During the collection of the arms, arrests and subsequent deportations took place. Always with the same passion, the town criers declared that any Muslim hosting a Christian would be hung, as well. With a similar strict order, the Armenians had to hand over their animals used for transportation to the authorities. Those who lagged behind the deportation caravan were equally subjected to severe punishment. The Armenian population of Gurin left its home in terror and took to the sinister road of deportation. Armenian families no longer owned their properties and furniture. Turkish neighbors came and took away what they wanted, paying as little as they wanted. For example, in many places a dairy cow was purchased for 5 piastres.
Even before the deportations began, the atmosphere was already suffocating. The authorities allowed every savagery. Any Armenian who was a member of a political party was subjected to dreadful tortures before being assassinated. Vartan Djeghelian (Dashnak) was stoned and bludgeoned to death after having been shod with horseshoes. It was strictly forbidden for prisoners who were chained up to have any contact with people outside the prison. Their relatives were not even permitted to bring them food. In broad daylight, shackled Armenians were taken to the massacre location after having been tortured. The place where the Armenians were taken for the organized massacre was "Sazin Boghaz," located 2-3 kms away. In the same way, the Prelate of Gurin, the Archbishop Dimaqsian, with his followers, namely Fr. Hesou Vartabedian, Fr. Sahak Zeytountsi, Fr. Atte Manoukian, Fr. Ignatios Banian, Rev. Petros Moughalian, and the Verger of the Mother Church, were led to this same place with a special caravan. All of them were conscious that the massacre was going to start -- they saw the precursory signs and movements.
Suddenly, a loud voice was heard. It was Avetiq of Gharadjas, the famous wine-grower of Gurin, asking Shakir Efendi, the chief of the executioners, for permission to speak for one minute. With contempt, they granted his request. Avetiq said, "Now we clearly understand that you will exterminate not only ourselves, but the entire Armenian population, but you are totally wrong. The Armenian nation will live forever. It will come up from under the ground and be born again to condemn you. Now come, do what you want, we are tied." At the same moment, the Prelate took a handful of soil and threw it before all the prisoners as extreme unction, and then turned to the Captain and said,
"Now, execute your task. We are ready." According to the testimony and the account of the gendarmes present there, the massacre did not last longer than half an hour. First they robbed all the victims, then they started to kill. Many of the prisoners were savagely thrown, while still alive, into trenches which had been dug in advance. The chief executioner immediately seized the ring of the Prelate by cutting off his finger.
Everywhere, the massacres and the deportations were accompanied by robberies. Nothing was left in the churches, schools, or individuals' houses. Eyewitnesses stated that barely 3-4 days after the official massacre of Gurin, the precious chalice of the Mother Church of Gurin was seen in the house of the Kaymakam, used as a container for the jewelry of his wife.
Most of the deported Gurunians, having been robbed on the road to Beredjik and Nizib, were hungry and thirsty in the mountains. Some of them died exhausted because of diseases, hunger, and misery. "Sevo," Poghos from the Hekim family, an expert military tailor, was allowed to remain in Gurin. It was proposed to him that if he wanted to stay, he must convert to Islam. He had no other choice but to accept, and they named him Loutfi Ousta. After that event, Sevo presented a special request to the Kaymakam that his deported family be returned to Gurin after converting to Islam. The Kaymakam accepted his proposal and commissioned two gendarmes to reach the departed caravan and retrieve the Hekimian family, which consisted of 8 members, and to return to Gurin after presenting them to the tribunal near Albistan to become Muslims. The two gendarmes reached Albistan and heard that the caravan was already 8 kms away from the city. A few hours later they reached the deportees and checked the list of names. First they came across Almast Abla of the Hekim family, who was quite heavily wounded. They told her about the arrangements. They read the list of the names on which were Almast Hekimian, Astour Tatourian, Avetis Petrosian, and Siranoush Hekimian with her 4 children. The bride, Siranoush, strongly opposed the idea of the conversion, saying, "I do not wish to become a Muslim". Her mother-in-law advised her all night long that for the sake of her 4 young children she should accept, at least on the surface. The bride agreed. Early in the morning, they took to the road in the direction of Albistan to become Muslims, in order to return to Gurin, which was at a distance of 12 hours. Near mid-day, they reached Albistan and together presented themselves before the judge. Summoning the mother Hekimian, the judge clearly asked,
- "Woman, do you accept to convert to the true religion (Islam)?"
