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Remembering the
Armenian Genocide,1915 - 1923
presented by Gregory Yakoobian and
The Armenian Cultural Community of El Paso |
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The Armenian
Genocide (1915-23) was the deliberate and
systematic destruction of the Armenian
population of the Ottoman Empire during and
just after World War I. It was characterized
by massacres and deportations involving
forced marches under conditions designed to
lead to the death of the deportees, with the
total number of deaths reaching 1.5 million.
To date, 20 countries and 44 U.S. states
have officially recognized the events of the
period as genocide. Most genocide scholars
and historians accept this view. The
Armenian Genocide has also been recognized
by influential media including The New
York Times, BBC, The Washington Post
and The Associated Press. |
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Gregory Yakoobian |
Gregory Yakoobian was born in Lynn, MA,
and is a first generation Armenian-American. Prior to
entering the Army, he was employed by S H
Kress in Abilene, TX. He entered the Army in
1957 and was stationed in Berlin, Germany
until his discharge in 1960. At that time he
came to El Paso and worked with his previous
employer S H Kress, and was the assistant
food manager until he went into the Air
Force in 1961. In 1978, he retired from the
military after serving in England, Viet Nam,
Oregon, Nebraska , Arizona and Oklahoma.
Returning to El Paso, he was employed at the
University of Texas at El Paso as a computer
operator and retired in 1998 as Computer
Operations Supervisor. His personal library
collection has approximately 200 books about
Armenia and Armenian history. |
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In presenting
the Armenian Film Fest for the community of
El Paso, he brings the hope that "Those
who cannot remember the past are condemned
to repeat it" (George Santayana), will be
remembered. The Armenian Genocide of 1915 -
1923 was forgotten and Hitler was to have
said, "Who after all speaks today of the
annihilation of the Armenians?" (Hitler,
August 22, 1939), prior to the invasion of
Poland and the Holocaust. |
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ARMENIAN FILM FESTIVAL - 2010
Main Library - Auditorium
Some scenes may contain material not
suitable for young audiences.
Parental discretion is advised |
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Apr 22 |
6:00 pm |
Germany and the
Secret Genocide
Set against the backdrop of World War II,
the film chronicles the involvement of
Turkey’s ally, Germany, in the first
genocide of the 20th Century. German
documents attest to Turkish culpability and
to German complicity and cover-up. Kevin
Thomas of the Los Angeles Times has declared
the film a “…rigorously researched ....a
notable and persuasive film…a warm-up to the
Holocaust. |
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Apr 23 |
3:30 pm |
Voices from the
Lake
This feature-length documentary film on the
Armenian genocide focuses on the day-to-day
tragedy that unfolded in Kharpert-Mezreh,
one among 4,000 towns and villages of the
former Ottoman empire in 1915, where
monumental forces were unleashed by a policy
of annihilation. The story is captured
through eyewitness accounts by American and
European officials, missionaries, educators,
and Armenian survivors, as well as by
little-known documents and diaries. This
film is very useful in creating an
understanding of the impact of the genocide
on individuals and on a particular
community. |
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Apr
24 |
3:30 pm |
The River
Ran Red
The River Ran Red is the epic search for
survivors of the Armenian Genocide of 1915
along the Euphrates River. From his
archives of 400 testimonies of survivors and
eyewitnesses, award-winning filmmaker J.
Michael Hagopian weaves a compelling story
of terrifying intensity, taking the viewer
from the highland waters of the river to the
burning deserts of Syria... and to the final
resting place of those whose blood ran red
in the waters of the Euphrates. Winner of
the Best International Historical
Documentary of the New York International
Film and Video Festival and Second Place
(History and Biography) of the U.S.
International Film and Video. |
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DISPLAYS |
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Reference
Desk Display Case
Atrium Display Case
Atrium Easels |
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February
26, 2010 |
