Orbelian Harry Agaparonovich

Born August 5, 1920 in the town Tatev (Armenia). Father - Orbelian Agaparon Sultanovich (1892-1938). Mother - Atarbekova Sofia Mikhailovna (1900-1991). Brother - Constantine Orbelian Agaparonovich (1928g.rozhd.), Musician, composer, artistic director of the State Variety Orchestra of Armenia, People's Artist of USSR. Wife - Orbelian (Ascension) Vera (1918g.rozhd.). Children: Orbelian Elena (1944g.rozhd.). entrepreneur Orbelian George (1954g.rozhd.), . Sculptor, . writer; Orbelian Constantine (1956g.rozhd.) - pianist, . conductor and artistic director of the State Academic Chamber Orchestra of Russia, . founder and head of the international music festival "Palaces of St. Petersburg" and "Musical treasures in the museums of the Kremlin in Russia,
. He has six grandchildren.

Harry Agaparonovich Orbelian grew up in close-knit Armenian family. Harry's parents were Communists, the Romantics, who believed wholeheartedly in the socialist revolution and devoted all their energies build a new life in the new Russia. Father - Agaparon Sultanovich - fought with Bassmachis in Kyrgyzstan, revived local industry, supervised by different economic areas, occupying a high post in the young Soviet government. Mama - party organizer in the oil industry. Party often Orbelian were transferred to different regions. In 1920 the family moved to Baku. The house was always full of friends, among which the most frequent guests were his uncle, George A. Atarbekov (designated VI. Lenin's Cheka authorized emergency in the Caucasus, and later - and the People's Commissar of Post and Telegraph), and Sergei Kirov Mironovich (in those years, first secretary of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan). Seemed always will be. Mid-30's - the time of Stalin's bloody purges. In 1936, arrested the father, by that time - Chairman of the Visiting Board of the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan ... He long believed in what was happening, consider a mistake, he wrote a letter in the hope that "up there" will understand. Did not help either surety friends, or the intercession of the Vice-President of the Council of People's Commissars AI. Mikoyan. Sentenced: 5 years camps near Magadan ... In the spring of 1938 came, and for mom ... Parents are rehabilitated, but much later, in the 53-m. Father - posthumously, and his mother - after 8 years in Stalin's camps ... Harry and his younger brother Constantine were alone - "children of enemies of the people". Many friends stopped to greet. But there were such people, as Deputy Minister of Interior Pochtarev, who have risked their lives helping children than he could. At his suggestion, Harry and Constantine fled into the village Chanahgi in Nagorno-Karabakh, where Harry began teaching Russian language and mathematics at a local school ...

In late 1940, Harry called to the Red Army. It has become even easier: you should not ask who you are and where. Perfectly playing the piano, Harry organized an amateur club and arranged concerts for the soldiers of his. One such concert was scheduled for June 22, 1941. At dawn on the day of alarm army of Harry, who was standing near Mogilev, sent to destroy "the offending border of the fascist assault". It turned out - an army. Until now, Gurry scared to remember those days: part - no fuel, no ammunition, 20 people - one rifle and 20 - 30 rounds, round of panic and confusion ... In one of the lulls between battles, Harry noticed a general Nikitin difficulty trying to explain to the captured German. From childhood to perfection owning German, Harry offered his help. So he got in exploration. In one of the raids, trying to find his scattered over the forests of Belarus, stumbled on his head and several commanders. We decided together to break through to their. In August, one of the villages they found a German patrol ... Harry was in a camp for Soviet prisoners of war located in Mogilev. Fled. Joined the partisan detachment cavalryman Belova. During the battle at Smolensk Harry concussion. He's come back in a German prison ... And then - horror of concentration camps in Warsaw, Stettin, Hamburg ...

In 1945, when Allied troops entered Germany, the liberation of prisoners. Joy knew no bounds - you can finally go home! Harry was sent to a displaced persons camp in Stuttgart, where he had to smuggle in the USSR. It happened first encounter with his future wife, Vera Ascension: in 1943 it, together with his family from his native city of Kharkov drove to work in Germany ... But fate had prepared Harry new tests. It is known that returned from captivity, the more the children of "enemies of the people", on his return to the USSR once again waiting for the camp - Stalin, for 15 years. Like many of his countrymen, "brothers in misery," Harry took the hardest decision of my life - not to return. Three years Harry roam in Germany. In 1948 the opportunity to go to the U.S.. In New York, the fate of a remarkable manner brought him back to Vera. Now - forever ...

