BY DR. ROSEMARY HARTOUNIAN COHEN
Every year, as the month of March approaches, the joy of Spring and the memories of the happy days of the Nowruz celebration are reborn in my mind. My entire being is overcome with joy as I reminisce about the happy days. Memories of Tehran, Ramsar, and Shiraz, where I’ve shared most of my Nowruz experiences, flood my mind.
The sweet scent of orange blossoms from the green groves intertwined with the fresh salty air, carried by the north winds over the Caspian Sea invigorates and prepares me for the coming year. From the onset of Nowruz, memories of the past come alive, and I’m transported back to those sensory experiences. Even now thousands of miles away from Ramsar’s beauty and the Caspian Sea’s Northern coast of Iran, my lungs expand autonomically and my entire being absorbs all these natural gifts, my experience transcending distance and time.
I feel surrounded by the contagious laughter of children. I envision them dressed in vibrant, flowery outfits, their shiny shoes sparkling as they run and hop around with unbridled happiness.
The air is filled with their carefree giggles and the rustle of their new clothes, creating an unforgettable symphony of Nowruz celebrations.
“Sizdah Bedar,” marking the culmination of the 13-day Nowruz celebration, is a time-honored tradition where people gather in nature, bringing their sabzi, a handful of sprouted wheat or lentils. In a symbolic gesture, they toss the sabzi into running water, signifying the release of the past year’s negativity and hardships, welcoming a fresh start.
All too soon, the calendar reveals that April is looming on the horizon. The joy and cherished memories of the Iranian New Year begin to fade, and a tinge of sadness envelops me. In the blink of an eye, the vivid images of Mazandaran’s lush landscapes and Fars’ ancient ruins dissipate, only to be replaced by visions of the picturesque northwestern cities of Azerbaijan.
My thoughts are especially drawn to the cities of Khoy, Salmast, Urmia (also known as Rezaiyeh), Maku, and Gharedag (Arasbaran) in East Azerbaijan, as well as the picturesque villages that dot the surrounding landscape.
The entire State of Azarbaijan and especially the northwestern cities, are famous for their natural beauty, wildflowers, birds and animals.
The region’s natural beauty and pleasant cool weather made it a favored summer retreat for the crown princes of the Qajar dynasty, particularly in the city of Khoy. The area offered ample opportunities for enjoying nature, hunting, and breathing in the fresh mountain air. Remnants of ancient Zoroastrian dar-e-mehrs, including worship places and fire temples, bear witness to the region’s rich history spanning thousands of years.
The presence of Armenian monasteries and churches, such as the historic Sourp Sarkis Church in the city of Khoy – reportedly the oldest church in the world – testifies to the centuries-long coexistence of Armenians and Persians in this region. Despite their differing religious beliefs, the two communities have maintained a strong bond of friendship that endures to this day.
The northwestern cities of Azerbaijan are situated near the Turkish border, in a region that was once part of Western Armenia. Following the Ottoman conquest, this area became known as Turkish Armenia or Ottoman Armenia. Historically, the region had a significant Armenian population, with Assyrian communities and Kurdish tribes inhabiting the surrounding mountains.
The Assyrians and Armenians were predominantly Christian, whereas the Kurds were Muslim Sunnis, sharing cultural and religious ties with the Turks.
This demographic mix created an environment ripe for conflict. It was relatively easy to incite the Kurds against the “infidels,” leading to attacks, theft, and even the kidnapping of young girls. Compounding these tensions, the government subtly backed the Kurds while imposing heavy taxes on the Christian population. Tax collectors frequently harassed the hardworking Christian villagers, adding to their plightand creating an atmosphere of fear and oppression
In April, I remember the haunting sight of a few Armenian women and orphaned children, their faces etched with exhaustion, hunger, and sorrow. Their tattered, bloodstained clothing and bare, calloused feet bear testament to their perilous journey across mountains and borders in search of refuge in Iran.
Family unity has been shattered, with most having lost husbands, fathers, brothers, and other loved ones. The once-vibrant eyes of these women now appear hollow and lifeless, their faces weathered by the harsh elements and etched with deep wrinkles of sadness. Even the young faces bear the unmistakable marks of trauma.
The survivors’ silence is a testament to the unimaginable horrors they’ve endured. Children, still struggling to find words, are unable to express the atrocities they’ve witnessed.
