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“Be assured that we are all fine”: Letters from the ‘well of hell’
I often conduct research alone in libraries and archives. For example, a recent project investigated at the Nubar Library in Paris led to the 2023 publication of my book, Outcasting Armenians: Tanzimat of the Provinces. However, one project I am currently working on involves collaboration with a small team—students turned friends turned collaborators—who are interested in understanding their family histories.
Our endeavor here concerns a set of letters written from Arapgir to Philadelph
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Talin:
I read with great interest your work of translating Armenian letters. I have over 60 letters written in Armenian from my gt-gdfather, Krikor Sivaslian, at Sharkishla/Sarkisla, Sivas Vilayet, to his son, Garabed K. Sivaslian, at Ohio State U. They date from 1910 to 1914. Garbed arrived in the US in 1910 so one of the first two letters would be a reply to the news of his safe arrival. All I know is that Gt-gdpa advised Garabed to remain in the US. I think there is much of historic interest in the letters, but I have found no one to translate even one. About 40 years ago I did have two letters to Garabed from his sister, Ruth. I have the first page of both of the 1910 letters in my computer if you would like to see them.
I have written the story of the Sivaslian family of Mounjousoun/Munjusun/Muncusun, Kayseri Vilayet, and it is being edited for publication.
I would be very happy to see the letters and talk to you!
Talin:
Can you give me your email address and I will forward a scan of the first page of two letters from 1910. Gt-gdpa’s handwriting is very rough.
Lee
You can write to my institutional email adres, at university of Munich or Fresno State.
It’s interesting – there is a short interview taken by Michael Hagopian of a Mardiros Guchigian, born 1902+/- in Arapkir in the Shoah Foundation’s Visual History Archive. He was deported from Arapkir and his father was named Krikor – a likely relative of Mardiros Gchigian Murad seems to have also ended up in Pennsylvania like the Shamlians. Possibility of another interview with Assembly or ALMA.
Don’t know much more than that but if one wanted to paint a wider picture of things together in Arabkir, it would be interesting to look deeper.