- "Yes, I do, Excellence."
- "What is your name?"
- "Elmas (Almast)."
- "Well, we also use Elmas as a name. You sit there for the moment. An old wolf cannot become a sheep, but these children may become good Muslims, good people."
He summoned the second, Astour Tatourian.
- "My son, do you accept to convert to the true religion?"
- "Yes, I do , Excellence."
- "What is your name?"
- "Astour."
- "From now on your name is Ismail," and he ordered him to sit down.
He summoned the third, Avetis.
- "My son, do you accept to convert to the true religion?"
- "Yes, I do, Excellence," answered Avetis, and he was named Mehmet.
It was then the turn of the young bride with 4 children to be summoned.
- "My daughter, do you also accept to convert to the true religion?"
- "No, Excellence, no, I do not," answered Siranoush.
The judge, furious, summoned the gendarme and said, "You are to take that woman with her children immediately to the Chief of the deportation."
Once again, Siranoush and her children were separated from the four others. The Armenian mother remained dignified.
The gendarme returned to the newly converted Armenians and they took to the road in the direction of Gurin. On the road they came across a dreadful scene: an assassinated Armenian woman over which was bent a child that was still suckling. Even one of the gendarmes was touched. He stopped his horse, separated the little baby from his mother, took him in his arms and said,
- "I shall take this child to Gurin and adopt him."
They continued their journey, but they were all demoralized. They walked half dead. Finally, they reached Gurin safely. First and foremost, the gendarme had the baby circumcised. Mother Hekimian joined her son, Loutfi Ousta, with her company. Eight to nine months passed, there was no news yet from those who had been sent back to join the caravan again (Siranoush and her children). One day, a short letter written in Turkish arrived in which it was said that "the entire Hekimoghlou family" had died; only the little girl, bearing the name of her mother Siranoush, was still alive, but being ill, her days were numbered.
As soon as Almast Abla received that letter, she ran to her next door neighbor Ahmet's house and had him read it again and told him,
- "Ahmet, I beg you, please go and save that child. For God's sake, save her and bring her to me."
Ahmet had tears in his eyes, he had known all of them. They had always lived in the same street.
- "But, how can I do what you tell me to do? I have to work to keep my family."
Mother Hekimian ran back home, then came back with all her wealth -- which was 29 mejidies -- and handed it over to him.
- "These are yours, but please bring me back that child, who is my only consolation; she is the only one left."
Ahmet was greatly moved. He did not want to refuse, but the proposed job was dangerous. It was impossible to follow straight roads, as there were guards everywhere. He was afraid of being caught. He could only pass through forests, but he decided to leave.
- "I shall save that child, Almast Abla. You shall see me with little Siranoush here, in one month."
Overcoming a lot of obstacles, Ahmet arrived in Nizib. There, he found the little girl with many injuries. He had her hair cut, had her wear a fes (an Ottoman hat for males) and an aba (a coarse wool cloth) and then they took to the road for their return. Ahmet named the girl "Mehmet" in order to avoid unexpected situations, and told her to never disclose her real identity.
Thirty-four days later, passing through forests and regions with no guards, they reached Gurin. When they approached the house, Ahmet, hiding in a corner, recommended to little Siranoush that she enter the house. Afraid, she advanced towards the house. Almast Abla, seeing that a begger was coming directly to their house, told her in Turkish,
- "My son, don't come, don't enter. If you want bread, I will give it to you."
But Siranoush kept advancing without listening to her.
Almast Abla started to get angry. She called Tatour, who was inside, and said,
- "Tatour, come have a look. A nasty child has arrived and will not listen to me. He is coming inside. Ask him what he wants."
Tatour ran out, and when he approached, he was shocked.
- "Grandma, Grandma, his eyes look like Siranoush's eyes, come and see..."
