Henrietta Mkhitaryan. “Veterans are so much in need of attention”

Head of the Department of Women’s Council of Great Patriotic War veterans in Vanadzor Henrietta Mkhitaryan appeared in the Leningrad blockade with her parents when she was 2-3 years old.

“My father was born in 1937 and came to Leningrad to study at the Institute of Oriental Languages ​​Department. Together with his friends he also was a pupil at Leningrad gallery director Iosif Orbeli. In 1938, my father met my choreographer mother and marry her”says Henrietta.

The young family trusts the honor of naming the child to the gallery director who chooses a girl name Henrietta. “It was Karl Marx’s mother’s name. Orbeli as a historian, choose historical name for me” jokes our interlocutor.

Later, in 1941 is born brother, Grisha. Domestic tranquility was disrupted after the war. Thousands of families face the blockade of the Congregation of the problem. Her father every day used to walk around the nearby woods to collect everything that can be eaten. Despite all his efforts, the parents are not able to save his brother. 4 months old, he died of starvation.

One day, when another bomb exploded Mekhitarists room, her father decided to send  his wife and daughter to Armenia to save them. “Until now, it seems to me that I heard the bomb blast, the sound is in my ears all my life,” says H. Mkhitaryan.

Veteran women often turn to Henriette for medication acquisition, social support, free use of community transport and  thousand other issues. She listens to everyone, but not always is able to help. She says attention towards veterans has decreased but so many veterans in need of attention.

Full text in Armenian