168: Artsakh’s great contribution to the Patriotic War: archival facts and statistics

During the Great Patriotic War, Artsakh, being part of the Soviet Union as an autonomous region, actively participated in the war. The population of Artsakh was conscripted to the front, participating in various battles. Economic and human resources were concentrated for war needs. All that contributed to the victory. The people of Artsakh also provided significant material support to the front by supplying food, clothing and other necessary resources. There are statistical figures and archival documents about the years of the war, which document the great contribution Artsakh made.

In 1985, another issue of the journal “Banber Armenian Archives” was published, in which the contribution of Artsakh during the war years was presented. The newspaper article mentions in detail the regions, cities, villages of Artsakh and how many people went to the front from each village.

“During the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), 45,056 people were conscripted and sent to the front from the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region, of which 1,850 were women and girls. Hadrut region, which before the war, in 1941 as of January 1, it had 27,139 inhabitants, 8,267 people went to the front. 1080 Mets patriots from Chartar village, 450 from Ghzgala, of which 8 are girls, 485 from Tumi, 555 from Mets Taghlar, 485 from Martakert township, 475 from Taghavard, 400 from Norshen, 803 from Hadrut regional center, 860 from Togh, Avetaranot (from Chanaghchi): 298, from Talish: 544, from Shosh village: 700 (of which 8 are from one family), from Mokhratagh: 337, from Haghort – 397, from Dahrav – 350, from Khndhristan – 403, from Vank – 318, from Tsor – 260, from Hin Taghlar – 202 (of which 8: girl), from Aparadzor: 415, from Karin: 200, from Shkhtorashen: 270, from Ashan: 240, from Mushkapat – 267, from Arakyul – 204, from Banazur – 470, from Azok: 224, from Sos village: 360, from Sargsashen – 216, from Kert: 228, From Ghavakhan – 256, from Kaghartsi village – 268, from Khanabad – 250, from Nakhijevanik – 244, from Badara – 400, from Noragigh – 210, from Dashbulagh – 350, from Sznek village – 340, from Kusapat – 250, from Maghavuz – 284, from Gyulatagh – 140, 4103 from Tsakuri, 200 from Dolanlar, 162 from Khtsaberd, 258 from Tsamdzor, 250 from Kolkhozashen, 120 from Hatsi village, 130 from Taghot, 145 from Jrakus, 142 from Mylkudara, 159 from Chapar, 154 from Kherkhan village, 170 from Shekher, 172 from Harav village, 162 from Krasn, 203 from Gshlagh, 152 from Prjamal village, 201 from Karmir village, 213 from Mets Shen, 138 from Haterk, 136 from Khanatsakh, 62 from Hilis, 450 from Nerkin Horatagh (of which 7 are one from the family), from Drombon – 153 (of which 9 from one family) etc. (“Articles of the Archives of Armenia”, 1985, N 1).

Along with these statistical data, it is also presented what feats the people of Artsakh who went to war did individually and what awards they received from the Soviet Union.

“More than 15,000 people from Karabakh were awarded with orders and medals, 21 people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, 6 became knights of three degrees of glory, 23 became generals. Among them, Armenak Khanperyants (Sergey Khudyakov) is a marshal of aviation, and Hovhannes Isakov, the son of railway technician Stepan Yegori Isahakyan, born from Nagorno-Karabakh, is an admiral of the Soviet Union. Karabakh (Nakhijevanik village) also has a vice-admiral. We are talking about Vice-Admiral Hovhannes Pirumyan, descended from the lineage of famous Pirumian generals. Lieutenant Colonel Nelson Stepanyan, born in Shushetsi, was awarded the title of Double Hero of the Soviet Union. He took part in the battles of Sevastopol, Odessa, Novorossiysk, Leningrad and the Baltic region”. (Ibid.).

From the statistical data presented at the very beginning of the article, it became clear that about 2,000 women and girls from Artsakh left and participated in the war. Their exploits were also covered by the Soviet press of the time.

“Elena Martirosyan went to the front with many people from Chldran village of Martakert region. He took part in the liberation of many cities and settlements in the North Caucasus, then Crimea, Ukraine and was awarded the combat awards of his homeland. His age is Shushik Stepanyan (Taghavard), who was one of the heroic defenders of Odessa, Sevastopol and the head of the medical battalion. In one of the unequal battles, he is captured along with many others and sent to the German city of Nairobi. Along with unbearably hard work, Shushik simultaneously performs conspiratorial work.” (Ibid.).

The presented facts and statistical data prove that Artsakh made an important contribution to the great victory during the Great Patriotic War. The feats and self-sacrifice of thousands of Artsakh citizens who participated in the war became one of the important factors of the overall victory. The active involvement of women is also noteworthy, which indicates the popular genetic struggle. All this confirms that Artsakh’s contribution to the war was a significant and historically important fact.

Z. Sh:i was late

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