Meltha Magazine Online

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1997, Volume 3, No.1(7) pages 41-45

FROM THE NEWS OF THE PAST

(review of the Soviet press)

In the Soviet time it was quite a rare and yet dear occasion for every Assyrian to find any mentioning of his beloved nation in the newspapers. In those times it seemed that we just were lost in the world so every mentioning gave us hope that one day the people in the world would care to see us and our wandering would be finished, and our beloved nation soon would find itself a hearth again.

Probably the information offered below is well-known, but anyway this review of the former newspapers might give us a clue about how the Assyrians have been mentioned or rendered over the last quarter of the century.

A. Sturua published his article ŤThe Revival of Soundsť in the 'Izvestia' newspaper of 22 March, 1974. Below is what he brought to the readers attention. ŤIn 1959 in the course of archeological excavations of a Mediterranean town Idjarit (now Ras Shamra in Syria) which flourished over 3000 years ago a clay cryptogram was discovered there. It was too difficult to decipher at the time so there was much talk of it in the very narrow circle of historians and then it was forgotten for awhile.

As early as five years ago the doctor Assyriology of Californian University at Berkley Ann Kilmer resumed work on it. Owing to her persistency there came a sensation.

The first four lines in the cryptogram were 'music and words of the song by' .The bottom lines were 'this is how the music should be played and sung'.

Until recently the oldest manuscript of the Western type music has always been the Greek papyrus with notes to Eurepidis' play piece 'Orest' dated back to 4th century BC. Therefore, the Idjarit cryptogram makes the Western music culture as old as 1400 years. Besides, it showed that Assyro-Babylonian civilization used seven-tone music method in contrast with the five-tones in Asia.

And now the song that was popular 37 centuries ago has been performed once again by music worker Richard Croker who was accompanied at the Il-string instrument by himself. Actually it was an exact copy of the old Shumer lyre which is known to the day as well.

After the performance the music experts asserted that monophonic music of a very old romantic song about 'father, love and the sweetheart' which is very similar to the present day lyrical songs. The performer added, 'there is nothing supernatural or strange' and 'it is close to our hearts as it is in the long run a part of our own culture' .

This time around 'Izvestia' published a scrap of news from the Assyrian Academy of Sciences in Iraq. It is one year now since the Assyrian Academy of Sciences was set up in Iraq. Now they are working at the Academy to develop the language and culture of the Assyrian national minority which is held fourth strong in Iraq after Arabs, Kurds, and Turkomans related. Academicians study the classical legacy of the Ancient Assyria, historic and art milestones as well as they are involved in some practical matters on extension of language program in preliminary and high schools. Recently a festival was held to the memory of two prominent thinkers of the Middle Ages Efraim and Ibn-Ishak. This venue was a great contribution to the Assyrian culture.

In the Academy they started the 'Golden book' to contain many manuscripts of these two renowned cultural workers as well as investigations of modern scholars from different countries with focus on their legacy. 'The Academy possesses the rarest manuscripts, its pride', declared the President of the Academy Andrea Sana in his interview to the pressť.

The newspaper 'Krasnaya Zvezda' of 11 February 1975 published Mr. N. Cherka- shin's article "Urmian Obelisks" to celebrate the 3dh anniversary of the victory over fascism. Here is what he wrote, "Only few know that Assyrians were fighting in the ranks of the great and multilingual Soviet army. The blood of a very old people ran in their veins. It apparently was such an old nation that historians supposed it was long gone. But it was not, it never died, never went into oblivion. In the wartime these people were chased out of their impassable mountains where eagles nested. In their flight from the daggers of fanatic Muslims the Assyrian highlanders escaped to Russia in 1827 under the protection of field marshal Paskevich's army on its way out of Iran. They set up three village~ in Armenia which have existed to the latter day.

After the first world war a new wave of Assyrian refugees settled down in Kuban. The Soviet government allocated some land for the first Assyrian collective farming group and opened up a technical school for

The "Krasnaya Zvezda" published an article (26 December of 1971) about the Assyrian village Urmia. But there happened an incident recently ...

Jakubov pulled at the string and the obelisk was unveiled. The obelisk looked very regular, just an upright stela crowned with a star in a laurel wreath and a warrior! s bust in the niche with heavy draped standards on the podium. Thousands of such monuments are scattered in the hills, edges of forests and crossroads. But this obelisk is quite exceptional. On its slabs there carved Assyrian names...

Of 92 villagers that the Assyrian collective farm director Jacob Jacubov took to the district military service camp in June 1941 only 40 returned to Urmia after the war . The rest would have their names carved on the slabs of the obelisk.

