“They Were, (and) are no more” (Կային, Չկան) is the title of the last chapter of Antranig Zarougian’s “The Greats and the Others” (Մեծերը եւ Միւսները) book. The book casts a glimpse of the way of an intellectual group of writers as poets, novelists, journalists, and editors who propelled the post genocide Western Armenian literature to new heights that subsided with their passing away. The attached is an abridged translated segment from that chapter. Vahe H. Apelian.
“ It is a narrow street. On both side there are shops and small restaurants and hardly a perceptible sideway. It looks more like the main street of a rural town, but from a far distance, this small street – Rue Richer – was the center of Paris for me and Paris was the heartbeat of the world.
In my youthful imagination this is where the Louvre Museum, the Pantheon, the opera, along with that all beauties about Paris should have been located. Napoleon Bonaparte’s tomb and the Eiffel Tower could not have been further away. That was all that Rue Richer was to me before I visited Paris for the very first time. The taxi took me to a street that negated everything I had conjured in my mind.
Barber shops, grocery stores, cafés……….
Having noticed my disappointment, Puzant, still in his blue work garment held me by my arm, took me to the end of the street and with the same boastfulness and emphasis Napoleon must have pointed the great Sphynx to his soldier and told them: ““From the heights of the Pyramids, forty centuries look down on us”, Puzant said:
- “Our neighborhood is modest, but see, Folies Bergere is here.1”
*****
It was fifty years ago. Everything that reached us from France as beautiful literature, in a beautiful publication carried Rue Richer Street in its address. “Zvartnots” (Զուարթնոց)2, “Gyank Yev Arouesd” ( “Life and Art” - Կեանք եւ Արուեստ)3, “Arevmoudk” (“West”-Արեւմուտք)4 and all their contributors iincluding “Araxe” (Արաքս) printing shop, were all here, on Rue Richer, behind a two paneled door that opened to an inner neighborhood. On the right was Hrand Palouyan (Հրանտ Բալուեան)5, and on the left Puzant Topalian (Բիւզանդ Թոփալեան)6 and in between the two was Megerditch Barsamiam’s (Մկարտիչ Պարսամեան) 7 cellar bookstore as if to keep a harmonious balance between the two.
During the past fifty years I have been in Paris many times, at times twice a year. I have a lot of memories and sentimental remembrances about my visits there. Some of which I have written and published; others could be written but there are some that will never be written. It is fair that I frame my first visit to Paris, that is to say the Rue Richer Street.
But before I start writing about it, should I not visit and see what is left on the Rue Richer Street from the old? I am immersed in such thoughts when suddenly, of all places and circumstances, I come across face to face to Vahram (Mavian)8, who happened to be in Paris on vacation from “the far distant Portugal”. Ever cheerful and ready to crack a joke, but his demeanor changed, a sadness appeared on his eyes when he learned my intention and with an utmost solemnity told me:
- “Yes, the Rue Richer Street, let us visit it together.”
We set up a time to visit it the following day. But we did not go; not together nor by ourselves. There is no need to confirm what we already know. None of the dear faces we knew is there anymore, absolutely no one. Visiting Rue Richer would be much like pursuing lost souls in the ruins of Ani. Attempting to look for (Puzant) Topalian, (Megerditch) Barsamian, (Hrand) Palouyan would be much like playing an unpleasant game hoping that we can suddenly meet (Arshag) Chobanian (Արշակ Չոպանեան)9, (Nighoshos) Sarafian (Նիկողոս Սարաֆեան)10, (Shavarsh) Nartouni (Շաւարշ Նարդունի)11, (Nshan) Beshiktashlian (Նշան Պէշիկթաշլեան)12, (Arshavir?) Khontgarian (Արշաւիր Խոնդկարեան)13 and the others.
It is much better therefore to hold on to the old picture as it was and without retouching it let it remain hanging on the wall just as it was.”
They were, are no more.
Notes
1. The Folies Bergère is a cabaret music hall, located at 32 Rue Richer in the 9th Arrondissement.
2 Zvartnots (or Zwartnots / Zwarthnotz, Armenian: Զուարթնոց, was a literary review in the Armenian language founded in January 1929 by Hrant Palouyan and ceased publication in 1964.
3. “ Gyank Yev Arouesd” ( “Life and Art” - Կեանք եւ Արուեստ), Armenian literary magazine edited by A. Barsamian in Paris from 1931-1940.
4. Arevmoudk” (“West”-Արեւմուտք), a literary magazine in Paris published by Levon Mozian ( Լեւոն Մոզեան) from 1945 to 1952.
5. Hrand Palouyan (Հրանտ Բալուեան) publisher of Zvartnots literary magazine.
6. Puzant Topalian (Բիւզանդ Թոփալեան), 1902-1970. He was born in Aintab and passed away on April 30, in France. He was a poet, a painter, and an editor.
7. Megerditch Barsamiams’ (Մկարտիչ Ասատուի Պարսամեան), 1886-1965. He was born May 7, in Agn, in the Ottoman Empire and passed away on June 18, in Paris. He was a writer, literary critic, an editor, and a pedagogue.
8. Vahram Mavian (Վահրամ Մավեան), 1926-1983. He was born in Jerusalem and passed away in Lisbon, Portugal. From 1960 and onward, he was affiliated with the Armenian Department of the Calouste Gulbenian Foundation in Lisbon. He was a poet and a prose-writer.
9. Arshag Chobanian (Արշակ Չոպանեան), 1872-1954. He was born on July 15 in Beşiktaş, Constantinople, Ottoman Empire and passed away on June 8 in Paris. France. He was an Armenian short story writer, journalist, editor, poet, translator, literary critic, playwright, philologist and a novelist.
10. Nigoghos Sarafian (Նիկողոս Սարաֆեան),1902-1972. He was born on March in Varna, Bulgarian and Passed away in Paris, France. He was an Armenian writer, poet, editor and journalist.
11. Shavarsh Nartouni (Շաւարշ Նարդունի), 1898-1968. His baptismal name was Askanaz Ayvazian. He was born in Armash, Ottoman Empire and passed away in Marseille, France. He was a physician by training but was more involved in literary endeavors. For decades he also edited “Hye Pouj” (Հայ Բուժ – Armenian Medicine), a medical monthly.
12. Nshan Beshiktashlian (Նշան Պէշիկթաշլեան), 1898-1972. He was born in Istanbul, Ottoman Empire and passed away in Paris, France. He was an Armenian poet, writer, satirist and novelist.
13. Arshavir Khontgarian (Արշաւիր Խոնդկարեան) ? Information I have about him is conflicting. Comments welcomed.
No comments:
Post a Comment