Some have seen the brutal execution of their parents and neighbors, while others have been traumatized by the sight of rivers overflowing with cadavers instead of fish. The dead remain unburied, and epidemics have joined forces with the Ottoman soldiers, fueled by destructive urges incited by their leaders.
Even without official orders, these soldiers indiscriminately kill Armenian pregnant women, babies, and the elderly. Young girls, who should be carefree and cherished, are instead raped or murdered by marauding forces driven by evil. The cruelty is staggering, leaving one to wonder: why such brutality? How can humanity sink to such depths?
The Ottoman Empire’s involvement in World War I was a pivotal moment in history. They allied with the German Empire and its allies by declaring war on Russia and attacking the Black Sea coast on November 2, 1914.
The Three Young Turks, who rose to power in 1913, initially proclaimed equality for all citizens regardless of origin or religion. However, they soon shifted their stance, embracing a nationalist agenda with the slogan “Turkey is only for the Turks.”
These western cities of Azarbaijan are, nowadays, very close to the northwestern borders of Iran with Turkey, which were previously parts of Western Armenia. This region was heavily populated by Armenians.
The area was conquered by the Ottomans in the 16th century during the Ottoman-Safavid War. This conflict was fought between the Ottoman Empire and their Iranian arch-rivals, the Safavid dynasty. Following the conquest, the region became known as Turkish Armenia or Ottoman Armenia. In addition to Armenians, the area was also inhabited by Assyrians and Kurdish tribes, who lived in the nearby mountains.
The Ottoman authorities began systematically persecuting these groups.
The Armenian Genocide is conventionally believed to have begun on April 24, 1915. On this day, Ottoman authorities arrested, deported, and ultimately killed between 235 to 270 Armenian intellectuals and community leaders, forcibly relocating them from Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) and other areas to Ankara and elsewhere.
Following the initial arrests and killings, the Ottoman authorities systematically conscripted young Armenian men into the military, subjecting them to forced labor and eventually executing them.
The remaining Armenian population, comprising women, children, and the elderly, was forcibly deported to the remote mountains and deserts of Syria. These brutal death marches resulted in the deaths of countless Armenians due to starvation, thirst, exhaustion, rape, and disease.
In the aftermath of World War I, as European nations struggled to rebuild and recover from devastating losses, and Russia descended into chaos following the Bolshevik Revolution, the Ottoman Empire seized upon the global turmoil. Despite having lost the war, the Ottomans leveraged their remaining forces to launch a surprise incursion, crossing the Iranian border and invading their peaceful neighboring country.
The Ottoman forces perpetrated a brutal massacre, targeting the entire Christian population of Iranian citizens, who had been living peacefully in the region. The Armenians and Assyrians, who were the primary agriculturalists in the area, were singled out for destruction.
The Ottomans slaughtered all males aged 10 and above, raped women and girls, and killed the elderly. Their brutality was not limited to the Christian population, as they also stole from the Muslim population, looting homes, farms, and seizing grain reserves and livestock. The region was left devastated and plundered.
As the Ottoman forces withdrew from the country, they were seen carrying looted goods, including rugs, pillows, and samovars.
In a blatant attempt to absolve themselves of culpability, the Ottomans disseminated official flyers throughout the cities. These flyers claimed that their intervention was aimed at “protecting their Muslim Iranian brothers.” They further disingenuously asserted that they had no involvement in the massacres of Armenians and Assyrians, instead attributing the violence to an “old conflict” between Iranian Muslims and Christians that had supposedly been resolved.
The Iranian people initially accepted the Ottoman’s version of events and, fueled by misplaced guilt, erased this dark chapter from their history books. They mistakenly believed that Iranian Muslims had perpetrated the atrocities against their innocent Armenian neighbors.
However, the truth finally came to light with the publication of my book, “The Survivor.” The Persian translation, “Arousiak, Bazmandeh Khoy,” which was published in Iran, revealed the shocking reality: it was actually the Muslim Iranians who risked their lives to protect their Christian neighbors, sheltering them in their homes despite the Ottoman’s laws and threats of severe punishment.
I am here today because the brave Hakim Eftekhar of Khoy protected my eighteen-year-old grandmother and my three-year-old mother in his house for a year.
