ARMENIANS PUBLISHED THE FIRST NEWSPAPERS IN ROSTOV-NA-DON

Noyan Tapan
20.11.2009
ROSTOV-NA-DON

The first newspapers in Rostov-na-Don were published in late 19th
and early 20th centuries, but few know that they were published by
Armenians from Nakhichevan, writes the Russian-Armenian "Yerkramas"
newspaper, according to the "Vecherni Rostov" (Rostov in the Evening)
newspaper.

The "Priazovski Kray" (Near Zov Region) was published by S. Arutyunov
(Harutyunyan). In 1891 Harutyunyan was granted the right to publish the
"Donskoye Pole" (Field of Don). He renamed the newspaper and published
it with a new look. The newspaper was the most favorite in southern
Russia and A. P. Chekhov was published as well.

The "Donskaya Pchela" (Bee of Don) newspaper was published by
well-known bibliophile H.Ter-Abrahamyan. He also published the
"Russian-Armenian calendar of Don-Azov" in Russian. It was an annual
publication that featured informational materials and told about
Armenian community life in Don.

Among other favorite newspapers was the "Donskaya Rech" (Dialect
of Don), which was edited by M. Berberyan who was highly respected
in Nakhichevan.

But the residents of Nakhichevan wanted to have their own newspapers.

In 1878, during his visit to St. Petersburg, well-known public
figure R. Patkanyan appealed to the General Press Department with the
request for permission to print the "Nor Nakhichevan" (New Nakhichevan)
newspaper. He was also the publisher and editor. But he didn’t receive
permission and the reason for that was that there were no officials
in Nakhichevan and Rostov who knew Armenian nor had opportunities
for censorship…

Nevertheless, Armenian newspapers started being published in
Nakhichevan in the early 20th century and one of the first was
the Dashnaktsutyun’s "Aghavni" newspaper, followed by "Nor Kyank"
(New Life), "Mer Dzayn" (Our Voice), "Luys" (Light), "Mer Khoske"
(Our Speech), "Grich" (Pen), "Gaghut" (Community), "Hay Hamaynk"
(Armenian Community) newspapers…The Armenian newspapers published
in 1920-1940 were "Aghkatutyun" (Poverty), "Ashkhatavori Kriv"
(Workers’ Fight), "Lenini Ughiov" (By the course of Lenin), "Murtch
yev mangagh" (Hammer and Hook), "Groh" (Attack) and "Bolshevik". The
collections have been preserved in the archives of the "Holy Cross"
Russian-Armenian Friendship Museum and currently in the archives of
the regional museum of geology. Russian educator, well-known geologist
A. Malkhasyan has done a lot to preserve and study the collections. His
Russian-Armenian conversational manual is truly a unique publication,
which includes the dialect of Armenians of Don.