Memoir of Journalist during Genocide to be Presented at Western Diocese April 5

LOS ANGELES — “The Crime of the Ages,” a book containing documentary evidence of the Genocide written by Sebuh Aguni, a journalist who miraculously survived the 1915 Turkish massacre of Armenians, will be presented at the Zorayan Hall at the Western Diocese in Burbank at 7 pm, under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian.

Sebuh Aguni was a journalist, newspaper editor and resident of Istanbul. In 1919 Aguni chronicled the large-scale plunder, deportations, and massacres that were systematically perpetrated by the Turkish government against Armenians. “The Crime of the Ages” — the first English translation of Aguni’s study — is an invaluable work of historiography as it encompasses not only first-hand victim accounts of the Turkish atrocities, but a wealth of evidential information culled from Turkish, European, and American official sources found in archives in Istanbul. Brimming with the eloquent, vivid narrative of a journalist and survivor, the book portrays, in prodigious documentary detail, the first genocide of the 20th century.

Mr. Hagop Hagopian, principal of the AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School, and Prof. Silva Karayan, professor emeritus at Cal Lutheran University, will present the book. There will be a recitation of Siamanto’s “Ap Mu Mokhir Hayreni Tun” and performance of Komitas Vartabed’s “Garun a dzun a arel”.

The book, published by Hagop and Knar Manjikian and translated by Ishkhan Jinbashian, will be available for sale before and after the event. It is the fourth book in the Genocide Library of Armenian-language memoirs translated to English by the Manjikians and Jinbashian.

The Zorayan Hall at the Western Diocese is located at 3325 N. Glenoaks, Burbank; call 818-558-7474 for information.