Removal Of AG From German School Curriculum

[Siamanto]

Turkey Wins Removal Of Armenian Genocide From German Schools

 

(dpa) - Pressure from Turkey has resulted in the removal of a reference

to the Armenian genocide from a German school curriculum, reports said

Wednesday.

 

The eastern German state of Brandenburg has eliminated half a sentence

on the Armenians included in ninth and tenth grade history classes after

a Turkish diplomat complained to state Prime Minister Matthias Platzeck,

the newspaper Die Welt reported.

 

In a chapter entitled "War, Technology and Civilian Populations" the

school book text said "for example, the genocide of the Armenians

population of Anatolia." That passage has now been removed from school

textbooks, the newspaper said.

 

Platzeck met regularly with Turkish diplomats and was "steeled" against

their influence, the newspaper quoted him as saying. The prime minister

added that genocide was too important an issue to be dealt with in just

half a sentence. "Brandenburg's curriculum was the only one in Germany

which up until now included a reference to the murder of the Armenians,"

said Die Welt.

 

Most historians say that between 600,000 and 1.5 million Armenians were

killed in 1915 and 1916 under the Ottoman Turks during World War I. The

Turkish government, which denies that a genocide took place, speaks of

200,000 dead.

 

A Turkish embassy spokesman in Berlin declined to comment directly on

the report, but noted the initiative had come from the Turkish consulate

responsible for Berlin and Brandenburg - not from the embassy itself.

 

Prime Minister Platzeck is a member of Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's

Social Democrats (SPD). Schroeder is a strong supporter of Turkey's bid

to become a member of the European Union. Germany has almost two million

resident Turks - the biggest Turkish minority in the EU.

 

The Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which serves as junior coalition

partner in Brandenburg's government, is infuriated over the change to

the state's schoolbooks. "The impression created is fatal," said Sven

Patke, the state CDU secretary general.

 

The head of the Central Committee of Armenians in Germany, Schavarsh

Ovassapian told Die Welt the move was "a scandal." "It is depressing, if

what's in schoolbooks in Brandenburg can be dictated from Ankara," he

said.

 

 

 

http://groong.usc.edu/news/msg101728.html

[hytga]

Armenian genocide back on school curriculum

 

8 Februrary 2005

 

BERLIN - Defusing a row after alleged Turkish pressure forced removal of the Armenian genocide from German public school curriculums, a state premier said on Tuesday the 1915 killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians would be again be taught in history classes.

 

Brandenburg's Prime Minister Matthias Platzeck admitted it had been a mistake to remove all mention of the genocide from his state's education ministry website curriculum planner.

 

The Armenian genocide - which had been used as the only example in history classes other than the Holocaust - will now be returned to high schools along with other cases of 20th century genocide, he said.

 

 

 

 

Platzeck denied media reports that he ordered removal of the Armenian genocide from his schools after strong pressure from a Turkish diplomat.

 

"None of that happened," said Platzeck.

 

Platzeck made his announcement after a meeting with Armenia's ambassador to Germany, Karine Kazinian, who had expressed deep anger over the move.

 

"The key point is that the genocide and everything that happened back then is being clearly addressed," said Ambassador Kazinian.

 

The row began last month after Turkey's Consul in Berlin, Aydin Durusay, raised the issue of Armenian massacres with regard to Brandenburg which is so far the only one of Germany's 16 federal states, which described the killings as "genocide" in its official public school curriculum.

 

Most European and US historians say up to 1.5 million Christian Armenians were killed by Moslem Ottoman Turks during World War I and that this was a genocide.

 

Eight European Union (EU) parliaments including France and the Netherlands - but not Germany - have passed resolutions declaring the deaths genocide.

 

Turkey, however, firmly rejects the genocide label and has long insisted far fewer Armenians died or otherwise succumbed during World War I. More recently it has moderated its tone somewhat and said the matter should be cleared up by a historical commission.

 

With about two million resident ethnic Turks, Germany is cautious about any issue which could disturb ties with its biggest minority.

 

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is a firm supporter of Turkey's bid to join the EU.

 

Platzeck is a rising star in Chancellor's Social Democratic Party (SPD) and is tipped by some as a possible successor to Schroeder.

 

DPA

 

http://www.expatica.com/source/site_articl...ool+curriculum+