Sources of Bukovinas Armenian identity

The history of north Bukovina Armenians starts in the XI th century, when the first fugitives from the occupied Armenia started their journey through Crimea, to get to Kiev, Lviv and Chernivtsi (Armenia was occupied by Turks then). The modern Armenian society of the north Bukovina's capital is internally differentiated; the memories and experiences of those Armenians are different as well. On one hand, the offsprings of Armenians who came to the area in the XIV th century became assimilated with the polish culture, on the other, however, they were still holding on to the important matters which regarded their identity and tradition. The group was called the Polish or Lviv Armenians and functioned in close relations with the Armenian Catholic Church - which held on to the ecclesial connection with the Apostolic Capital of the religious world.

During the first half of the XVII th century, the Lviv bishop, Mikołaj Torosowicz accepted the union with the Roman Catholic Church, the archdiocese of Lviv joined in the union, which despite of keeping the Armenian traditions, had tied Bukovina Armenians to the west culture influences.  The second group of Armenians with different traditions are the immigrants, who came to Chernivtsi in the early nineties fleeting from the poverty and joblessness in their motherland. Modern stories of those groups are intertwined with each other,  however still emphasizing the common origin and remembering the land they derive from. Currently in Czerniovtze it is hard to find the Polish Armenians. Part of inhabitants definitely is of Armenian descent, which even the last names are a sign of. Such names as: Dawidowicz, Markiewicz were polonized (made to sound more polish-like) throughout ages, and took place of Davidjan, and Markijan last names.

While searching for the group, I found myself in Kuty, a place of great value to the Polish Armenians. It is found about 50 km away from Chernivtsi.

There we can find signs of the Armenian culture and influence. The interesting facts are the memory and identity of the Lviv Armenians which has been kept alive outside of the country. After the WWII, most of them moved to Poland- and settled on the retrieved land. Currently, we are being the witnesses of Armenian memoir tales of Bukovina which are crucial for the Armenians living in Poland. Such stories are based on the traumatic experiences of Poles and Armenians. The process which verbalizes the identity and the traumas, for years hidden and pushed away by the unification of the USSR, can be a reason for the potential conflict. It questions the national mythology of west Ukraine.

Jozef Markiewicz