ZORYAN INSTITUTE OF CANADA, INC.
255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, Canada M3B 3H9
Tel: 416-250-9807 Fax: 416-512-1736 E-mail: zoryan@zoryaninstitute.org
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
George Shirinian
DATE: November 26, 2004 Tel: 416-250-9807
Portraits of Hope: The Armenians, Just Released in Germany, Reflects
in Its Afterword about the Zoryan Institute
Berlin — Verlag Hans Schiler has just released a unique new book
containing fifty-two articles in German by or about Armenia and
Armenians, both in Armenia and in the Diaspora. Released in October,
Portraits of Hope: The Armenians, is aimed at a wide, German-speaking
readership.
The editor, Huberta von Voss-Wittig, has previously published two
books, both translations of literature from French into English. She
explained the idea behind the book. “I started to take an interest
in the Armenians while my husband served as the German Ambassador in
Beirut and Nicosia. As an historian and journalist, I realized how
small my knowledge of the Armenians was. The deeper I got into it,
the more convinced I became that a book had to be written that shows
the human beings behind the mere facts and figures. The Armenians
are practically unknown to the German public today. That is why I
decided to make a book that addresses a wide readership. I convinced a
number of excellent German historians, authors and journalists-many of
them foreign correspondents in various countries for the best German
national newspaper-to contribute to the book.”
The book is divided into three broad sections. After an introduction
by famed Holocaust historian Yehuda Bauer, the first section deals
with Armenian history, and especially the Genocide. It contains
contributions by such renowned experts as Tessa Hoffman, and Zoryan
associated scholars Vahakn Dadrian, Taner Akçam, and Wolfgang Gust.
The second section deals with Armenians in the Diaspora, and is
subdivided into sections on history, literature, religion, art,
film and photography, music, activism, politics & diplomacy, and
“life-pictures.” It contains articles about such notables as Vahakn
Dadrian, Vartan Gregorian, Michael Arlen, Charles Aznavour, Atom
Egoyan, Vartan Oskanian, Catholicos Karekin II, and Catholicos Aram
I. Armenians from all over the world are represented.
The third section, “Places of Memory,” has articles on Armenians
in Jerusalem, Der-el-Zor, Bourj Hammoud, Franz Werfel and Musa
Dagh, the Murder of Talat in Berlin, and the Genocide Memorial at
Dzidzernagapert.
The book’s Afterword, written by K.M. (Greg) Sarkissian, President
of the Zoryan Institute, is a wide ranging essay that describes in
detail the Institute’s twenty-two-year history of accomplishments.
“This is a very important book for several reasons,” stated George
Shirinian, Director of the Zoryan Institute. First, it describes the
interesting and important activities of a number of very talented,
highly motivated, and tenaciously dedicated individuals. Second,
it demonstrates the commitment of Diasporan Armenians to the welfare
of their nation and may serve as an inspiration to others. Third, it
is an unusually broad and comprehensive representation of Armenian
activities, interests, individual voices, and issues. Finally,
as many of the articles stress the importance of the Genocide in
the modern Armenian reality, the book, hopefully, will sensitize
contemporary German society to the need for German historians to
conduct serious research and publish on the role of Germany in the
Armenian Genocide. We should all be grateful for the wonderful book
that Huberta Voss-Wittig has put together, providing us with a deeper
insight into where we have come from as a nation, where we are now,
and where we may be heading.”
While the book is in German, the English language version
of the Afterword is available on the Zoryan web site,
Go to “About Us” and click on “The Making of
a National Research Centre.” A printed copy may be had by writing to:
Zoryan Institute 255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310 Toronto, ON Canada
M3B 3H9
Huberta von Voss, ed. Porträt einer Hoffnung Die Armenier. Lebensbilder
aus aller Welt. Berlin: Verlag Hans Schiler, 2004, 415p.
The Zoryan Institute is an international center devoted to the
research and documentation of contemporary issues related to the
history, politics, society, and culture of Armenia and Armenians
around the world.
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