The grandmother came running and hugged her dear grandchild. One of her four grandchildren was now saved. Shortly after that, Ahmet entered, this time with tears of happiness in his eyes. He had done a good thing. Almast Abla did not know what to do, whether to cry or to smile ...
The rescued child approached the age of 6, and other children of her age, having heard that she was the daughter of a giawoor (an unfaithful), threw insults at her. Sometimes the child would come close to her grandmother and ask with Turkish words,
- "Almast Abla, am I the offspring of an Armenian family?"
- "No, you are not, my girl. You are born from real Muslims," answered the grandmother.
This dishonor on Armenians was permanent, despite the fact that only a few Armenian houses were left and many had already converted. That bad treatment was a general one, even towards those who had served in the Turkish army.
After awhile, some Armenian-deserters, unable to bear these permanent offenses, came to hide in the house of Almast Abla. The old woman could not resist their entreaties and let them in. There was a time when there were as many as 26 in the house. She could hardly feed them when they stayed long. It was also dangerous. Eventually, the Commander of the gendarmes heard that Almast Abla kept deserters in her house. One day, he arrived with five cavalrymen to check the situation. When they reached the house, she was outside, spinning cotton into thread and humming a song to herself. The Commander approached her and asked,
- "Hey, Almast Abla, I heard that you are hiding deserters in your house. Is this what you are doing?"
Almast Abla had tears in her eyes, but tried not to cry. She did not think, but acted very intelligently.
- "My Commander, I am a widow who accepted to convert to the true religion. How can I keep soldiers or deserters? Take these keys, go inside and check."
Saying that, she threw courageously a bunch of keys in front of the horse, concealing her emotion.
The Commander, seeing the relaxed attitude and the simple way she expressed herself, said to his followers,
- "Let's go away, there are neither soldiers nor deserters in this house," and he moved along with them.
Almast Abla entered the house and said to her guests, "My children, this time we have come through, but this situation cannot last long. Every night, you should try to find a way to escape, otherwise, sooner or later they will come and take you away, and me as well. If they take away my son, the children will be left without shelter. The situation of all of us will be tragic."
From that night onward, the young men in hiding started to change their location and leave. They knew the situation at hand was already very serious and they did not want to destroy Almast Abla's family; she could be helpful to other people in this way.
A few days later, thieves came to rob Almast Abla's house. Having heard noises, she started yelling from inside in Turkish,
- "Hey, Toros, Markos, there are thieves in the house. Grab your arms and come quickly!"
Having heard that exclamation, the terrified thieves left the house and disappeared. Once again Almast Abla came out of that problem skillfully. In fact, there was neither a Toros nor a Markos in the house!
The house of mother Hekimian always had problems. The conditions were very bad, but they tried to survive. Almast Abla lost Loutfi Ousta, who died a few years later, after a long illness. Years passed, the little Siranoush became a teenager, and the Turks wanted to marry her with one of their sons. Almast, herself, had been jailed twice with the accusation that she said Armenian prayers, despite the fact that "she was a woman who had accepted to convert to the true religion."
Almast Abla's entire garden was confiscated; only a room and a mulberry tree were left to her. She was always asked to pay taxes, as they said her children were henceforth foreign nationals, in foreign countries. Meanwhile, Tatour found a way to reach America. Finally in 1923, Almast Abla and her granddaughter Siranoush left Gurin for good, and after overcoming a number of difficulties, arrived in Haleb. Finally they found the freedom that had been taken from them.
From Haleb they went to Beirut, and with the help of her two children, Levon and Hovhannes, they arrived in the city of Boston, in America. One of the deserters who had sought refuge in her house in time, Samuel Beodjikian, had arrived in America a very long time ago and used to correspond with Almast Abla and send her presents. Now, Beodjikian is dead. And mother Hekimian herself passed away in 1941, in New York.
Almast Abla endured a life of sufferings, but one to be proud of. In all her stories and memories, she never forgot to insist on the fact that the Turks had transformed the grandiose Mother Church of Gurin into a prison. That was also one of the good "deeds" of the Turkish authorities. But History never forgives killers and destroyers.
L. Hekimian
by Arpa who found it on a Hamshentsi website. Edits by Luc Vartan Baronian.