Amiras: Lords of Ottoman Armenia

Vahe H. Apelian 

Sometime ago, I ordered "The Amiras: Lords of Ottoman Armenia" book from Amazon.com (but had to cancel my order because of unavailability). Reading about the book before requesting a copy, I came across a comment made by the author of the book Pascal Garmont. He said that most of the Amiras hailed from the city of Agn and he wondered whether the Armenian Agnetsis were inheritors of a special gene pool that put them on top of the fiscal game in the Ottoman Empire.

The Amiras were bankrollers of the Ottoman Empire. In other words, they were the Rothschilds of the Ottoman Empire. Their prominence was so obvious that the first American missionary Rev. William Goodell to set foot in Constantinople (on on June 9, 1831), on behalf of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mission (ABCFM), noted the following in his memoir "The Armenians were an enterprising people, and the great wealth of the bankers, who were nearly all Armenians, made them very influential throughout the empire, even with the Turkish officials, who were largely dependent upon them for pecuniary advances and assistance."

It was the European powers that put an end to this influential class of Armenian Amiras when they established the Ottoman Bank in 1856. The bank was Ottoman by name only. The European powers and their big bankrollers owned and operated the bank that the Armenians occupied for 14 hours on August 14, 1896, under the leadership of young Papken Sunni who hailed from Agn. 

Wikipedia notes that on September 15, 1896, three weeks after the raid of the Ottoman Bank by members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation as a response to the Hamidian massacres, Turkish authorities organized a new massacre in the city of Ağın. Ottoman troops killed "upwards of 2000 Armenians" including "many women and children" according to a report by the French ambassador. Of the 1500 houses located in the Armenian quarter of Ağın, 980 were pillaged and burned. Ağın was chosen to be the target of the massacre because the leader of the bank raiding party who was killed at the start of the raid, Papken Siuni, was native to the city of Ağın. According to a report by the British Consul at Harput, the pretext used to attack the city's Armenian quarter was that the Armenians of the said city were "set to cause trouble" but it would not surprise me that the real cause was the wealth of the Armenian inhabitants of the city. 

It should be noted here that the financially well-to-do Agnetsis had bought their safety a few years earlier and thus had spared their city from the widespread killing and ransacking during the early Hamidian massacres (1894-1897).

Armenian authors have written a number of books about the Amiras, the great enterprising Armenian bankrollers of the Ottoman Empire who mostly hailed from Agn. I have my own interpretation as to why the cunning sultans bestowed upon these Armenians the special title that distinguished them as a class. Amira is derived from an Arabic word and it means princess. The sultans trusted and valued the services of these enterprising Armenians and yet they would not have wanted to draw the envy of the Turks. Hence the ever-cunning sultans came with the title Amira, princess. No self-respecting Turk would have liked to be titled, princess. The Turks must have envied the special relationship these Armenians had with the prevailing Sultan and yet they would not have wanted to be caught dead with such a "demeaning" title.

As to the Amiras, Dr. Chalabian wrote: "During this time trade in Constantinople was in the hands of Greeks and Armenians. For many years the pulse of Ottoman royalty was in Armenian hands and its distinguished denizens were titled "Amira". The word is Arabic in origin and was bestowed upon the wealthy and influential Armenian subjects of the Ottoman Empire. A disproportionate number of the Amiras, whose number ranged between 80 to 100 individuals, came from modest provincial backgrounds notably good many of them hailed from the small town of Agn (today's Kemaliye) in Anatolia's Erzincan province. They were a remarkable group of enterprising and ambitious Armenians who rose to the forefront of the Ottoman Empire in the 18th, and 19th centuries. At times, the succeeding generations of the same Amira family served the reigning Sultans faithfully and accomplished great things. They also became enormously influential in running the affairs of the Armenian community and became the link between the Sultan's palace and the Armenian Patriarch who had legal jurisdiction over the entire Armenian subjects of the Sultan.

