Hmayak Siras

Hmayak Siras (born Hmayak Sahaki Voskanian ; 15 February 1902 – 14 August 1983) was an Armenian writer, editor, and translator. He is regarded as a significant figure in the development of twentieth-century Armenian literature. He was a member of the USSR Writers' Union and served twice as the executive secretary of the Writers Union of Armenia.

Early life and career Hmayak Siras was born Hmayak Sahaki Voskanian on 15 February 1902 in Karakilisa, a small town in Alashkert municipality in the historical region of Western Armenia (now part of Turkey). His parents were Sahak and Mariza Voskanian. He was the first of five children. His parents encouraged his love of literature, art, and music. He studied at a local school until the age of fourteen, when the Armenian genocide forced his family to flee to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. He graduated from the MSU Faculty of Journalism at Moscow State University in 1932. By this time, he had adopted the pen name Hmayak Siras, which he took from the Henryk Sienkiewicz novel Kamo Ridge. He served until the end of World War II.

Death and legacy Hmayak Siras died on 14 August 1983 in Yerevan. He is buried at the cemetery in Nubarashen District. Commemorative stamps bearing his portrait were released for his 100th and 110th birthdays. The Armenian government installed a memorial plaque on the building of the house in which he lived his final years.

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