted into the army. Not to become soldiers, but to do heavy labour – building roads and railways, for instance. Additionally, women and children were deported. Without food or water, they were driven into the Syrian desert.

If there were no Armenians left in Turkey, then there would be no Armenian issue in Turkey either. It was that simple

The final blow came on April 24, 1915. All Armenian intellectuals were taken from their homes and either deported or executed – an effort to strip the nation of its potential leaders.

As if that were not enough, all traces that could refer to the genocide were ultimately erased. This allowed Hitler, another genocidal leader, to proclaim in 1939: Wer redet heute noch von der Vernichtung der Armenier? – Who still talks today about the annihilation of the Armenians?

Thus, 1915 was not the beginning of the genocide, but rather its sinister peak, emphasizes Sira. The fact that the Turks got away with it so easily was largely due to World War I. The great powers had other things on their minds. In particular, the Germans were reluctant to alienate their Turkish allies.

Still, that was not enough for the Turks. They opened the front in three places simultaneously. Their intent was to erase Christian Armenia from the map, in order to connect with their brother nation Azerbaijan and create a large Turkish-Islamic territory.

1915 was not the beginning of the genocide, but rather its sinister peak

For Armenia, this was perhaps the most important war ever. The country was surrounded on all sides. Gas and electricity were no longer available. To this, add an endless stream of destitute refugees from Western Armenia. Many emigrated, mostly to the USA. If Armenia were to lose this struggle, the nation would cease to exist. It was a horrific war, in which literally everyone fought – men, women, and children.

Ultimately, Armenia managed to hold its ground. On May 28, 1918, they declared the republic. However, this would not last long. In 1922, the Red Army crushed all opposition. Armenia was annexed to the Soviet Union, and Azerbaijan faced the same fate.

Thus, the disagreements were put on hold. This changed when Stalin assigned Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan, despite the fact that it had always been one of Armenia's fifteen historical provinces. Soon, the relationship between Armenia and Azerbaijan soured. This pleased Stalin, who made a sport of pitting nations against each other to strengthen his own position. Although Sira also suspects Turkey's hand here.

Barely had the Soviet Union imploded in 1991 when tensions flared up again. The liberation of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh became a national obsession. An army of volunteers was ready to risk their lives for this cause.

Few military actions are more celebrated in Armenia than the raid in 1992 on Shusha, a fortified stronghold on a rocky plateau deep in the interior of Azerbaijan. In the darkness of night, Armenians climbed the steep rock face. No sooner had the sun appeared on the horizon than they had taken the fortress. Sira fails to mention what subsequently happened to the civilian population. In any case, May 9 has since become a triple celebration for Armenians. They celebrate the end of World War I, the conquest of Shusha, and the birth of the Armenian army on that day.

 

The genocide certainly didn’t come out of nowhere

Back to the genocide. Initially, it seemed that the perpetrators would escape any form of prosecution. However, Operation Nemesis put a stop to that. Armenian commandos managed to track down and execute several key figures. One of the three pashas and the mastermind behind the genocide, Talaat Pasha, was shot in 1921 on Hardenbergstraße in Berlin. A German court acquitted the perpetrator of prosecution despite his confession.

What drove the Turks to orchestrate such a ruthless slaughter? Sira unequivocally names the Christian faith of the Armenians as the primary reason. However, their wealth also played a role, as the displaced Armenians were forced to leave their possessions behind. Additionally, their good relationship with the Soviet Union was seen as a threat – some even suspected them of being a fifth column for the Russians.

If we do not continually remind ourselves of these events, it will happen again, Sira states. To date, the New York Times has dedicated about 150 articles to this topic. A very recent film from 2016, The Promise, also depicts the events quite well.

Top

Jaak Palmans
© 2024 | Version 2024-09-26 16:00

Continue reading in (4/7)

Defeat became victory