Michel Legrand: “When I Come to Armenia”

“Every time I come to Armenia, the first thought that is born in my head is the thought that I am on the land of my ancestors, and a feeling of deep pride seizes me.

These days, I am becoming more sensitive. Before the massacre of Armenians by the Turks, the last person from my family who lived in Armenia was my grandfather who would later leave for France. My mother was born there, after which the Armenian heritage spread through me and my children.

My grandfather had a painful love for his birthplace. He always talked about this holy land. Grandfather lived an uneasy life far from the motherland.

During the Genocide of 1915, he was the only one to survive in his family. Memory cannot be erased. He carried through his entire life the pain of loss and longing for his native land.

When I first came to Armenia, I even managed to find my relatives. I really wanted to see the village where my grandfather was born. But I was told that the village is in Turkey. Every time I come to Armenia, I relive it all.” Michel Legrand

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