The prominent novelist Aksel Bakunts (1899–1937) was criticized as a “nationalist” at party meetings and in the literary press as early as 1933. At the height of his creative powers, in addition to being accused of nationalism, terrorism was also attributed to him. The writer was arrested on August 9, 1936. Aksel Bakunts was imprisoned for 11 months. During that time, he was subjected to a severe moral and physical torture. On July 8, 1936, his sentence to the highest punishment, execution by shooting, was carried out in Yerevan.

KeywordsAksel Bakunts political persecution arrest detention interrogation sentence execution by shooting.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of the famous Russian scientist-literary scholar, poet, translator, Armenologist, Yuri Aleksey Veselovsky – the first thorough researcher and propagandist of the history, literature and art of the Armenian people in Russia since the late 80s of the 19th century. His studies are a valuable contribution to the development of Armenology in Russia. The son of a professor at Moscow University, a talented researcher of world literature, the author of numerous articles and studies, Alexey Nikolaevich and translator Alexandra Adolfovna Veselovsky, and the nephew of Academician Alexander Nikolaevich Veselovsky – Yu. Veselovsky was born on July 6, 1872 in Moscow.

Keywords Yu. Veselovsky Moscow Lazarian Seminary Armenian reality M. Berberyan Mkhitarist Congregation of Venice and Vienna Nor-Nakhijevan history of Armenia Armenian-Russian literrary ties theatre and playwrights S. Shahaziz A. Tsaturyan translations anniversary celebration lecture Baku “Armenian Bulletin”.

A young man from Artsakh, Sargis Mehrabian, also known as Khanasori Vardan (Vardan of Khanasor) or simply Vardan, devoted himself to the Armenian Liberation Movement as early as 1890. Having received the baptism of fire in the campaign headed by Sargis Kukunian, he joined the Armenian Haiduk Movement. From 1894 to 1896, he took part in the self-defense of Van-Vaspurakan and carried out work on organizing resistance groups in Armenian settlements. The Khanasor expedition of 1897 can be considered the apogee of Vardan’s Haiduk activity against the Kurdish Mazrykan tribe. Having returned to the Caucasus ‒ Baku, he started writing his memoirs, which cover the events through 1894 to 1896.

KeywordsSargis Mehrabian Shushi Van Sevkaretsi Sako Khanasor Simon Zavarian Cilicia Rostom Armenian-Tatar clashes First World War volunteer movement genocide Aram Manukian Baku Yerevan.