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My Grandmother: An Armenian Turkish Memoir

Vic Parker

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My grandmother was born in 1895 in the town of Urfa, in the Ottoman Empire. She was the eldest of seven children, and her family was well-to-do. Her father was a merchant, and her mother was a homemaker. My grandmother had a happy childhood, and she was especially close to her younger sister, Azniv.

In 1915, when my grandmother was 20 years old, the Ottoman government began rounding up and deporting Armenians. My grandmother's family was forced to leave their home and everything they owned. They were marched for days through the desert, with little food or water. Many of my grandmother's family members died along the way, including her parents and her sister, Azniv.

My Grandmother: An Armenian-Turkish Memoir

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2309 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	130 pages

My grandmother was one of the lucky ones. She survived the death march and eventually made her way to the United States. She settled in New York City, where she met and married my grandfather. They had three children, including my mother.

My grandmother never forgot the horrors she had endured, but she never let them define her. She was a strong and resilient woman who devoted her life to her family and to helping others. She was a role model for me and for all of her grandchildren.

My grandmother passed away in 1985, but her memory lives on. Her story is a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of never forgetting the past.

The Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Genocide was a systematic campaign of extermination carried out by the Ottoman government against the Armenian people from 1915 to 1923. The genocide resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians.

The Armenian Genocide began in April 1915, when the Ottoman government issued orders to arrest and deport all Armenian intellectuals and leaders. In the following months, the government expanded the deportations to include all Armenians, regardless of age or gender. Armenians were forced to leave their homes and businesses, and they were marched for days through the desert with little food or water. Many Armenians died along the way, and those who survived were often subjected to torture and rape.

The Armenian Genocide was a horrific crime against humanity. It was a deliberate attempt to exterminate an entire people. The Ottoman government's actions were condemned by the international community, and the genocide is now recognized as one of the great tragedies of the 20th century.

The Turkish Republic's Assimilation Policies

After the Armenian Genocide, the Turkish Republic adopted a policy of assimilation towards its Armenian citizens. The government sought to erase all traces of Armenian culture and identity. Armenians were forced to change their names, speak Turkish, and adopt Turkish customs. Armenian schools and churches were closed, and Armenian property was confiscated.

The Turkish Republic's assimilation policies were designed to make Armenians disappear. The government wanted to create a homogeneous Turkish nation, and it saw Armenians as a threat to its unity.

My grandmother lived through the Armenian Genocide and the Turkish Republic's assimilation policies. She was a survivor, but she never forgot the pain and suffering she had endured. She passed on her story to me and to her other grandchildren, so that we would never forget the past.

My grandmother's story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. She survived the Armenian Genocide and the Turkish Republic's assimilation policies, and she never lost her hope for a better future. My grandmother's story is a reminder of the importance of never forgetting the past, and of standing up for what is right.

My Grandmother: An Armenian-Turkish Memoir

4.7 out of 5