Remembering Arakel Sivaslian: From Accomplished U.S.-Educated Astronomer to Armenian Genocide Victim
Special to the Armenian Weekly
The facts are starkly simple. On Aug. 10, 1915, Arakel Sivaslian, a resident of Marsovan (today’s Merzifon, in Turkey), was offered a choice: Make a nominal acceptance of Islam and take the job of city engineer, or be deported to Aleppo. He refused to deny his Christianity. He and his wife then put a few possessions in an ox cart. Mrs. Sivaslian sat on top while Mr. Sivaslian walked beside her. They were led under guard with other Armenians south toward Sivas. Not far from the city, the men were separated from the women, and with their hands tied behind their backs they were marched off and killed. Mrs. Sivaslian and the other women and girls were driven onward. She was never heard from again.
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Thank you for bringing up and enlightening the life of a hero who was struck by hate. I always wander what would have happened if the circumstances were different and he was able to live a normal life and the Armenian Genocide had not happened. But since it happened our duty and the world’s duty is never to forget it and work for justice until the perpetrator’s descendants recognize the evil of the Armenian genocide and come to recognize it. Only then the likes of of Dr. Aram ek will Rest In Peace. I lost my grandfather in a similar circumstance and my father was born an orphan yet I do not harbour hate but seek justice.
Personally I can only begin to imagine the tragedy of losing an ancestor to such brutality, and finding a way to let go of hate. It can’t be easy. I commend you and others who have managed to do it, yet still seek justice for them. As part of that process, it’s important to tell their stories.
Thank you for your kind words about my great-grandfather. He was a devout Christian who never gave up his faith, though it cost him his life.
Thank you for kind words. He was my great grandfather. My name is Susan Sivaslian Barrett Wisecup-Agbedzinu.
Thanks for bringing to us this wonderful story.
You’re welcome. In researching my book, I’ve discovered so many remarkable stories that I can’t include in it, but want to share. I’ll do my best to write more of them.
“I wonder what would happen to this world
If godless Turks succeed in converting everyone
Into following their faith using their scimitars!”
Turks know that they themselves came from remote,
Arid lands and the mountains of Altai,
Destroying ancient civilizations
Scimitaring innocents, walking on their blood,
Crushing their skulls and calling themselves
Religions, praying five times daily
from dawn till dusk!
April 24, 2015
As many devoted Arab poets wrote painful verses
after suffering from barbaric-Turks … (see p.108)
“The sons of Turks, you are never Muslims…”
From my new Poetry collection,
“BRING OUT our Genocided Skulls &Artful Hands” (April 2018)
You speak the truth. Dr. Sivaslian was my great grandfather. He would die again rather than be called a “Turk” or be said to have been born in “Turkey” He was a proud Armenian.
This sort of Dr. Aramel Sivaslian is both inspiring and heart breaking. He was a hero…true to his faith, his people, and to the truth. May he rest in peace.
My surviving family also went to Akron, Ohio, to be near the missionary Schauffler School. I wonder how many other Armenian survivors went there.
That would make an interesting research project to discover how many survivors immigrated to the area, and what drew them there.
Thank you for your kind words. He was my great grandfather.
Dr. Sivaslian was my great grandfather. Your article has filled in much missing information. I had been able to pinpoint the date of his murder to August 10 but couldn’t learn much else. Thank you for this beautiful tribute to his life.
Hello Susan. Your Great Grandfather was my Grandfathers Uncle, Garobed Krikor Sivaslian. He was in the US going to school. His father Told him not to come home it was too dangerous. Your Great Grandfather (I was told) went to get the girls out. The whole family was killed except one married and those in school in the US and one Aunt teaching at the school that passed for Italian and left on a boat from Italy sent for evacuations. I follow the village and see a birth mark on some of the villagers. I feel they are our relatives that were forced to marry the Turkish men.
My brother has a book at the editors about to be published.
His wife’s name was Maritza Abajian. I’m the granddaughter of his son Yetvart (Edward) Arakel Sivaslian, whose only child, Marta-Maritza (Martha-Marie) was my mother.
I didn’t even know there was an astronomer with my last name. My father immagrated to America from Turkey and his grandfather was from Kayseri, but they lived in Sivas at one point when escaping the genocide.
Nadya:
professor Arakel Sivaslian was born at Munjusun, 14 miles northeast of Kayseri. This town, now called Gunesli by the Turks, was the ancestral home of my Sivaslian family. My great-grandpa, Krikor, brother of Arakel, was a silversmith. About 1887-88 he moved his family to Sharkishla, about half way between Kayseri and Sivas. Another brother of Arakel and Krikor was Boghos, who had as many as 12 children. Two of his sons came to the US and I have only found names of some of the others. These three brothers had a sister, Anna, who married Parsegh Donikian. There is also a Sivaslian family living in the vicinity of Albany, NY, that comes from Kayseri. I believe that we Sivaslians from Kayseri and vicinity are all related but there are no records to find a connection. My email address is included if you want to give me more information about your father and grandfather. I have recently finished writing a book about my Armenian family that is currently being edited.
I believe Arakel Sivaslian was my 2nd great grandfather. His daughter Marie was my great grandmother. I would love to connect with you to learn more and share what I know.
Susan, I serve as the Head of School at Tarsus American College in Tarsus, Turkey and I have been organizing our historical book archive and found one book that is from Anatolia College. The book was given as a prize to your grandfather Edward as a prize in Mathematics in 1904 by Johannes Manissadjian who was a Professor at the College and well known for the Natural Sciences collection he developed and which we currently have a part of at our school in Tarsus. I would be happy to send you photos of the book and inscription. Edwards father Arakel was quite famous and received the first PhD in Astronomy from Carleton College in Minnesota.
Eric, This very minute I saw your post and had never seen it before. Thank you so much for helping to keep his memory alive in the minds and hearts of all Armenians. If you could still send me the photos, I would love to see them. Or if you wish, you could send me an email and attach them, if that would be easier. My email address is Obroni3011@gmail.com. I can send my physical address in a return email, if you wish. Thank you so much.
Susan, I just saw your post. I have sent you an email with several photos of the book. I served as the Head of three former American Board of Foreign Commissioners in Turkey which still exist today and I am quite interested in their rich history. Eric
Eric, did you receive my last email, after the last one(I believe, that you sent me, inquiring if I had received the photos from you about my grandfather, Edward, and his father, Arakel Garabed? I haven’t received them. Please can you resend?
Susan:
I am Leland Bibb, grandson of Garabed K. Sivaslian, cousin of your grandpa, Edward. My sister, Alice Elaine Lord sent you a reply earlier today. AS she said, I have written a “history” of the Sivaslian family of Munjusun, our ancestral village near Kayseri, Turkey. Several months ago I found you listed in whitepages and sent you a letter. It came back because the address was no longer yours. My book includes sections on my grandpa’s siblings and cousins, including your grandpa, your mother, and briefly on you and your sisters. I think we need to communicate more. If you would, please switch to regular email.
My sister just forwarded your article to me…thank you Wendy…Dr. Sivaslian was my great grandfather.
Dr. Sivaslain was my 2nd great grandfather. I would like to connect with family.