Opinion
Remembering the Armenians at Borodino
Armenian Heroes of the 1812 Patriotic War
The 200th anniversary of the Battle of Borodino is widely celebrated in Russia. Conferences and “round tables” are held, and thematic displays are constructed. Three books containing the biographies of the brilliant Russian strategists—Kutuzov, Barclay de Tolly, and Bagration—who led the Russian Army in the war against Napoleon came out in the “great people” series.
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Excellent, excellent article. One of the best I’ve read on ArmenianWeekly. A much needed historical perspective. Thank you.
Very interesting, and loaded of historical facts.
I love that this article appeared in the Armenian Weekly! That a Western diaspora publication is collaborating with one in Russia is good news! Because of the Cold War, our diasporas were never able to communicate effectively and I think articles like these are a step in the right direction.
Well researcched article with a fascinating account of many Armenian warrior leaders in the Russian wars of the 19th century, most from Karabagh. Similar to the Mamlukes, the warriors who ruled Egypt for centuries (10th-18th), who were Armenian slaves taken from Karabagh, by the Caliphates of Baghdad. They united and rose against the Calphates and the rest is history. There must be something in the waters of Karabagh?!
It is also a bizarre coincidence that while Colonel Valerian Madatov of Karabagh heroically fought Napoleon at the battle of Berezina in 1812, Napoleon’s personal body guard was Rostom (Roustam), a Memluke who Napoleon had gotten in 1805 in Egypt. Rostom was also born in Karabagh (died in Karabagh). One has to wonder if Madatov and Rostom communicated with each other during the decisive battle of Berezina in 1812, where Madatov saved Russia from Napoleon’s conquests…. Rostom too was known for his courage and loyalty to Napoleon. Interesting parallels. The constant seems to be the unique ethnic or cultural characteristics of the people of Karbagh.
Thank you for the contribution Mr. Saakov.
This story remind me of those brave Armenians who fought against Nazi Germany during 2-nd World War!! Very nice historical facts about Armenian and Russian military alliance!!
The wealth of information about Armenia and Artsakh available in languages other than English is overwhelming.
What we need is a group of new “holy translators” to start publishing good articles like this from non-American authors.
At the time when General Madatov fought for Russia, another Karabakhi Armenian, Roustam Raza, fought in the army of Napoleon Bonaparte. Roustam, a mamluk, was the Emperor’s personal bodyguard, attached to him constantly.
There’s an unverified story that Napoleon’s army commander Joachim Murat was of Armenian origin. Born in 1767 as Hovakim Muradian in Krkjan village, Askeran region of Artsakh, he moved to France, served in the French army and supported Napoleon in his taking the power. In 1804 Murat received the title of a Marshal of France.
An excellent article. Well done Georgyi Sahakyan.
Armenia is not synonymous with the Genocide! It is as old as the Roman and Persian Empires and empires older that have disappeared all together. Armenians have been (among many other things) brave fighters and warriors. What a geat pity not many of our own people (especially in the diaspora) know that.
Well said Bernard.The Diaspora ,not Homeland(latter are aware of Madatov et al) ought to learn more about such heroes.Fact is in WWII we delivered/gave 106 HEROES to the then soviet Fatherland(Hairenagan) WAR….
First division of the soviet troops entering Berlin was the….(I forget the name
————However, what do we LEARN FROM ABOVE like militry personalkities serving inm the non-Armenian armed forces?????
That we are good servfanmts to others.Always..and I challenge anyone to say the opposite…
Fact of the matter is ,one of my on the side assignments 3 yrs ago was to go to Diaspora Miniswtry and ask them to give me book on the 106 Soviet armenian heroes(reqeusted of me by the ¨Ancienne combattent Francais DÓrigin Armenien¨ head/president Monsieur Antoine Bagdikian.Which I did and then passed it on to the Missak Manchuyan French School in Yerevanm who by the next year had translated from Russian into French only half, then took it to the Lycee Francais…who at long last did the rest and sent to Paris.
Now France will learn if this book is publishsed in QTY that Armenians also participated in WWII very overly MORE THAN THEY SHOULD(MY VIEWPOINT) 200,000 ARMENIANS died for LIBERTY from Nazis!!!!!
