From Genocide to a New Life in France

On July 21, 1934, an extraordinary double wedding took place in Aulnay-sous-Bois, France. Armenian brother and sister, writers Gegham (Sema) and Mari Atmajian, married French siblings Jeanne Charlotte and Étienne Charles Chevalier. Celebrated with Armenian and French songs, dances, and toasts, the occasion symbolized the beginning of a new life for a family that had survived the genocide committed against Armenians.

The Atmajian family was originally from Bafra. During the genocide committed against Armenians of 1915, they lost most of their family members. The father, Mihran Atmajian, was killed, while the mother, Parandzem Atmajian, together with her two children, Gegham and Mari, endured exile, famine, and a long journey of displacement, first reaching Constantinople and later Aleppo.

From a young age, Gegham Atmajian was known for his rebellious character. In 1926, he organized a workers’ strike in Aleppo in defense of their rights, which forced him to secretly leave for France. His mother and sister later joined him there.

In France, Gegham and Mari became actively engaged in literary work, writing and publishing in the Armenian-French press. They devoted their lives and work to preserving Armenian national identity, believing that it was possible to serve Armenian culture and historical memory even while living far from their homeland.

To be continued.