A name to honor: The legacy and memory of Vartkaes Pamboukian
The Lebanese Civil War, which raged from the mid-1970s to the 1990s, had a profound impact on the Armenian community in Lebanon. For Armenians, many of whom had fled the Armenian Genocide, this was yet another chapter of hardship and loss. Fleeing to Lebanon and Syria in search of refuge and a new beginning, Armenians found themselves caught in the violent crossfire of a country torn apart by conflict. They now had to fight to protect their families and their new homes.
My family settled in Syria, then Lebanon. Among those who sought a better life was my uncle, Vartkaes Pamboukian, after whom I am honored to be named. He lived through violence and instability, fighting to safeguard his home and loved ones—just as his family did. However, his story ends in mystery, as he tragically went missing during the war, and the uncertainty of his fate has left a deep, lasting mark on my family. Even decades later, his disappearance still resonates. I’ve carried his story in my mind for years, and only recently have I begun to truly reflect upon it.
I know my uncle only through the stories and memories shared by my father, who often spoke of him as a kind, caring and courageous man. Vartkaes was the second oldest of six siblings born to my grandparents, Hagop and Elizabeth (Yeghsapet) Pamboukian. The six children were: Bedros (Bedo—the oldest sibling), Vartkaes, Hratch (Haro), Sonig, Raffi and Sarkis. They all were born in Aleppo, Syria, before the family eventually settled in Bourj Hammoud, Lebanon, like many other Armenian families seeking new opportunities in the region.
Migration seemed to be a normal part of my family’s history. My grandfather, Hagop, was born in Urfa years after the Genocide. His parents, Kevork and Osanna Pamboukian, returned to Urfa to recover what little remained of their property and lives following the devastation of the Genocide, but they did not find much, as the Turks had taken or destroyed everything in the town. Later in life, my grandfather started moving between Aleppo and Beirut, eventually establishing a convenience store in Bourj Hammoud. He noticed that there were more opportunities and economic promise in Lebanon, especially the city of Beirut, the “Paris of the Middle East”—a city of luxury and a central hub of trade and tourism.
At age six, my father Raffi, and Vartkaes were sent to Lebanon in the early 1970s. My grandfather wanted the whole family to move to Lebanon, as he saw a better life for them in Beirut—my father could begin his education there, while Vartkaes could find a well-paying job. During that time, Vartkaes essentially took on a parenting role to my young father, guiding him through the challenges of a new life in Lebanon. Vartkaes would take care of him, take him to watch movies, buy him new clothing and make sure he was always fed. Bedo also lived in Beirut, but he was more focused on work.
As time went on, Bedo and Vartkaes worked in handcrafting in Beirut—such as making leather bags and working at jewelry stores. Eventually, when both brothers felt they had the skills and experience they needed, they opened a jewelry store together with the help of my grandfather. The store was called “Pamboukian Jewelry,” located in Bourj Hammoud. My father would later take over the store and run it on his own, until he sold it and left for the United States. It started as a small jewelry store, but when my father took over years later, he expanded the store significantly.
In Lebanon, my father and his siblings also became active members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), following in the footsteps of my grandfather and his brothers, along with my great-grandfather and his brothers. At a young age, my father joined the “Sardarabad” Chapter as a Badani (Junior) and eventually rose through the ranks, later serving on the Gomideh as the treasurer for nearly a decade. He grew close to many individuals who dedicated their lives to the Armenian Cause—including Karnig Mgrditchian (who also served on his chapter’s Gomideh for almost a decade), Mher Choulhajian, Vicken Zakarian, Apo Ashjian and many others.
Vartkaes, my grandfather and my great-uncles were all role models to my father. They inspired him to serve, to lead and to build a life rooted in responsibility and community. Vartkaes especially influenced my father. His strength, compassion and guidance shaped my father’s values. He taught him not only the hardships of life, but also the importance of loyalty, unity and love. My father admired Vartkaes as a strong, caring, fearless and honest man, and he named me after the brother who once protected, educated and cared for him.
When Vartkaes went missing, my father was around eight or nine years old. At the start of the civil war, Vartkaes was focused on his business, working to deliver and gather supplies from clients and suppliers. He traveled between the split territories of Lebanon, entering dangerous areas. One day, Vartkaes was detained by Muslim nationalists while delivering some supplies, but released with the help of local Arab businessmen who recognized and vouched for him. According to my father, Vartkaes was strong physically and brave, so he wasn’t easily scared by threats or challenges.
Around this time, Vartkaes joined the ARF. My father would only come to find out years after Vartkaes’ passing, upon finding his dossier at the Sardarabad Agoump. Before Vartkaes’ disappearance, my grandfather urged and warned Vartkaes to stay away from dangerous territories, as the war had intensified. For months, Vartkaes did not travel around Lebanon, but he wasn’t afraid of the war—he wanted his business to thrive and for his family to be well. So, on a Monday in the mid-1970s, Vartkaes left to get supplies and never returned. He was 22 years old. It has been presumed that Muslim nationalists—or maybe even Turks—had something to do with his disappearance, possibly kidnapping or killing him.
