KEMAL YALÇIN/GERMANY
Every death is premature. But the death of my dear Assyrian brother Albert was really early. He passed away early, at the age of 60, before he could get enough of life and enjoy the happiness of the works he created. May his soul rest in peace, rest in heaven, and live forever! My condolences to his daughters, his estranged wife, and his loved ones!
Aloho mhasele!
Dukdhe huyo bi melkudho!
Risho basimo!
These words, which I published in 'Sons of Anatolia' in 2009, are his last wishes:
“I am for peace, friendship and brotherhood. Peace and brotherhood pass through mutual respect and mutual trust. I am trying to understand my Turkish friends. Turks should also be able to see me as an Assyrian from Midyat and put themselves in the place of Assyrians.
My mother, Mary, was Armenian and my father, İsa, was Assyrian. My mother was Mary, she married a Muslim and became Semra.
My stepsisters became Turks and Muslims.
My name is Albert, my surname is Sevinç. My name is Assyrian, my surname is Turkish!
Where else in the world are there so many contradictions and so many distortions?
Since I am known with a Turkish surname, I encountered various difficulties in my business life in Germany. I could change my last name. I didn't change. I was shaped by this name and surname. I want to be at peace with myself.
To live in peace now; I want to be able to offer a happy and safe future to my children and family. What happened to me should not happen to anyone, not even my enemies! "
The straw that broke the camel's back.
I met Albert Sevinç Hadodo during the preparations for the reading evening of my documentary novel, My Heart Laughs with You, held at the Cologne Armenian Community on February 14, 2001. Albert was my brother, my friend, my confidant, my confidant. His presence gave me strength.
He was born on 20.10.1960 in Istanbul. He spent his childhood in Midyat. He finished primary school in Istanbul. In his second year at Taksim Atatürk Boys' High School, his friends elected him class president. But a military service teacher, a colonel, asked, "Is there no Turk in this class who will be the class president?" He removed Albert from the class presidency by saying.
This incident was the last straw that broke Albert's patience. He said to himself, “Albert, there is no life for you in this country anymore!” said. He finished high school in 1978. He came to Germany on his own, at the age of 17, on 28.6.1978. He graduated from Hagen University Department of Architecture in 1988. He could not go to Turkey for 30 years.
He loved Turabdin and Midyat very much. He told me the following in 2006:
“I miss Midyat, where I spent my childhood, very much. We had a vineyard, a garden. There were fig trees on the edge of our vineyard. We would go up to its branches and eat figs and play. My greatest pleasure is eating figs fresh from their branches. “I missed Midyat's air, heat, fruits, people, but most of all its figs.”
Hacı Mehmet Demirciyan, a Kurd from Adıyaman who was both a Kurd, a pilgrim and a seven-year-old Armenian, and his wife Kadriye Bakırcıyan, knew Albert's longing for figs, so they brought the Midyat fig sapling and planted it in the garden of Albert's house. The fig tree grew and bore fruit. Figs gave strength to Albert.
In April 2009, I was going to Midyat to research Assyrians. “What can I bring you from Midyat?” I said. “Bring me a handful of soil and a piece of stone!” said.
I brought a handful of earth and a piece of stone from the village of Aynwardo, one of the 1915 Syriac resistance centers. He smelled the soil, stroked the stone, put it on his table!
Albert was a very emotional person, he did not smile much, he did not show anyone that he was crying. He shed his anger and tears.
Albert Sevinç Hadodo worked hard. He created his life from scratch, all by himself. He became one of the most successful architects and businessmen of Düsseldorf.
Family tree with broken branches
One evening he invited me to his house. He started talking. “Brother Albert, where does this energy, this enthusiasm for work come from in you?” I asked.
“Come, let me show you something!” he said, pointing to the picture hanging next to his desk:
“Look Kemal, this is my pedigree. My late uncle, who lives in Aleppo, did this in the 1990s. I am from Midyat. My ancestors are descended from a deep-rooted Syriac lineage. As you can see, many branches of this tree are broken. My grandparents and uncles were murdered by my parents during the 1915 disaster. My father's family suffered a lot. They killed my grandmother's father in the tower of a church! None of them even have a grave! This tree could have been much bigger, much more flowering. I am the child of parents who survived the great disaster. I have a responsibility to keep them and myself alive.”He continued his speech with these words:
I published Albert's life story in my books titled Sons of Anatolia, My Brothers Var, The Assyrians and Seyfo . Albert helped me a lot to get to know Assyrians.
Albert had created a huge fortune. He was a loyal, honest and helpful person. He started preparations to establish a foundation in 2008. He founded the Albert Joy Foundation in 2016. The official opening of the foundation was held at a special ceremony at Maxhaus in Düsseldorf on 20.5.2017. Albert Sevinç Foundation aims to help Assyrians, Armenians, Germans, ethnic minorities and religious communities. Albert Sevinç Foundation helped a lot in the rescue and treatment of Yazidi women who were kidnapped by Islamist terrorist organizations.
Opening of the nursing home
To attend the opening of Vortik Gülbenkyan Nursing Home, the President of the German Yazidi General Council, Dr., was invited on 17.8.2018. We went to Armenia together with İrfan Ortaç and Assyrian Journalist, Suroyo TV Founding Member, European Assyrian Union Board Member Yawsef Beth Turo. Vortik Gülbenkyan Nursing Home was held on 18.8.2018 in Gyumri, Nursing Home.
Albert Joy Hadodo was very happy. His head was touching the sky, his heart was beating in the hearts of the old people who had found a warm home in the nursing home.
The opening of Vortik Gülbenkyan Nursing Home was the last meeting of Albert Sevinç Hadodo with his friends, relatives and family.
Albert's closest friends were there. Prof. Dr. Mihran Dabağ, Rakel Dink, Yawsef Beth Turo, Dr. İrfan Ortaç was there. Prof. Dr. Mihran Dabağ gave a very meaningful, very emotional speech.
His mother Mary and his older sister Nadya were also with Albert.
I saw Albert Sevinç Hadodo laughing out loud and making everyone laugh with his jokes for the first time in Gyumri and Yerevan. Some time after the opening of the Vortik Gülbenkyan Nursing Home, Albert fell ill and could not recover from the deadly disease he contracted. July 16, 2020 flew by into eternity!
Albert Sevinç I delivered all my writings about Hadodo, the photographs I took, and all the conversations I recorded to the Duisburg-Essen University Kemal Yalçın Archive.
Dear Brother Albert, from now onHe will continue to live in my books called Sons of Anatolia, I Have Brothers Far Away, International Kemal Yalçın Symposium and One-Winged Eagle .
After long efforts, Albert Sevinç Hadodo regained the right to become a citizen of the Republic of Turkey. After 2010, he went to Turkey, Turabdin and Midyat, and saw the houses and lands inherited from the Hadodo Family. The longing was gone.
Albert Sevinç Hadodo was given the 2018 Şemun Hanne Haydo Assyrian Distinguished Service Award in Germany. Dear Brother Albert, let it be my duty to realize your desires, wishes and ideals. How can those who don't know you know? Greetings to those who know you.
May your soul rest in peace, rest in heaven, and live forever!
Aloho mhasele! Dukdhe huyo bi melkudho!