Literature’s contours are often greatly defined by catastrophic events such as war, genocide and exile. While academic accounts tend to focus on the detached analytical overview, the Arts reflect the more emotionally engaged personal and subjective reactions to historical upheaval.
Yerevan had her novel, it was simply forgotten, removed from our memory. Contemporary prose shed light on the darkness of oblivion and helped us remember “Yerevan”, writes Tigran Amiryan.
Many took the harrowing experience with them to their graves. Others would share only fragments of memories. All of them suffered unimaginable loss. They were the orphans of the Armenian Genocide and their stories must never be forgotten.
There is a Facebook group of Meghri natives that is more active than the official pages of many institutions. It is, however, also isolated, living a separate life, disconnected from the rest of the digital world just like the actual city.
Journalist Lusine Musayelyan remembers the first war. She remembers Baroness Caroline Cox giving her colorful candy in crinkly paper. She remembers the bombing and the bunkers.
When emphasizing the preservation of historic structures and their integration into unban life, we should keep in mind that heritage should not be perceived as only architectural heritage and we should not think that it is only the physical heritage that is endangered.
Yerevan’s iconic Youth Palace was demolished in 2006. While it still remains unclear who and what will fill the void the Youth Palace left behind, its spirit continues to live in the memories of those whose youth was interwoven with its existence.
Many took the harrowing experience with them to their graves. Others would share only fragments of memories. All of them suffered unimaginable loss. They were the orphans of the Armenian Genocide and their stories must never be forgotten.
If we look at how many monuments have been erected in Yerevan and how many were dismantled, we’ll have an extensive overview of the political currents and ideological tendencies that swept through the country since independence. As per the list provided by Yerevan Municipality, 51 statues and busts were erected in Yerevan since 1991.
For decades, production of historical texts in Armenia was in the tight grip of Soviet state ideology. Post-independence, some topics previously repressed or omitted found their way back into Armenian history textbooks, however “memory gaps” remain.
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