Some of the Amiras were also put in charge of tax collection in the empire. Up to 1856, there was no banking system in the Empire. The Amiras filled in the void and made financial transactions with traders, trading houses, government offices and even with the reigning Sultans at exuberant rates. In 1795, the head of the Dadian family, Arakel Dad Amira, was appointed to oversee the armament factories of the Empire. From that date on for the next 75 years, the descendants inherited the position and ran the Ottoman munitions and artillery along with the production of paper and military uniforms. The members of the family thus exercised enormous influence given the size of the Empire and its armed forces. 

In the first half of the 19th century, one of the Armenian titans in Bolis was Harutyun Amira Bezdjian who was nicknamed "Kazaz Artin". He became a confidant of Sultan Mahmud II and was trusted with handling the personal wealth of the Sultan. His influence on running the affairs of the Empire was so strong that historians would call the era as the "Bezdjian Era". 

Through Harutyun Amira Bezdjian's financial contributions the following institutions were built in Bolis: the new building of the Bolis Patriarchate in 1823; Sourp Prgitch (Saint Savior) Armenian National Hospital in 1832; The women's school of Peria in 1826; the central school of Kumkapi in 1828; Saint Arakelots (Holy Disciples) Armenian school in 1830; Boghossian Boys' School in 1832; Varvarian Women's School in 1832; Bezdjian School in Kumkapi in 1832; Ayoubian Co-Ed School in 1832; a total seven schools and three major institutions. In 1836 he established the first trade – tailoring- school for the Armenian women of Bolis. Along with these monumental charitable contributions, he also undertook the expenses for the publication of many literary works, especially that of Krikor Pashdimaljian, the noted Armenian pedagogue, linguist, and philosopher. Harutyun Amira Bezdjian was buried in the Virgin Mary Patriarch Cathedral by the special permission of Mahmud II. 

Limited space does not allow us to elaborate more on the amazing accomplishments of other Amiras such as the Balians, who became court architects and built such masterpieces as the Dolmabahçe Palace, the Yildiz Mosque, and the Imperial College of Medicine, which today houses the famed Galatasaray Lisesi. The Arpiarian Amira family clan, who also hailed from Agn, oversaw the silver mining in the Ottoman Empire. 

For some two hundred years the Amiras served the Sultans faithfully and were accorded privileges no others possessed in the Empire. 

Courtesy Houshamadyan

The Armenian word "ag" means spring and ‘agn" would mean "the spring". The Armenian Wikipedia notes the following about the city of Agn: According to tradition, after the destruction of Ani, part of its population came to the location and finding a cold water spring, next to it, formed a new city naming it Agn. During 1300 to 1311, the Armenians arriving from Ani founded their own neighborhood with Saint Hagop Church".

Agnetsis were not only money smart as great bankrollers.  The Armenian Wikipedia further notes that the Agnetsis have had a number of prominent persons in culture, medicine, education, arts, law and as civic and clerical leaders. Along with young idealist revolutionary Papken Sunni, other prominent Armenians are:

Arpiar Arpiarian (Արփիար ԱրփիարեանՕ (1851-1908), - novelist, publisher, literary critic and editor.  

Missak Medzarents (Միսաք Մեծարենց) (1886-1908) - poet

Krikor Zohrand (Գրիգոր Զոհրապ) (1861-1915) – writer, statesman, lawyer and philanthropist.

Siamanto (Սիամանթո) (1878-1915) - poet

Arshag Chobanian (Արշակ Չոպանյան) (1872-1954) – writer, literary critic, philologist, journalist and civic leader.

Minas Cheraz (Մինաս Չերազ) (1852-1928) – writer, editor, translator, civic leader.

Nikol Kalenderian (Նիկոլ Գալանտերյան) (1881-1944) - compositor

 Yeghia Chelebi Keumurjian (Երեմիա Չելեպի Քյոմուրճյան) – Note: Chelebi was an honorific title given to persons of prominence.

Archbishop Ardavazt Surmelian (Արտավազդ արքեպիսկոպոս Սյուրմելյան) - clergy

Levon Kasparian (Լևոն Գասպարյան) – Medical doctor.