By the will of the circumstances of being in a foreign country with 10 dollars in my pocket and the knowledge of only a few words in English, Harry is not just "survive". By not only had to work at first - and a loader, and a janitor ... But rescued their own abilities, perseverance and resilience. Already one year later, in 1949, Harry took the post of manager in one of the most famous and largest in the city of San Francisco, expensive shops "Gamps, staffed by more than 450 people. Due to its ability to get along with people and the business talent and acumen, Harry began to make progress up the career ladder.

In 1954, in parallel with the work in Gampse "Harry opened his own company on deposits in real estate. Now - this is a huge company with annual turnover of several million dollars, which owns the residential and nonresidential buildings, premises and land. In 1956, Harry Orbelian became director of operations with securities and a member of the Board of Directors Gampsa ".

From the first day while in exile he was trying to find out anything about the fate of his brother and mother. And in 1957, came the answer: "Harry was killed at the front, and his mother and brother live in Yerevan". Thankfully, his was not the limit!.. Fearing that her mother did not survive the news, Harry sent the first telegram Constantine subscribe nickname, which called him a brother in childhood. But it turned out that before meeting with his family far. In the period of the Iron Curtain in the Soviet Union everything was able to achieve my mother, Harry - is available in the CPSU Central Committee resolution on the correspondence. Only in 1960, thanks to the intervention NS. Khrushchev F.R. Kozlov and AA. Gromyko happened a family reunion ... All the time his work, Harry helped establish links between the two superpowers. Hosted a delegation from the Soviet Union, met with Soviet artists, journalists. Many of his efforts were not in vain. In 1967, Harry received an invitation from the Soviet Ambassador to the United States п?.пє. Dobrynin to come to Washington to celebrate the 50 anniversary of the October Revolution in the Embassy of the USSR. In 1978, Harry Orbelian took up the post of First Vice-President of the Chamber of Commerce of San Francisco, oversees more than 3000 companies. Then, led by the Department of International Trade. Under his direct supervision carried out numerous trade missions, hosts international conferences, to forge strong links between U.S. firms and companies from more than 50 countries, including the USSR. Harry Orbelian is the initiator and organizer of the meetings of heads of government of more than 20 states.

Harry Orbelian rightfully proud of the fact that he became a pioneer of business cooperation between the U.S. and Russia. Reforms 1985 - 1990 in the USSR took Harry gleefully. At the beginning of "perestroika" in the souvenir bell, which symbolizes the city of San Francisco, he engraved the inscription "The Bell of glasnost and perestroika" and sent a gift to show support for Mikhail Gorbachev. In 1985, when the first President of the USSR in Moscow hosted the meeting of the American-Soviet Trade and Economic Council, Harry met with him personally. In June 1990, after the meeting the heads of the United States and the Soviet Union in Washington, invited by Mikhail Gorbachev and organized his visit to the city of San Francisco. The best gift for Harry became a personal message from President of the USSR with an expression of gratitude for warm reception.

In 1992, Harry Orbelian left his post in the Chamber of Commerce in San Francisco to establish a non-profit organization - the International Trade Council of San Francisco. As its president and now, Harry Orbelian volunteerism helps to strengthen the links between different countries. His frequent guests of kings, presidents, mayors, heads of chambers of commerce and cities, major business, art world stars. In 1992, the mayor of San Francisco, Frank Jordan has appointed Harry as special adviser on international trade. And since 1995, Harry is the head of the World Chamber of Commerce San Francisco. He was very concerned about the fate of reform in Russia. He tried to establish business cooperation between two countries: organizes regular symposia on US-Soviet relations with the participation of prominent representatives of the business world of San Francisco and Russia, . conference of two countries, . satisfied with the mutual visits of business, . establishing trade contacts,
. Volunteer to help the Soviet teams, delegations, individual workers who come to San Francisco.

For his contribution to strengthening ties between the countries of Harry once won an award and thanked those countries.

In 1991, at a reception at the Soviet Embassy in Washington on behalf of the Supreme Council of Armenia as a token of gratitude for the assistance to earthquake victims in Armenia Harry Orbelian awarded a commemorative medal.

In 1994, the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations awarded Orbelian Harry Ellis Island Medal of Honor. This prestigious award is awarded for exceptional humanitarian action.

Harry Orbelian fluent in four languages. It hopes to understanding Russian and American peoples, and believes in the future of Russia. His special pride - the sons who have chosen a creative path, and continued his work to strengthen the friendship between the countries, as well as the younger grandchildren.

Lives and works in San Francisco (USA).