''Hairenik'' ( meaning "fatherland") is an

Armenian language Armenian (endonym: , , ) is an Indo-European languages, Indo-European language and the sole member of the independent branch of the Armenian language family. It is the native language of the Armenians, Armenian people and the official language of ...

weekly newspaper published by the Hairenik Association in Watertown,

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

, United States. The newspaper belongs to the Armenian political party –

Armenian Revolutionary Federation The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (, abbr. ARF (ՀՅԴ) or ARF-D), also known as Dashnaktsutyun (Armenians, Armenian: Դաշնակցություն, Literal translation, lit. "Federation"), is an Armenian nationalism, Armenian nationalist a ...

(ARF). The newspaper reflects the views and opinions of ARF as well as Armenian

diaspora A diaspora ( ) is a population that is scattered across regions which are separate from its geographic place of birth, place of origin. The word is used in reference to people who identify with a specific geographic location, but currently resi ...

organizations – ANCAs ( Armenian National Committee of America).

History

The newspaper, serving the Armenian American community, was established as a weekly in on May 1, 1899, making it one of the longest-running Armenian publications. It moved to

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

in 1900, then to Watertown in 1986. In June 1913, it started publishing once every two days, and in December 1915, it became a daily newspaper, with continuous publication as such until 1991, when it was reduced to weekly publication due to declining readership. It has had the involvement of prominent Armenian national figures as editors such as Arshak Vramian (1900–1907), Siamanto (1909–1911), Simon Vratsian (1911–1914), and Rouben Darbinian (1922–1968). ''Hairenik'' published early stories by

William Saroyan William Saroyan (; August 31, 1908 – May 18, 1981) was an Armenian-American novelist, playwright, and short story writer. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1940, and in 1943 won the Academy Award for Best Story for the film ''The ...

, such as "The Broken Wheel" (1933), written under the pen name "Sirak Goryan".

Controversies

Leon Tourian was an Armenian

Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...

who was stabbed to the death by ARF members. Before the assassination the Hairenik newspaper published threatening messages like: It offered $100 reward to someone who will "teach Tourian a lesson". Later on Tourian asked for police protection. The newspaper has been criticized for having quotes and thoughts which had sympathy to

Nazism Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During Hitler's rise to power, it was fre ...

Fascism Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hie ...

Antisemitism Antisemitism or Jew-hatred is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Whether antisemitism is considered a form of racism depends on the school of thought. Antisemi ...

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...

, and "race worshipping" etc.Congressional Record
Page A2074-A2075 Volume 91, Part 11. "Dashnags' Nazi sympathies are clearly shown in this sample quotation from September 17, 1936, issue of their Armenian-language organ, Hairenik, edited daily by propaganda chief Reuben Darbinian: ...", "Listen to the drivel drilled into American-born Tzeghagrons (Hairenik Weekly, January 11, 1935) by Mandalian, Darbinian, Nejdeh & Co.: I am preaching to you the Tzeghagron creed, worship of the race..."

Other Hairenik Association publications

Hairenik Association Inc. has also published : *''Hairenik Monthly'', from 1922 to 1967 *''Hairenik Quarterly'', from 1968 to 1971 *'' Armenian Weekly'', an English language publication since 1932. *'' The Armenian Review'', an English language publication

References

External links

Hayrenik Weekly official website
{{Armenian newspapers outside of Armenia Non-English-language newspapers published in Massachusetts Armenian-language newspapers published in the United States Mass media in Armenia Newspapers established in 1899 Armenian-American culture in Massachusetts Watertown, Massachusetts 1899 establishments in Massachusetts