VOSKANYAN Stepan (Stepan Voskan) was born in 1825 in Smyrna. An Armenian publicist, editor, translator and teacher. He graduated from the Mesropyan Gymnasium in his birthplace. In 1846 S. Voskanyan left for Paris and studied at the Sorbonne University. In 1852-1854 he published (under a pseudonym) pamphlets "Inner Persuasion" (1853) and "The Roman Award" (1854) in Constantinople and Smyrna. 

In 1855 -1856 he published “Arevelk” journal and in 1864-64 “Arevmutk” journal in Paris.  There he met M. Nalbandyan, made notes from the journal "Hyusisapayl". Voskanyan urged the Armenian people to unite and to struggle against the Turkish tyranny. 

In 1860 he went to Italy and became the editor of the French newspaper “L'Italie” in Turin. In 1865, he settled in Smyrna, worked as a supervisor and a teacher of French in Mesropyan and Hripsimyan gymnasiums. In 1869-91 he published a French newspaper “Lа Reformе” (Smyrna).

In the 1880s Voskanyan worked at periodicals "Arshaluys Araratyan" "Meteora", etc. His works National shortage, Khachatur Abovyan, Highlanders, Homeland and patriotism were among the most valuable literary and publicistic works in 1850-60. 

Voskanyan wrote in Ashgabar, in a refined and vivid language. He attached a great importance to enlightenment and stressed the importance of Kh. Abovyan's novel "The Wounds of Armenia". He wrote short stories, poems, satirical works, did translations from French literature under pen names Harma, Hrant, Vahe, O. O Orpel.

Source - "Who is Who. The Armenians" Encyclopedia, Volume I, chief-editor Hovh. Ayvazyan, Yerevan, 2007.

 

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