Sometimes I think that April is the most evil month of the year, as the genocide, Holocaust and the crucifixion of Jesus has all happened in this month. Especially this year, the Armenian Genocide commemoration and the Jewish Holocaust Memorial Day both fall on the same day, April 24, and the crucifixion of Jesus is also almost a week prior to the day.
We often vow “never again,” but history repeats itself. Evil reemerges in different forms, and hollow individuals follow blindly, devoid of logic or conscious awareness. Will there ever come a day when we can truly say “never again?”
“Nations shall not lift up their swords against nation, neither shall they experience war anymore,” Isaiah 2:4.
I’ve spent my life alongside genocide survivors, studying them deeply. Outwardly, they seemed to live and laugh like everyone else, but they harbored an incurable wound. A wound that would only heal when they reunite with their loved ones in the afterlife.
Their minds were haunted by the voices of their dear ones, echoing in their ears relentlessly. Horrific scenes replayed before their eyes like a movie, even when they were closed. My grandmother shared a painful memory with me, recounting the last words of her husband, Yeprem: “Ah,” he uttered before passing away.
She also recalled witnessing the brutal murder of a pregnant Armenian woman by two soldiers. The woman’s pleas for mercy echoed in my grandmother’s mind every night. These traumatic experiences became an integral part of her being, a constant reminder of the atrocities she endured.
My mother once gave me a delicate, triangle-shaped white scarf made of a sheer, white material. She was puzzled as to why her mother, my grandmother, had kept it close to her heart for so many years, even placing it under her pillow at night.
As I examined the scarf, I realized it held no monetary value. What struck me was that my grandmother, who had lost everything and everyone in one day, had treasured this simple piece of fabric. I placed the scarf on a black cardboard background, and suddenly, irregular, faded color dots became visible. My tears flowed as I realized these were bloodstains, almost a century old, from my grandfather’s murder.
This scarf must have been the one my grandmother wore when she witnessed her husband’s brutal killing. His blood had splattered onto her, leaving an indelible mark. This scarf was all she had left of him, as she didn’t even have a photograph to remember him by. My mother lived and died without knowing her father’s face, but she inherited her mother’s love and legacy.
The scarf, now a family heirloom, serves as a poignant reminder of our history, a symbol of the enduring power of love and family bonds.
My grandfather was killed in the presence of my grandmother and mother, when they were 18 and three years old, respectively. The soldiers then attached the feet of my dead grandfather to the tail of their commander horse, and dragged his horse in the streets of Khoy as a victory to have killed the last surviving Armenian man there.
It took me years to learn the name of this famous commander. Ali Ehsan Pasha was a prominent figure in the Ottoman military, serving as a commander in various campaigns, had an impressive background having studied at elite military academies. After the massacre of Armenians in Khoy, he arrived in Tabriz, where he was met with an unexpected welcome.
Serpazan Hayr Nerses Melik Tangian, the Archbishop of Tabriz, a highly respected and educated Armenian leader, orchestrated a lavish reception, presenting Ali Ehsan Pasha with valuable gifts. This gesture was not only a display of hospitality, but also a strategic appeal to spare the Armenians of Tabriz.
The Archbishop Melik Tangian’s reputation as a devoted advocate for Armenian refugees and survivors earned him admiration from both local authorities of Tabriz and the government in Tehran. His diplomatic efforts in this situation highlight the complex dynamics at play during this period in history.
Ali Ehsan Pasha promised to limit his regiment’s stay in Tabriz to three days, warning locals to remain indoors or face certain death. Tragically, two men were killed during this brief occupation: one who ventured out to buy bread and another who was attempting to bring his mother-in-law home.
On the night of their arrival a reception was given in his honor. When the commander met the archbishop, he boasted that he was coming from the City of Van, (in occupied Western Armenia) where he had killed thousands of Armenians with his own hands. Furthermore, he revealed that before arriving in Tabriz, he had “cleansed” the city of Khoy of its Armenian population.
Then he added: “Would you like me to serve you a cup of tea?”
Dr. Rosemary Hartounian Cohen is a sociologist who earned her doctorate degree at the Sorbonne in Paris. She is an accomplished artist and an award-winning author. She is fluent in many languages and has lived in several countries, studying their traditions, literature, arts and religions.
