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Sigourney Weaver from ALIENS: Rat-a-tat-tat!
(moviebadgirls.com) |
Let's get something straight here; even
though recent popular culture has inundated us with the portrayal of women who
can put up their dukes as well as any man, when it comes to committing
violence, there is still a wide gap between men and women. Armenian women were
mostly defenseless during the tragic events circa WWI, as women would be
anywhere. However, because Armenian propaganda is fond of asking us, Why would
the innocent and harmless women have been "deported?"... Let's bear
in mind Armenian women were not always that helpless!
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Armenian
woman with Browning
revolver. (Source: The Great World
War: A History, edited by Frank A.
Mumby, London, 1915-1917) |
Naturally, women were included for the
ride as well as children during the resettlement process, because the
Ottoman-Armenian community as a whole chose — either willingly or through
coercion — to support the traitorous revolutionary network. The women cooked
the food, they mended the clothes, often manufactured the bullets... sometimes
they were the unwilling sexual toys* of the arrogant and terroristic fedayis
(who would come into an Armenian village and take over).... the women were
part of the support system. (Along the lines of how latter-day fedayi
Monte Melkonyan "appealed to women to fight on the front lines and
considered female staff in the radio room and the kitchen at headquarters to
be fighters on an equal footing with uniformed soldiers on the battlefield,"
as his brother Mrkar wrote.)
The Ottoman Empire was in for the fight of its life (a fight that history will
tell us ultimately resulted in its death), and the last thing any nation would
have tolerated was treachery from behind the lines, while superpowers were
poised at the gates, scheming to implement a death sentence upon the national
motherland.
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* "They [the Dashnaks] quarter
themselves on Christian villages, live on the best to be had, exact
contributions to their funds, and make the younger women and girls submit to
their will. Those who incur their displeasure are murdered in cold
blood." FO 424/196, British Consul Elliot to Currie, Tabreez, May 5,
1898. By 1914-15, the Dashnaks held near-absolute sway over most Armenian
villages, after a quarter-century of "persuasion."
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This page is taking up from what was meant to be a small section of another
TAT page, but as examples of Armenian female violence keep coming up, it was
time to expand this topic. Let's pick up from the three short excerpts
available from the pre-existing page:
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| Armenian
female-perpetrated violence: |
"The women, armed with axes, guns, daggers, and sticks, chased the Turkish prisoners
who were escaping, and killed most of them, only 56 of them were able to escape."
Diary of Aghasi [or Aghassi], leader
of 1895 Zeitun rebellion, p. 289 [as cited in "The Armenian File"]
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"...Zeki Pasha had come down to the
station, evidently trying to escape, when some of these Armenian women recognized
him and attacked him savagely. To save his life, the British soldiers locked him
up..."
Rev. Ernest Partridge,
"The Pensacola Party and Relief
Work in Turkey," Armenian Affairs, Summer-Fall 1950, Vol. I, No. 3-4,
pp. 293-297
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"When the Kurds burst the village
gates," said Miss Marcara, "we took rifles and mounted to the roof. I fired
eighty shots. The Kurds were forced to withdraw outside the village wall. There I killed
two and David two. Later we killed four more, one of whom was the Chief."
"Elizabeth Marcara, an Armenian girl," as related in an April 26, 1915 New
York Times article entitled "Kurds
Massacre More Armenians."
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The
Hero Women of Zeitun.
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From The Newark Daily Advocate, April 8, 1896
The Hero Women of Zeitun.
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Lizzie
Borden had nothing on
axe-murdering Armenian
women. (Lizzie was acquitted.) |
The character of the Turkish soldiers and the
struggle in Armenia are shown in a light not to be forgotten by a telegram lately
appearing in the London News. The Armenians of Zeitun were held in check by a
garrison of Turkish soldiers quartered partly in a fort upon a hill, partly in the
town itself. The soldiers assaulted and insulted the Armenian women. It was then the
Armenians resolved to avenge themselves. They poured kerosene into the source of the
only water supply for the garrison. This soon brought the garrison to terms. After
three days the Turkish soldiers in the fort capitulated to the Armenians of Zeitun.
While the Armenian men were attacking the fort the Armenian women were forced to
defend themselves from the brutal horde in town. These amazons seized axes and
rushed upon the soldiers. The men, thrown into confusion, gave up their arms. But
fresh Turkish troops arrived at Zeitun. All the Armenian men and boys capable of
bearing arms were yet away fighting. Inspired with a courage that seems superhuman,
the Armenian women rushed with uplifted axes also upon these. The dispatch to The
News says they chopped the Turkish soldiers to pieces and threw their bodies over
the cliff. They were driven to this desperate deed by the outrages they suffered at
the hands of the Turkish soldiers. So long as history remains to be written this
bloody, yet heroic deed of the Armenian women will be told.
