Sarkis Bedikian
Born1908
Zeitoun, Ottoman Empire
DiedAugust 21, 1944
Marseille, France
NationalityArmenian
OccupationResistance fighter
Known forFTP-MOI resistance activities, Battle of Marseille

Sarkis Bedikian (in Armenian: Սարգիս Պետիկեան), also known as Sarkis Bedoukian (1908–August 21, 1944), was born around 1908 in Zeitoun, Ottoman Empire, and died on August 21, 1944, in Marseille. He was an Armenian FTP-MOI resistance fighter who was a mort pour la France during the Battle of Marseille.

Youth and settlement in Marseille

Sarkis Bedikian was born in Zeitoun, Ottoman Empire, around 1908.[1][2] He settled in France after the Armenian genocide. Marseille was a preferred destination for Armenian refugees, who mostly arrived by sea from the Middle East.[3][4]

Sarkis settled in Traverse Chevalier[1] in the 10th arrondissement of Marseille.

Resistance and death

During World War II, Bedikian joined the FTP-MOI and specifically served in the "Compagnie Marat",[1][5] a detachment of the FTP-MOI in Bouches-du-Rhône.[6] In this group, many Armenians found themselves, including others morts pour la France, such as Azad Niguerresian, Nechan Dermardirossian, Edmon Perian, Samoue Topalian, and Veravant Kechikian.[7]

As the Operation Dragoon, or the Allied invasion of Provence, began, the FTP-MOI in Bouches-du-Rhône rose up militarily to capture strongholds, create chaos in the defensive lines of Nazi Germany,[5] and facilitate the successful landing.[8] Sarkis Bedikian was among the uprising fighters. On August 21, 1944, Julia Pirotte photographed him alongside one of his Greek comrades, Vassilias Stamboulis.[5]

A few hours later, Sarkis Bedikian was killed in combat while launching an assault on the Prefecture of Bouches-du-Rhône.[5][7] Edmon Perian, Samoue Topalian, and Veravant Kechikian were also killed in Marseille during the Battle of Marseille.[7]

Legacy

Bedikian was recognized as being a mort pour la France.[7][8][9] Additionally, his detachment was renamed "Detachment Sarkis" in his honor.[5][9]

He is one of the characters in the novel "Missak" by Didier Daeninckx about Missak Manouchian.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Prieur, Benoît (2021-08-05), BEDOUKIAN [ou BEDIKIAN] Sarkis (in French), Paris: Maitron/Editions de l'Atelier, archived from the original on 2023-05-09, retrieved 2023-05-09
  2. ↑ Biographical file from the French Ministry of Defence on the governmental site Mémoire des hommes : https://www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defense.gouv.fr/fr/arkotheque/client/mdh/base_resistants/detail_fiche.php?ref=2676368
  3. ↑ Castelle, Mélanie (2011-11-15). "La collection d'archives orales "Mémoire des Arméniens des quartiers de Marseille et des Bouches-du-Rhône" : comment la valoriser, comment la faire évoluer ? Étude d'un corpus sonore en ligne". Bulletin de l'AFAS. 37 (37): 25–28. doi:10.4000/afas.2819. ISSN 1246-7529. Archived from the original on 2023-05-09. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  4. ↑ "De "La petite Arménie" au Boulevard des Grands Pins : évolution de l'espace communautaire arménien d'un quartier de Marseille des origines à nos jours | WorldCat.org". www.worldcat.org (in French). Archived from the original on 2023-06-18. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Musée de la résistance en ligne". museedelaresistanceenligne.org. Archived from the original on 2023-05-09. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  6. ↑ "Le groupe MARAT". www.groupemarat.com. Archived from the original on 2023-05-09. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "La résistance à Marseille". desinroc.free.fr. Archived from the original on 2005-08-28. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  8. 1 2 "Morts pour la France". www.anciens-combattants-armeniens.org. Archived from the original on 2023-05-09. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  9. 1 2 "LES ARMÉNIENS au service de la France by Président AALEME - Issuu". issuu.com. Archived from the original on 2023-05-09. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  10. ↑ Daeninckx, Didier (2009). Missak: roman. Singulier. Paris: Perrin. ISBN 978-2-262-02802-2.
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