Germany - 1st Memorial For Armenian Genocide

[lulo]

On Sunday, April 24, 2005 the first official Memorial in Germany

commemorating the Armenian Genocide has been inaugurated

in the Hanseatic City of Bremen (northern Germany).

 

The beautiful Khatchkar has been set up in a very central place, in the

city park close to the Central Train Station.

There are 2 panels: one explaining the unique art of the Khatchkar and

the other commemorating the 1,5 Mio victims of the Genocide in German

and Armenian.

 

 

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Haygagan Medz Yegherni 90-amiagi aritov, 1 500 000

zoherun hishadagin nvirvadz

 

24. April 1915 - 24. April 2005

 

Zum 90. Jahrestag des Völkermords an den Armeniern

im Osmanischen Reich gedenken wir den 1 500 000

ermordeten Armeniern

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As expected by the organizers and the mayor, Turks gathered

also together to protest against the memorial. The Police had

made its arrangements though, so the blessing and inauguration

has been accomplished without any interferences.

 

 

The Foundation of Armenian Cultural Heritage (Stiftung

Armenisches Kulturerbe) has made this and the setting

up of a second Memorial possible. In less than a year

they have arranged everything. The two Khatchkars are

made in Armenia.

 

Also thanks to the Mayor of the Hanseativ City of

Bremen, Dr. Henning Scherf, who did not yield to the

Turks protests and bomb threat. He said that he feels

"...obligated to give the remembrance a place in our

(German) society".

 

Dr. Henning Scherf, Dr. Jochen Mangelsen (author) and

Mr. Helmut Donat (editor) held excellent speeches in

the St. Stephani church after the Badarak. They talked

clearly about Genocide and also about the complicity/

joint guilt of the Germans during the Genocide.

 

On Sunday, May 1, 2005 the second memorial will be

set up in Brunswick (Braunschweig) also located in

a central and public space.

 

 

The NDR TV showed 2 reports before and after the

inauguration of the memorial (in German). You can

watch it online:

www.radiobremen.de/tv/buten-un-binnen/

 

22.04 "Genozid an den Armeniern"

25./26.04 "Mahnmal für den Völkermord an Armeniern"

 

You can find those clips by searching for „Armenier“

in „Suchen“

 

 

Here is also an newspaper article from April 25 (in

German):

www.weser-kurier.de/20050425/btag_450_32...53030393835.php

Edited April 26, 2005 by lulo