THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS FROM HRAZDAN

It has been 75 years since the explosion of the fascist shells, and the sky has calmed down. Today, abandoned, rusty weapons have become museum exhibits on the shores of Kuban, Terek, Volgograd and Sevastopol. Today in Crimea, Kerch, Leningrad and Brest, in Eastern Prussia, bombs and mines are stored only in museums …

In the Great Patriotic War, 3340 of my compatriots from Hrazdan, 946 of whom did not return home.

Currently living in Hrazdan is the last of the Mohicans from Hrazdan, a participant in the war, 96-year-old veteran Arshavir Simonyan, whom we recently visited. Although Grandpa Arshavir was sick, when he learned we were about to visit him, he stood up willingly as a soldier when he learned we were going to talk about the Great Patriotic War. The people of the house were also surprised, as if the grandfather had received a supernatural power.

Grandpa Arshavir lost his sight and now, with the help of his family, he wears a suit, touches the military and work gifts attached to the suit with special caress. He served in the 978th, 390th and 531st Rifle Regiments of the 89th Armenian Tamanyan Rifle Division. During the war he was awarded the military rank of sergeant, then senior sergeant.

“I took part in the most extraordinary battles in 1942-1943, under the commanders of the Tamanyan division, led by Col. Simon Zakyan and Maj. Gen. Nver Safaryan,” he says with undisguised pride.

By ARMEN AYVAZYAN

Chief Specialist of Hrazdan Municipality’s Culture and Sports Department