The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem Archives on the Armenian Question and the Genocide: Annotated Detailed Summary of Documents, Vol. I, prepared by Lusine Sahakyan, Ani Voskanyan and Ani Sahakyan, is a newly released book by Lusakn Publishers, Yerevan, with the endorsement of Yerevan State University, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and the Armenian Studies Program at the California State University, Northridge (CSUN).  

In the book, for the first time a detailed list is provided of the 634 documents (written in Armenian, Ottoman, French, English, German, Russian), contained in Box 1 of the “Archives of the Armenian Question and Armenian Genocide,” with their extensive description and respective annotations. The “Archives” was founded by the Information Bureau affiliated with the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, and later, in 1938, moved to the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. These documents are of exceptional value for investigating such issues as the Armenian Question and the Armenian Genocide (1912-1922).

The documents present: a) numerous reports and letters of Armenian and other political figures and diplomats; b) information on the Armenian population size before and after the Genocide; c) statistics on the material damage sustained by the Armenians; d) lists of orphans, Islamized and kidnapped Armenians; e) messages from prelacies addressed to the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople; f) eyewitness testimonies; g) Ottoman rulers’ decrees to eradicate Armenians; h) lists of Young Turk criminals.

Also kept in this collection are the shorthand transcripts of meetings that the Armenian General Assembly of Constantinople and political figures had with foreign diplomats, as well of meetings dealing with the Armenian Question at international forums.  

The tome is intended for historians, genocide experts, orientalists, diplomats, students, and other interested readers. It may also serve as a resource for possible initiatives by Armenian and international political and public organizations to prevent new genocides.