The Armenian press in France (in Armenian Ֆրանսահայ մամուլ) or Armenian-language press in France includes periodicals such as newspapers and literary magazines published by members of the Armenian diaspora in France.
History To date, more than 200 Armenian-language periodicals have been published in France, mostly in Western Armenian.
19th century The first journal was (Մասեաց աղաւնի, "The Dove of Mount Ararat," 1855–1858 in Paris, then until 1865 in Theodosia) by Father Gabriel Aïvazian (1812-1880, brother of Ivan Aivazovsky), which aimed to promote the cultural, scientific, and moral education of the people. Shortly thereafter, Pariz (Փարիզ, "Paris", 1860–1864) was published. At the same time, (Արեւելք, "Orient," 1855-1856) and (Արեւմուտք, "Occident, " 1859 and 1864–1865) by (1825-1901), which espoused a militant and nationalist vision inspired by the Risorgimento. Voskan sought to spread ideas of economic and social progress and ideals of freedom inspired by French political struggles.
With the rise to power of Sultan Abdul Hamid II in 1876 and the Hamidian massacres (1894-1896), which severely affected Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, France received many refugees, especially political ones. Among them were writers such as , who published the monthly magazine (1889-1906, mainly in French), and Mekertich Portukalian, founder of the Armenagan Party, who published the newspaper (Արմենիա, 1885-1923) in Marseille.
At the end of the century, literary magazines like (Անահիտ) by Arshag Chobanian began to appear. Its first series (1898–1911) presented the literary works of writers such as Daniel Varoujan, Siamanto and even Komitas. A year after Anahit, the quarterly Panaser (Բանասեր, "The Philologist", 1899–1907) was launched. French Title (Phonetic)Armenian TitleTitle TranslationTypePublication DatesPublication LocationImage (by Gabriel Aïvazovski)Մասեաց աղաւնի"The Dove of Mount Ararat"Monthly magazine1855–1858Paris (by )Արեւելք"Orient"Bi-monthly magazine1855–1856ParisParizՓարիզ"Paris"Magazine1860–1864Paris(by )Արեւմուտք"Occident"Bi-monthly magazine1859 and 1864–1865Paris (by )——Political and literary newspaper1889–1906Paris (by Mekertich Portukalian)Արմէնիա—Organ of the Armenagan Party1885–1923Marseille (by Arshag Chobanian)Անահիտ—Literary magazine1898–1949ParisPanaser (by Garabed Basmadjian)Բանասեր"The Philologist"Magazine1899–1907ParisHamalsaran (by Missak Baghdassarian and Hovhannes Chavarch)Համալսարան"University"Scientific and literary magazine, monthly/bimonthly1899–1902Paris
First half of the 20th century
By 1920, some 30 periodicals were published. Most were based in Paris, where a small and disorganized Armenian colony of fewer than 1,500 people existed.
Several periodicals appeared in the 1910s, including Haï-Guiank (Հայ-կեանք, "Armenian Life," 1913-1914), Khetan (Խթան, "Stimulus," 1915-1931, by Aram Turabian), (Արձագանգ Փարիզի, "Echoes of Paris," 1916-1925), (Վերածնունդ, "Renaissance," 1917-1921), and Ayk (Այգ, "Dawn," 1919). These newspapers covered topics such as the Armenian genocide and the establishment of the First Republic of Armenia.