(Thanks to Gokalp)
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The
Hero Women of Zeitun |
Holdwater: Naturally,
the part about the Turkish soldiers assaulting the Armenian women was pure baloney;
this account comes 100% from an Armenian source, the kind that the newspapers loved
to accept at face value. As almost always, it was the Armenians firing the first
shot, but for publicity purposes, the Armenians must always come across as the poor,
innocent victims. Could this story have been related to the one Aghasi recorded in
his diary, that may be read above? (Yet that was
1895, and this is 1896. It's just mind-numbing to accept the antics of axe-murdering
Armenian women as a pattern.)
Pouring kerosene into the water supply... that was evil. Note how while the
Armenian men were attacking the fort, we are told the women were engaged in
"self-defense" (Armenian definition of "self-defense" is
actually "to attack") against "the brutal horde in town." (How nice of the
"journalist" to be so even-handed. Who knew that if someone came at you
with an ax, you would be the "brutal" one) If the fort was being attacked,
wouldn't that mean the soldiers would be in the fort? (Especially if the few who
survived the kerosene had "capitulated"? Why would an attack... oh, sorry,
"self-defense" would have been necessary if the soldiers had capitulated?)
So that would mean the "brutal horde" in town would have been composed of
civilian Turks, wouldn't that be logical? Yet note how the article describes the
victims who got "chopped...to pieces" were soldiers! If this account
contained truth (and Armenian propaganda does ask us to believe that the atrocity
articles published in the newspapers should be accepted as a substitute for history;
reliance on such sources is how Silly Samantha Power made the case for "genocide"
in her "A Problem From
Hell"), no doubt the "soldiers" were caught off-guard as these
vicious women started coming at them with axes, since their religion prevented them
from harming women. (As shocking as that may come to propaganda believers.) Or
maybe, they weren't "soldiers" at all, but ordinary Muslims minding their
own business, suddenly faced with the disconcerting reality that it was now their
turn to deal with the Armenians' typically insane bloodlust. Regardless of what
really went on, it is nothing less than despicable for the racist, Western writer
and editors to have presented a story of such vile viciousness and sadism, as an
example of heroics.
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| A Female Fedayi Leader! |
"The names of the following
leaders of the Armenian militia are recorded in history: Shabash Orbelian,
Lieutenant Melikh, Avan Khan from Karabagh (he became a general on account of his
heroism), the Tarahanov and the Ovannesov Brothers, Atabekov, Manushak (a woman),
and Archbishop Manucharian."
Tchalkouchian, Gr. Le Livre Rouge, Paris, 1919, p. 25; as recorded in "The
Armenians in History and the Armenian Question," Esat Uras, 1988, pp.
852-53.
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Khanem
Ketenjian |
ADDENDUM 2-07: Female Fedayis may not have been all that uncommon. An
Armenian site, jdemirdjian.com, lovingly reproduced photos of more such
heroines.
The site did offer a look at another (and unpictured) female fedayi, Sose
Vartanian, a.k.a. Sose Mairig. (Mayrig means "mother"; she was so
nicknamed as a gesture of love by the Armenians.) Described as illiterate, she
married at age 13 (or soon after) the Dashnak terrorist Serop Aghpiur. Under the
influence of this fanatic, "her life consisted of a series of adventures,
spent mostly in the mountains with Serop and sons, Hagop and Samsom and a group of
fedayees. This clan of fedayees were all under Serop's command, with the exception
of when Serop was away on special missions. Sose took charge of the men under these
circumstances and fought bravely in many battles, thus earning her legend as a
heroine."
In 1899, Serop was betrayed by his fellow Armenians (he was poisoned), and "was
killed in fierce battle with the government troops. Sose was seriously wounded; her
life was spared by the commanding officer of the Turkish troops, who admired her
courage and heroic and attractive bearing. At government expense, he had her treated
at a hospital. After recuperating, she was jailed in Baghesh." We know she
was not the only terrorist who received such fair treatment, regardless of how
"attractive" she was; yet another example of how the tolerant Turks dealt
with their murderous traitors.
Sose eventually left for Armenia in later years, but not liking the life there,
moved back to Istanbul. Note she was free to do so. She ultimately settled in
Egypt, and her remains were sent to Armenia, where she was buried with the usual
honors.
The site also included a story
proudly proclaiming the Armenians' knack for trouble-making, which will accompany
the photos, as nothing further about these women is known at this point.
Unruly Armenians
Gabriel came to the Lord and said "I have to talk to you.
We have some Armenians up here in the heaven who are causing problems. They're
swinging on the pearly gates, my horn is missing, chemen and barbecue sauce is all
over their robes, their dogs are riding the chariots, and they're wearing baseball
caps and cowboy hats instead of their halos. They refuse to keep the stairway to
Heaven clean. There are watermelon seeds all over the place. Some of them are even
walking around with just one wing!"
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Sultan
Simian |
The Lord said, "Armenians are
Armenians, Gabriel. Heaven is home to all my children, even if they are Armenians.
If you want to know about real problems, call the Devil."
The Devil answered the phone, "Hello Gabriel...? Damn it, hold on a
minute."
The Devil returned to the phone, "OK I'm back. What can I do for you?"
Gabriel replied, "I just wanted to know what kind of problems you're having
down there at your end."