Many regard the great middle-age poet Nahabed Kouchag (Նահապետ Քուչակ) hailing from Agn.

The Armenian Wikipedia further notes: "For almost 200 years, the great dynasties of Amiras in Constantinople and Smyrna hailed from Agn."

Those who hail from Agn may shed further light on this unique city and its famous Armenian inhabitants, the Agnestsis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 1300th Anniversary of the Council of Manazkert

The Eastern Prelacy Diary has been published annually since 1974 without interruption and contains a listing of the following under its jurisdiction:  parishes, outreaches, retired clergy, Sunday Schools, One Day Schools, Day Schools, Youth Ministry, and a few other information relevant to the Armenian community.

Last year the Diary had the 1700^th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea on its cover. This year it has the Council of Manzakert on its cover. I reproduced Arch. Anoushavan Tanielian’s, the Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy, reflection on the Councial of Manazkert. Vaհe H Apelian

The 1300^th Anniversary of the Council of Manazkert

The Armenian Church, an ancient part of the Universal Church, after celebrating last year with the Christian World, the 1700^th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, this year is commemorating the 1300^th anniversary of the council convened with the Syriac Orthodox Church, which took place in Manazkert in 726 AD, under the presidency of Catholicos of All Armenians Hovhannes Ordzetsi (John of Otsun) and Syriac Patriarch Athanasius III, with the participation of 23 Armenian bishops and eight archimandrites (vartabeds), and eight Syriac bishops.

The council is noteworthy for the enduring relevance of its content. Indeed, it addressed significant matters of theology, liturgy, and the Holy Scriptures which even today, in various forms still concern the wider ecumenical Christian family.

We may draw the following practical lesson from the Council of Manazkert.

1.   As it is beyond human understanding, in every age, the mystery of the Incarnation has unfortunately been a cause of conflict for, when viewed solely through a human perspective, it is stripped of its sublimity and divine character. In such circumstances, the essential role belongs to enlightened leaders – such as the Catholicos of the Armenians and the Patriarch of the Syriacs – who by confronting false doctrines, have prevented polarization and paved the way for peace.

2.   While both are members of the family of Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Armenian and the Syriac Churches nevertheless retain significant differences, which is the most persuasive testimony to the spirit of mutual understanding and tolerance.

3.   As in the case of individuals, dialogue is ever more imperative for both ecclesiastical and secular institutions, for it transforms the very stones of dividing walls into the building blocks of connecting bridges.

May the spirit of the Council of Manaskert ever renew Armenian life.

Archbishop Anoushavan

Prelate

Eastern Prelacy.

 

 

Nikol Pashinyan does not protect Armenian interests

Vaհe H Apelian

 

To a degree, I follow Kegham Papazian’s postings. He posts interesting things about a variety of Armenian and non-Armenian issues and subjects, including about the Armenians of Egypt and about Egypt itself. He hails from Alexandria, Egypt. Today, I was alerted to a comment he has made.

I would not have penned this blog had my repeated comment, to the comment Kegham Papazian hատ made, not been repeatedly erased. Kegham Papazian’s comment in Armenian was the following, in Google verbatim translation), “The organized and consistent struggle of the current government of the Republic of Armenia against Armenian values, national identity, historical memory, and the Armenian Apostolic Church continues, aiming to weaken the foundations of our statehood and undermine the natural pillars of our national survival.” 

