Gevorg Yeprem Krbekyan

GEVORG YEPREM KRBEKYAN (1923-1993) 

Yeprem was shocked and upset when his 11-year-old firstborn son, Gevorg, who had already been studying at the Sahakyan College, expressed a wish to continue his studies at the Melkonian Educational Institute in Cyprus. Overcoming his father’s firm resistance, Gevorg left his family and went to Cyprus for seven years. His classmate at the college was the future famous artist Hakob Hakobyan (1923-2013). After graduating from the Melkonian Educational Institute, Gevorg was appointed the Head Teacher at the Sahakyan College. In 1946, the Krbekyans repatriated to Soviet Armenia. Gevorg was admitted to the Department of Chemistry of the Yerevan State University, graduated in 1951, and was commissioned to the Yerevan Cable Factory as a chemist. From 1955-1972, he was employed at the Chemical Institute of the Academy of Sciences as a Junior Researcher and then as a Senior Engineer. In 1971, he defended a scientific thesis and obtained his PhD in Chemical Sciences. In 1972-1974, he was employed as a Senior Researcher at the Institute of Polymers. From 1974-1982, he combined the position of Senior Researcher with the Head of information Department at the Institute of Chemical Reagents. He translated many scientific works into foreign languages as he was fluent in English, French, Russian, and Turkish. However, the pride of Gevorg Krbekyan’s life became the monument dedicated to the heroic battle of Hadjin built in the town of Nor Hachn. Back in the 1960s, once while walking in Arzni Gorge, Yeprem was inspired by the local nature’s scenes and inaccessibility of the rocks, remembered his native house, and commanded his son to raise a memorial in that cozy place to immortalize the memory of the ‘Fortress of Eagles’ Hadjin. Later, as Gevorg met Rafael Israelyan and presented to him the details of the heroic self-defense, the honored architect, gradually inspired by the story, first designed the fountain and then added the Sword and the Eagle sculpture and finally completed it by raising the church on the right and the fortress wall on the left. Long before, as he was still dealing with organizational issues preceding the construction works, Gevorg Krbekyan not only became the first elected Chairman of the Hadjin Compatriotic Union but also was the leading force of the Union. Since 1957, together with Hovhannes Gejakushyan, Grigor Kuyumjyan, Ghazaros Khrimyan, Karapet Shnorhavoryan, Vardges Khrimyan, Zhirayr Perperyan, and others, Gevorg had given new enthusiasm and momentum to that activity by inspiring all the natives of Hadjin living in the homeland. As a result, the Memorial was erected, the Museum of the History of Hadjin was founded next to it, and the Union’s activity flourished – thanks to Gevorg’s devotion and passion. Gevorg was the embodiment of patriotism, a true descendant of Hadjin, endowed with human virtues: with his modesty, diligence, sincerity, straightforwardness, and generosity, he had won universal love and respect.