The 1920s marked a significant increase in Armenian press activity in France, as refugees fleeing the genocide arrived in large numbers in 1922-1923. About 60 writers, intellectuals, journalists, and poets settled in Paris, along with many young people educated in Armenian schools, especially in Constantinople. These intellectuals established small independent printing presses, such as Araxes, Elekian, Bezazian, du Globe, de Navarre, Nersessian, Turabian, Der-Hagopian, and Le Soleil. About half a dozen of them operated continuously. They also opened bookstores, the most famous being Hrant Samuelian's bookstore, which opened in the Latin Quarter in 1930 after acquiring the inventory of an Armenian bookstore in Constantinople. During this period, described by Anahide Ter Minassian as a "cultural renaissance", 87 Armenian periodicals and thousands of books were published. French Title (Phonetic)Armenian Title TranslationTypePublication DatesPublication LocationImageԳութան"Plow"Agricultural, science, and arts magazine1901-1905ParisJoghovourtine hamarԺողովուրդին համար"For the People"Periodical1901ParisJamanakժամանակ"Time"Literary magazine1901-1902 (2 numéros)ParisGroung (by Kricor Proff-Kalfaïan)Կռունկ"Crane"Artistic magazine1904-1905 (2 numéros)ParisHaï-GuiankՀայ-կեանք"Armenian Life"Weekly1913-1914ParisKhetan (Aiguillon in French) (by Aram Turabian)Խթան"Stimulus"Organ of Armenian volunteers under the French flag1915-1931MarseilleԱրձագանգ Փարիզի"Echoes of Paris"Periodical1916-1925Paris (by Léon Hampartzoumian)Վերածնունդ"Renaissance"Political and cultural magazine, platform of the Armenianophile movement1917-1921ParisAyk (by Krikor Balakian)Այգ"Dawn"Periodical1919ParisOchacanՕշական"Oshakan"Bi-monthly magazine1920ParisZeïtounԶէյթուն"Zeïtoun"Literary magazine1920 (2 issues)ParisԱպագայ"Future"General newspaper of the Ramgavar Party1921-1950ParisHayastani dzain (by Dr. Nevrouz)Հայաստանի ձայն"Voice of Armenia"Newspaper1922-1923ParisDarakirՏարագիր"Exile"Periodical1923-1924MarseilleNorachênՆորաշէն"New Construction"Periodical1923ParisHay PanvorՀայ բանուոր"Armenian Worker"Communist newspaper1924Paris (by and Zareh Vorpuni)Նոր հաւատք"New Faith"Literary magazine1924 (1 issue)MarseillePanvor-ParizԲանուոր-Փարիզ"Worker-Paris"Communist-affiliated newspaper1924-1925ParisHaratch (by Chavarche Missakian)Յառաջ"Forward"General newspaper close to the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF)1925-2009Paris (by Zabel Yesayan, with French HOG aid)Երեւան"Yerevan"Newspaper1925-1930ParisHai SirtՀայ Սիրտ"Armenian Heart"Newspaper1925-1938MarseilleNor yerguirՆոր երկիր"New Country"Organ of the French branch of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party1926-1937 puis 1954-1955ParisVerelkՎերելք"Ascent"Organ of the Armenian section of the French Communist Party1926-1927ParisԲուժանք"Healing"Medical magazine1926-1930ParisArakadz (by Hovhannès Boghossian)Արագած"Aragats"Bi-monthly literary magazine1926ParisKhardotsԽարտոց"File"Satirical weekly1926-1927Paris (by )Կավռօշ"Gavroche"Satirical newspaper1908-1936Constantinople (1908-1925) Paris (1926-1936)AraratԱրարատ"Ararat"Bi-monthly1927 (notably by )Ցոլք"Reflection"Literary magazine1928ParisArtzakank Djechmardouthian (by Berdj Armenakian)Արձագանգ ճշմարտութեան"Echo of Truth"Monthly religious magazine1928-1933ParisParisMonthly1928Azatamart (by Shahan Natalie)Ազատամարտ"Free Struggle"Weekly1928-1929ParisHay KirՀայ Գիր"Armenian Letter"Literary magazine of the Armenian Bibliophiles Union1928-1929MarseillePanvorԲանուոր"Worker"Weekly dedicated to workers' defense1928-1929ParisLe Foyer (by Levon Pashalian)"The Hearth"Bilingual French-Armenian periodical1928-1932ParisYergounk (by )Երկունք"Birth Pangs"Literary magazine, organ of the Association of Adult Orphans1929-1936ParisHentchakian mamoulՀնչակեան մամուլ"Hentchakian Press"Newspaper linked to the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party1929-1931Paris (by )Զուարթնոց"House of Watchers"Literary magazine supporting the ARF1929-1964Paris (by Kégham Atmadjian and Missak Manouchian)Ջանք"Effort"Literary magazine1930-1931ParisAroghtch guiankԱռողջ կեանք"Healthy Life"Medical magazine1931-1932Paris (by multiple writers)Մենք"We"Literary magazine1931-1932Paris (by the Barsamian brothers)Կեանք եւ Արուեստ,"Life and Art"Literary magazine1931-1940ParisՄեր ուղին"Our Path"Communist periodical1931-1932ParisHaï Guiank (by D. Nichanian)Հայ կեանք"Armenian Life"Bi-monthly