The Devil said, "Hold on again. I need to check on something." After about
5 minutes the Devil returned to the phone and said, "I'm back. Now what was the
question?"
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Serpouhi
Yanekian Asdghig |
Gabriel said, "Tell me what kind
of problems are you having down there?"
The Devil excitedly said, "Man I don't believe this.......Hold on
again....!"
This time the Devil was gone for at least 15 minutes. The Devil returned and said,
"I'm sorry cousin Gabriel, I can't talk right now. Those damn Armenians have
put out the fire down here and are trying to install instead air conditioning in
Hell.....!!!! I can't believe such unruliness...!!! I wonder if you would consider
taking them back in Heaven...???"
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Yeghisapeth
Najarian Yotneghperian |
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Mariam
Chilingirian |
Note the female
fedayis were not immune to the wacky ways of their terrorist male counterparts,
posing in dress that accentuated their ferocity. (I don't know if their "Pancho
Villa" fashion statement will ever make a comeback, but my vote for the sexiest
killer with estrogen in this wild bunch goes to Ms. Chilingirian, above. What do you
think?)
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| Sultan Slayers |
The attempt on Sultan Abdul Hamid's life comprised "The Yildiz Incident" (July
21, 1905), resulting from a decision by the Dashnak committee to extend their activities
to Istanbul; Krisdapor Mikayelian proposed doing so at the Sofia Congress (Jan. 1904),
where the idea was accepted. Mikayelian first went to Greece, getting in touch with Zaruhi,
previously sent there. Zaruhi was a woman.
Another Dashnak (Sapho Torkom, a.k.a.
Constantine Kabulian or Torosian) arrived afterwards in Greece with a 35-year-old from
Tiflis, Marie Anchkova, a woman. The group was joined by two Armenian women, one
named Robina, 65 years old. Her "code name" was "Robina Fein," as
it said on her forged passport, where she posed as a Russian Jew. (Mikayelian's alter ego
was "Samuel Fein.")
In Istanbul, preparations were being made for the assassination attempt. Apart from
Mikayelian (who would be killed in Bulgaria with another Dashnak while testing the bombs),
one of the other major conspirators was Joris from Belgium, and his wife. Another
was Marie Zein, a woman.
The plot was a failure, and some of the conspirators, including Sapho Torkom, were
expelled from the Dashnak Committee on account of inefficiency, for abandoning their
associates in Istanbul, and for being concerned with their own safety alone.
The summary of the report in French prepared by the Investigation Committee (under the
leadership of Nedjib Melhame) contained information about the plotters, and among the
women:
3) Robina Fein, also known as Nadejda Datalian, daughter of Wolf, an Armenian girl from
the Caucasus, her real name is unknown. She participated in the plans and activities of
the Committee in Istanbul and played an active role in the explosion of the bomb in the
carriage.
4) Marie Zein, Sophi Arecho (fugitive), born of a German father in the Caucasus, wife of
the murderer Rips, participated in the activities of the Committee and the assassination
attempt of July 21, under the name of Sophi Rips. She selected Robina Fein for the above
purpose and brought her to Istanbul.
8) Anna Nellens (fugitive), wife of Joris. Collaborated with the members of the Committee
in preparing the assassination.
14) Marie Anshanev or Terez Askova, of Tiflis, her real name is unknown. Helped the
Committee and assisted in the assassination attempt.
(Joris was condemned to capital punishment but was later pardoned by the sultan, given
five hundred liras, and sent to Europe as a secret agent against the Armenians.)
The French report is "Enquitê sur l'attendant commis dans la jounée de 21 Juillet
1905 à l'issue la cérémonie de Selamlik," Travail de la Commission Speciale. From "The Armenians in History and the Armenian
Question," Esat Uras, 1988, pp. 780-87.
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Armenian Women on the
Attack Again
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After the Sasun uprisings of the 1890s, the Ottoman government tried to reorganize
the administration of Sasun (in 1901, while Antranik was commanding band activities,
having succeeded Serop, who was poisoned by rivals). This attempt failed as Armenian
women attacked and dispersed the workers.
The Regeneration of Armenia: The Fight for Freedom, Dashnaktsution
Publications, Istanbul, 1920. From "The Armenians in History and the
Armenian Question," Esat Uras, 1988, p. 777.
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It must be said that while Armenian women as a whole certainly did not fight in the
trenches, it was not unusual for a good number to be gung-ho on the killing of Turks and
others. A somewhat famous example is the story about the Armenian woman who cursed the
fact that her womb was no longer able to produce fighters for the cause. (See Point
"11" near bottom of this page.)
Another are the visions of mother that urged Soghoman Tehlirian, Talat Pasha's assassin, to spit upon the "Thou Shalt Not
Kill" Commandment. While the latter anecdote was an invention of the homicidal
Dashnak, a more believable account is the one where the Hunchak, Ms. Yeranouhi Danielian,
put the idea into the murderer's head to knock off a fellow Armenian... "her
voice, choked with emotion," as an Armenian Review article put it. Not much
difference between pulling the trigger, and getting others to do the job.
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