J. Jacubov still keeps his very old record- book with a listing of Assyrians both who would perish in the war and who would be happy to stay alive.

Back in June 1941 as J. Jacubov had them all stand in line along the road not far from the place where the monument would then be erected to the memory of those who would never return. Now poplars only stand just where the soldiers were. The trees look like feathers in the eagle's wing. Before him stood in lines farmers, smiths, stablemen, tractor-drivers, etc. They were the best males in Urmia from big families of A vdyshev and Davidov, Osipov and Junanov. They stood calm for they trusted the man who was to take them to the battlefield. He was the one who many times had taken them out to work. A group of Cosaks would join them at Novoalekseevskaya place on the way to the military service camp. Among them was Jacob's Russian friend or "akhuna" (brother in Assyrian) Alexei No- vopoltsev.

Under the siege of Kenigsberg lieutenant Jacub's squad fell upon a column of vehicles where there were six 'Ferdinands'. Jacob's tank shot down two self-propelled guns. However a thermal shell hit the right side gear box. The leader vehicle was set in fire from a second shot. He was the last to get out.

He was picked up by the funeral team the following day. 24 splinters were found and some taken out of his body. But Jacubov returned from the war with 10 of the splinters and with the order of the Red banner .

Among others the names of two brothers Junanov were carved out on the slab, a third brother, major A. Junanov came for the opening of the monument from Baku. As a matter of fact he was decorated with the order of Alexander Nevsky for crossing the Visla river. His company was the first division unit to cross the river on the thin ice and then during two days he led his soldiers to fight the enemy in close combat. The order of the Patriotic war of the Second level Junanov fixed on his shirt after a very daring operation aimed at disarming the garrison of Shpandau near Berlin.

Senior lieutenant Mukhail Ishoev was fighting in the skies of the Northern Caucasus. He made hundreds of raids and shot down 8 fascist air fighters. He was deco- rated with two orders of the Red banner.

Sergeant Sergei Sarhoshev destroyed the enemy's armored train in Ukraine and consequently he was decorated with the honors of the National Hero (of the Soviet Union).

There is no other old man in the entire Urmia who might have whiter hair than Jacubov does have indeed, though he is not very old now. Through out many long years Jacubov has remembered about the old record book with the _enlisted men' s names he took from Urmia "to the war in 1941. But now here is the ,obelis.k high on the wayside "where poplars stal1d as close as can be, and those names that shine bright on the slab and that were crossed out in Jacob's book, but he is still in trouble as he questions himself, is everything right? Is it a good monument?

Do not worry, Jacob Alexandrovich Look at the flowers at the foot of the obelisk, plenty of them piled by the Urmians. Look how black-eyed boys and girls with red ties are standing frozen in a line. Look how Urmian youths are dancing hand in hand doil;1g an upright 'shaikhane' dance. Listen to the zuma, accordion and daula. Now. there is Eternal Flame in your villagers and company men's hearts."

"Moskovskaya Pravda" newspapers published a scrap of news in its column "Courier of the Curious" on the 19th of April 1986. It ran the title "Shubat Enkil riddle".

"Shubat Enkil's the capital of the kingdom which existed in the Two Rivers basin (Tigris and Euphrates) over four thousand years ago. This was a discovery made after a very old settlement was excavated not far from the Syrian place Tel Leilan at the convergence of Iraqi, Syrian and Turkish boundaries. As a matter of fact, this discovery put an end to the riddle that historians tried to solve during 10 years. Over the years several cultural layers were excavated including tymples, houses, fortress walls. A wealth of armory, ceramics, decorations from different historical phases of Mesopotamia. But the main mystery is who and when established this town and what its name was, and it remained unknown. The mystery was unveiled neither by archeologists nor by historians but epigraphists who deciphered ancient manuscripts. They came to join when archeologists discovered two unusual "libraries". The specialists were amazed to find an assortment of strangely looking manuscripts. After a thorough study the specialists "read" over the history of the town finding answers to many questions. So Shubat Enkil was founded by the king of the ancient Assyria Shamshi-Adad who ruled in the Two Rivers basin from 1813 to 1781 BC. Afterwards the ruler of Assyria transferred his capital to this town. But it so happened the findings gave not only answers but also raised questions now. One of the main is what was in the place of Shubat Enkil before Assyrians came? In the deepest cultural layers, yet 'to be excavated there might be enough material evidence to show the remnants of settlements that existed a thousand years before Shamshi-Adad."

