Simon Vratsian
Encyclopedia
Simon Vratsian was an Armenia
n political figure and the last Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Armenia
.
After education at Armenia
n and Russia
n schools he joined the Dashnak party
. He received further education at the Gevorgian seminary from 1900 to 1906. Vratsian returned to Nor Nakhichevan as Dashnak party worker and took part in the 4th general congress of Dashnaktsutiun at Vienna in 1907; where he supported the adoption of socialism.
In 1908 he traveled to St. Petersburg to study law and education. He travelled to the United States
in 1911 where he edited the Hairenik
newspaper. In 1914 he made his way to the 8th general congress of Dashnaktsutiun in Ottoman Empire
. He was elected to the party's Bureau and mixed with the leaders of the Young Turks
. In August 1914 he was jailed as a Russia
n spy, but escaped to Transcaucasia, where he became involved with the Armenian volunteer units
who fought with the Russian army
. After the disbandment of the units he attended the Moscow state conference, the Armenian National Congress, and was elected a member of the National Council. Hovhannes Katchaznouni
asked him to accompany him on his tour of Europe
and America in 1919, but he was refused a visa by the British
as they saw him as a radical socialist. In the same year he was appointed to ministry of labour, agriculture and state positions in Aleksandr Khatisyan's Cabinet. His positions carried over to the government of Hamo Ohanjanyan
; he also assumed responsibilities for information and propaganda. After the resignation of the government and the failure of Hovhannes Katchaznouni to form a coalition, Vratsian accepted post of Prime Minister
on 24 November 1920. On 2 December he handed over Armenia
to the Bolshevik
s. He subsequently went into hiding, and later emerged as President of the Committee for the Salvation of the Fatherland. He also appealed to Europe
and Turkey
for assistance against the Bolshevik
s. Vratsian then travelled over Europe, settling in Paris to edit the Droshak from 1923 to 1925. In 1945 he presented a petition to the UN General Assembly at San Francisco demanding the restoration of Wilsonian Armenia
held by Turkey
to Armenia
.
In the Beirut-based "Nayiri" weekly, v. 12, nos. 1-6 were published Shahan's memoirs about Talaat's assassination. There, Shahan revealed his orders to Tehlirian: "You blow up the skull of the Number 1 nation-murderer and you don't try to flee. You stand there, your foot on the corpse and surrender to the police, who will come and handcuff you." Shahan Natalie's purpose was to turn Soghomon Tehlirian's trial into the political trial of those responsible for the Great Tragedy, which was realized in part. However, there were those in the ARF leadership, Simon Vratsian in particular, who had two chapters deleted from Tehlirian's memoirs - before their printing - which dealt with Shahan Natalie's key role in the assassination of Talaat
On 29 December 1926, the ARF Bureau, with four votes in favor and one against (Shahan) decided to join the Promethean Alliance, which declared the Turk as defender of the Caucasian people.
During his lifetime he edited various now defunct Armenian periodicals and newspapers, including Harach and Horizon.
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n political figure and the last Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Armenia
Prime Minister of Armenia
The Prime Minister of Armenia is the most senior minister within the Armenian government, and is required by the constitution to "oversee the Government's regular activities and coordinate the work of the Ministers." The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of Armenia, but can be removed by...
.
After education at Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n schools he joined the Dashnak party
Armenian Revolutionary Federation
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation is an Armenian political party founded in Tiflis in 1890 by Christapor Mikaelian, Stepan Zorian, and Simon Zavarian...
. He received further education at the Gevorgian seminary from 1900 to 1906. Vratsian returned to Nor Nakhichevan as Dashnak party worker and took part in the 4th general congress of Dashnaktsutiun at Vienna in 1907; where he supported the adoption of socialism.
In 1908 he traveled to St. Petersburg to study law and education. He travelled to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1911 where he edited the Hairenik
Hairenik
Hairenik is an Armenian language weekly newspaper published in Watertown, Massachusetts in the United States.The newspaper, serving the Armenian American community, was established as a weekly in on May 1, 1899, making it one of the longest-running Armenian publications...
newspaper. In 1914 he made his way to the 8th general congress of Dashnaktsutiun in Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. He was elected to the party's Bureau and mixed with the leaders of the Young Turks
Young Turks
The Young Turks , from French: Les Jeunes Turcs) were a coalition of various groups favouring reformation of the administration of the Ottoman Empire. The movement was against the absolute monarchy of the Ottoman Sultan and favoured a re-installation of the short-lived Kanûn-ı Esâsî constitution...
. In August 1914 he was jailed as a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n spy, but escaped to Transcaucasia, where he became involved with the Armenian volunteer units
Armenian volunteer units
Armenian volunteer units, also known the Armenian volunteer corps were Armenian battalions in Russian and British armies during the World War I. Majority of these units support the military activities at the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I. The origin of these units were varied. Some units...
who fought with the Russian army
Imperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...
. After the disbandment of the units he attended the Moscow state conference, the Armenian National Congress, and was elected a member of the National Council. Hovhannes Katchaznouni
Hovhannes Katchaznouni
Hovhannes Katchaznouni was the first Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Armenia from May 30, 1918 to May 28, 1919. He was a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.-Personal life:...
asked him to accompany him on his tour of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and America in 1919, but he was refused a visa by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as they saw him as a radical socialist. In the same year he was appointed to ministry of labour, agriculture and state positions in Aleksandr Khatisyan's Cabinet. His positions carried over to the government of Hamo Ohanjanyan
Hamo Ohanjanyan
Hamo Ohanjanyan was an Armenian politician of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. He served as the third Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Armenia from May 5 to November 25, 1920.-References:...
; he also assumed responsibilities for information and propaganda. After the resignation of the government and the failure of Hovhannes Katchaznouni to form a coalition, Vratsian accepted post of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Armenia
The Prime Minister of Armenia is the most senior minister within the Armenian government, and is required by the constitution to "oversee the Government's regular activities and coordinate the work of the Ministers." The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of Armenia, but can be removed by...
on 24 November 1920. On 2 December he handed over Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
to the Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
s. He subsequently went into hiding, and later emerged as President of the Committee for the Salvation of the Fatherland. He also appealed to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
for assistance against the Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
s. Vratsian then travelled over Europe, settling in Paris to edit the Droshak from 1923 to 1925. In 1945 he presented a petition to the UN General Assembly at San Francisco demanding the restoration of Wilsonian Armenia
Wilsonian Armenia
Wilsonian Armenia refers to the boundary configuration of the Armenian state in the Treaty of Sèvres, drawn by US President Woodrow Wilson State Department. The Treaty of Sèvres was a peace treaty that had been drafted and signed between the Western Allied Powers and the defeated government of the...
held by Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
to Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
.
In the Beirut-based "Nayiri" weekly, v. 12, nos. 1-6 were published Shahan's memoirs about Talaat's assassination. There, Shahan revealed his orders to Tehlirian: "You blow up the skull of the Number 1 nation-murderer and you don't try to flee. You stand there, your foot on the corpse and surrender to the police, who will come and handcuff you." Shahan Natalie's purpose was to turn Soghomon Tehlirian's trial into the political trial of those responsible for the Great Tragedy, which was realized in part. However, there were those in the ARF leadership, Simon Vratsian in particular, who had two chapters deleted from Tehlirian's memoirs - before their printing - which dealt with Shahan Natalie's key role in the assassination of Talaat
On 29 December 1926, the ARF Bureau, with four votes in favor and one against (Shahan) decided to join the Promethean Alliance, which declared the Turk as defender of the Caucasian people.
During his lifetime he edited various now defunct Armenian periodicals and newspapers, including Harach and Horizon.