Sayfo 1915 : An Anthology of Essays on the Genocide of Assyrians/Arameans during the First World War

"This anthology offers readers a collection of essays written from a multi-disciplinary perspective about the genocide of Assyrians/Arameans during the First World War, which is also known as 'Sayfo' (sword). The issues concerning the historicity of the genocide of the First World War, commonly known and referred to as the Armenian genocide have been widely discussed by scholars across different academic disciplines for a long time. However, very few know of the genocide of the Assyrians/Arameans, which took place in the same geography and at the same time. Drawing on the expertise of scholars from a variety of backgrounds, this anthology specifically seeks to shed light on this genocide from a multidisciplinary perspective and serve as a step for developing the future scholarship about the Sayfo. The essays are selection of papers presented at the SAYFO 1915: An International Conference on the Genocide of Assyrians/Arameans during the First World War (Freie Universität Berlin, 24-28 June 2015)."--Page 4 of cover TABLE OF CONTENTS 5 PREFACE 7 CONTRIBUTORS 9 SAYFO 1915: THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF SYRIAC CHRISTIANITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST 17 I. THE SAYFO AND ARCHIVES 37 1. THE OTTOMAN GENOCIDE OF 1914–1918 AGAINST ARAMAIC-SPEAKING CHRISTIANS IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE 37 2. THE TARGETING OF ASSYRIANS DURING THE CHRISTIAN HOLOCAUST IN OTTOMAN TURKEY 57 3. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ASSYRIAN GENOCIDE AFTER A CENTURY 77 4. GERMAN PERCEPTIONS OF THE SAYFO: HOW MUCH DID GERMANY KNOW? 87 5. LETTERS ON THE SAYFO FROM ASSYRIAN EYEWITNESSES 105 II. LOCAL STUDIES 123 6. THE INCREASING VIOLENCE AND THE RESISTANCE OF ASSYRIANS IN URMIA AND HAKKARI (1900–1915) 123 7. ʿIWARDO: A STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE 151 8. “I WILL STAY WITH JESUS AND WILL NEVER BETRAY HIM!”: SAYFO IN MANSURIYE 163 9. A VICTIM OF THE SAYFO: ADDAÏ SCHER AND HIS CONTRIBUTION TO SCHOLARSHIP 179 10. THE METHODS OF KILLING USED IN THE ASSYRIAN GENOCIDE 193 11. ASSYRIAN GENOCIDE FROM A GENDER PERSPECTIVE 231 III. POST-SAYFO PERIOD 251 12. WRITING ASSYRIAN HISTORY: THE MILITARY, THE PATRIARCH AND THE BRITISH IN YAQU BAR MALEK ISMAEL’S ASSYRIANS IN TWO WORLD WARS (TEHRAN 1964) 251 13. ASSYRIAN CHRISTIANS IN IRAQ, THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS AND TRANSNATIONAL CHRISTIAN ADVOCACY (1920s–1940s) 269 14. THE MEMORY OF SAYFO AND ITS RELATION TO THE IDENTITY OF CONTEMPORARY ASSYRIAN/ARAMEAN CHRISTIANS IN SYRIA 321 15. FORGOTTEN WITNESSES: REMEMBERING AND INTERPRETING THE ‘SAYFO’ IN THE MANUSCRIPTS OF TUR ‘ABDIN 343 16. THE POEMS OF GHATTAS MAQDISI ELYAS AND THE REMEMBRANCE OF TURABDIN 363 17. BEFORE AND AFTER LINGUICIDE: A LINGUISTIC ASPECT OF THE SAYFO 381 APPENDIX: SYNOPSIS REPORT OF THE CONFERENCE 401 "This anthology offers readers a collection of essays written from a multi-disciplinary perspective about the genocide of Assyrians/Arameans during the First World War, which is also known as 'Sayfo' (sword). The issues concerning the historicity of the genocide of the First World War, commonly known and referred to as the Armenian genocide have been widely discussed by scholars across different academic disciplines for a long time. However, very few know of the genocide of the Assyrians/Arameans, which took place in the same geography and at the same time. Drawing on the expertise of scholars from a variety of backgrounds, this anthology specifically seeks to shed light on this genocide from a multidisciplinary perspective and serve as a step for developing the future scholarship about the Sayfo. The essays are selection of papers presented at the SAYFO 1915: An International Conference on the Genocide of Assyrians/Arameans during the First World War (Freie Universität Berlin, 24-28 June 2015)."--Page 4 of cover