Գուրգեն Մահարու «Հայկական բրիգադ»-ը ազգային ինքնության համատեքստում

Abstract

The article discusses Gurgen Mahari’s novel “The Armenian Brigade” in the context of national identity by analyzing the Armenian initiative for forming national brigades in Siberian camps, and identity-related reasons for the failure of an Armenian brigade formation; self- and peer-evaluation of Armenian prisoners’ behavior is also discussed. According to the author, an Armenian brigade was not formed since it was incompatible with the Armenian mentality, lifestyle and cultural mode; namely, with the individual mechanisms of survival adopted by the Armenian prisoners in camp conditions. “Armenian dream”, the notion of Armenian unity should not be an end in itself, but it should be based on recognition of peculiarities of Armenian mentality and lifestyle, realities, individual and national interests and visions.