THOMAS DE WAAL READS THE TESTIMONY OF POGHOS VARDANIAN
April 23, 2015 09:34
EXCLUSIVE
Thomas de Waal
Photo: From personal archive
Mediamax presents 100 Seconds project devoted to Armenian Genocide
Centennial. The project is based on testimonies of Genocide survivors
published by the National Archive of Armenia.
Thomas de Waal is a British journalist and writer.
For 100 seconds project he reads an extract from Armenian Genocide
survivor Poghos Vardanian’s testimony.
National Archives of
Armenia Collection of Documents
Testimony of survivor Poghos Vardanian on the deportation and massacre
of Armenians of Karin
October 2, 1916, Karin
Night fell. It was very uncomfortable in the prison. The sweat was
flowing down like water from everybody’s forehead. Some even took off
their coats to wring them. Everybody wanted water. The gendarmes were
bringing water from the Euphrates in tin kerosene pots and giving in
to us through a hole in the lower part of the stable door, getting 1-2
kurush for each cup. But only those close to the door could make use
of it. Those at the far end couldn’t drink. It was impossible to sleep
and we were waiting for the dawn. The day hadn’t broken yet when the
prisoners thundered the air with a church ceremony (reciting the hymn
“Morning of Light”).
The day broke. Two soldiers searched me and took 138 kurush but didn’t
find the 14 gold coins tied on my back. Then a gendarme said to me:
“Hey, take off your shoes”. “I’ll be barefooted,” I said. “Put on
mine,” he said. “Yours are old”, I said. “You won’t wear off even the
old ones”, he said. When I heard this, I took off my shoes without
any resistance and put on his old ones.
Producers: Ara Tadevosyan, Yulia Petrossian Boyle Filming: Ross
Goldberg Post Production: Tumo LLC
The source of Poghos Vardanian’s testimony: National Archives of
Armenia, Armenian Genocide by Ottoman Turkey, 1915, Testimony of
survivors, Collection of documents, Yerevan-2013.
VivaCell-MTS is the general partner of 100 seconds project.