Despite “Sultan” Erdogan’s insults and threats, the German Parliament went boldly forward last week and recognized the Armenian Genocide. In retaliation, Turkey immediately withdrew its ambassador from Berlin.
The historic Bundestag resolution, adopted with a near unanimous decision (one vote against and one abstention), is titled: “In remembrance and commemoration of the genocide of Armenians and other Christian minorities in the Ottoman Empire 101 years ago.” According to ARD television, 74 percent of the German population agrees that genocide was committed against Armenians. Another revealing survey cited by Der Spiegel magazine found that 91 percent of the German public does not trust Erdogan!
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, fed up with Erdogan’s repeated blackmails, decided to put Turkey’s megalomaniac dictator in his place, while President Obama has to muster the courage to do so! The German leadership had to fend off not only the Turkish regime’s attacks but also sharp criticism from many of the three million Turks living in Germany.
After the Parliament’s decision, Erdogan arrogantly declared: “We have nothing in our past to be ashamed of, but those countries that often accuse Turkey of ‘Armenian genocide’ have the blood of millions of innocent victims.” Turkey’s minister of justice Bekir Bozdag was just as brazen, as he told Germans: “First you burn the Jews in ovens, and then you come and accuse the Turkish people of genocide.” Erdogan and Bozdag must be reminded that Germany, unlike Turkey, long ago admitted the Nazi-era crimes, apologized for the Holocaust, and paid billions of dollars in compensation.
It remains to be seen if “big mouth” Turkish leaders would dare to take punitive actions against Germany, besides the routine withdrawal of their ambassador, as they do each time another government acknowledges the Armenian Genocide. Should Erdogan decide to go beyond making empty threats, such steps would backfire on Turkey as Germany is its largest trading partner. Turkey’s economy is already in serious trouble after Russia banned the import of Turkish goods and discouraged its citizens from going to Turkey as tourists because of the downing of a Russian jet by the Turkish military near the Syrian border last year.
Turkish leaders have already damaged their country’s interests by making provocative and scandalous announcements which have helped to publicize worldwide the German Bundestag’s action on the Armenian Genocide. Thousands of newspapers, websites, TV and radio stations covered the German decision and the Turkish outbursts. It is noteworthy that the international media paid particular attention to the German Parliamentarians’ admission that their country, a military ally of Turkey during World War I, was complicit in the Armenian Genocide.
The New York Times and The Times of London, two of the most prestigious newspapers in the world, published powerful editorials on June 3 reaffirming the facts of the Armenian Genocide, supporting the German’s Parliament’s decision, and urging Turkey to confront its dark past.
In an editorial titled, “Yes, It’s Genocide,” The New York Times wrote: “… It was a genocide, the first of the 20th century…. The Armenians are fully justified in their quest for a historical reckoning…. President Obama, who as a candidate in 2008 pledged to recognize the events of 1915 as a genocide, has failed to do so…. The Germans, who have admirably confronted the terrible genocide in their own history, did the right thing in defying Mr. Erdogan’s threats.”
The London Times’ editorial, “Genocide Denial: The mass slaughter of Armenians needs to be acknowledged by Turkey,” was just as impactful: “The German resolution is right not only in its message but also in diplomacy. Turkish pique is regularly directed at allies who recognize the Armenian genocide. That response is worse than undignified and ahistorical: it is a denial of suffering on an unspeakable scale that poisons the politics of Europe to this day, and it needs to be challenged. The slaughter of Armenians was not, as Turkish apologists maintain, one of the unplanned but inescapable tragedies that happen in wartime. It was a specific campaign of deportation and mass killing by the Ottoman regime.… Modern Germany and its statesmen have expressed repeatedly their nation’s remorse for genocidal barbarism in the last century. It is long past time for Turkey to do the same.”
Having recognized the Armenian Genocide and acknowledged its own share of responsibility and complicity, Germany now has to make appropriate amends to Armenians, thus setting a venerable example for Turkey, not only in recognition, but also in restitution!
Harut Sassounian
As an Armenian, I couldn’t disagree more. I am ashamed that this is even being suggested by an Armenian publication. This is the most irresponsible thing that we as people can do on the matter of our genocide. Shame on us!!!
I wish you the last paragraph of the article was not there. It degrades the whole article.
Armenia and Germany should take Turkey to the Court of human rights and have Turkey make restitution before Germany. Germany can also prove that it was Genocide with all their WW1 archives. Germany should put pressure on Turkey to open the border with Armenia and make them stop their Armenophobic mentality and hate speeches against Armenians.
We have fought very hard for this day. Our grandparents who survived – those who paid the highest price- have long passed. Most of our parents – the first generation US born have passed.
What reparations do we want? Money? Prove who lost what. No the reparations should take the form of a memorial in Bitlis and recognizing Christianity. Reopen and protect the Churches, Monestaries and Seminaries.
Doing something for the greater good is what I was taught by my grandparents who escaped to start anew here.
Would it not be more productive to ask Germany to support Armenia during negotiations with Azerbaijan? I refer to the deceptively titled but very worrisome article in ArmeniaNow.com: https://www.armenianow.com/en/karabakh/2016/06/08/armenia-karabakh-azerbaijan-negotiations-minsk-group-mediators/4629/
Why? So Sarkysyan can stash the money away for his clan in Monaco and Switzerland? Until this criminal mafioso self-inflicted genocide II is cleansed from Armenia; there is NO hope and NO future.
Yes, dear brothers and sisters,the tide is turning! We are patient people. All we need to do is survive as Armenians. Keep our language and culture alive and gradually re- populate our homeland. The future is bright. There will be justice after all!
Are we going to ask Germany to pay for doing the right thing? Enough begging! Let’s have some dignity.Now the Czech president, and others, may re-think if they need to follow Germany’s example.
Sorry Harut, I do not agree with your comment about Germany paying “restitution” refer your last paragraph. The perpetrators “turkey” should be the ones who “MUST” if at anything “PAY” restitution. Your argument is totally way out of whack as if this is what you want, then the americans, the british, the french and a number of other countries who did NOTHING to prevent this genocide should also be made accountable for their inaction at the time of the killings, the genocide. You simply cannot make statements like you have made in this editorial. Generally, your articles are interesting and validated but in this case your LAST PARAGRAPH is totally out of context. Remember the holocaust? and who was directly involved? Please let’s “stop”. After many years Germany has finally against all odds and pressure from turkey “recognised” the “GENOCIDE” – unlike america (remember obama and his “PROMISE”) and britain, who over the years have placed politics in front of human sufferings.