Who gave a SSSSS.They still consider us as OBLIGED TO SERVE THEM!!!!!
My Foot,Stop being the scapegoat and go after names uniforms of Foreign countries .Be a soldier nay a partisan like Monte and many others.
Armenian!!!!!! tiem to wake up, be like your neighbours at least, like Georgians(they had very few serving in soviet army check it out,while Stalin uncle was Georgian!!!!
Armenians need to wake up from a long slumber and be MORE PATRIOTIC! never mind corruption(don´t give me that SS) it originates …in YOU KNOW WHERE!!!!!
ADDENDUM to above post,
It was at a moment of consternation and relentless nationalism that I wrote above and badly composed.Please excuse me for that.
The DIVISION THAT FIRST ENTERED BERLIN WAS…THE TAMANIAN ONE…
Yes ,sometiems I feel so much down that we have been able and very much so to GIVE TO OTHERS….
Paul Ignatius(ian) the secretary of the navy–What navy? the mightiest in the world.Admiral Isakov counterpart in the soiver mighty navy of the time..
and the line may go on as above also mentioned in the ARTICLE AND THAT ONLY IN THE RUSSIAN and later soviet armies and the French, The U.s.
Did you know that there are thousands of graves in Normandy with Armenian names on them…ending oin ian…
Also we hd two brothers in the much commended and worshiped–almost by the brits called the AGA-Zarian(s) one a Squadron leaddr the other a WING COMMANDER…iSFAHAN aRMENIANS THAT WENT TO iNDIA LEARNT THERE AND THEN ON TO GOOD OLD London, gREAT bRITIAN AND THEN CLIMBED UP THE LADDER…
sO MUCNH FOR THAT
bUT i WOULD NOT CHANGE ON nzhdeh with a dozen of above<
Mr. Palandjian makes an interesting point and Noel Agazarian would be a case in point. Noel was a WW-II RAF Ace and hero in the UK (his brother and sister were active also). According to Wikipedia, Noel was rejected from Trinity College at Oxford University in the 1930s, for being “Coloured”… Not sure if such prejudices have not been representative throughout history.
Even after death they were treated differently. Here is a good illustration – in 1945 more than 800 Soviet soldiers, mostly POWs, were buried in a military cemetery near Amersfoort, the Netherlands, alongside American soldiers.
A few years later, American occupational authorities decided that they were not worthy enough laying next to Americans. They excavated the graves and threw them into a separate field. A Dutch guy takes care of these graves and published a full list of unattended graves. He’s been trying to match these graves with living relatives for years. There are Armenian soldiers buried there and not only from Armenia. Georgians, Azeris, and others LOVED to send Armenians who happened to live under their rule to die in WWII to make their republics’ quotas.
Check them out: http://www.russisch-ereveld.nl/gezocht_armenie_en.html
Many graves are “adopted” by strangers who fill out an online form and donate 50 euros to upkeep the place.
The core of the issue is how Armenian military have SERVED other nations…
We must come to appreciate our blood worth and shed it ONLY FOR PATRIA!!!
Not an imaginary HAIRENIK-Hairenagan..right from the beginning we did not undertstand that servign others will not get us anywhere…
Any counter explanaation to above.
We need to be more nationalistic/Not saying Fascist or nazi..
But* you wouldn’t know following.
While the Germans in last WW showed their being nationalistic and outright showed it with their swatikas etc., another very cunning nation……
never did that but INWARDLY MORE MUCH MORE EGOCENTRIC AND NATIONALISTIC…..
We should not copy any of the above two.Stick together in defence of NEWLY REBORN HAYASTAN/ASTAKH.That’s all I wish to convey…
For this not come often…
Well said. Helping build a strong Armenia is the imperative which takes inspiring leadership for all to unify and rally behind. Judging from the past 20+ years, it may take another generation or two to produce such world class leadership, to inspire the Diaspora, to unify it and propel RA/NKR to its full potential (Switzerland would be an excellent nation to use as, as standards to achieve). The “Brain Drain” from RA/NKR over the past 20+ has been tragic to achieve such progress. All the current leadership should focus on is to develop the conducive environment for Reverse Migration of the under 30 year of age generation from Diaspora over the next 10-20 years. If not able to, then the equilibrium might have been tipped already.