The Soviets killed 7,000 prominent Armenians. Did you know?

Foad Al-Zahery is one of the most famous Egyptian composers. In addition to classical pieces, he composed the music for 350 movies. His real name is Garabed Panosian

Vartan the Standard-Bearer known as Wardan al Rumi al-Armani saved the life of Amr Ibn al-‘As, the commander of the Arab army at the Battle of Alexandra in 641….From 841 to 849 Al Amir Ali ibn Abu Hasan al Armani was the governor of Egypt…In 876 master builder, Ibn Khatib Al-Farghani rebuilt the Nilometer which indicated the rise of the Nile.

According to legend, the four horses at St. Mark were given by King Drtad to Emperor Nero. The statues were then moved to Constantinople. When the Crusaders sacked Constantinople, Venetians shipped the statues to their hometown.

The Soviets killed 7,000 prominent Armenians among them Hovhannes Haghvertyan (1931), Aghasi Khanjian (1936), Yeghishe Charents, Hayk Pjshgiants, Agsel Pagounts, Movses Siligian, Nersig Stepanian, Trasdamad, M. Yeghparyan (1937), Vahan Totovents and Catholicos Khoren I (1938), Zabel Yesayan (1943), Armenag Khamparyants (1950), and Karekin Njteh (1955).

In “The Coffin of Dimitrios”, Eric Ambler described the 1922 destruction of Smyrna/Izmir in these words: “Dragged from their [Greeks and Armenians] houses and hiding places, men, women, and children were butchered in the streets…The wooden walls of the churches, packed with refugees, were drenched with benzene and fired. The occupants who were not burnt alive were bayoneted as they tried to escape.”

The Turkish army division that with the leadership of German generals and officers won the Battle of Gallipoli was defeated by Armenian troops in the Battle of Sardarabad.

Lukash Abgarovich, the Polish senator who invented the kerosene lamp, was Armenian. Musician Joseph Torosevich was also Armenian.

Gauhar Jaan, the greatest woman singer of thumri and khayal songs in India, was Armenian while Calcutta’s Angelina Yeoward (Armenian) was a court musician.

In 325, Armenian clergy actively participate in Empress Helena’s discovery of the true Cross and the establishment of holy sanctuaries in Palestine.

In 614, when the Persians led by King Khosrov II captured Jerusalem, they took captive the Greek Patriarch, along with his bishops and priests. Armenians were treated favorably because of the intercession of Smpad Pakradouni, the king’s adviser.

Source: keghart.org By Jirair Tutunjian, Toronto