The Deportation of Hadjin

In 1915, as the First World War broke out, the Ottoman Turkish government ordered the deportation of all Armenians from Hadjin, a historic Armenian town in Cilicia (modern-day Turkey). Deportations in Armenian-populated areas followed a systematic pattern. First, the men were separated from their families, arrested, and executed.

Armenag was a child when he watched his father and other Armenian men being rounded up in the town square and shot one by one. Meanwhile, his two sisters, Baydzar and Hripsime, were taken and forced into servitude in a Turkish household. Armenag remained with his mother, Heghine, as they were forced into a deportation convoy.

Escape and the Search for His Sisters

While being deported, Armenag and his mother Heghine were pulled from the convoy by a Yezidi Kurdish man who risked his own safety to shelter them. He warned them that the deportation would likely end in death. However, within weeks, the Ottoman government issued a proclamation:

“All Armenians must leave. Any Turk or Kurd caught hiding Armenians will be executed along with their family.”

Heghine understood the risk. Fearing that their presence would soon be discovered, she decided to flee. With no clear destination, she chose to follow newly installed power lines, reasoning that they would lead to a larger city where she could seek help.

Her priority was also to find her kidnapped daughters. She traveled from village to village, asking for information while avoiding drawing too much attention. Eventually, she located the household where Baydzar and Hripsime were being held and doing slave work in the yard.

She called out to them from behind a fence, instructing them to escape at night. They followed her instructions and successfully reunited with their mother and brother.

Hostility and Survival

Now traveling as a family unit once again, Heghine and her children faced multiple threats.

In one village, they were identified as Armenians. A crowd gathered and began throwing stones at them, calling them “gavurs” (infidels). Their safety was in immediate jeopardy, until a man intervened, breaking up the crowd and allowing them to leave.

Their escape continued across remote forests and uninhabited areas, where they were even met by wolves but miraculously survived. With little food and no stable shelter, the conditions were difficult, and the family had no certainty of reaching safety.

A False Identity for Survival

Eventually, they arrived near a German military outpost. Germany was an ally of the Ottoman Empire, but Heghine saw an opportunity. She falsely claimed to be a nurse, despite having no medical training, and offered to work for the Germans.

For approximately one year, she worked at the outpost, tending to injured German soldiers. Her children lived in a tent nearby.

Rescue and Relocation to Lebanon

Over time, the situation in the region continued to shift. When French ships began evacuating Armenian survivors, Heghine and her children managed to board one of them.

They were transported to Lebanon, which became their new home.

Ovsana’s Story: An Orphan of the Genocide

While Armenag’s family escaped through sheer resilience and chance, Ovsana Kradjian’s fate was different.

She was among the thousands of orphaned Armenian children, left parentless by the Genocide. She grew up in an orphanage in Lebanon, surrounded by the echoes of loss but also the unbreakable spirit of survivors. When she was old enough, she left the orphanage to marry Armenag.

A Global Family Remembered

Today, the legacy of Armenag, Ovsana, and countless Armenian families lives on across the globe—with descendants thriving in France, Canada, and the United States. They are part of a nation often referred to as the “children and grandchildren of orphans,” survivors who have carried forward the stories and scars of those lost during the Genocide. Their wedding photo is far more than a cherished memory; it stands as a historical record and a tribute to the unbreakable human spirit. In enduring forced displacement, mass executions, and cultural erasure, their story exemplifies resilience and hope.

At the Armenian Genocide Museum of Canada, we are committed to documenting these vital histories through scientific study and the careful preservation of artifacts. By sharing these silent testimonies, we ensure that every story of survival serves as a guide to honour the past and educate future generations.