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The '''Armenian National Congress''' (or '''Congress of Eastern Armenians'''<ref name="Ter-Minassian p.30">Ter-Minassian p.30</ref><ref>Stephen F. Jones ''Socialism in Georgian Colors: the European Road to Social Democracy'' (Harvard University Press, 2005), page 259</ref>) was a political congress established to provide representation for [[Russian Armenia|Armenians of the Russian Empire]].<ref name="Adalian p.76">Adalian p.76</ref><ref name=Herzig>{{cite book|last=Herzig|first=edited by Edmund|title=The Armenians : past and present in the making of national identity|year=2005|publisher=RoutledgeCurzon|location=London [u.a.]|isbn=9780700706396|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=kEVR88DKpGgC&dq|edition=1. publ.|coauthors=Kurkchiyan, Marina|accessdate=9 February 2013|page=95}}</ref><ref name=Derogy /> It first met at the Artistic Theatre in [[Tbilisi]] on {{OldStyleDate|11 October|1917|28 September}}.<ref name="Hovannisian p.87">Hovannisian ''Armenia on the Road to Independence'', p.87</ref><ref>Ter-Minassian p.30 for Old Style date</ref><ref name=Uras>{{cite book|last=Uras|first=Esat|title=The Armenians in history and the Armenian question|year=1988|publisher=Documentary Publications|location=Ankara|isbn=9789757555001|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=5AhuAAAAMAAJ&q|edition=English translation of the rev. and expanded 2. ed.|accessdate=9 February 2013|page=905}}</ref><ref name=Douglas>{{cite book|last=Douglas|first=John M.|title=The Armenians|year=1992|publisher=J.J. Winthrop Corp.|location=New York, NY|isbn=9780963138101|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=aIYlAQAAMAAJ&pg|accessdate=9 February 2013|page=358}}</ref> Its formation was prompted by the opportunities the [[Russian Revolution]] provided for [[Armenians]] (and other minority nationalities in Russia) towards the end of [[World War One]].<ref name=Herzig />
The '''Armenian National Congress''' (or '''Congress of Eastern Armenians'''<ref name="Ter-Minassian p.30">Ter-Minassian p.30</ref><ref>Stephen F. Jones ''Socialism in Georgian Colors: the European Road to Social Democracy'' (Harvard University Press, 2005), page 259</ref>) was a political congress established to provide representation for [[Russian Armenia|Armenians of the Russian Empire]].<ref name="Adalian p.76">Adalian p.76</ref><ref name=Herzig>{{cite book|last=Herzig|first=edited by Edmund|title=The Armenians : past and present in the making of national identity|year=2005|publisher=RoutledgeCurzon|location=London [u.a.]|isbn=9780700706396|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=kEVR88DKpGgC&dq|edition=1. publ.|coauthors=Kurkchiyan, Marina|accessdate=9 February 2013|page=95}}</ref><ref name=Derogy /> It first met at the Artistic Theatre in [[Tbilisi]] on {{OldStyleDate|11 October|1917|28 September}}.<ref name="Hovannisian p.87">Hovannisian ''Armenia on the Road to Independence'', p.87</ref><ref>Ter-Minassian p.30 for Old Style date</ref><ref name=Uras>{{cite book|last=Uras|first=Esat|title=The Armenians in history and the Armenian question|year=1988|publisher=Documentary Publications|location=Ankara|isbn=9789757555001|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=5AhuAAAAMAAJ&q|edition=English translation of the rev. and expanded 2. ed.|accessdate=9 February 2013|page=905}}</ref><ref name=Douglas>{{cite book|last=Douglas|first=John M.|title=The Armenians|year=1992|publisher=J.J. Winthrop Corp.|location=New York, NY|isbn=9780963138101|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=aIYlAQAAMAAJ&pg|accessdate=9 February 2013|page=358}}</ref> Its formation was prompted by the opportunities the [[Russian Revolution]] provided for [[Armenians]] (and other minority nationalities in Russia) towards the end of [[World War One]].<ref name=Herzig />


Revision as of 19:54, 24 February 2013

The Armenian National Congress (or Congress of Eastern Armenians[1][2]) was a political congress established to provide representation for Armenians of the Russian Empire.[3][4][5] It first met at the Artistic Theatre in Tbilisi on 11 October [O.S. 28 September] 1917.[6][7][8][9] Its formation was prompted by the opportunities the Russian Revolution provided for Armenians (and other minority nationalities in Russia) towards the end of World War One.[4]

Members

The congress consisted of 204[1] members from all over the Russian Empire, with only Armenian Bolsheviks refusing to take part for ideological reasons.[10] It was dominated by the Dashnak Party.[6][9][11][12]

The composition along party lines was as follows:[13]

  • Dashnaks: 113 representatives
  • Populists: 43 representatives
  • Socialist Revolutionaries: 23 representatives
  • Social Democrats: 9 representatives
  • No party: 7 representatives
  • There was also a small number of representatives from Western Armenia, including Andranik Ozanian.

