Armenia / Turkey / USA: Arshavir Shirakian (1900-1973), Armenian patriot, assassin and national hero

Arshavir Shirakian (also Shiragian, Armenian: Արշավիր Շիրակեան; 1900 – April 12, 1973) was an Armenian writer who was noted for his assassination of Said Halim Pasha and Cemal Azmi as an act of vengeance for their accused roles in the Armenian Genocide. He is also noted for writing his memoirs Gdagn er Nahadagnerin (Կտակն էր Նահատակներուն) which provide an accurate description of his life during the Armenian Genocide and the Operation Nemesis.

Shirakian was given the task to assassinate Sait Halim Pasha while he was in exile in Rome, Italy. Shirakian took up residence in a house on 28 Via Cola di Rienzo in Rome. On December 5, 1921, Shirakian assassinated Sait Halim Pasha while he was in a taxi near his home on Via Eustacchio street.

Shirakian, along with Aram Yerganian, was later given the task to assassinate both Cemal Azmi and Behaeddin Shakir, who were in Berlin. On April 17, 1922, Shirakian and Yerganian encountered Azmi and Shakir walking with their families on the Uhlandstrasse. Shirakian managed to kill only Azmi and wound Shakir. Yerganian later ran after Shakir and managed to kill him with a shot to his head.

Shirakian died in 1973 at the age of 73 and is buried in the Hackensack Cemetery in New Jersey. He is recognized and honored as a national hero by Armenians.

Copyright:

Supplier: CPA Media Co. Ltd.

Credit:

Pictures From History

Theme:

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE