Shiragian Legacy Celebrated at Hairenik Event in New Jersey

RIDGEWOOD, N.J. (A.W.)—A reception and program launching two books recently published by the Hairenik Association was hosted by Michael and Ani Sarajian at their home in Ridgewood.

The program featured a presentation on Arshavir Shiragian, whose memoir The Legacy was recently republished by the Hairenik Association as an e-book. The book chronicles the extraordinary story of Shiragian who embarked on an international manhunt to track down and assassinate the Turkish masterminds of the Armenian Genocide.

Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Eastern Region Central Committee Chair Richard Sarajian welcomed the guests and presented brief remarks on the legacy of Shiragian. He then introduced special guest speakers John S. Pehlivanian, Esq. and Haroutune Terjanian, who shared personal memories of Shiragian as a family member and a fellow ARF member respectively.

ARF Eastern Region Chair Richard Sarajian introducing Haroutune Terjanian

In The Legacy, Shiragian recounts how he located and assassinated the men responsible for this crime against humanity. He describes how he tracked down and killed the Grand Vizier, Sayid Halim Pasha, in Rome. A few months later, Shiragian, together with Aram Yerganian, located and shot dead Jemal Azmi Pasha, the governor-general of Trabizond, and Dr. Behaeddin Shakir Bey, the mastermind of the Armenian Genocide.

In his presentation, Pehlivanian portrayed Shiragian as a man of great resilience who knew very well what he meant to the Armenian community, and was modest despite his status as a national hero. His presentation focused on the period prior to and immediately after the assassination of Jemal Azmi and Behaeddin Shakir, and highlighted the love story between Shiragian and his future wife, Kayane.

Terjanian’s presentation focused on Shiragian’s life as a community leader, a member of the ARF, and a family man in the United States. Reminiscing episodes and tidbits from Shiragian’s life and activism in the U.S., Terjanian conveyed a powerful and moving image of a man who, despite the scars of the past, stood tall. His stories of Shiragian’s family life underscored his dedication to his family and circle of friends.

To purchase The Legacy e-book, click here.

Copies of Voices from the Past: Excerpts from the Writings of Armenian Revolutionaries, another recent publication by the Hairenik Association, were available for purchase at the gathering. Voices from the Past is also available as an e-book. To purchase Voices from the Past on Amazon, click here.

A reception and program to launch Voices from the Past was held in New York on April 28. Held at the home of Virginia Davies and Willard Taylor, the event featured President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York Dr. Vartan Gregorian, who spoke about “Simon Vratsian: His Life and Legacy.”