Emblem of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (1920-1991) © fr.wikipedia.org
Hratchia Kotchar, The White Paper - Vahram Alazan, Paths suffering - Essayan Zabel, On Meguerditch Bechigtachlian and Bedros Tourian
by Eddie Arnavoudian
www.groong.org
1.
In the early 1960s, freed of some of the constraints of past policies, some Armenian writers managed to address some aspects of 1915, with a level of artistic integrity and patriotism that this avoided the vulgar chauvinism, which destroy any creative potential. Among these works is a volume entitled The White Paper , the Armenian Soviet Hratchia Kotchar writer, who died tragically in 1966 at age 55. Collection of two novels and several short stories, The White Paper is a reflection on the strength of national identity and the human will to live.
The most remarkable work in this volume is Desire, enthusiastic and sincere a reconstruction of life in Soviet Armenia during the 1930s, the genocide against the backdrop of the story alive. Arakel aging is a refugee, a native of Western Armenia, which caused a political crisis after illegally crossing the border into Soviet Armenia what was once a province of Armenia. It is motivated by a strong desire to visit his birthplace and honor the graves of his family.
Wonderful writing exercise, the story talks about his struggle to revisit, remember and thereby recover and relive those things and places, who shared the existence of the older generation of refugees of 1915. It is also a faithful picture of the daily life of these peasants, now settled in villages of Soviet Armenia. The clashes between generations, between families and between political factions, who exploit the political crisis caused by Arakel to advance their interests, their supporters and reduce their opponents, are finely seized. All levels of society are portrayed, without embellishment, the central state apparatus in Yerevan, the capital, to City Council with its leaders squabble. The answer brittle and bureaucratic government officials of all ranks to requests Arakel determines the fate of many individuals and families. Commendable feature of the work, the realistic depiction of members of the Kurdish community, which avoids the parameters of a widespread racist mythology. It is a hymn to human life.
Nahabed , the other short novel is not as refined and penetrating. But he reconstructs the suffering, despair and renewed hope, a house and a home that followed the massacres of 1915. Although Nahabed like character, is close to caricature, it does not diminish the warmth and humanity that his experience is marked.
His experiences during the genocide traumatized Nahabed. It is gripped by despair and a fatalistic resignation to his death. Yet despite this, he remarried to a somewhat advanced age, creates children and begins to rebuild a life. This transformation is depicted not without strength, vigor and density of emotion. What gives it depth and power is the fact that the revival of Nahabed is not inspired or triggered by some revelation "inner" metaphysical or supernatural value of human life in the abstract. It is more the product of social pressures, social solidarity, of family issues and support the local community. For deep of their despair, human communities have to live and when they do, they bring with them to the people most desperate and discouraged.
2.
Paths suffering (Yerevan editions Sovetakan Krogh, 1990), Vahram Alazan, is written in Armenian wonderfully intact. The style and manner of telling is simple and friendly as if we were narrated some ancient tale. Yet it is a testimony to the harsh and brutal life in Soviet camps from 1936 to early 1950. A tribute to the courage, solidarity and human resistance. Alazan was a devoted member of the Communist Party of Armenia, a man of letters, poet and novelist. He was also one of the main popularizers of Western Armenian literature in Soviet Armenia. Like many others, he was the victim of the purges.
The real courage, notes Paul Nizan, is to overcome small enemies. Fifteen years in prison and exile, Alazan never lacked that true courage. At each step, he and his companions did show an amazing ability to bounce back and show resistance. Never succumb to despair or. Solidarity and collective protests against the powers that be made sure that during the years darkest, they preserved their humanity, their spirit and hope.
During their two-month journey towards Siberia, they protest by throwing out the window of the car that stale bread and rotten supposed to feed them. Their leader is imprisoned, ten days in an isolated cell without light or heating. At camp, they live in fear of imminent execution. They see many comrades be convened in the premises of the prison and never returned. The common criminals with whom they are forced to mingle, are encouraged to persecute hitting and stealing political prisoners, hoping to demoralize them and reduce them to the state of horse passive and obedient. Despite high blood pressure and serious heart problems, Alazan is forced to perform grueling physical work in arctic conditions. He saw many friends and fellow prisoners die of exhaustion, disease and hunger.
Despite this hell that is their daily existence, political prisoners are still human, still enjoy life, laugh, joke, have fun and hope. In fact, their behavior is marked by nobility. Rendered, after months of confinement isolated in the company of their fellow detainees, they organize parties foolish, as if they were in paradise. A hot bath and a set of clean clothes arouse in them a sense of freedom. They organize conferences and debates. They meet Gurgen Mahari and celebrate his twenty years of literary activity. The book is filled with poignant anecdotes about life in the camps, on meetings with other artists and intellectuals imprisoned and ingenuity deployed as prisoners in their struggle to remain human.
