Vanessa Kachadurian- Armenian history in the Dutch East Indies

Their correspondence with Persia (1897-1917)
The Armenian community in the Dutch East Indies constituted a little known minority. What follows is an English translation[1] of an article, published in the monthly magazine Filatelie. Some background of Armenia were presented to Dutch readers. It explains how Persia became their home countryfor some Armenians and where they built their commercial networks. The correspondence of the Armenians on the islands of Java and Bali with their relatives in Persia provides an insight into the postal routes between Persia and the Dutch East Indies at the turn of the 20th century.
Armenia is located in the Caucasus, the mountain range connecting Southeast Europe and Asia. Geographically it belongs to Asia, but traditionally Armenians consider themselves Europeans. The history of Armenia[2] dates back to 1500 BC. Armenia thus is one of the oldest nations of the world. The kingdom had its heyday in the first century BC when it extended between the Caspian Sea and the Mediterranean. With a war against the Roman Empire, this period came to an end and Armenia found herself under Roman influence. Because the of Armenia’s location at the eastern border of the Roman Empire, over the next centuries the Romans and the Persians fought over the nation.
Surrounded by Persians and Romans, both trying to get hold of Armenia, fueled by the search for national unity, Armenia in 301 was the first nation to adopt Christianity as the state religion. The church would become an important pillar of Armenian identity. Another important contribution was made by the monk Mesrop Mashtots who in 405-406 developed an Armenian alphabet.
The Armenians of New Julfa
Let us fast-forward the history of Armenia to about 1600. At that time the country, again because of its strategic location (1) was fought over, now by the Turkish Empire under the Ottomans and the Persian Empire under the Safavids. In 1604 Shah Abbas I pursued a scorched earth campaign against the Ottomans. Early in the invasion, the old Armenian town of Julfa was taken. When a large Ottoman army approached, the order for withdrawal was given but in their retreat Armenian towns and farms were completely destroyed. The population of Julfa was ordered to leave their homes. 150,000 Armenians survived the traumatic relocation to Persia. Only ruins remained in their home town.
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