Functioning

Since a real government did not exist in the Yerevan province of Armenia, the Armenian National Congress served as a government for the province.[14] According to Richard Hovannisian, the Congress was "the most comprehensive Eastern Armenian gathering since the Russian conquest of Transcaucasia".[6] The immediate objectives of the Congress were to devise a strategy for the war effort, provide relief for refugees, and provide local autonomy for various Armenian-run institutions throughout the Caucasus.[4] The Congress also called for the militarization of the Caucasus front.[15] The Armenian National Congress supported the policies of the Russian Provisional Government concerning the war, and also suggested redrawing provincial boundaries along ethnic lines.[16] The Congress was instrumental in the secularization of Armenian schools and the nationalization of secondary Armenian schools.[15]

The Congress met for 18 sessions before it dissolved on 26 October [O.S. 13 October] 1917.[17]

Legacy

Before dissolving, the Congress created a National Assembly of 35 members to act as a legislative body for Armenians in the Russian Empire.[18] It also created an executive body of 15 members called the Armenian National Council, headed by Avetis Aharonian.[5][19][20] This council eventually declared independence for the Democratic Republic of Armenia in May 1918.[3][4][5]

References

  1. ^ a b Ter-Minassian p.30
  2. ^ Stephen F. Jones Socialism in Georgian Colors: the European Road to Social Democracy (Harvard University Press, 2005), page 259
  3. ^ a b Adalian p.76
  4. ^ a b c d Herzig, edited by Edmund (2005). The Armenians : past and present in the making of national identity (1. publ. ed.). London [u.a.]: RoutledgeCurzon. p. 95. ISBN 9780700706396. Retrieved 9 February 2013. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ a b c Derogy, Jacques (1990). Resistance and Revenge: The Armenian Assassination of the Turkish Leaders Responsible for the 1915 Massacres and Deportations. Transaction Publishers. ISBN 9781412833165.
  6. ^ a b c Hovannisian Armenia on the Road to Independence, p.87
  7. ^ Ter-Minassian p.30 for Old Style date
  8. ^ Uras, Esat (1988). The Armenians in history and the Armenian question (English translation of the rev. and expanded 2. ed. ed.). Ankara: Documentary Publications. p. 905. ISBN 9789757555001. Retrieved 9 February 2013. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help)
  9. ^ a b Douglas, John M. (1992). The Armenians. New York, NY: J.J. Winthrop Corp. p. 358. ISBN 9780963138101. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  10. ^ Hovannisian Republic, pp.16-17
  11. ^ Kurkjian, Vahan M. (2008). A history of Armenia. Los Angeles, CA: Indo-European Publishing. ISBN 9781604440126.
  12. ^ Weekly summaries : Nov. 2, 1918-Febr. 1, 1919. New York u.a.: United States Military Intelligence [1917-1927], Volume 6. 1978. ISBN 9780824030056.
  13. ^ Ter-Minassian pp.30-31
  14. ^ Teghtsoonian, Oksen Teghtsoonian ; Robert (2003). From Van to Toronto : a life in two worlds. New York: IUniverse, Inc. ISBN 9780595274154. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ a b Marshall, Alex (2008). The Caucasus under Soviet rule (1. publ. ed.). London: Routledge. p. 86. ISBN 9780415410120. Retrieved 9 February 2013. {{cite book}}: More than one of |pages= and |page= specified (help)
  16. ^ Hovannisian Republic, pp.17-18
  17. ^ Ter-Minassian pp.33-34
  18. ^ Ter-Minassian p.34
  19. ^ Bardakjian, Kevork B. (2000). A reference guide to modern Armenian literature, 1500-1920 : with an introductory history. Detroit: Wayne State Univ. Press. pp. 263–264. ISBN 9780814327470. Retrieved 9 February 2013. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ J. Hacikyan, Agop (2005). The Heritage of Armenian Literature From The Eighteenth Century To Modern Times. Detroit: Wayne State Univ Pr. ISBN 9780814332214.

Sources

  • Richard G. Hovannisian Armenia on the Road to Independence (University of California, 1967)
  • Richard G. Hovanissian The Republic of Armenia: The First Year 1918-19 (University of California, 1971)
  • Rouben Paul Adalian Historical Dictionary of Armenia (Scarecrow Press, 2010)
  • Anahide Ter-Minassian La République d'Arménie 1918-20 (Éditions Complexe, 2006 ed.)
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