To make sure that my comment was being posted I took a screen shot from my activity log. Yes, it was being posted and it was being erased. See the attached below, 

Kegham comment seemed to be in affirmation of Hagop Der-Khatchadourian’s comment. It aroused my interest. It turned out that Hagop Der-Khatchadourian in an interview had made the following conclusive statement. “Nikol Pashinyan has become the prime minister who protects everyone's interests, but not Armenian interests.” Borrowing Eastern Armenian usage his comment in Armenian is as follows: “Նիկոլ Փաշինեանը դարձած է այն վարչապետը որ  պաշտպանում է բոլորին շահերը բացի հայկական շահերը։”

Let me now share with the readers of this blog my post on my Facebook page on January 24, 2019 about Hagop Der-Khatchadourian; “NEWLY ELECTED A.R.F. BUREAU REPRESENTATIVE: I knew Hagop Der Khatchadourian when he was a student and member of the Antelias Branch of the A.R.F. Youth Association of Lebanon. Even then he was known as a studious student who excelled in his studies, displayed natural leadership and chaired the local Aantelias branch. I was the Central Committee's representative overseeing the Antelias Branch named "Haiastan", situated in the community center not far from the Catholicosate. His parents were among those who immigrated to Canada early on when he still was in his youth. Over the years he and his Armenian wife have raised their own family, and he has remained true to his youthful calling and has continued to serve the A.R.F. He represents a fresh air of a newer generation raised in the West. I join all those who wish him well in his new endeavor as the A.R.F. Bureau representative”. (see a screen shot of the posting below)

These two gentlemen, much like I remained settled in the Diaspora. And after the independence of Armenia, much like I,  forfeited their Armenia birthright and continued to remain settled in Canada with their families. 

Having forfeited birthright Armenia, it's got to take a certain degree of audacity, maybe not audacity, to hurl such comments – that the PM Nikol Pashinyan and his government are not protecting Armenian interest, are not upholding Armenian values and national identity, are undermining national survival  ! 

But, apparently, Hagop and Kegham seem to have forgotten the rudimentary. It is the citizens of Armenia who elected the PM Nikol Pashinyan and his government, to govern Armenia and Armenian interests with their consent. 

 

Nikol Pashinyan does not protect Armenian interests

Vaհe H Apelian

 

To a degree, I follow Kegham Papazian’s postings. He posts interesting things about a variety of Armenian and non-Armenian issues and subjects, including about the Armenians of Egypt and about Egypt itself. He hails from Alexandria, Egypt. Today, I was alerted to a comment he has made.

I would not have penned this blog had my repeated comment, to the comment Kegham Papazian hատ made, not been repeatedly erased. Kegham Papazian’s comment in Armenian was the following, in Google verbatim translation), “The organized and consistent struggle of the current government of the Republic of Armenia against Armenian values, national identity, historical memory, and the Armenian Apostolic Church continues, aiming to weaken the foundations of our statehood and undermine the natural pillars of our national survival.” 

To make sure that my comment was being posted I took a screen shot from my activity log. Yes, it was being posted and it was being erased. See the attached below,  

Kegham's comment seemed to be in affirmation of Hagop Der-Khatchadourian’s comment. It aroused my interest. It turned out that Hagop Der-Khatchadourian in an interview had made the following conclusive statement. “Nikol Pashinyan has become the prime minister who protects everyone's interests, but not Armenian interests.” Borrowing Eastern Armenian usage his comment in Armenian is as follows: “Նիկոլ Փաշինեանը դարձած է այն վարչապետը որ  պաշտպանում է բոլորին շահերը բացի հայկական շահերը։”

Let me now share with the readers of this blog my post on my Facebook page on January 24, 2019 about Hagop Der-Khatchadourian; “NEWLY ELECTED A.R.F. BUREAU REPRESENTATIVE: I knew Hagop Der Khatchadourian when he was a student and member of the Antelias Branch of the A.R.F. Youth Association of Lebanon. Even then he was known as a studious student who excelled in his studies, displayed natural leadership and chaired the local Aantelias branch. I was the Central Committee's representative overseeing the Antelias Branch named "Haiastan", situated in the community center not far from the Catholicosate. His parents were among those who immigrated to Canada early on when he still was in his youth. Over the years he and his Armenian wife have raised their own family, and he has remained true to his youthful calling and has continued to serve the A.R.F. He represents a fresh air of a newer generation raised in the West. I join all those who wish him well in his new endeavor as the A.R.F. Bureau representative”. (see a screen shot of the posting below)

These two gentlemen, much like I, settled in the Diaspora. And after independence of Armenia, much like I,  forfeited their Armenia birthright and  continued to remain settled in the Diaspora with their families.

