Hazar u Meg Kisherner (1871)
Name/Title
Hazar u Meg Kisherner (1871)Description
A translation of One Thousand and One Nights The Dedeyan Publishing House was located in İzmir’s former Armenian Quarter, at Reşidiye Caddesi No. 50, an address that no longer exists. Although its precise location is difficult to pinpoint, it was likely situated near the area stretching from the intersection of Gazi Boulevard and Şair Eşref Paşa Boulevard to Dokuz Eylül Square. Founded in 1851 by Harutyun Dedeyan, the press appeared long after printing had begun in İzmir. The first Armenian books had been produced in the city by the Surp Eçmiadzin and Surp Sarkis Zoravar Press in the late 17th century. Throughout the 19th century—often described as the Armenian Cultural Renaissance—many publishers operated in İzmir, including the Hacı Margos, Baboyan, Baltazaryan, and Tatigyan presses. Most printed religious and educational works, along with Armenian-language newspapers and journals. When Dedeyan established his printing house, books remained difficult to access. Printing was costly, and presses and typefaces had to be imported from Europe. Literacy among İzmir’s Armenians was limited, as Krapar (Classical Armenian) was used only by clergy and scholars, remaining far removed from everyday speech. The idea of adopting modern Armenian as a written language was still controversial in mid-19th-century intellectual circles. It was in this context that Harutyun Dedeyan, only nineteen at the time, founded his press—a symbol of the linguistic and cultural awakening of the period. Aware of the community’s educational needs, Dedeyan aimed to introduce İzmir’s Armenians to European literature and nurture a habit of reading and writing in their own tongue. With the support of wealthy patrons, he acquired a press and Armenian type from France, ordering additional fonts from Venice, Vienna, Paris, and Istanbul. Unlike earlier presses, Dedeyan specialized in literary translations—novels and plays from French, English, and German—produced in collaboration with young Armenian intellectuals such as Krikor Çilingiryan, Mesrob Nubaryan, and Matteos Mamuryan, alongside the Dedeyan brothers themselves. Together they formed a “school of translators,” responsible for nearly 130 Armenian editions of European works by La Fontaine, Dumas, Jules Verne, Molière, and Goethe. Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables appeared in Armenian from the Dedeyan press between 1868 and 1870, serialized before its publication in Istanbul; translator Çilingiryan even received a letter of thanks from Hugo. The press also published original Armenian works at a time when secular literature was scarce, giving local writers a platform and invigorating the literary life of Western Armenians. Dedeyan additionally produced textbooks, grammars, and readers to facilitate the teaching of modern Armenian, and ran several periodicals. Until the 1890s, most Armenian newspapers and magazines in İzmir were printed by the Dedeyans. As its reputation grew, the publishing house became known in Istanbul and across Europe. However, its rise was cut short when Harutyun Dedeyan died at 36, reportedly exhausted by his relentless work. His brothers continued the business, but production slowed, and financial troubles followed—especially after translator Matteos Mamuryan left to open his own press. By the end of the 19th century, the Dedeyan Publishing House had ceased operations. For over four decades, the Dedeyan Press stood at the forefront of Armenian cultural life in İzmir, pioneering the modernization of language, literature, and education among Ottoman Armenians.Category
Books