Richard Hovannisian to Lecture on Smyrna Catastrophe at Worcester State

WORCESTER, Mass.—On Thurs., Sept. 12, Prof. Richard G. Hovannisian will present an illustrated lecture, “The Smyrna Catastrophe, 1922-2013,” in the Blue Lounge of the Student Center at Worcester State University. The program will be co-sponsored by Worcester State University, the Worcester Armenian Book Commemoration Committee, and the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR), with the support of Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, the Armenian Church of Our Saviour, and the Armenian Church of the Martyrs.

Hovannisian is the editor of the recently published Armenian Smyrna/Izmir
Hovannisian is the editor of the recently published Armenian Smyrna/Izmir

September 2013 marks the 91st anniversary of the Smyrna Catastrophe when much of the city, the second largest in the Ottoman Empire, was destroyed by fire during the final phase of the Greco-Turkish War. The calamity, a part of the final phase of the Armenian Genocide, marked the end of a strong Christian presence in the historic Aegean coastal regions and turned hundreds of thousands of Greeks and Armenians into refugees.

In this illustrated lecture, Hovannisian will discuss the important role of Smyrna (Izmir) in modern Armenian history and the inferno that engulfed the city in 1922. Hovannisian is the editor of the recently published Armenian Smyrna/Izmir, the 11th volume of proceedings from the UCLA conference series, “Historic Armenian Cities and Provinces.” He traveled to Izmir and environs in June 2012 as the historian-guide for a NAASR Armenian Heritage Tour led by Armen Aroyan.

The lecture begins at 7 p.m., and is free and open to the public. A book signing of Armenian Smyrna/Izmir will immediately follow the talk.

Richard Hovannisian is the author of Armenia on the Road to Independence, the 4-volume history The Republic of Armenia, and has edited and contributed to more than 25 books, including The Armenian Genocide in Perspective; The Armenian People from Ancient to Modern Times; Remembrance and Denial; Looking Backward, Moving Forward; and The Armenian Genocide: Cultural and Ethical Legacies. Hovannisian was the first holder of the Armenian Educational Foundation Chair in Modern Armenian History at UCLA.

For more information about the Sept. 12 program, call Van at (508) 799-7586 or contact NAASR by calling (617) 489-1610 or e-mailing hq@naasr.org.

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3 Comments

  1. My grandfather Ohannes left in 1913.
    His six siblings, all murdered.
    His parents, murdered.
    His aunts and uncles and cousins, all murdered.

    I have read that the Mayor or Governor of this area in 1915 refused to participate in the Genocide, and that he was honored by Armenians in New York at some point. Can anyone give info? This man was one of the many righteous Turks.

  2. On your last visit to the Univ. of South Florida, Tampa I gave you the book I had published on my parents memoires, “The Odyssey of an Armenian Revolutionary Couple”. It was the day by day events on the burning of Izmir and the atrocities they faced. Have you by any chance referred to their experiences- if so please inform me as to what part of their story was of help to you. I would appreciate receiving a response from you, please.

  3. My grandmother attended the American Missions school Smyrna, graduated as a nurse. I have many pictures of her time at the school. She left for Manchester England in 1920, as her family in Afyonkarahissar had been deported.

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