Having forfeited birthright Armenia, It’s got to take a certain degree of audacity, maybe not audacity, to hurl such comments – that the PM Nikol Pashinyan and his government are not protecting Armenian interest, are not upholding Armenian values and national identity, are undermining national survival  ! 

But, apparently, they seem to have forgotten the rudimentary. The citizens of Armenia elected the PM Nikol Pashinyan and his government to govern Armenia  and Armenian interests with their consent. 

 

Andrew Kizirian also closed their home library

Vaհe H Apelian

On October 29, 2025, I wrote a blog reflecting upon reading on that day, that Andrew Kizirian has donated his Armenian library consisting of close to 2000 books to Armenian Museum's Mesrob G Boyajian Library in Watertown, MA. Surely, it was commendable gesture, but it also is another example of the Armenian libraries disappearing from Armenian homes. 

In 2018, the New York Armenian Center closed its over 100 years old public Armenia library because of lack of readers, and had its books sent to Artsakh Another tragic reality for the Armenian community of NY and another kind tragedy awaited these books in Artsakh.  The eminent linguist Armenag Yeghiayan wrote an article about its closure and about the closure of the personal libraries of Ardashes Der-Khatchadourian, Hagop Iskenderian, Vahe Vahian. 

On May 7, 2025 I reflected in a blog post about my reading in “Horizon” Weekly that Vahe Setian’s daughters, Ms. Mayda Setian and Mrs. Lena Setian-Der Kaloustian, donating their father’s large private collection of rare books to the prelacy of Canada. I had a personal experience with Vahe Setian’s library accompanying my uncle Antranig Chalabian searching for primary sources when he was collaborating with Dr. Stanley Kerr. He found them in Vahe Setian's personal Library.

At least two decades ago, I too donated most of my books to the Armenian Library and Museum of America (ALMA). My mother had my library shipped from Lebanon when I immigrated to the U.S. Carrying them from one house to another, from one state to another was becoming taxing, especially for my wife and mother-in-law. I also knew that my books had no future without me.

Yesterday, in a comment, this is what Andrew Kizirian wrote on my Facebook page about his library and about his donating his collection to the Armenian Museum.

“ I donated my library of a few thousand books and periodicals to the Armenian Museum of America. A very substantial portion of the collection was devoted to Armenian subjects, art, history, literature, theology, the Armenian Encyclopedia, very large volumes often exceeding 500 pages devoted to various provinces of Western Armenia. These were in Armenian. The collection on Armenian subjects included hundreds of volumes in Armenian and English. There were also many books devoted to the Middle East, the Ottoman Empire, the first Armenian Republic, Soviet Armenia, the Armenian revolutionary movement and the Armenian Genocide. I approached NAASR, several Armenian studies chairs at universities, the Armenian Prelacy and other entities about donating my collection. There was no interest or no space to house the collection. Fortunately, the Armenian Museum expressed an interest in the collection, to house and organize it, and make it available to Armenologists, researchers and scholars for academic purposes. Having accumulated my book collection for almost 60 years, and enjoyed it immensely, I was extremely happy.”

A few days ago, on February 22, 2026, Levon Sharoyan from Aleppo wrote an article about the fate of Armenian personal libraries and titled it “Who should we beget our libraries?” (ՄԵՐ ԳՐԱԴԱՐԱՆՆԵՐԸ ՈՐՈ՞ՒՆ ԿՏԱԿԵՆՔ). The few public depositories we have, such as NAASR (National Association of Armenian Studies and Research) , the Armenian Museum, formerly the Armenian Museum and Library of America (ALMA) are getting filled up to capacity and will accept only books they do not have. Landfill is what remains . 

The closure of these personal libraries in our homes is indicative of the inevitable demise of Armenian readership in the Diaspora.

 

 

 

Antranig Chalabian, the first born is no more.