magazine1931ParisNairi AchkharhՆաիրի Աշխարհ"World of Nairi"Monthly periodical1931-1933ParisՄարտկոց"Battery"Periodical1932-1933ParisArchavԱրշավ"March"Communist periodical1932ParisTarpnotsԴարբնոց"Forge"Magazine1932ParisԱրեգ"Sun"Weekly newspaper1932-1933Marseille (by Simon Vratsian)Վէմ"Rock"Literary and cultural magazine, cultural organ of the ARF1933-1940ParisՀօկ"HOG"Magazine of the French branch of the Armenian Relief Committee1933-1935ParisZankԶանգ"Bell"Newspaper linked to the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party1933-1934MarseilleGaïdzerԿայծեր"Sparks"Leftist newspaper1933-1935LyonAmrotsԱմրոց"Fortress"Newspaper1934ParisHay Pouj (by )Հայ Բոյժ"Armenian Doctor"Medical magazine1934-1967ParisRazmigՌազմիկ"Fighter"Bi-monthly organ of the Armenian Volunteers and Combatants Union1934-1943Paris (by Kégham Atmadjian and Bedros Zaroyan)Մշակույթ"Culture"Literary magazine1935-1937Paris (by Missak Manouchian and HOG)Զանգու"Zangou" (river of Yerevan)Communist newspaper of the French Section of the Armenian Relief Committee1935-1937ParisJoghovourti TzainԺողովուրդի Ձայն"Voice of the People"Economic and literary newspaper1935-1937MarseilleNorachèneՆորաշէն"New Construction"Magazine1936LyonNor Gavroche (by Krikor-Vahan)Նոր Կավռօշ"The New Gavroche"Periodical1937Paris (by Bedros Zaroyan and Zareh Vorpouni)Լուսաբաց"Dawn"Literary magazine1938-1939ParisՀայաստան"Armenia"Newspaper of 1939-Paris
Second half of the 20th century
During World War II, most newspapers and magazines ceased publication as their staffs were mobilized, joined the resistance, or chose silence to avoid German censorship. Chavarche Missakian, for example, decided not to publish Haratch during the conflict. The publications resumed after the liberation. French Title (Phonetic)Armenian Title TranslationTypePublication DatesPublication LocationImageHaygachên (by Chavarche Missakian)Հայկաշէն"Founded by Hayk"Underground magazinePossibly 1942–1943 (2 issues)ParisJoghovourtժողովուրդ"People"Underground newspaper, communist Armenian resistance organ1943-1948ParisAradzani (by Chavarche Missakian)Արածանի"A Confluence"Underground literary periodicalc. 1944–1945ParisԱրեւմուտք"Occident"Literary magazine1945-1952ParisGues gadag gues chidagԿես կատակ կես շիտակ"Half-joking, Half-serious"Satirical magazine1945-1950ParisHai guineՀայ կին"The Armenian Woman"Monthly organ of the Armenian Women's Union1947-1949ParisAbdagԱպտակ"Slap"Satirical magazine1948-1950ParisNerga (by Lévon Tchormissian)Ներկայ"Present"Magazine1949-1950ParisԱզատ խոսք"Free Speech"Communist newspaper1949-1951ParisAïssor AbakaԱյսօր Ապագայ"Today's Future"Newspaper1951-1954ParisLoussaghpiourԼուսաղբիւր"Clear Fountain"Literary magazine1952-1956, 1959, 1970-1971Paris (by )Անդաստան"Field"Literary magazine1952-1969Paris (by N. Hovhanessian)ԱրաքսIllustrated periodical1952-1955ParisArtsakankԱրձագանգ"Echo"Newspaper1954-1955ParisHay Midk (by )Հայ Միտք"Armenian Thought"Literary magazine1954-1955 (12 numéros)ParisKhetan (by Levon Hampartsoumian)Խթան"Impulse"Weekly newspaper1955-1970ParisLouys PariziԼույս Փարիզի"Light of Paris"Newspaper1957-1959ParisAmsoryag (by Zareh Vorpuni)Ամսօրեակ"Monthly"Literary magazine1958 (9 numéros)ParisAchkharhԱշխարհ"World"Monthly literary magazine1960-ParisBuraknԲիւրակն"A Thousand Sources"Periodical1961-1966ParisKragan Amsatert (by Zareh Vorpouni)Գրական Ամսաթերթ"Literary Monthly"Literary journal, monthly supplement to Andastan1961-1962 (8 numéros)ParisNor AbakaՆոր Ապագայ"New Future"Periodical1966-1967ParisHaghtanagՅաղթանակ"Victory"Periodical1971-1990ParisArahédԱրահետ"Path"Periodical1975-1986ParisGamԿամ"I Exist"Magazine1980-1985ParisGamkԿամք"Will"Bilingual newspaper, FRA organ1985-2002ParisGaykԿայք"Place"Periodical1989-1993Paris
Nowadays By the 21st century, Armenian-language periodicals in France had all but disappeared. The last major daily, Haratch, closed in 2009 and was replaced by Nor Haratch in the same year.
This decline is largely attributed to the fact that the Armenian diaspora in France is mainly composed of second and third-generation Armenians who, for the most part, no longer speak Armenian.
Currently, the main press of the Armenian diaspora in France is predominantly in French, with (1995-) and (1982-) being the most notable publications. The few remaining Armenian-language publications are mostly church bulletins.
See also
Armenians in France Armenian literature
References
Bibliography
External links