“This is everyday history…the catastrophic, everyday his-tory that is valuable and needs to be studied,” remarked newly appointed Kazan Visiting Professor, Dr. Talin Suciyan. She gave her first lecture, the first in a three-part series on Armenian family archives, on Friday, January 31, 2025.

Dr. Suciyan was born in Istanbul, and after obtaining her Ph.D. in Munich, Germany, began teaching for the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Mun-ich. Her research centers around the Armenian presence in the Ottoman Empire and in modern day Turkey.

Shortly following the CO-VID-19 pandemic, Dr. Suciyan and friend Paul Soukiasian discovered a trunk full of letters in his family’s home in Philadelphia. The contents contained several letters and postcards detailing the life of Sourpik Tekian and her family.

This discovery led Dr. Suciyan to explore Armenian family archives in three forms of correspondence: letters from survivors, postcards, and letters prior to 1915.

“Sourpik’s letters began in September 1922, two months after sending her daughters to America,” said Dr. Suciyan. “Her letters afford a direct look into daily life in a time when the surviving Armenian community was facing an institutional and social crisis, leading to a massive wave of Armenian immigration by the end of 1922.”

Sourpik and her family lived as kaghtagans, a term describing those in perpetual exile or constant separation from their homeland.

The letters reveal the difficult conditions faced by displaced Armenians, who often endured harsh and unjust circumstances. Sourpik writes about her leaky roof, with no hope of repair from her landlord – a sentiment that Dr. Suciyan interprets as a powerful metaphor: “Living in a house that cannot be repaired is symbolic of the situation of Armenians in Turkey.”

The letters provide deeper insight into Sourpik’s life and thought processes. They reveal her work as a seamstress for a wealthy family, her fears regarding her sons’ enlistment, and her personal struggles with leaving her home in Istanbul. Additionally, they shed light on the cultural, social, and financial status of Armenians living in Istanbul at the time.

Dr. Suciyan noted discrepancies in the historical records regarding exact dates, but her research places Sourpik’s birth between 1871 and 1875. The letters also discuss her experiences immigrating to America, offering a glimpse into the challenges and hopes that accompanied her journey. “These letters provide insight into the daily life of a survivor and are interestingly, familiar to my own routine [in Istanbul], even though they are years apart,” remarked Dr. Suciyan.

Although the correspondence reflects broader historical events, it also highlights the perseverance and resilience of Istanbul’s Armenian community. More importantly, they showcase Sourpik’s strength, like that of many women before and after the Genocide, who sacrificed their own desires and needs for the well-being of their families.

“These stories tell us much more about human suffering and aspirations,” remarked Dr. David Zakarian following the presentation.