“If it were no war”

Angelina Srapyan traced to memories of the Great Patriotic War concluded, in her book “If there were no war”. In 1943 the 10-year-old girl who lives in the Russian village  Pobeda with her mother and brothers were taken as a prisoner, spent nearly two years in a German village.

Bygone days are still vivid in her memories. “When the Germans began to retreat, people were deported, they took with them. Our journey was very long, brutal, full of torments. It took several months before we arrived in Germany.

Captured by the Germans families were divided in Germany. Angelina’s family shares. Mother was captured by one, elder brother by another, she and her younger brother would end up in a German family.

“I was taking care of the children of the householder, was doing household work, cleaning shoes, I was working in the field,” recalls Mr. Srapyan,- “they were not treated bad, I cannot complain. We were eating with them around their table, but in any case we were captured, we were living with fear in our hearts”.

Last two years shudder with fear were followed by the joy of victory. Together with Tamanyan division a family came back to Vanadzor with the same train. After completing  secondary education Angelina enetered the Agricultural Technical Beekeeping  department. Along with the studies love visits her.

1984 Srapyan’s  dream came true.  Her book  “If there were no war”  was published. “That is my whole story of the war from beginning to the end. I managed to publish it with great difficulty.

A few years ago, she was able to bring to life her second dream. To put a stone cross in her yard is in memory of the victims of Genocide. “Savings bank deposits were 180,000 AMD. I decided that I should spend that money on  a stone cross. Without telling anyone I ordered  the stone”.

1. Srapyan considers herself a happy person. “My children are my happiness, my son and two daughters. When the book was printed, it was the happiest day of my life. Do you believe, really, really. The biggest dream was to set cross stone. During the Genocide my grandparents disappeared. I wanted to leave something for their memory and for all the victims so that their souls be quiet”, – said the interlocutor.

Today she is not  dreaming. She Says: “I do not want to dream now. I have done what I’ve wanted”.

Full text in Armenian