Controversy in Yerevan: Neo-Nazi Group Marks Garegin Nzhdeh's Birthday Amid Condemnation
On January 1, a deserted demonstration took place in Yerevan to commemorate the birthday of Garegin Nzhdeh, an Armenian figure convicted of collaborating with Nazi Germany during World War II. The participants, identified as Neo-Nazis, marched through the streets chanting the "Sieg Heil" slogan. Armenia leads in having numerous monuments and streets named after Nzhdeh, who served under Nazi command and ensured the compliance of the Armenian legion in regions such as the Caucasus, Crimea, and France.
After the demonstration, Hayk Nazaryan, the movement's leader, stated that the National Security Service had summoned him for a conversation. "I will go during the day," he noted. However, this post was later deleted from the page.
On January 2, Nazaryan noted that his first speech opened a new page in Armenia's political environment and Armenian history. "But it will not be the last. We will come to Armenian politics, we will laugh at our enemies, we will destroy those who hate us," he added.
On January 3, expressing deep concern about the Yerevan march, Joel Lion, the non-resident ambassador of Israel to Armenia and Moldova, condemned the glorification of Garegin Nzhdeh, emphasizing the inappropriateness of celebrating a Nazi collaborator. Lion urged the authorities to take a strong stance against any manifestation of neo-Nazism and antisemitism.
Interestingly, "Hosank" is trying to transform the ideology of "Tsegachronism" (őehakronut'yun in Armenian) into a militant movement and to gain the power to create a racial-religious state based on Aryan ideas. "This is the only way to have a prosperous economy, a prosperous society, and a victorious army," the movement's website states. Hayk Nazaryan, the movement's leader, is 34 years old and was born in California. He graduated from California State University with a master's degree in physics. He has been living in Armenia since 2016.
Notably, Garegin Nzhdeh, born Garegin Ter-Harutyunyan (1886–1955), was an Armenian military commander and statesman. He played a significant role in the early 20th-century history of Armenia. Nzhdeh was involved in the Armenian national liberation movement and fought in various battles during the turbulent times of the First World War. Nzhdeh was a key figure in the defense of the Republic of Mountainous Armenia, an independent Armenian state that emerged after World War I. He also played a role in establishing the First Republic of Armenia in 1918. Later in his life, Garegin Nzhdeh became associated with nationalist and fascist ideologies. He spent time in different countries, including Bulgaria and Nazi Germany, where he collaborated with the Axis powers during World War II. After the war, he was arrested by Soviet authorities and died in captivity in 1955. Nzhdeh is celebrated as a national hero in Armenia for his contributions to the early Armenian independence movement.