In 1916, the famous Russian poet Sergey Gorodetsky was on the Caucasian front of the First World War. That period was of great importance for the writer, especially regarding his pro-Armenian position.

Already after the October Revolution, he published his collection of poems “The Angel of Armenia”. It is in that book that he talks about the Armenian Genocide. In 1919, Gorodetsky’s article “Karabakh” was published in “Кавказское слово” periodical.

In the article, Gorodetsky mentions the main thesis that Artsakh is one of the main pillars of the historical existence, national identity and cultural continuity of the Armenian people. He emphasizes that Artsakh is the eastern wing of Armenia and the main guarantor of security, not only geographically, but also in a military-political sense, without which it is impossible to protect Armenia. At the same time, the article defends the point of view that the loss of Artsakh will mean not only a territorial loss, but also a violation of the idea of ​​self-determination of nations, while its preservation can become the main point of the cultural and national revival of Armenia.

About 100 years ago, Gorodetsky points to points that, decades later, now show that the points he pointed to were true. Below we present Sergey Gorodetsky’s article “Karabakh” in its entirety.

Sergey Gorodetsky, “Karabakh”, 1919.

“Every country, every nation has its traditional fortress. When the history of the people has a successful course, it becomes the center of cultural and political life. And when fate persecutes a nation, it becomes a pillar of national life, an island of hopes, a guarantee of rebirth. For the Armenian people, the last mentioned role was played and played by the mountainous region of Karabakh. Nature itself has given it immense importance.

There, in the impregnable heights of Karabakh, which are the continuation of the Kars and Sevan plateaus, the Armenian people endured the attacks of nomadic tribes for more than two thousand years, preserving their culture, preserving their national face. Being united ethnographically, economically and linguistically, Karabakh has become the citadel of Armenia, its eastern wing. That’s how he was in the past, that’s how he is now, and that’s how he will be forever, because without being the owner of Karabakh, it is impossible to protect the heart of Armenia, the Ararat valley.

Many times in the course of history, the waves of attack hit and shattered the fortress of Karabakh, penetrating only the river valleys, but they did not stay there for long. The rulers of Syunik (that’s how Karabakh was called) in ancient times drove the enemy from the local lands many times by their own forces. History repeats itself, and last time it happened in front of our eyes. Nature and history in Karabakh were created in a vividly expressed type.

It is easy to recognize Karabakh people scattered all over the world. A wide momentum of activity, selfless courage, willingness to risk life, self-confidence, original persistence, patriarchal lifestyle – these are the endearing characteristics of the Karabakh people, which seem to be the concentration of the old Armenian virtues, virtues that have faded from the brutalities of history and have been preserved in Karabakh in a pure form.

A tall, sturdy people, ascending the mountains to save their lives, were strengthened by the influence of the mountain air, and kept free from the infections which befall the inhabitants of the valleys. The national memory of Armenia must preserve the memory of many famous people from Karabakh. There is no field in which they have not demonstrated their entrepreneurship and talent.

Politics, literature, social activities, trade – all these served as a field of work for them… By giving many notable figures, Karabakh created or, more precisely, preserved in its pure form the type of the ancient Armenian woman, in whose psychology and lifestyle much has been preserved from the patriarchy.

Karabakh forged by its culture and lifestyle has not cast a shadow on its ancient glory in our days. As in Tamerlan’s time, gathering their troops, the Meliks defended the independence of Karabakh.

The Shushi incident did not change the overall picture of Nur Pasha’s defeat, and the line of defense remained essentially intact, as during the previous attacks. Such is the significance of Karabakh for Armenia. If Armenia loses Karabakh, then the idea of ​​self-determination of nations should be severely crushed.

And on the contrary, Armenia, being the owner of Karabakh, will receive a strong flow of cultural power, which, flooding the destroyed spaces of Armenia, will impregnate them with culture and thereby complete the centuries-old history of Karabakh. Each nation is now looking for its own. The whole future of the reborn nations depends on whether they will find in themselves a sufficient, so to speak, level of national culture.

In such conditions, all centers where cultural life has been concentrated for one reason or another acquire exceptional importance. Such is the significance of Karabakh for Armenia.

It is true that history has drawn Armenia to the south, to the warm sea, and perhaps from there forces will pour in that will make Karabakh the northern edge of the new Armenia, but even then it does not lose its importance as an untouched and centuries-old cultural fund.” (“Reborn Armenia”, 1989, N1).

Z. I hesitated

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