By Dora Sakayan

Dr. Hatcherian's journal is a chronicle of the Smyrna catastrophe in 1922. It is written in the general form of a diary, chronicling the most significant events in Smyrna in September 1922. The narrator's thoughts and concerns during these events are recorded on a day-by-day basis. The manuscript is comprised of 52 tightly written pages, covering the period between August 28, 1922 and April 7, 1923. The journal can be broken down into three distinct structural segments: Introduction, Story, and Epilogue. The Introduction reports on the twelve ominous days between August 28 and September 8, preceding the 1922 Smyrna catastrophe. The events are presented in their gradual development, preparing the reader for the central episodes in the journal. The Story, which describes the Hatcherian family's last two weeks in Smyrna, encompasses the time from September 9 to September 24. This section is a detailed account of what Dr. Hatcherian and his family of eight endured in those fifteen horrifying days. The Epilogue depicts the seven months (September 25, 1922 to April 7, 1923) that the refugee Hatcherian family spent on the Greek island of Mitilini. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR OF THE JOURNAL:

Dr. Garabed Hatcherian was born in 1876 in Bardizag (Turkish: Bakhchedjik), situated in the province of Izmit in Turkey. In 1901, he graduated from the Constantinople School of Medicine. In 1907, he married Elisa Costanian (born in Akhisar, near Smyrna). They had five children.

In 1914, along with 1,500 young men from Bardizag, Dr. Hatcherian was conscripted into the Turkish army and served there as a medical officer for the duration of World War I. While he was in the army, in 1915, the Armenian part of Bardizag was ravaged and destroyed, and the Armenian population was massacred, deported or forced to flee.

In 1918, Dr. Hatcherian settled down with his family in Smyrna, where he soon achieved social prominence. In 1922, during the Smyrna catastrophe, his career came to an abrupt end. Within a matter of days, Dr. Hatcherian lost his livelihood and his home and was arrested by the Turks for the crime of being Armenian. After suffering greatly himself and witnessing the agony of his fellow Christians, both Armenians and Greeks, he was released from prison. On September 24, 1922, the Hatcherian family escaped to Mitilini, leaving behind in Akhisar, ten members of the extended family on both sides, including the mothers and brothers with their families. All ten family members, were massacred. In the Spring of 1923, Dr. Hatcherian moved to Salonika, Greece, where he was appointed the chief physician of the local chapter of the Armenian General Benevolent Union's (AGBU) pediatric clinic. In 1950, Dr. Hatcherian and his family moved from Greece to Argentina, where he passed away in 1952.

Besides being a respected physician, Dr. Hatcherian was a prominent Armenian public figure in the Armenian community wherever he lived. He was also coeditor of the Armenian medical journal 'Pzhishg' [The Physician], and he authored many articles in local Armenian newspapers.

Dr. Garabed Hatcherian was an idealist who espoused no political party, but strongly believed in the benevolent goals of the AGBU and was one of its most ardent supporters. Love for his people, and his vision of a better future for them inspired him to serve their needs unfailingly, carrying out his professional and civic duties with great integrity and dedication.