Ottoman 1916 Letter on Karabet Hancıyan Letterhead Armenian Ottoman Soldier Armenia WW1

Ottoman Letter on Karabet Hancıyan Letterhead – Armenian Correspondence, 1916

Description:
An original Ottoman Turkish letter, dated 19 Kanun-ı Sani 1331 (1 February 1916), written on the personal letterhead of Karabet Hancıyan, located at Saidiye Han No. 17, Sultanhamam, Istanbul (telephone number: Istanbul 1791).

In this letter, Karabet Hancıyan writes to Bedros Benedikyan Efendi, informing him that he has received a telegram (telgraf) from his relative Yervant Zorcanyan, who was then serving as a soldier in the Ottoman army. Yervant was reportedly staying with Papas Horan Efendi in Tekirdağ. The writer requests that Benedikyan provide Yervant with one lira, promising to reimburse the amount promptly through another channel. The letter closes with polite salutations.

At the bottom of the page, Armenian script is also present, further underlining the ethnic and cultural identity of the correspondents.

What makes this document particularly significant is that all the individuals mentioned bear Armenian names (Karabet Hancıyan, Bedros Benedikyan, Yervant Zorcanyan, Papas Horan Efendi). The fact that Yervant Zorcanyan is explicitly identified as a serving soldier is of historical importance, as it reflects that Armenian citizens of the Ottoman Empire also served within the Ottoman army during World War I, fighting at the front alongside Muslim soldiers.

This letter is thus a rare and tangible testimony to the multi-ethnic fabric of Ottoman society, the daily lives of Armenian citizens in Istanbul, and their participation in the empire’s military structure even during the turbulent years of the First World War.

Key Features:

• Date: 19 Kanun-ı Sani 1331 (1 February 1916)

• Letterhead: Karabet Hancıyan – Saidiye Han No. 17, Sultanhamam, Istanbul – Tel: 1791

• Writer: Karabet Hancıyan

• Recipient: Bedros Benedikyan Efendi

• Content: Telegram from Yervant Zorcanyan (an Ottoman Armenian soldier) requesting financial support; mention of Papas Horan Efendi in Tekirdağ

• Language: Ottoman Turkish with additional Armenian script at the bottom

• Cultural Significance: All names in the document are Armenian; highlights the role of Armenians within Ottoman society and military service during WWI

• Historical Value: Demonstrates the everyday correspondence of Ottoman Armenians, their integration in economic life, and their presence in the Ottoman army during the war