There are fields whose existential one would have liked to talk see Alazan, but he keeps silent. There's just an observation on the political spirit of time and the cultural and political battles that led to the purges. Virtually nothing is said of his creative attempts, his efforts and frustrations. In some ways, however, we find an allusion to an important contemporary political attachment. Aghasi Khanjian, then leader of the Communist Party of Armenia, who was also a victim of the purges, appears as the champion decided and convinced of the Armenian national interests against an overbearing central government. During his life he took up the defense of Charents and Bakounts. There was a significant barrier against the objectives of Beria to replace the leadership of the Communist Party of Armenia by ignoble "yes-man." Beria then assassinate him, removing a significant barrier to the purges that ensued.
Alazan was not released from the gulag in 1946 at the age of 43 years. But, like many others, it was not yet a free man. He had to spend another eight years of exile in Siberia, before regaining their freedom. In 1954, he was reinstated in the Communist Party and began to write. But his health was broken. He died ten years later.
3.
The detailed test of Essayan Zabel, On Meguerditch Bechigtachlian and Bedros Tourian, reveals an intellectual and a leading artist. With a sensitivity and depth invigorating, she addresses issues of national, social, political and artistic. Result, a brilliant presentation and informed the poet and playwright Bechigtachlian (1828-1868) (despite the title, and unfortunately for us, there Bedros Tourian not keep its promises) and his time. Here's what we've been able to glean.
Bechigtachlian lived during the Enlightenment in the 19th century Armenian and decline of the Ottoman Empire. A moment of national rebirth in which, alongside the emergence of a new middle-class Armenian intelligentsia developed a relatively large national integrity. This period witnessed the fight to save, revive and modernize the Armenian language and turn it into a tool for elevation of the people. It then also show delivery drama, the art of letter writing, poetry and prose modern Armenian. The great intellectuals, artists and thinkers of the time, which Bechigtachlian, vowed their efforts to improve the lot of the people.
The intellectual progressive Armenian had much to do in Constantinople. In order to gain social status, power and progress, the Armenian elite who had settled there, readily assimilated all that was Ottoman, except religion. She revered all that was foreign and a class composed of the most revolting parasites and servile. This same elite showed contempt virulent and almost racist against tens of thousands of immigrants newly arrived from the Armenian provinces. And it is against this backdrop that progressive intellectuals sought to revive the consciousness, culture and national language. The broader objective of this democratic enterprise was significantly lay the groundwork for economic and social progress for the mass of the Armenian people - the oppressed peasantry and immigrants occupying the slums in cities. This is the context in which Essayan comments on plays and poetry Bechigtachlian.
The approach to art by Bechigtachlian Essayan is as penetrating as his evocation of the conditions that eventually led to his appearance. Incisive and uncompromising, she is very spiritual in his devastating critique of "political theater" contemporary, with its absurd plot, characters one-dimensional, cardboard, pulp, and its bombastic and verbose dialogue. It notes however that this theater, truly inept in terms of art is the work of men and women have a real artistic talent. Why did he take this form? Because at that time, theater is not really art, this is propaganda, a tool to reach the people, a way to revive the consciousness and pride. For the Armenian oppressed, the romantic image, often crudely disguised, ancient glories, sowed the seeds of a new national pride. The theater was not, as for the middle classes in Europe, an entertainment. So that, despite all its shortcomings in relation to standards and criteria of artistic perfection, this repertoire played a positive role and was, in fact, praised by the people. He met a real need. This literature and propaganda permeates nearly their whole historical novels, plays and Armenian poetry.
His assessment of the poetry of Bechigtachlian is equally complimentary, indicating a highly developed artistic sensibility. It there is almost no trace of sentimentality appalling that this declamation and bombast that plague his speeches and plays. A refined taste, a sense of balance and harmony, all contribute admirably to make the grief and emotions of the human soul. The appreciation of poetry by Essayan Armenian classical Bechigtachlian is significant. If nationalist and patriotic poetry, written in modern Armenian, is of high quality, not without a universal dimension, it is with his writing in Armenian classical Bechigtachlian may, in its view, be ranked alongside the greatest poets through the world.
[ Arnavoudian Eddie is a graduate of history and political science from Manchester, England. He has published numerous essays and political Haratch (Paris), Nairi (Beirut) and Open Letter (Los Angeles).]
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Source: http://groong.usc.edu/tcc / cc-20000524.html
Article published 24.05.2000.
Translation: © George Festa - 02.2011
Courtesy of Eddie Arnavoudian.
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