On the occasion of Zoravar Antranig’s birthday (February 25, 1885), I reproduced the text of the article I posted in Keghartdotcom on April 14, 2011, at the death of my maternal uncle Antranig Chalabian, who was known as Անդրանիկագէտ, a person who has mastered Zoravar Antranig. I also attached the editor's note. Zoravar Antranig was the subject of his doctoral dissertation for which the Armenian State University granted him a doctoral degree in history. Vaհe H Apelian

This picture was given to me by his one time classmate  at Aleppo College
Haigazoun Khederian

Editor’s note: It's not every day that a book written by a Diaspora Armenian sells 75,000 copies. Yet a Detroit resident, a recent immigrant from Lebanon, achieved this unlikely and remarkable success. And to add icing to the cake, the author donated proceeds from that book's sale to the Artsakh cause, at a time when that Armenian province was embroiled in a life-and-death war with much-stronger Azerbaijan. The book, published in Armenian and English, later in Spanish and Turkish, was the biography of Kachn Antranig, one of the greatest Armenian heroes of the past century. The author was Antranig Chalabian.- Ed

The covers of Antranig Chalabian's books

On the evening of Tuesday, April 12 my cousin broke the news of the passing away of her father and my elder maternal uncle, Dr. Antranig Chalabian. The Good Lord had bestowed upon him unusual talents, which he put in good use as an accomplished medical illustrator, calligrapher, cartographer and historian. He leaves behind a void and a legacy of extraordinary accomplishments. He exemplified the indomitable spirit of the first post Genocide generation who were born to parents who were orphaned during the Genocide.

Dr. Antranig Chalabian was born in Keurkune, Kessab on March 11, 1922. He was the first born son of Khatcher Chelebian and Karoun Apelian who were married in late 1918 in their make shift camp in Deir Attiyeh, Syria on their way to their ancestral village having survived the horrid ordeals of the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

Antranig and his siblings, Zvart, Hovhannes and Anna were orphaned at their tender ages having lost their father on February 2, 1930 at the age of 38. Antranig was a brilliant student and remained so until the twilight of his later years. After graduating from the Armenian Evangelical School of Keurkune he was awarded scholarship to continue his education at Aleppo College. He graduated with distinction and won the coveted Altounian Prize. After graduation he taught in his former school in Kessab for one year then returned to Aleppo College where he taught English and mathematics to the middle school classes from 1945 to 1949.

In 1949 Antranig moved to Beirut where his family had settled four years earlier. He taught English for one year at the AGBU Hovagimian-Manouginan High School. He then took a position in the Physiology Department of the American University of Beirut (AUB), where he remained for twenty-seven years as a research assistant and physiology laboratory instructor to the medicine, pharmacy and nursing students. During the last fourteen years at AUB, he worked as a free-lance medical illustrator and calligrapher. He single-handedly illustrated three medical textbooks, countless research papers and theses and calligraphed many diplomas. Meanwhile he contributed articles to the city’s Djanaser, Spurk and Nayiri papers. 

In 1977 Antranig immigrated to the United States with his family and settled in Detroit where his paternal uncle Garabed (Charlie) had settled in early 1920’s having survived the Genocide. He assumed the position of Public Relations Director of the AGBU Alex Manougian School and continued to contribute articles to various Armenian periodicals. In 1984 he published his first bi-lingual book General Antranik and the Armenian Revolutionary Movement. The book became an instant best seller and was printed in 75,000 copies in Armenia. He donated the proceeds from that print to the Karabagh freedom fighters. In 1989 the History Department of the University of Armenia invited him to defend his exhaustive historical study. Upon successful defense he was awarded a doctorate degree in history.  The book was later translated into Turkish and Spanish. 

