Dro in Aleppo (Part 2)

 Translated by Vahe H. Apelian

The attached is an excerpt from Antranig Zarougian’s book “The Greats and the Others” (Մեծերը եւ Միւսները) chapter “Arshavir Shiragian and Trasdamad Ganayan (Dro)” where Antranig Zarougian reminisced Dro visiting the city in 1948.  The article also sheds further light on Dro and also the one-time Armenian community in Aleppo. Antranig Zarougian, born in 1931, was a 27 years old young man at the time.

“ We have now engaged to have Dro like our city (Aleppo). This is my and Nshan’s domain. Like always Onneg, the third member of our trinity, should have been with us as well. But, at the insistence of Nshan we decided to exclude him this time around to punish him for “betraying” us over the volunteers’ issues. 

A car was put under Dro’s disposition with a driver. But, what a car!. There was no other car like it, not only in Aleppo, but also in Beirut. It was an American luxurious “Oldsmobile” that had all sort of whistles and bells no other in its model had. I remember one of its features I have not seen in a car since then. The speedometer changed color as the car sped and after a certain speed it turned red  visually alerting the driver for speeding. Mardiros Teghararian had bought the car from an American political personality returning home. A tragedy struck that car. At a turn on the road in the Bay of Jounieh, near the Casino de Liban, the car veered off course and plunged into the sea drowning Mardiros and his wife.

We have designated  Sahag (Nalbandian) from Nor Kuygh, as the driver. He was the more presentable and energetic among our ungers who also could act as a bodyguard. Fate would have it that years later Sahag became a victim of  the tragic turn events that  affected the Syrian Armenian community. His body was presented to his family in a sealed casket that was not allowed to be opened to spare the family members the sight of his tortured body. 

We have put together a weeklong program. There was going to be a speech in Nor Kyugh (the Bourj Hamoud of Aleppo) so that the ungers would get to meet Dro, a few banquets, a stroll through the Armenian neighborhoods, a visit to the  famed citadel of Aleppo where there was going to be a surprise for him.

The admission to the citadel was free. A written permission from the antiquities department was all that was required to enter in and go around, alone or with company. There was a detachment of soldiers in the castle, where they also lived but had no commission and did not bother the visitors. There were a dozen or so Armenians in that detachment. They were salaried soldiers in the French army much like the rest of Arabs. Among those Armenian soldiers,  corporal Armen Apkarian, upon my proposal, had arranged with his commanding officer to receive Dro with military honor. When Armen conveyed the news to me, he also said:

- Our commanding officer is very much enthused and gave us the necessary orders when I told him that the visiting dignitary Dro is the Armenian Ibrahim Hananu, but you should have Dro visiting before noon.

Hananu is an Aleppo Arab nationalist and has a statue in Aleppo. 

There is a bridge over the wide military ditch around the citadel that leads to the main entrance. The soldiers were lined up on the bridge and stood in attention with their rifles receiving the Armenian “general”. Dro passed in front of the lined-up soldiers with a solemnity of a minister and acknowledged them tilting his head and shook the hands of the commanding officer. Then he mingled with the soldiers as if they were long time comrades in arm. It was not only the Armenians soldiers, the Arab soldiers took a liking of Dro and followed us.

Against our surprise, Dro came up with a surprise of his own.

- Ask the commanding officer, if we can have sharp shooting contest.

The officer accepted it with pleasure and had six beer bottles placed some 25 to 30 steps away. The other contestant was decided. Apparently their best marksman.

Without losing time, Dro right away took a rifle,  examined it and fired three shots while standing. The three bottles disappeared from view.  The other took a long time to prepare himself, rested on the ground on one of his knees with his other foot behind and fired three shots but scored only once. The enthusiasm of the soldiers was indescribable. They shouted, “Long live the Armenian general” . The visit turned into a festive occasion . In two hours Dro had become the idol of the soldiers and their friends. The enthusiasm of the Armenian soldiers knew no bounds. They were happy. The whole brigade, as a crowd, accompanied us to the street and bid us farewell with applause and hurrahs. It’s fair to note that they were soldiers by name only they could only be distinguished from a civilian crowd by their attire and red berets. In order to secure a salary, they had registered as soldiers and the French seemed not have been interested to mold them into soldiers.

There was an amazing trait in Dro’s personality. Warmth emanated from him and right away captivated his entourage wherever he was.

*****

The week was over. There was nothing else left for Dro in Aleppo. He was to return to Beirut the following day. We were returning after a lunch in a local restaurant.

- Is there a store that sells good quality watches? Dro asked.

The car stopped in front of Levon Babigian’s store. It was Aleppo’s finest store for watches.  Do entered and asked.

- I want a men’s watch. The best quality and the most expensive.

Levon showed him the best watch he carried in the store. It was a Zenith. It cost 250 Syrian Liras. Because the watch was for Dro, he made a large discount and erased the price marked on the box. Dro took the watch leaving the box behind.

It might be a present to his son Mardig, I thought. But as soon as we entered the car, he grabbed Sahag’s arm and placed the watch on his wrist, saying.

- You refused my money but you cannot refuse Dro’s gift.

It turned out that a few times Dro had attempted to give him money but Sahag had adamantly refused him.  Dro had found this to be best way to show his appreciation.

Note: To be continued