The Armenian press in France (in Armenian ÃÂÃÂáöýáðáõ ôáôøÃÂì) or Armenian-language press in France includes periodicals such as newspapers and literary magazines published by members of the Armenian diaspora in France.
To date, more than 200 Armenian-language periodicals have been published in France, mostly in Western Armenian.
The first journal was ' (ÃÂáýÃ¥áàáòáÃÂöë, "The Dove of Mount Ararat," 1855âÂÂ1858 in Paris, then until 1865 in Theodosia) by Father Gabriel Aïvazian (1812-1880, brother of Ivan Aivazovsky), which aimed to promote the cultural, scientific, and moral education of the people. Shortly thereafter, Pariz (ÃÂáÃÂëæ, "Paris", 1860âÂÂ1864) was published. At the same time, (ñÃÂÃÂ¥ÃÂÃ¥ìÃÂ, "Orient," 1855-1856) and (ñÃÂÃÂ¥ÃÂôøÃÂÿÃÂ, "Occident, " 1859 and 1864âÂÂ1865) by (1825-1901), which espoused a militant and nationalist vision inspired by the Risorgimento. Voskan sought to spread ideas of economic and social progress and ideals of freedom inspired by French political struggles.
With the rise to power of Sultan Abdul Hamid II in 1876 and the Hamidian massacres (1894-1896), which severely affected Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, France received many refugees, especially political ones. Among them were writers such as , who published the monthly magazine (1889-1906, mainly in French), and Mekertich Portukalian, founder of the Armenagan Party, who published the newspaper (ñÃÂôÃ¥öëá, 1885-1923) in Marseille.
At the end of the century, literary magazines like ' (ñöáðëÿ) by Arshag Chobanian began to appear. Its first series (1898âÂÂ1911) presented the literary works of writers such as Daniel Varoujan, Siamanto and even Komitas. A year after Anahit, the quarterly Panaser (òáöáýÃÂ¥ÃÂ, "The Philologist", 1899âÂÂ1907) was launched.
By 1920, some 30 periodicals were published. Most were based in Paris, where a small and disorganized Armenian colony of fewer than 1,500 people existed.
Several periodicals appeared in the 1910s, including Haï-Guiank (ÃÂáõ-ïÃ¥áöÃÂ, "Armenian Life," 1913-1914), Khetan (ýéáö, "Stimulus," 1915-1931, by Aram Turabian), (ñÃÂñáãáöã ÃÂáÃÂëæë, "Echoes of Paris," 1916-1925), (ÃÂÃÂ¥ÃÂáîöøÃÂöä, "Renaissance," 1917-1921), and Ayk (ñõã, "Dawn," 1919). These newspapers covered topics such as the Armenian genocide and the establishment of the First Republic of Armenia.
The 1920s marked a significant increase in Armenian press activity in France, as refugees fleeing the genocide arrived in large numbers in 1922-1923. About 60 writers, intellectuals, journalists, and poets settled in Paris, along with many young people educated in Armenian schools, especially in Constantinople. These intellectuals established small independent printing presses, such as Araxes, Elekian, Bezazian, du Globe, de Navarre, Nersessian, Turabian, Der-Hagopian, and Le Soleil. About half a dozen of them operated continuously. They also opened bookstores, the most famous being Hrant Samuelian's bookstore, which opened in the Latin Quarter in 1930 after acquiring the inventory of an Armenian bookstore in Constantinople. During this period, described by Anahide Ter Minassian as a "cultural renaissance", 87 Armenian periodicals and thousands of books were published.
During World War II, most newspapers and magazines ceased publication as their staffs were mobilized, joined the resistance, or chose silence to avoid German censorship. Chavarche Missakian, for example, decided not to publish Haratch during the conflict. The publications resumed after the liberation.
By the 21st century, Armenian-language periodicals in France had all but disappeared. The last major daily, Haratch, closed in 2009 and was replaced by Nor Haratch in the same year.
This decline is largely attributed to the fact that the Armenian diaspora in France is mainly composed of second and third-generation Armenians who, for the most part, no longer speak Armenian.
Currently, the main press of the Armenian diaspora in France is predominantly in French, with (1995-) and (1982-) being the most notable publications. The few remaining Armenian-language publications are mostly church bulletins.