Turkish-Armenian Intermarriages in Bulgaria Svetlina Denova, Ph.D ...
Turkish-Armenian Intermarriages in Bulgaria Svetlina Denova, Ph.D ... Turkish-Armenian Intermarriages in Bulgaria Svetlina Denova, Ph.D ...
Turkish and Armenian Communities in the CityPlovdiv has been a traditionally multiethnic and multi-religious city. For centuriesGreeks, Jews, Armenians and Gypsies have been some of its ever-present minorities.According to some authors (Генчев 1981; Колева 1965; Пеев 1941; Шишков 1926; Гяуров1899) Armenians had lived in the city long before coming of the Turks. Plovdiv was capturedby Lala Shahin Pasha in 1363/1364. In XVI century there appeared radical changes in thedemography of the city. From Bulgarian (with dominant Christian population) it turned into aTurkish city (with dominant Muslim population). Evliya Chelebi (1651-1654) found the citywith 23 Muslim neighbourhoods (mahalle) and 7 others. More precise data about Turkish andArmenian population in Plovdiv can be obtained from the official censuses after 1878.Year of the censusTotal population ofTurksArmeniansPlovdiv1882 - 4 146 8871883 24 053 5 558 8061884 33 442 7 144 1 0611888 33 032 5 615 9031892 36 033 6 381 1 0241900 43 033 4 706 1 9421905 45 707 4 852 2 0971910 47 981 2 946 1 8471920 63 115 5 605 2 4561926 84 655 4 748 6 0881934 99 883 6 102 6 200
1939 101 984 6 462 6 5911946 126 563 7 466 5 5581956 161 836 6 305 5 6431965 229 043 4 380 5 5061975 299 638 No ethnic affiliation No ethnic affiliation1985 342 050 No ethnic affiliation No ethnic affiliation1992 341 058 17 041 3 9032001 338 224 22 501 3 083Turkish-Armenian Relations in the Past and Present“History has been history of the past. It does not mean that if there was hate betweenpeople in the past, we should still live in this” – said and old Armenian woman when I askedher about the relations between Turks and Armenians in general.The case of intermarriage is a way this heavy past to be overcome. “The most horriblething in my family was when one of my husband’s cousins married a Turkish in the 50’s. Herfather was a colonel during the Bulgarian war against Turkey and just several decades latershe married her teacher in history, who was Turkish. Then my family said – the informercontinues – ‘We had seen many things, but never had a Turkish in our kin’. This marriagewas very painful for them. But I remember that this man was handsome and very charmingand for a couple of years the problem had been solved and for everyone he became thefavorite son-in-law.A Turkish informer tells another story: “When I was in the high-school I had agirlfriend who was an Armenian. She always wanted to speak with me. You know,Armenians usually speak Turkish. And I don’t know, there was not any difference betweenus, and I can even say that there was some attraction between Turks and Armenians”. An
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<strong>Turkish</strong> and <strong>Armenian</strong> Communities <strong>in</strong> the CityPlovdiv has been a traditionally multiethnic and multi-religious city. For centuriesGreeks, Jews, <strong>Armenian</strong>s and Gypsies have been some of its ever-present m<strong>in</strong>orities.Accord<strong>in</strong>g to some authors (Генчев 1981; Колева 1965; Пеев 1941; Шишков 1926; Гяуров1899) <strong>Armenian</strong>s had lived <strong>in</strong> the city long before com<strong>in</strong>g of the Turks. Plovdiv was capturedby Lala Shah<strong>in</strong> Pasha <strong>in</strong> 1363/1364. In XVI century there appeared radical changes <strong>in</strong> thedemography of the city. From <strong>Bulgaria</strong>n (with dom<strong>in</strong>ant Christian population) it turned <strong>in</strong>to a<strong>Turkish</strong> city (with dom<strong>in</strong>ant Muslim population). Evliya Chelebi (1651-1654) found the citywith 23 Muslim neighbourhoods (mahalle) and 7 others. More precise data about <strong>Turkish</strong> and<strong>Armenian</strong> population <strong>in</strong> Plovdiv can be obta<strong>in</strong>ed from the official censuses after 1878.Year of the censusTotal population ofTurks<strong>Armenian</strong>sPlovdiv1882 - 4 146 8871883 24 053 5 558 8061884 33 442 7 144 1 0611888 33 032 5 615 9031892 36 033 6 381 1 0241900 43 033 4 706 1 9421905 45 707 4 852 2 0971910 47 981 2 946 1 8471920 63 115 5 605 2 4561926 84 655 4 748 6 0881934 99 883 6 102 6 200
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