In its column "Sensations from abroad" the "Izvestia" newspaper carried news about archeological findings in Iraq in two publications in 1987. On the 2nd of May it was 'The mystery of old hills'. It ran ŤAs it was reported, French archeologists excavated a settlement in Southern Iraq which is 1500 years older than any other known ancient settlement found in Mesopotamia. And here is anew discovery when British archeologists excavated some remnants of the ancient Assyrian culture in around Mosul, Northern Iraq. The findings might hold the keys to the mystery of the Assyrian king- dom.

According to the historical chronicles the power of Assyrians fell under the strikes from Babylonia and Midia in 605 BC. But what possibly happened to its citizens and the town of Nineveh along with some other larger towns like Ashur and Nimrod which also fell under the enemy's attacks? Until recently the general scientific opinion was that most of Assyrians perished and only some of them managed to escape it as they fled to towns where they were assimilated with time.

However the findings from the two excavation hills in around the place of Kara- bekh-Sattan tell of quite opposite things. The diversity of clay and iron things, deco- rations, household things all tell of the Assyrian identity which people preserved even after the invasion. Having organized small closed communities in the present Northern Iraq the Assyrians then brought their frontiers beyond their limits. They penetrated into Syria, Palestine. Persia and even Egypt. However they could not control such a vast territory for they were in small numbers.

Over two hundred barrows in Northern Iraq keep silently the mysteries of ancient peoples' destiny. The scientists turned to world organizations with a request. to help them rescue invaluable treasures of the history which are threatened with flooding.ť

In the scrap of 3rd June 'The temple discloses its mysteries' it said, Ť99 lines in the manuscript, it is just a reward for persistency. hard work and dedication that a group of Iraqi archeologists produced during excavation in the ancient temple in the Two River basin of Tigris and Euphrates.

99 lines found on a virtually ideal marble slab came to us from one of the most powerful and mysterious civilizations of the past, namely Assyrian.

Looking at even, practically undamaged manuscript symbols Dr. Muzahem Mahmud, the team leader of archeologists, said in his interview that it is difficult to imagine that her age is almost 3000 years. It also is interesting, the scientist continued, that the slab was discovered in a relatively well excavated temple. By the way those excavation had been started by Agatha Christie. Side by side with her husband archeologist Max Mallowan the famous writer worked in the ancient Assyrian god, patron of science, Naba as early as in 1950s.

Despite such authoritative predecessor, Dr. Mahmud said smiling, we strongly believed that the excavated temple still had its own mystery. And here it comes. As preliminary examination of inscriptions showed that they contain a detailed description of the highest point in the Assyrian history. Among those parts of the text that were already analyzed the most interesting so far are descriptions of very little known Assyrian raids into Babylon, Midia and Urartu. As it is expertly acknowledged that this in- formation it carries is quite enough to render this 'wonderful slab' as one of the most outstanding archeological findings to the letter day although there is so much to do in proper reading of this old manuscript...ť

The newspaper 'Zarya V ostoka ' as of 23rd of August 1989 published an interview of the well-known chemical researcher and president of the Assyrian Cultural Center in Tbilisi Dr. Tamraz I vanov .Here below is the description of this interview by journalist M. Kasradze.

ŤThose Assyrian masters that built the ancient town of Ashur in the third millennium BC, and those workers who put up the hotel 'Tbilisi' or the Army Officers Center in Tbilisi is just one and the same tradition.

This tradition has long been formed over many centuries of a very hard road for Assyrians. But this tradition became so stable that it incorporated architects of the distant past and of the present day alike. It became real just because it still goes from father to son (from past to present), namely 'Be an architect!' These words could well be uttered openly with pride, well some- times with the same pride but very quietly for there might be some danger round the corner...

Currently about 5 thousand Assyrians live in Tbilisi. Many of them are descendants of those who survived the peril in 1914-1918 and escaped to the Caucasus, namely to Georgian Republic. Anew page of the Assyrian history was then began as Assyrians enjoyed a good welcome from local Georgians. In its record book there is a new note, I mean, creation of the Assyrian Cultural Center in Tbilisi. Now he is what said its president, head of the scientific research center 'Isari' and Candidate of Chemistry Tamraz I vanov , ŤAn Assyrian cultural union existed in Tbilisi before the October takeover in Russia. For example, the famous Zubalov popular house offered its podium for drama pieces in the range from Molier to Tzagarelli. Then in the Soviet period Assyrians in Tbilisi were organized in a union, but then...

