Avetis Aharonian | |
|---|---|
Աւետիս Ահարոնեան | |
 | |
| Chairman of the Parliament of Armenia | |
| In office 1 August 1919 – 4 November 1920 | |
| Preceded by | Avetik Sahakyan |
| Succeeded by | Hovhannes Katchaznouni |
| Chairman of the Armenian National Council | |
| In office October 1917 – 17 July 1918 | |
| Preceded by | position established |
| Succeeded by | position abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1866-01-04)January 4, 1866 |
| Died | March 20, 1948(1948-03-20) (aged 82) |
| Resting place | Père Lachaise Cemetery |
| Nationality | Armenian |
| Political party | Armenian Revolutionary Federation |
| Occupation | politician, writer, public figure and revolutionary |
| Signature |  |
Avetis Aharonian (Armenian:Աւետիս Ահարոնեան; 4 January 1866 – 20 March 1948) was anArmenian politician, writer, public figure and revolutionary, also part of theArmenian national movement.
Aharonian was born in 1866 inSurmali,Erivan Governorate,Russian Empire (todayIğdır, Turkey). Growing up, he was influenced by the natural features of his birthplace, such as theAras River andMount Ararat, both of which were located near Surmali.
His mother, Zardar, was a literate person, who was able to educate her child by teaching him how to read and write. After completing elementary education at the village's school, he was sent toEchmiadzin'sGevorkian Seminary, and graduated from there. He became a teacher for a few years, after which he went toSwitzerland'sUniversity of Lausanne to study history and philosophy. During this period of time, he metKristapor Mikaelian, who was then the chief editor of the Troshag (Flag) newspaper and befriends Télémaque Tutundjian de Vartavan, who is in the Faculty of Law since 1900;[1] they decide to join their efforts for the creation of an independent Armenia. He then began to write for the paper. In 1901, upon graduation, he went to study literature at theSorbonne.
In 1902, he returned to theCaucasus and became the headmaster of theNersisian School inTiflis and the chief editor of the Mourj (Hammer) newspaper. Thus, in 1909, he was captured by the Tsar's government and imprisoned inMetekhi's prison, where he fell ill. Two years later, after a generous donation of 20,000 rubles, he fled to Europe.
He returned to the Caucasus in 1917, and chaired theArmenian National Council, which proclaimed the independence of theFirst Republic of Armenia on 28 May 1918. He signed theTreaty of Batum with theOttoman Empire.
In 1919, he was the head the Armenian delegation at theParis Peace Conference withBoghos Nubar, where he signed theTreaty of Sèvres formulating the "Wilsonian Armenia" in direct collaboration with theArmenian Diaspora.
After 1920, Aharonian lived in emigration, in Paris. In 1926, he was nominated to theNobel Prize for Literature byAntoine Meillet.[2] He suffered a stroke in 1934 and lived for the last fourteen years of his life totally incapacitated. Aharonian died inMarseille in 1948.[3]
His son, Vardges Aharonian, was a writer and activist.
