Beatrice Kyurdjian and Armen Arslanian, wedding photograph, Ayntab, 1912

Abadjian/Arslanian collection - Belgium

The collection of photographs that belongs to the Arslanian/Abadjian family is very rich. This visual heritage was lent to us by Anelga Arslanian (born Abadjian). The photographs are of Anelga’s husband’s, Raffi Arslanian’s ancestors who were from the city of Ayntab. The first photographs are old, from the second half of the 19th century. They portray the Arslanian, Kyurdjian and the Khachadourian families.

1) Khanoum Kyurdjian (née Khachadourian) and her children; Levon (sitting), Gladys and Alice. Kanoum is also Beatrice’s (later Arslanian) mother. Beatrice is absent in this picture.

2) Khanoum Kyurdjian’s (née Khachadourian) 3 brothers; Sarkis, Hagop and Yeghia. Standing, their wives; Maroum, Elisa, Mary.

The Arslanian family in Ayntab in 1905 or 1910. Sitting from left to right; Melkon and Feride Arslanian. Second row, from left to right; Hripsime (Levonian), Avedis and his wife Maritsa. Last row, standing from left to right; Armenag, Yesayi, Hovhanes and Nouritsa. The girl sitting on the floor is Lucine.

1) Wedding photograph. Armenag Kyurdjian and his wife, Ayntab, around 1880. Armenag is Haroutyoun’s brother. Haroutyoun was Beatrice Arslanian’s (née Kyurdjian) father.

2) Arousiag Kyurdjian and her husband (first and last name unknown). Wedding photograph.

3) Beatrice Kyurdjian and Armen Arslanian. Wedding photograph.

4) Gladys Kyurdjian (Beatrice’s sister) and her husband (name unknown).

Khanoum Kyurdjian (born Khachadourian) and her husband Haroutyoun Kurdjian.

The Kyurdjian family children, Ayntab, around 1900. From left to right; Levon, Beartice (in a white dress), Alice, Louder (the young tall boy), Nouri (with her hand on Louder’s shoulder), Levon (in front of Nouri), Mary (in a white dress), Alber.

1) Students from Ousoumnasirats Levonian school in Aleppo, Syria. The man standing on the left is Levon Levonian, the founder of the school. The ladies are teachers and the man standing on the right is Sarkis Balabanian.

2) A photograph taken in Ayntab. The identities of the people in this picture are unknown.

1) Sarkis Khachadourian, Beatrice Arslanian’s (née Kyurdjian) maternal uncle, Khanoum Kyurdjian’s (born Khachadourian) brother.

2) Aram and Ephonia Khachadourian and their daughter. The photo was taken in a studio; they are dressed up in Arabic/Bedouin costumes especially for the occasion. Aram is Beatrice Arslanian’s (born Kyurdjian) maternal uncle.

3) From left to right; Nouri (Beatrice’s cousin), the identity of the person sitting in the chair is unknown, Levon (another cousin of Beatrice’s).

4) Armenag Kyurdjian, Beatrice’s paternal uncle and Haroutyoun Kyurdjian’s brother; father’s name, Zadig.

Post-Ottoman photos

So far, we do not have much information as to what befell this dynasty during the 1915 Armenian Genocide. We know that one of Beatrice Arslanian’s sisters; Mary and her two daughters were killed in Der Zor. Some family members survive and continue their lives outside of their native Ayntab. The photographs in this section are from the post-Ayntab period. Beatrice and Armenag’s branch of the Arslanian family live in Aleppo for some time and then the family moves to Lebanon. These pictures are presumably taken in Lebanon and Syria. Some of them are taken during picnics, likely organized by Armenian organizations at some natural attraction sites in Lebanon or Syria. We can see banners that feature the Armenian Revolutionary Federation coat of arms in some photos. We leave these pictures without captions for now but hope to have more information about them in the near future.