While the majority of Armenians walked silently in caravans of deportation at the hands of Ottoman Turks, others fought for their lives on the mountains of their own Homeland, Armenia. Those who raised arms against the Turks were lucky either by martyrdom or by survival. They did not obey the orders and were not subjected to Turkish atrocities…Below is the presentation of Priest Papken Arslanian’s personal memoirs, which reflects the reality of all deported Armenians.
Priest Papken Arslanian (Maghakia Arslanian), “Papert and Its Regions”, “Arax” Press, Paris, 1954, small size book, 308 pages. There is also a second edition, “Arax” Press, Paris, 1955, medium size book, 307 pages.
The author is born in 1890 in the village of Lsonk, Papert (Baybourt) region. When the War of 1914 started, the Armenians grieve under the laborious task of supplying food and stock to the Turkish army. Ideas of self-defense are born in Papert but clash with those of conservative opposition. A group of young armed Armenians, among whom Maghakia and his friends, take refuge in the mountains of Lsonk.
On May 10 1915, Maghakia enrolls in the army and was sent to the village of Mourad Khan Oghlou. On May 27 Turkish irregular forces (chetes,cetes or chotas) invade Lsonk and kill his father, who was a priest. The Turks decide to dislodge the Armenians of Papert and the surrounding 29 villages. A week before this decision was taken, the notable Armenians of the region were arrested and imprisoned. Within an hour, the natives of these 29 villages were forced to leave their houses and set out in two groups, one through the valley of Averak and Bournouz, the other group through the valley of Khourse. Both convoys merge in a field called Gharaghoulagh and at the foot of Ay-Doghan mountains they get slaughtered. A bunch of beautiful women and girls are selected and taken back to Papert, where they are given to the Turks at the Kaymakam’s (prefect) order. The Turks satisfy their obsession by exerting all kinds of atrocities upon these women and girls.
Six days later, the Armenians of Papert forcefully delocalize in the direction of Yerzenga (Erzinjan).
In Mourad Khan Oghlou, Maghakia and his friends become aware of these facts and intend to desert the army. They fulfill their intension and gather in the woods for a discussion. Four young men decide to shelter in the mountains of Lsonk and join the group there. Maghakia was one of them. A few other men join the group. They take with them enough food for the journey. Two days later, the Turks kill 260 young Armenians of Papert in the gorge named Sordans.
Seven young men, along with Maghakia, who have deserted the army join their friends in the forests of Lsonk. The number of fighters adds up to 65. They secure their food from nearby villages during the nights. Only few of them have weapons. Sometimes, Armenian speaking Turks attempt to swindle them. Afterwards, Maghakia joins another group of Armenians who were natives of Varzehan village. Life was full of adventure. The two groups merge. They usually received food from the nearby Maden village, the inhabitants of which were all Greeks. The leader of the group is Melkiset, a native of Varzehan, who had Turkish friends in the village of Khendzaverak, where the families of his brothers have taken refuge. In August of 1915, The Turkish government issues a decree, which rigorously orders the Turks to surrender the Armenians they were protecting. The families of Melkiset’s brothers were brought to the mountains.
The group succeeds in arresting apostatized (firar) Turkish soldiers and kills them…after confiscating their money. They get caught in a fight with the Turks but soon transfer to another place without leaving any trace behind. They become aware that 65 Armenian courageous men, who had taken refuge in the forest of Khoupse, had been martyred.
One day, in the early morning, 300 Turkish soldiers besiege the group in the forest. Fierce fighting takes place between the two sides on the mountain called “Khersez Yataghee”. The surrounding buckle contracts more and more. Melkiset gets wounded and asks his friend to kill him in order not to be captured by the enemy. The rest of his friends shelter in a cave but were surrounded again. There takes place a fierce opposition and the Turks run away. All the members of the Armenian group set out in the direction of Mezgeh. On their way, they pass by the village called Almeshka, which has a mixed Armenian and Turkish population. Melkiset’s brother, Parsegh, leaves the women and children near the Turks of Almeshka so that the rest could safely proceed towards the Russian border. Melkiset’s wife and two children leave for their own village to commit suicide in the waters of Jorokh river. Melkiset’s second brother Haroutune’s wife and children follow them…The group of Armenian young men set out eastwards. They pass by the Greek village named Goshgour, where from they collect food. Haroutune dies.
The natives of Varzehan separate from the group. Maghakia and his friends proceed towards the east. On their way they capture deserted (firar) Turkish soldiers and benefit from their weapon, money, etc., before killing them. They were the horror of the Turks living in Papert and the region.
One day, the group of young Armenians seizes 28 apotatized (firar) Turkish soldiers. After conducting an inquiry for the sake of formality, they release four of them and kill the others…For the last time, on their way eastwards, they enter Maden and lay themselves in supplies on 21 September 1915 and head for the Russian border. They pass by many villages. They were disguised as Turkish soldiers and hence find warm hospitality from the Turks. In the village called Khevek, a Turkish clergyman (hoja) and an officer in the army show them a serene reception.
They reach safely the Russian border, near Mourgoul. They were warmly accepted by the Russian soldiers. The Armenians deliver their weapons and enter the military camp. On the 1st of October 1915, they arrive in Batum, where Russians conduct an inquiry about their identity. They meet General Sebouh.
The Armenian young men travel to Baku, where they join the volunteers’ regiments. Maghakia and some others join General Antranik’s Regiment.
