Aram Andonian

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Aram Andonian (1875, Istanbul - December 23, 1952, Paris) was an Armenian journalist, historian and writer.

In Istanbul Andonian edited "Luys" and "Dzaghik" Armenian journals and "Surhandak" newspaper. He was arrested by order of interior minister Talat Pasha of the Ottoman Empire on the eve of April 24, 1915 and joined Armenian notables deported from the Ottoman capital in 1915. Andonian served in the department of military censorship of the Ottoman Empire.^[1] The Memoirs of Naim Bey, which was published in 1920, gained a big fame after the war for introducing what came to be known as the "Andonian Telegrams" or "Talat Pasha Telegrams". The telegrams are purported to constitute evidence that the Armenian Genocide of 1915–1917 was state policy of the Ottoman Empire. Nevertheless, recent research has put doubts upon the authenticity of the telegrams^[2]. The Memoirs of Naim Bey played a role in the trial of Soghomon Tehlirian.

According to Robert Melson, Andonian's report on post-1915 deportations and killings of Armenians is crucial for the research of that period^[3].

In 1928-1951 Andonian directed the Nubarian Library, and succeed to hide and save the most part of the collection during the fascist occupation of Paris.

He is the author of "Illustrated history of the Balkan war" (Vol. 1-4, 1912-1913).

Works

• Shirvanzade (biography of Alexander Shirvanzade), Constantinople 1911
• Badkerazard endardzak batmutiun Balkanean baderazmin, 5 vols., Constantinople 1912 (History of the Balkan wars; a Turkish edition came out recently at Aras Yayincilik)
• Ayn sev orerun (Reminiscences of the Armenian Genocide), Boston 1919
• The Memoirs of Naim Bey, London 1920

References

1. ^ A Crime of Silence: The Armenian Genocide, by Permanent Peoples' Tribunal, Gerard J. Libaridian, 1985, p. 123
2. ^ The Talat Pasha "telegrams": Historical fact or Armenian fiction?, By Sinasi Orel, Rustem & Brother, ISBN 9-963-56507-7
3. ^ Revolution and Genocide: On the Origins of the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust, By Robert Melson, Contributor Leo Kuper, University of Chicago Press, 1996, ISBN 0-226-51991-0, p. 147

See also

• Armenian notables deported from the Ottoman capital in 1915

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