A collection of hundreds of documents relating to the Armenian Cause including articles, letters, unpublished genocide survivor’s memoirs, exhibition catalogs, booklets, pamphlets, and ephemera has recently been processed and is now available for the interested public to view at the Zohrab Information Center. The materials in this collection relate first and foremost to the genocide of 1915, but also include materials related to the Soviet and post-Soviet Republic of Armenia, especially Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh). The collection was processed by Linda Smith, a graduate student at Simmons University, pursuing a degree in Archives Management, who is concurrently an archival intern at the Zohrab Center.
The materials in the collection span over 100 years, originating from the end of the 19th century through 2022. These items were acquired and donated over the years by various individuals.
The collection’s first series is comprised of memoirs and accounts of survivors of the genocide. Most of these accounts are unpublished and unknown to both scholars and the general public, while some like Yervant Alexanian’s Forced into Genocide or Hagop Vartanian’s My Story were only published in English translation (while this collection at the Zohrab Center includes the handwritten Armenian original).
These memoirs are handwritten (or, in one case, photocopies of handwritten and primary source documents) or typed on a typewriter/computer, with several survivors having pasted their own family photos within these materials.
This series in the collection provides precious new sources for genocide historians and the interested public alike, each one a testament both to the similarities in experiences of Armenian Genocide survivors while also highlighting the unique journeys of the various individuals and families during and after the tragedy.
Among those individuals is Zaven Seraidarian with his six bound volumes of handwritten notes, memories, poetry, drawings, and scrapbooked images.
Seraidarian shares a mix of materials, including personal memories and emotions from his experiences of the First World War and the Armenian Genocide, expressed both in the contents of his writing and the various forms they take in the volumes.
He includes photographs of himself, as well as other images, and writes about the legacy of the Armenians of what is today the north-west of Turkey, historically known as Putania (Բիւթանիա) or Bithynia. Seraidarian was from an area by the town of Geyve near the major city of that region, Nicomedia (modern Izmit).
Seraidarian’s writings are repetitive, often dwelling on the horrors he witnessed and experienced, replete with longing for justice for himself and the Armenian people. Our current generation may assess his volumes as manifestations of journaling, or efforts to work through the traumas that so deeply afflicted his life.
The second series covers community and political activism, which includes documentation of worldwide efforts to raise awareness of the genocide, as well as more contemporary struggles involving Soviet Armenia, the Republic of Armenia, and Nagorno-Karabagh (Artsakh). This is the largest series, including articles, conference reports, and booklets. Materials from government subcommittees and from the House of Representatives and Senate show efforts to recognize April 24 as the National Day of Remembrance of Man’s Inhumanity to Man and hold Turkey accountable for its actions during and after the genocide.
The third series contains historical and informational documents. These are materials that provide background information about Armenia and the genocide, both from historical and contemporary points of view, often meant to influence public opinion, raise awareness, or educate younger generations.
The final series contains materials from memorial events and exhibitions that took place in commemoration of the genocide. The booklets and articles in this series provide a comprehensive picture of how Armenians around the world have continued to remember and speak about the Armenian Genocide and its aftermath, as well as educate the general population through sharing stories and art.
This collection brings together a wide array of mostly unpublished materials related to the Armenian Cause in general and the genocide in particular, including unpublished and previously unknown survivor accounts. This collection also highlights the efforts of Armenians and their allies the world over to remember the tragedy, honor the Armenian people, hold the Turkish government accountable, and share their experiences through the arts and community engagement.
This collection is now available for visitors who want to research the genocide and learn more about past and present efforts related to genocide remembrance and activism for the Armenian Cause. A searchable finding aid of the collection is available to view here.