OUR INTELLECTUALS

RABBI LJOVA

(Lev Mikhailovich Sargisov)

In November 1990 over 20 Assyrian communities sent their representatives to attend the constituent conference of "The USSR Assyrian Congress". Many participants first came to meet their compatriots so they just could not believe that Assyrian National Associations, Schools and Societies had been set up somewhere already and children were learning their own native langue. The only Assyrian delegation, which could at best work inside a National Organization this time around, came from Armenia. It was Rabbi Ljova Sargisov who headed the Armenian delegation.

Everybody most probably knew of his ardent patriotic aspirations and commitment. (He very often visited Russia, Georgia and Ukraine. After many decades of political terrorism in Joseph Stalin's Soviet Union the situation eased off and the national self - awareness of Assyrians arose again. One of the most committed activists in the 1.950s already was Rabbi Ljova.

Lev M.Sargisov was born in 1914 in the village of Koylassar, Artashat region in Armenia into a priest's family at the local church Mar Kuryakus. His father's name was Kasha Mikhail Bar Joseph. During the civil war in Russia between 1918 to 1920 Mikhail's older brother Alexander who served in the Tsar's Army before the Russian revolution in 191.7, and Ljova's older brother Feodor Sargisov joined the; white guard troops who fought against Russian Bolsheviks. Feodor was killed in the fight in the north Caucasus, and his uncle left to immigrate in the retreat with the white guard army. It is obvious that having his father the priest and relatives abroad Ljova could not get a good education or a good job after- wards. Being rather knowledgeable and persistent Ljova Sargisov went to Leningrad where he entered a teacher's training college. After he finished college with a degree he returned to Armenia where he began to teach the Russian language to students in school. But, his burning desire as to study the history of his nation, especially as he was interested in the modern history.

This time around professor K. P. Matveev (Bar Mattay) published his works, which were largely filled with -propagandistic ideas on the Assyrian history, so it surely needed a more profound scientific approach. The ba9ic conception he used there was that the best fate Assyrian could expect was the life in the Soviet Union. It is in the USSR that Assyrians could allegedly get a universal development as well as pursue their national interests. On the contrary, after Ljova Sargisov made a very considerable research work based on archives only, he could get a chance to finish his post graduation paper. As a result he published his famous book " Assyrians in the near and Middle Asia. The First Quarter of the Twentieth Century" in 1979. Until recently this book has been the only detailed description of the Assyrian ordeal, exodus and catastrophe that nourished sepsis and frustration.

Besides his scientific work Rabbi Lijova spared a lot of time and effort to preserve the Assyrian language among Assyrians in Armenia, to restore and develop culture and art furthermore, Thanks to the activity of such educators like L. M. Sargisov, T. A. Muradova, I. M. Abdalov, S. Aleksan, L. Edigarov and many others, Assyrians in Armenia did not lose his native language nut even acquired a literal dorm, participating in national art festivals with their traditional songs and jigs.

It was very natural that Assyrians in Armenia in the 1980s when this small nation could have their own national organization. They unanimously elected Rabbi Ljova its president. Untimely death of Lev M.Sargisov in 1993 caused some turmoil in the operation of the Assyrian Association in Armenia. It would be only fair to say that he had both merits and demerits alike. First of all, he did not leave any successors, or a group of ardent activists in the national movement.

Rabbi .Ljova had a permanent feature that was just a handicap to many others who ever tried to prove their exceptional value to the whole nation. His modesty and lack of ambition added much to his personal authority. The best example will be found in his wonderful book, which is too little known as yet.