My Armenian Story of Survival

I was born in a family of Genocide survivors from both my father’s and mother’s side. 

My family’s geographical picture is quite rich-from Adana to Khnus, from Sis/Kozan to Sepasdia. 

Dekirmenchians were from Adana.  Luckily this part of my family didn’t have many losses during the Genocide as they could fought back the turks and could safely escape to Lebanon where they found shelter. My great grandmother Aghavni Dekirmenchian was a woman of strong character.  She fought together with her husband in front of their house in Adana and could protect the family. The skewer she used as a means of arms, was later transferred to Armenia as a sign of struggle. They repatriated to Armenia in late 1940s. 

Dosturians were from Khenus city o. Pilos Dosturian (my great grandfather) went to the US before the Genocide and owned a restaurant near Niagarafalls. When he heard about the news of Armenian massacres he left everything and came to save his family. He came and found his 6 brothers and 3 sisters and parents killed. Thus, he joined Andranik Zoravar’s army and  bacame his flag bearer. He was with Andranik zoravar until his ast days in ARmeia. When zoravar left Armenia, Pilos, together with his fellow soldiers went to Iran to the Shah. Pilos became one of the guardians/haryurabed of Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi together with his fellow Armenian soldiers. I would like to mention that Khachig Dashtents wrote his famous "Call of Plowmen" փլաումէն with the stories told my Pilos. Dashtents used to visit Pilos Dosturian’s house for months and take notes about Zoravar’s life. Pilos Dosturian spent ssome time in Iran but later decided to finally move to Armenia. Here he met an Armenian lady, a Genocide survivor Arusyag (my great grandmother) and married her. So, finally settled in Armenian and spent the last years in homeland.

Cholagians were from Sis/Kozan. My great grandfather Misag Cholagian was fluent in French, Armenian Turkish. He worked as translator at jandarma and Turks warned him about the upcoming massacres and he could save some part of the family, unfortunately not the whole family. There is a beautiful film by Carmen Labaki called “My name is Aram” which tells the story of Misag Cholagian’s cousin Aram who lost his parents in the Genocide and became orphan. The story tells about his difficult life until he could finally find some of his family and got united with them. Colagians found shelter in Beirut and had a quite calm and nice life there. They repatriated to Armenia in late 1940s. Horigians were from Hajin. They had a very rich life in Hajin and led a wonderful life up until 1915 My great grandmother Siranush Horigian lost all of her family members during the genocide. 5 orphans found themselves in an American orphanage in Beirut. 3 of the kids dies from starvation. Only Siranush and her sister Nazeli could survive. One nice day they were begging for money in an Armenian church yard and what  a surprise. A woman approached them and asked if they were the kids of Horigians. This is how they got united with their uncles. Nazeli married a violinist and moved to Argentina, while Siranouysh stayed in Beirut and married my great grandfather Misag Cholagian. They repatriated to Armenia in late 1940’s.