Van 1915: The Great Events of Vasbouragan
translated from Armenian by Ara Sarafian with historical introduction by Rouben Gasparyan and Rouben Sahakyan
London: Gomidas Institute, 2017,
345 pp, maps and photos
ISBN 978-1-909382-37-4, pb.
Price: UK£40.00 / US$50.00
Hovhannes Ter Martirosian (A-Do): A Biographical Note
by Rouben Gasparyan and Rouben Sahakyan xiii
Foreword 1
I. A Brief Introduction to Vasbouragan 3
II. Population Statistics for Armenians in the Province of Van [1914] 9
III. The New Turkey 23
IV. The European War 37
V. Seferberlik or Mobilisation 41
VI. The Turkish Government’s Probes 45
VII. The Volunteer Movement 53
VIII. The Russo-Turkish War 59
IX. The First Exodus 67
X. The First Stage of the Massacres 73
A. The Massacre of Armenians in Bashkale and Surrounding Areas 73
B. Boghazkiasan (Arjag) 73
C. Akhorig, Hasan Tamran, Kharabasorig, Tashoghlou Massacres 74
D. The Massacre and Pillage of Hazara 74
E. Satmants (Saray) 74
F. Avzarig (Saray) 75
XI. Armenian Resistance 79
A. The Pelou Incident 82
B. The Atanan Incident 82
C. The Gargar Incidents 84
D. The Alchavaz Incidents 86
E. The Events of Timar 88
XII. The Prelude Before the Terrifying Events 91
XIII. The Horrible Massacres 99
XIV. Resistance During the Terrible Massacres 117
A. Resistance at Arjag 117
B. The Defence of Hayots Tsor 120
C. Resistance at Timar 127
D. Resistance Around Varak 132
XV. The Heroic Struggle of Van 135
XVI. The Heroic Battle of Aykesdan 147
XVII. The Heroic Battle of the City 163
1. Tabriz Gate Sector. 166
2. The Tekalifi Harbiye Sector. 167
3. The Khanidag Sector. 167
4. The Ampardag Sector. 168
XVIII. The Heroic Battle of Shadakh 227
XIX. The Clashes in Pesantashd 249
XX. The Provisional Armenian Government of Van 267
XXI. The Budget of the Provisional Armenian Government 277
XXII. The Great Exodus from Vasbouragan 287
Epilogue 301
Glossary 303
Index 307
ILLUSTRATIONS
Map of Vasbouragan* 2
The Armenian Provinces of the Ottoman Empire, cir. 1914* 4
Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, South Caucasus and North-West Iran* 7
Administrative Divisions and Ethnic Profile of Vasbouragan cir. 1900* 7
Cilician Massacres, 1909: Adana and Tarsus* 27
ARF General Assembly Participants, Erzeroum (Garin), 1914* 47
The Central Powers, 1914* 51
Armenian Volunteer Group Commanders* 57
Turco-German Attack on Russia, October, 1914* 61
German Postcard* 63
First Movement of Armenian Refugees, December, 1914* 71
The First Stage of the Massacres, 1914-15* 75
Aram Manougian and Ishkhan (Nigoghayos Boghosian) 80
Incidents and Resistance, 1914–15* 85
Jevdet, governor of Van 93
Arjesh Massacres, April 1915* 113
Sector Three. Misak Simonian and ARF volunteers* 139
Sector Five. Nazaret Bournoutian and his group* 143
Seventh Sector. Ales Barsamian, Lorto, Khachig Khranian and
Sahag the Assyrian* 143
Aykesdan Military Command: Bulgaratsi Krikor, Gaydzag Arakel,
Armenag Yegarian 144
Map - Aykesdan, 1915** 148-149
Armenian Defence Forces in Van 151
Armenian Defence Forces in Van 155
Sevo - Iskouhi Hampartsoumian 160
City Military Command 165
Map - Old City of Van, 1915** 170
Mrs. Aghavni Vartabedian 174
Van Old City Walls, 1916 (Courtesy of History Museum of Armenia)* 177
Armenian Families who Escaped to the City 187
Ashkhadank Newspaper (Van)* 195
Aslan Aslanian, 14, Vosdan (Asnoush’s son) 14, Papgen Isajanian 12. 207
The Armenian Cannon 212
Refilling Cartridges in a Workshop 220
Old City of Van, 1916 (Courtesy of History Museum of Armenia)* 223
Map - The District of Shadakh, 1915** 226
Hovsep Choloian and Samuel Mesrobian 229
Dikran Baghdasarian 230
Defence of Tagh, 1915** 232
Map - Battle of Sevdgin Village Guard House** 237
Map - The Battle of Sak** 239
Levon Shaghoian 248
Srpo (Srpouhi), Messenger girl of Shadakh 258
Armenian Volunteers Enter Van (May 18, 1915) 266
Armenian District Administrator and Policeman 284
An Armenian Family during the Exodus from Van, July-August 1915* 291
* Appended to A-Do’s work
** Redrawn original map