His unexpected disappearance left a massive impact on my family, particularly my grandparents, who were left to wonder what had happened. My family searched tirelessly for Vartkaes, but unfortunately never found him, so they presumed he had passed. It was hard on my grandfather who, already dealing with so much stress from the war, soon after endured a heart attack and died. My grandmother was heartbroken. From that point on, she never liked Mondays; it hurt her to think about it, as she had lost so much. She remained strong and held the family together; the family looked after one another and, of course, took care of their mother.
Though I never knew my uncle, I intend to uphold and preserve his legacy, which is something I carry with me every day. The name Vartkaes Pamboukian is more than just a name to me—it’s a reminder of the connection I share with him, even though I never had the chance to know him personally. It is a name steeped in history, love and a sense of duty to honor his memory. It is a responsibility and a privilege to uphold the values he represented and to cherish the legacy he left behind. Through my actions, I hope to honor him and ensure that his memory never fades, for it is an integral part of who I am and who I strive to be.
My family’s hardships have shown me that while nothing good lasts forever, it’s important to cherish and appreciate every moment spent together, as the impact one leaves on another is profound, and memories simply do not fade.
Vartkaes Pamboukian
Latest posts by Vartkaes Pamboukian (see all)
- A name to honor: The legacy and memory of Vartkaes Pamboukian - June 16, 2025
- Honoring legacies and investing in tomorrow - May 16, 2025
- Communities across borders: A journey in Javakhk - September 10, 2024
During the Lebanese Civil War, an estimated 17,000 people disappeared after being abducted. The kidnappers were overwhelmingly Muslim militants, with the main culprit being Hezbollah (which is a terrorist organization, pure and simple). Most of the abductees have never been released or found alive, and those who disappeared, are presumed to have been killed shortly after their kidnapping or died in captivity. We have a family friend, a Lebanese Armenian, whose father was taken by Muslim militants, during her wedding in 1983, at the height of the civil war, never to be seen or heard of again. When the civil war broke out in 1975, she and her family initially presumed that it was a skirmish and that it would soon subside. They were living in Jdeideh, immediately east of Beirut, which they thought would be less dangerous than the capital, which was divided into enemy camps. They were wrong. They underestimated the danger and did not feel the urge to flee Lebanon. Only when the worst came, did they finally flee war-torn Lebanon to France, after enduring it for eight years. She and her mother visited Lebanon after the end of the civil war, to search for her father and husband, but to no avail. Her mother died, not knowing what happened to her husband. While she no longer believes her father is alive (who would have been past 100, if he was alive), she continues to investigate to seek answers about the fate of her father and to seek some closure.
I’m so sad there are so many stories like this in our shared history. Seems like two generations of your family experienced this horror. Sending you lots of warmth.
Where did. you get this 17,000 figure? Hezbollah wasn’t even organized until 1982, in response to the invasion of Lebanon that summer by what I assume are your Master Race idols, the zionists. As it turns out, the death toll from that invasion alone was 17,000, according to Western legacy media reports. There are lots and lots of Hasbara trolls out there, spreading lies to cover for the long long list of atrocities committed by Uncle Sam’s Chosen People.
I am not a “Hasbara troll” or a “Zionist”. Hezbollah was officially founded in 1982, and its roots go back to the 1979 Iranian Islamic Revolution. And it is a terrorist organization. It has assassinated many Lebanese, who oppose it, including prominent ones, like the Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri in 2005, who dared to oppose and challenge Hezbollah and was blown up with a huge truck bomb.
Around 17,000 people have been kidnapped or disappeared in the Lebanese Civil War. And the vast majority of the kidnappers were Muslim militants, especially Hezbollah and its allies Amal and the Islamic Jihad Organization (both which later merged into Hezbollah), and Palestinian militants like the PLO, until it was driven out by Israel in 1982.
The death toll of the Lebanese Civil War is estimated between 120,000–150,000.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Civil_War
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon_hostage_crisis
https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/08/30/still-no-justice-thousands-disappeared-lebanons-civil-war
https://enforceddisappearances.dealingwiththepast.org/lebanon/lebanon/index.html
You resort to insults and to slander, because these are inconvonient truths for you. If you have nothing to contribute and to say, just shut up. It is you who is trolling.
Wonderful read. You truly carry your namesake so well, unger Vartkaes.
Deeply beautiful story, thank you for sharing it with us all.
My mother, Angel Hamasian, was a founding member of the DC ‘Ani’ AYF chapter, back in the 1940’s from what I understand. I have found many letters she wrote mentioning the Ani Chapter and all the Olympics and events they hosted.