Krikor Zohrab (Memories and Impressions) Part 1/5

By Matheos Eblghatian

Translated by Vahe H. Apelian
Edited by Jack Chelebian, M.D.

June 26 (1861) marks the birthday of one of the most colorful personalities in modern Armenian history, Krikor Zohrab. He was an enigneer who studied and became a prominent lawyer, politician and writer. He was endearingly called the “Prince of the Armenian (short) Novel”  (Նորապէպի իշխան). Matheos Eblighatian,  a lawyer himself, had remained from his youth fascinated by the larger than life Krikor Zohrab, and devoted  a whole section of his memoir (A Life in the Life of My Nation – Կեանք մը Ազգիս Կեանքին Մէջ) to  Krikor Zohrab  claiming to write “ what I know, have seen or been told I have been able to verify”. Matheos Eblgihatians memories of Krikor Zohrab make for a fascinating reading about the man. I have attached in five parts my translation of the segment, which was edited by Jack Chelebian M.D.  Krikor Zohrab was martyred in 1915.

 

"I wanted to study law at the university. Therefore, I had to go to Istanbul because, at that time, the branch in Konia had not opened.

In those days, the Turkish Armenians were living their darkest days. Hamid’s government had forbidden the Armenians to travel from one province to another without permission. Going to Istanbul was almost impossible. I had attempted twice and in both instances, I had permission from Izmir’s all-powerful governor Kamil Pasha. However, in both instances, I was sent back. I succeeded in my third attempt, in 1903.

Even after arriving in Istanbul, remaining there had become exceedingly difficult, especially during the celebrations of Hamid’s birthday and enthronement. The Red Sultan’s secret police were checking all the hotels and all the houses that rented out rooms, looking for Armenian migrants from the interior of the country and were sending them back.

As an Armenian law student, naturally I was interested in the lives of Armenian judges and lawyers. Goes without saying, Krikor Zohrab was the most brilliant representative of the latter. Since my course load consisted of two or three periods per day, I had the afternoons free to look for a job to get by financially and at the same time to gain experience by working in a law office. Naturally, I tried my luck first with Krikor Zohrab’s office.

A high-ranking judge, who was my sponsor and also an old family friend, gave me a reference. When I presented myself to Krikor Zohrab’s office I saw two young men, Arshag and Armenag, working in the reception area. I waited there until Krikor Zohrab became available to see me, I entered his office and presented my reference to him.

At that time Krikor Zohrab was a handsome mature man in his 40’s with round face, mid-height, and had piercing eyes. In this harmonious whole, the only exception was his voice, which was cracked and unpleasant.

He took my reference and read it carefully and asked me a few questions and said – “give my regards to the Effendi. I will see him later”.

In fact, the next day, he had explained to my sponsor that being a student, I would be distracted with my studies in the office and naturally would not be able to concentrate on my office work to be of much assistance to him. Likewise, he would not want me to leave my studies, as many students would do, to make a living. Naturally, his response saddened me and I got sadder as I started getting used to life in Istanbul. I devoted my free time dabbling in literature and started writing under the pen names Norayr Bared or simply Bared.  In time my adulation of Krikor Zohrab bordered on reverence.

During that time Zohrab was at the pinnacle of his career. He did not have time anymore to continue writing. He had long ceased publishing “Massis” with his literary friend H. Asadour. I, on the other hand, while contributing to Z. Yousefian’s “Arevelk” and Dikran Arpiarian’s “Massis” literary journals, had come to appreciate Zohrab the core, both as an author and as a lawyer and jurist. He was a lighthouse for me. Emulating the status he had attained, both socially and professionally, became my greatest wish. My interest in him knew no bound.

On all occasions, with whoever I might be in contact, be it a lawyer, a judge, or an author, I would direct the course of my conversation in such a way that it would include Krikor Zohrab’s life, whether personal or public. The person told me the most about Krikor Zohrab was my sponsor who was the general prosecutor of Pera. The next person was H. Asadour, whom I often met in M. Asasian’s law office.  Editors, officials in the Patriarchate, casual conversations in the court hallways, all became avenues for me to gather information about Krikor Zohrab.

A different life, different atmosphere, and different perspectives took over in 1908, at the dawn of the Constitution. The cowed, silenced life of the Hamidian’s regime era ended. Everyone’s life became much like an open book. Our ideas and aspirations crystallized were transparent while our eternal enemy stealthily penetrated our core – our thoughts and instincts waiting for the opportune time to strike. Years went by and Krikor Zohrab was martyred.  

One day, during 1919-1920, when I was the general director of the National Relief organization, in a steamship going from Boyukada to Istanbul, I was reading philologist A. Alboyajian book about Krikor Zohrab.  That book, along with the rest of my library remained behind in Istanbul. Others also wrote their memories and impressions of him. All these publications will one day serve as a primary source for anyone who might be interested in studying the life and contribution of Krikor Zohrab and the rest of our luminaries who shared his fate. I believe that there will be writers who will write about them and will offer the fruits of their research as a monument in the pantheon, which as yet does not exist in a material sense.

It is to this end that I pen my memories and impressions. I do not have in mind Krikor Zohrab solely as a writer, nor as a lawyer or as a politician. I will write only what I know, have seen or been told I have been able to verify."