The cover of the two books Antranig collaborated with their authors

In 1991 Dr. Antranig Chalabian published his second book in Armenian titled, Revolutionary Figures. Dr. Ara Avakian translated the book in English. In 1999 he published his third book, Armenia After the Coming of Islam in English. The book became a very popular reading and had two printings. In 2003 he published his fourth book in Armenian titled Dro. The book traces the feats of the legendary Armenian freedom fighter, Trasdamat Ganayan. His son, Jack Chelebian, M.D, translated the book into English. In 2009 Indo-European Publishers printed the book. Dr. Antranig Chalabian was also an invited contributor to the internationally acclaimed Military History magazine where he published articles dealing with Armenian history. Without any assistance, he prepared the print ready formats of his books and articles by typing them both in Armenian and in English, proof read them without resorting to spell check, painstakingly prepared the indices and drew the maps that appear in his books.

Before writing and publishing his books, Dr. Antranig Chalabian collaborated with Dr.Stanley Kerr after discovering Dr. Kerr’s personal notes in the attic of the Physiology Department. Dr. Stanley Kerr had moved to New Jersey after retiring in 1965 from his distinguished career as the Chairman of the Biochemistry Department of the American University of Beirut. However, he had left his notes behind assuming that the notes were long lost through the years. Stanley Kerr had kept his notes and taken hitherto unpublished pictures while serving in Near East Relief. In 1919 Stanley was transferred to Marash, in central Anatolia, where he headed the American relief operations. The outcome of their collaborative work was the publication of Dr. Stanley Kerr’s The Lions of Marash in 1973. The Kerrs hosted the Chalabians as their overnight houseguests during the latter visiting America in 1971 

While collaborating with Dr. Kerr, Henry Wilfrid Glockler, a one-time controller at AUB and a neighbor of the Kerrs in Princeton, entrusted Antranig Chalabian his personal memoirs. Chalabian edited the memoirs and had it published in Beirut in 1969 by Sevan Press. The book is titled Interned in Turkey. In private conversation Antranig Chalabian noted that in 1965, he heeded Kersam Aharonian’s urging Armenians to encourage non-Armenian authors publish about the Armenian Genocide. Kersam Aharonian is the late eminent editor of Zartonk Daily in Beirut. In 1976 by sheer coincidence my first job interview in America was at the American Cyanamid Corporation where the personal director in charge of college relations happened to be to a handsome young man named Robert who turned out to be Henry Glockler’s son. We made the connection during the interview that will always remain the most memorable interview of my career, especially for a first job interview in the New Land. Interest in Armenian history indeed has its own unexpected collateral benefits. 

Dr. Chalabian received numerous accolades and recognition. Armenian organizations in various states invited him to lecture. The mayor of Southfield designated in 2005 a day as Dr. Antranig Chelebian Day in recognition of his goodwill ambassadorship of the city through his readers worldwide. He continued to live in Southfield, MI with his wife Seran (Tootikian) who preceded him in death in 2010. In 1995, his compatriots, the Kessabtsis, honored him as a noted professional and dedicated the 2003 Edition of the Kessab Educational Association’s yearbook and directory in his honor. 

My earliest childhood impression of my maternal uncle Antranig is vividly embedded in me when he interrupted an ongoing traditional Kessab circle dance during a festivity in Keurkune and took the guns away from two dancers who had joined the dance with their hunting guns dangling from their shoulders. I realize now that my very first childhood recollection of him was a reflection of his innate total aversion of guns and anything remotely violent and by the same token his instinctive appreciation of those who, as a last resort, resorted to gun as Armenian freedom fighters. He made the preservation of their legacy his cause. Years later he prepared the graphical presentation of my first Master of Science thesis.

He was immaculate, driven to precision and perfection to any task at hand, fastidious to personal hygiene, his daily washing his hands before dinner was akin to a surgeon cleansing his hands before surgery. He remained tireless researcher and a scholar. His is a legacy of extraordinary accomplishments. Few years ago his son – Jack Chelebian, MD – presented his father and his father’s work in Rochester, NY where Jack practiced psychiatry. One of the attendants of the presentation summed up his assessment and emailed Jack noting that Dr. Antranig Chalabian is a “ true renaissance man”. He was indeed a truly talented man. He leaves behind his daughter Garine’ and her husband Hovsep Koundakjian, Annie and her husband Tom Hoglind, Jack and his wife Gail and eight grandchildren: Lara and Garo Koundakjian; Anthony, Anneli and Anika Hoglind; Alex, Simon and Charlie Chelebian. He will be sorely missed.

