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Germany and the Armenians: A Troubled History from Bismarck to Hitler

Eric Hayes

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Published in Justifying Genocide: Germany And The Armenians From Bismarck To Hitler

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A Troubled History

The relationship between Germany and the Armenians has been marked by both cooperation and conflict. In the 19th century, Germany was a major supporter of the Ottoman Empire, which ruled over much of the Armenian population. German officials and intellectuals played a significant role in the modernization of the Ottoman state, and some even advocated for the protection of Armenian rights.

Justifying Genocide: Germany and the Armenians from Bismarck to Hitler

by Stefan Ihrig

4.8 out of 5

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However, this support for the Ottomans did not extend to the Armenians themselves. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Germany was a major supplier of arms to the Ottoman government, which used these weapons to suppress Armenian uprisings. German officials also turned a blind eye to the Ottoman government's massacres of Armenians.

The Armenian Genocide

In 1915, the Ottoman government launched a systematic campaign of genocide against the Armenians. Over 1 million Armenians were killed in a matter of months. German officials were aware of the genocide and did nothing to stop it. In fact, some German officials even encouraged the Ottomans to continue their campaign of violence.

The German government's complicity in the Armenian Genocide has been a source of shame for many Germans. In recent years, the German government has apologized for its role in the genocide and has taken steps to promote reconciliation between Germany and Armenia.

The Holocaust

The Holocaust was the systematic genocide of the Jews by the Nazi regime. Over 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust, including over 1 million Armenian Jews. The Nazis also targeted other groups, including Roma, homosexuals, and disabled people.

German officials and intellectuals played a central role in the Holocaust. The Nazi ideology was based on the idea that Germans were a superior race and that other races, including Jews and Armenians, were inferior. German scientists and doctors conducted experiments on concentration camp inmates, and German soldiers carried out mass executions of Jews and other victims.

The Holocaust was one of the darkest chapters in human history. It is a reminder of the dangers of hatred and intolerance and the importance of fighting for human rights.

Resistance to Atrocities

Despite the complicity of German officials and intellectuals in the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust, there were also some Germans who resisted these atrocities. These individuals risked their own lives to save the lives of Armenians and Jews.

One of the most famous examples of German resistance to the Armenian Genocide is Johannes Lepsius. Lepsius was a German missionary who witnessed the Armenian Genocide firsthand. He wrote a detailed report on the genocide, which he used to lobby the German government to intervene. Lepsius also helped to establish the German-Armenian Society, which provided aid to Armenian refugees.

Another example of German resistance to the Holocaust is Otto Schindler. Schindler was a German businessman who saved the lives of over 1,000 Jews by employing them in his factory. Schindler risked his own life to protect his workers from the Nazis.

These are just two examples of the many Germans who resisted the atrocities of the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust. These individuals are a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope for resistance.

The relationship between Germany and the Armenians has been a complex and often troubling one. However, it is important to remember that there were also many Germans who resisted the atrocities of the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust. These individuals are a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope for resistance.

Justifying Genocide: Germany and the Armenians from Bismarck to Hitler

by Stefan Ihrig

4.8 out of 5