The newspaper Shant published in Yerevan between 1918 and 1919 served as an early platform for the political writings of Hayk Asatryan. As an Armenian theorist and active participant in the 1921 February Uprising, his career spanned continents, crossing from his birthplace in Alashkert to intellectual circles in Prague, eventually leading to his final years of confinement and exile in Bulgaria.
Academic and Political Beginnings
Born in 1900 in Eleşkirt, Asatryan engaged with the Armenian Revolutionary Federation during his youth. His transition into formal academic study took place at Charles University in Prague. By 1930, he had earned the title of Doctor of Philosophical Sciences. This period established a foundation for his long-term involvement in party politics, where he eventually secured a seat on the ARF Central Committee.
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Following a departure from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation in 1935, Asatryan began a collaboration with Garegin Nzhdeh. This partnership resulted in the creation of Tseghakronism and Taronism, ideologies that defined his subsequent career. Between 1937 and 1944, he focused on editorial work, managing the Razmik and Eagle Taron newspapers within Bulgaria.
Scholarly Defense and Final Years
In 1942, Asatryan published Armenia - Aryan Outpost in Western Asia, released in both Armenian and German. The text aimed to clarify the Indo-European origins of the Armenian people in response to contemporary press claims labeling them of Semitic origin. His career abruptly shifted in 1944 when Soviet soldiers arrested him in Bulgaria. His family faced exile to Pavlikeni during his imprisonment. Although he received amnesty in 1955, his health declined rapidly, and he died of a heart attack in Sofia in 1956.
Fast facts
- Born: 1900, Eleşkirt
- Died: 1956, Sofia
- Education: Charles University
- Title: Doctor of Philosophical Sciences
- Key Ideologies: Tseghakronism, Taronism
- Notable Publication: Armenia - Aryan Outpost in Western Asia
Questions readers ask
Where did Hayk Asatryan receive his doctorate?
He earned his Doctor of Philosophical Sciences from the University of Prague in 1930.
What caused the end of his career?
He was arrested by Soviet soldiers in 1944 and remained in custody until granted amnesty in 1955.