Who should we beget our libraries?

I have already posted about the closure of Armenian personal libraries, as well as about the closure of NY City Armenian Community Center’s public library. The concern seems to have engulfed the epi center of the Armenian Diaspora, Aleppo, the famed Armenian Haleb. Attached is my translation of excerpts from Levon Sharoyan’s recent posting from Aleppo on his Facebook page on February 22, 2026, titled “Who should we beget our libraries?” (ՄԵՐ ԳՐԱԴԱՐԱՆՆԵՐԸ ՈՐՈ՞ՒՆ ԿՏԱԿԵՆՔ). Vaհe H Apelian 

Courtesy Levon Sharoyan

“I am sure that this heart-wrenching question will be asked from time to time by all those book lovers, bibliophiles and intellectuals who, over the years and long decades, have accumulated stacks of books in their homes and have managed to create a respectable and rich library, that has given them breath, spirit and wings; cultivated and tempered their minds, ennobled their souls, and given color to the walls of their homes. What happy moments have passed under the shadow of that library, sometimes alone, at times accompanied by rare conversations, with a small number of like-minded friends, who love literature.

These family libraries were always kept neat, clean, and organized. They were always cared for. Often, financial contributions were made to purchase this or that book, this or that series, this or that dictionary, this or that encyclopedia. Sometimes the wooden furniture of the library was renovated and refinished. Periodically, additional expenses were even incurred to reorganize some worn and damaged volumes, to provide them with new leather covers... What happiness for a book lover, a book lover!

The library is the wealth of an intellectual person.

***

Yes, our family libraries have "fed" us for many years, from our school days to the present. But what will be their fate in the future, in the near future, when we, having grown old or worn out, will no longer be able to take care of them?

This inevitable prospect is a nightmare for us, the owners of libraries. Who will be the owner of our library when the time comes for us to leave?

Yes, this is how we have begun to think every time we pondered about the great mystery of life and death. This is how we have thought every time we have been informed, upon hearing the news of the death of an intellectual.

We know that the commodity called “book” is not a precious metal or a ringing coin that would arouse the interest of our immediate heirs. But, nevertheless, why do our children (mostly university and educated) not show a coveted warmth towards their parents’ books and libraries?

***

We live in an age of learning, science, and attaining highest university degrees. But, book reading, the love of books, and the value of libraries are rapidly declining in our contemporary society. I am led to think that 125 or 150 years ago, during the time of Tourian, or Medsarents, a Raffi or Srpuhi  Dusab, the love of reading was much more widespread in our Armenian reality than it is today. Similarly, the situation was fundamentally different in the days of Soviet Armenia. You will be amazed to see that one of Charents’ collective work was printed in 40,000 copies, a volume of children’s fairy tales in 60,000 copies, a classical Armenian novel in 20,000 copies, a translation of foreign literature in 10-15,000 copies. And informed sources testify that those books, once published, were already sold out from the bookstores within a few months, 

Those happy times are over!

Today, the product called “book” does not have a desirable presence in our homes. For today’s growing generations, the book has lost its charm or appeal. A beautiful book in Armenian placed on the table, no matter how interesting the title, will not succeed in attracting or captivating the Armenian person, especially in the Diaspora. That Armenian person is not interested in either the author or in the content of the book. He is not at all interested to know what a contemporary Armenian author could have told in his 200 or 300-page volume.

***

We witness this unhealthy state of mind every day and continuously in our Armenian schools. Not a single student has a sincere desire to pick up a book and read. The same is true of our clubs, whose libraries remain slumbering in summer and in winter.

I believe that the love of reading can sprout and grow from a young age. Therefore, the role of parents and the school will be great here. A neat and tidy library at home and a functioning library open to the students in the school (with a lively and knowledgeable librarian) can lead us to beneficial results."