Tatul Krpeyan
Encyclopedia
Tatul Krpeyan was the commander of self-defance in Getashen-Martunashen
district in Khanlar region of Karabakh
during the Nagorno-Karabakh war
, from September 1990 until May 1991.
Tatul was born on 21 April 1965 in the village of Areg near the town of Talin
, Armenia
. He completed his elementary and intermediary education in the Technical School of Talin, where he graduated magna cum laude. After serving in the Soviet army, in 1987 he entered the Faculty of History of Yerevan State University
. In his first year at the university, Tatul joined the Armenian-liberation movement. He was also a member of the "Meiatsoom" (Unification) organization, whose efforts were directed to unite Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia.
In September 1990, he travelled to Nagorno-Karabakh
, where the situation continued to deteriorate. Joining the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
, Tatul has founded the "Dashnaktsakanner" unit of volunteers in Karabakh.
Tatul headed the self-defense of the sub-district Getashen-Martunashen from September 1990 until May 1991 against Azerbaijani armed forces units and police detachments (OMON). Krpeyan was killed on 30 April 1991 in Getashen during the Operation Ring
. He received the highest title in Armenia
, the National Hero of Armenia
award in 1996.Tatul is buried in AReg, which afterwards has been renamed after the hero – Tatul. A tuffaceous monument has been erected in memory of Tatul. The sculptor of the monument is Tariel Hakobian.
The Moscow-based human rights group Memorial has reconstructed what happened. On 30 April 1991, 4th Army soldiers and then the Azerbaijan
i OMON entered Getashen near Shahumian, where Tatul Krpeyan was killed and his people took several soldiers hostage. The OMON raided and looted houses and attacked many of the inhabitants. The dozen or so killed were in their eighties and nineties.
Thus Tatul died - a man with an unusually big heart and courage.
Martunashen
Martunashen is a village in the Goygol Rayon of Azerbaijan....
district in Khanlar region of Karabakh
Karabakh
The Karabakh horse , also known as Karabakh, is a mountain-steppe racing and riding horse. It is named after the geographic region where the horse was originally developed, Karabakh in the Southern Caucasus, an area that is de jure part of Azerbaijan but the highland part of which is currently...
during the Nagorno-Karabakh war
Nagorno-Karabakh War
The Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
, from September 1990 until May 1991.
Tatul was born on 21 April 1965 in the village of Areg near the town of Talin
Talin
Talin is a town in the Aragatsotn province of Armenia. It has a population of 5,371. The seventh century Talin Cathedral is located in the town.- History :...
, Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. He completed his elementary and intermediary education in the Technical School of Talin, where he graduated magna cum laude. After serving in the Soviet army, in 1987 he entered the Faculty of History of Yerevan State University
Yerevan State University
Yerevan State University is a university in Yerevan, Armenia. Founded on May 16 1919, it is the largest university in the country with 110 departments. Of its 3,150 employees, 1,190 comprise the teaching staff which includes 25 academicians, 130 professors, 700 docents , and 360 assistant lecturers...
. In his first year at the university, Tatul joined the Armenian-liberation movement. He was also a member of the "Meiatsoom" (Unification) organization, whose efforts were directed to unite Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia.
In September 1990, he travelled to Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, lying between Lower Karabakh and Zangezur and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains...
, where the situation continued to deteriorate. Joining the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
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...
, Tatul has founded the "Dashnaktsakanner" unit of volunteers in Karabakh.
Tatul headed the self-defense of the sub-district Getashen-Martunashen from September 1990 until May 1991 against Azerbaijani armed forces units and police detachments (OMON). Krpeyan was killed on 30 April 1991 in Getashen during the Operation Ring
Operation Ring
Operation Ring was the code name given to the May 1991 military operation conducted by Soviet Internal Security Forces and OMON units in the region of Shahumyan, north of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of the Azerbaijan SSR...
. He received the highest title in Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, the National Hero of Armenia
National Hero of Armenia
National Hero of Armenia is the highest title in the Republic of Armenia. The law on the title has been in effect since April 22, 1994. The highest title is awarded for outstanding services of national importance to the Republic of Armenia in defense and strengthening of the state system and...
award in 1996.Tatul is buried in AReg, which afterwards has been renamed after the hero – Tatul. A tuffaceous monument has been erected in memory of Tatul. The sculptor of the monument is Tariel Hakobian.
Operation Ring
In the spring of 1991 the main battleground of partisan war was the wooded hills to the north of Nagorno-Karabakh where fighters from Armenia infiltrated to Armenian inhabited villages. Tatul Krpeyan led his people to Getashen and Martunashen. On the 10 April 1991 the decision was made by the authorities to start operation against these villages.The Moscow-based human rights group Memorial has reconstructed what happened. On 30 April 1991, 4th Army soldiers and then the Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
i OMON entered Getashen near Shahumian, where Tatul Krpeyan was killed and his people took several soldiers hostage. The OMON raided and looted houses and attacked many of the inhabitants. The dozen or so killed were in their eighties and nineties.
Taking mashkov prisoner and the Death
From the memoirs of G. Gyurjyan: “Together with Grachev Tatul decided to move forward, holding Mashkov under the gun to make sure that the tanks were leaving the village. Despite the order not to follow them, his deputy, Arthur Karapetyan did follow him, so that, in case of emergency to protect the commander. Mashkov all the time passed the order not to shoot and not to move forward. On their way, they met with tanks and OMON. And here Mashkov managed to lean aside, leaving Tatul defenseless: Tatul was shot at once. Hrach and Arthur, who tried to save Krpeyan, were also killed...Thus Tatul died - a man with an unusually big heart and courage.
THE REALIZED DEATH IS IMMORTALITY
Tatul was wont to say that Getashen would be captured only over his dead body. While in Yerevan for the last time speaking to friends Tatul said. “I know well exactly that I’ll never come to Yerevan again, I’ll be brought."Tatul’s image in the art
Some precious pieces of the modern ARmenian art are dedicated to Tatul Krpeyan. Rafayel Sahakian in 2004 published a halffictional-halfdocumentary book, entitled “Artsvapasht Yerkir” (verbatim Eagle-idolizing land). “Karotic Khelare” (Mad of melancholy) film was shot in memory of the hero. Some two songs – “Leran Lanjin” (Piedmont) and “Mayramut Ijav” (At Sunset)are sung for Tatul.See also
External links
- Tatul Krpeyan - Armenians.com
- TATUL's vita in Italian
- TATUL's vita in French
- Tatul's vita in Spanish
- Tatul's vita in Russian
- Tatul's vita in Russian,English
- "Mad of melancholy" part 1, part 2, part 3 and full
- Report on TATUL
- Family press-conference on TATUL's 45th anniversary
- TV report on TATUL's 45th anniversary
- "At Sunset" in YouTube
- "At Sunset" by Sahak Sahakian
- "Piedmont" in YouTube
- "At Sunset" in YouTube
- "At Sunset" (mp3)
- "At Sunset" (mp3)