Mardiros Gertmenian was a native of Hadjin, an Ottoman town, almost solely inhabited by Armenians. The rupture in history of Armenian Hadjin occurred during World War 1, as the population of town was forcefully removed. Shortly after the end of World War 1, the survivors were able to repopulate the town when it was under French control. Within months the French pulled out and the Turkish national forces took all measures needed to eliminate the remaining population and level the town. The memoirs of Mardiros “Agha” Gertmenian is an invaluable testimony to the history of the town and its people from the perspective of a man whose life story was intermingled with the story of his birthplace and its community.