Vintage 1982 Soviet Book: The Forty Days of Musa Dagh – Franz Werfel | Tsar to Soviet Books

Rare 1982 Yerevan Edition: "The Forty Days of Musa Dagh" by Franz Werfel

For scholars of Caucasian history, collectors of Armenian literature, and admirers of 20th-century historical epics, this 1982 original Soviet Armenian hardcover edition is a classic volume. Published in Yerevan by Sovetakan Grogh (Издательство «Советакан грох»), The Forty Days of Musa Dagh (Сорок дней Муса-дага / Die vierzig Tage des Musa Dagh) is Austrian author Franz Werfel's masterwork depicting the 1915 resistance at Mount Musa Dagh.

Bound in textured crimson faux-leather boards with gold foil lettering, this 600-page volume features cartographic endpaper maps and scholarly historical commentaries.

The Defense of Musa Dagh, Cartographic Map & Yerevan Imprint

Werfel's novel is presented with thorough historical apparatus:

• The Epic Narrative: Chronicles the heroic 53-day self-defense organized by Gabriel Bagradian and thousands of Armenian villagers on the heights of Musa Dagh against Ottoman military encirclement in 1915, ending in their rescue by French naval cruisers.

• Detailed Cartographic Endpaper: Features a full-page tactical map illustrating Mount Musa Dagh, Yoghonoluk, the Orontes River valley, Antioch, defense bastions, and Mediterranean evacuation shores.

• Critical Essays & Annotations: Features an opening preface by poet Mikhail Dudin («С вершины мужества»), a critical biography by Medzhi Pirumova, and historical annotations by I. Karumyan.

• Masterful Translation: Translated directly from the German by N. Gnedina and Vs. Rozanov.

Complete Bibliographic Specifications

• Title: Сорок дней Муса-дага / Die vierzig Tage des Musa Dagh (The Forty Days of Musa Dagh)

• Author: Franz Werfel (Франц Верфель)

• Translators: N. Gnedina (Н. Гнедина) & Vs. Rozanov (Вс. Розанов)

• Publisher: "Sovetakan Grogh" Publishing House (Ереван)

• Publication Date: 1982 (Yerevan, Armenian SSR)

• Language: Russian (with German sub-title page)

• Binding: Original publisher's crimson faux-leather hardcover, gold foil typography

• Page Count: 600 pages + illustrated endpaper map

• Classification: Armenian History / World Historical Fiction / Caucasian Soviet Imprints

Condition & Preservation Report

• Exterior Condition: Original crimson faux-leather boards are clean, flat, and rigid. Gold foil title typography on the front board remains sharp, bright, and unrubbed.

• Binding Integrity: Exceptionally firm, square, and tight text block with intact hinges.

• Page & Map Quality: Interior text pages and endpaper tactical maps are clean and unmarked, exhibiting uniform light cream age-toning typical of 1980s Soviet Armenian paper stocks. Free from marginal notation, underlining, library stamps, or owner signatures.

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