And then came the year of 1937 which was the 'dark time' for Assyrians as well. The Assyrian community 'Khajadta' went through mass repressions. Over the years of its existence the community basically united laboring people restoring national architectual traditions. It was a sort of a professional shop, but the blow that struck was so heavy. It took too long before it recovered from it...

Not until 1952 an Assyrian amateur vocal and dancing group was organized in Tbilisi again. Its spiritual leader was the chief of the Caucasian railroad logistics general Alexander Tamrazov while Angelina Grigolia was the art director in addition to her principle job as head of the Eastern Arts Branch of the Georgian State Fine Arts Museum. Besides, the esteemed People's Artist of Georgia actor Mikhail Sultanishvili also worked with the ensemble. As a matter of fact, this artistic group was renowned and rewarded with the first grade diploma for its outstanding participation in the All Georgian Youth Festival. Later in 1957 they per- formed at the World Youth Festival in Moscow.

Alas, after a flight to the stardom they went down very soon. Analyzing its short life in art we concluded that they just needed a better organization as an instrument of the constitutional implementation of natural pe9ple's right to a cultural identity. The initiative group where I also belonged proposed formation of such a body, namely the Cultural Center, to the conference of the Assyrians in Tbilisi. The fundamental objective of the Center will be bringing of all Assyrians around the idea of restoration and further development of craftsmanship and creativity in all traditional forms as well as of educational programs in the Assyrian and Georgian languages and history alike. Besides, a special focus should be secured in terms of very old Assyro-Georgian relations which stems from the times of St. Nina of Cappadokia and 13 Fathers who were in Georgia with a Christian mission.

The Assyrian Cultural Center has held one meeting already aimed at selection of its president (Tamraz Ivanov), vice-president (Boris Ivanov, high rank militiaman), chair- man of the board (I1ya' Davidov, head of Georgia's State Department branch), deputy chairman (Joseph Ivanov, chemical engineer), and senior secretary (Ian Khamoyev, water polo coach).ť

On the 18 of February 1991 'Pravda' the principle newspaper of the USSR published an article by A. Bogdanov 'Formation of the Assyrian Congress of the USSR' where it said, ŤWho are the Soviet Assyrians? As a matter of fact the well known historical Assyrian power due to Babylonian and Midian military aggression was destroyed in the late 71h Century BC. Despite the 25 century long existence without its own state- hood the nation still keeps its records, traditions, language, culture.

Finding a new ground to be in Russia, Assyrians in some ways received an opportunity to labor and restore their own language and culture alike peacefully. This way or another they opened up schools in the places where they could be densely found first and foremost in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaidjan, Ukraine, also in Krasnodar (famous village Urmia) and Stavropol, where education was maintained in the Russian and native languages alike all along. The teaching staff was prepared at the time at the Armavir Pedagogical School and Leningrad Institute of history, philosophy and literature. In 1930s the Assyrian cultural and educational groups were active on the scene especially in such major cities as Moscow, Leningrad, Erevan, Tbilisi, etc. For example, major works by V .I. Lenin as well as best volumes by Russian and Soviet writers were translated into Assyrian language. Simultaneously Assyrians published the AI1-Union newspaper 'Kokhva d'Maddynkha' (The Star of the East). But in 1938 all achievements in the previous years were spoilt as the national newspaper, cultural associations and schools were closed while intelligentsia was destroyed.

As Assyrians are scattered far and wide in the world, they never enjoy their own statehood or densely populated areas. De- spite these difficulties the recent years have seen a steady rise of, their national identity. In many cities of the country they opened new Sunday schools and set up cultural community associations. Many cultural groups are popular both "in the country and elsewhere. For example, .the Leningrad Assyrian culture club 'Semiramis', the Moscow Assyrian Association 'Khajadta' and many others. In the meantime the first issue of the journal' Atra ' (Motherland) came out in Leningrad.

Recently in Moscow they held the first conference of the Soviet Assyrians. Delegations from different places came to represent this 30 000 strong Assyrian population of the country. The agenda of the conference was built around the situation with the Soviet Assyrians as a result of aggravation of international relations as well as around the role and the significance of Assyrians of the , Soviet Union in the international movement. The conference brought together all the disintegrated communities of Soviet Assyrians into the Assyrian Congress of the USSR.

V. Kalamanov the high activist of the Assyrian movement of the USSR was elected president of the USSR Assyrian Congress by a majority vote.ť

It is just fair to emphasize that the Soviet press during the Restructuring period (Perestroika) really focused 0!1 Assyrian problems just unlike unfortunately the democratic mass media in the current years.

The reviewer

Manno Bar Shmoel Osipova