Armenians
All topics-
Turkey and the refugee deal
False friends forever
Germany is facing a crucial question. How can the refugees be stopped? Demonstrating an alarming lack of historical awareness, Chancellor Angela Merkel is putting all her faith in an alliance with Turkey. Yet as events of the early 20th century clearly showed, Germany should never make its political destiny dependent on co-operation with the nationalistic Turkish state. An essay by Stefan Buchen
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Agatha Christie and the Orient
When murder came to Mesopotamia
Hydrangea hedges, village gossip and high tea form the backdrop for Agatha Christie′s detective stories, which, sold in their millions worldwide, shape our image of England. But many of these typically English stereotypes and settings were actually created in the Middle East. By Christine Pfeilschifter
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Art from Iraq and the Armenian diaspora in Venice
A far cry from what we′ve seen before
While in the mass media, the war of images with and over Islamic State is making headlines, very little attention has been paid to the visual art being created in the region. To get an idea of the diversity of artistic production in the Arab world and the Middle East, head to this year′s international Venice Biennale. Felix Koltermann was in the city on the lagoon, and introduces the most exciting national contributions and artistic installations from the region
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Exhibition: Political Art and Resistance in Turkey
The art of remembering
Protest art from Turkey, covering the period from the 1970s to the present day, is currently on show at the Neue Gesellschaft für bildende Kunst or nGbK (New Society for Visual Arts) in Berlin. But this exhibition is a little bit different in that it does not concern itself only with political resistance in Istanbul, but also with social protest in eastern Turkey. Ceyda Nurtsch took a look at the art on display and talked to the artists and the organisers
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The AKP's version of Turkish history
Contrasting interpretations of Gallipoli
Joseph Croitoru reports on how leaders in Ankara are putting an Islamist spin on centenary commemorations of the Gallipoli Campaign and how they seem to hope that these events will detract attention from another centenary occurring this week: that of the Armenian genocide
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The German Empire and the Armenian genocide
Turning a blind eye
On 24 April, people all over the world will commemorate the mass killing of Armenians 100 years ago. A memorial service is planned in Germany as well. Many critics contend, however, that the country should take a closer look at the role played by the German Empire, which was an ally of the Ottoman Empire at the time of the massacres. By Ceyda Nurtsch
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The Nazi glorification of Ataturk
Ankara's shining star
The historian Stefan Ihrig's new book reveals the fascination that Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, held for Hitler and the National Socialists. Ihrig's book has caused a stir in the Turkish press. By Joseph Croitoru
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Photography: Ara Güler retrospective
The man who photographed Istanbul
The exhibition "Ara Güler: Photographs 1950–2005" at the Willi Brandt House in Berlin runs until 1 February 2015. The focus of the exhibition is the Turkish metropolis Istanbul, a city that Güler has spent his entire life documenting. Felix Koltermann visited the retrospective
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Germans and Ottomans in the First World War
A partnership of privilege
When the First World War began 100 years ago, German advisers in the Ottoman Empire were a common sight. The Ottomans hoped their alliance with the military power Germany would help them reverse their waning military fortunes. In the end, however, they lost their entire empire as a result of the conflict. By Jakob Krais
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Fatih Akin's film about the Armenian genocide
Processing a collective trauma
At this year's Venice International Film Festival, the German entry "The Cut" prompted discussion mainly because of its subject matter: the genocide of the Armenians. Jochen Kürten and Oliver Glasenapp spoke to the film's German-Turkish director Fatih Akin
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Book review: "Embers" by Murat Uyurkulak
The oddballs of Ominosia
The Turkish writer Murat Uyurkulak's novel "Glut" (roughly translatable as "Embers") is a socially critical allegory of his homeland. Although not available in English, it has recently been published in German translation. Ceyda Nurtsch reports on a book that to the astonishment of its author has escaped the sharp eye of the censors in Turkey
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Interview with Elif Shafak
"There is a lack of democratic culture in Turkey"
The Turkish writer Elif Shafak is one of the country's best-selling authors and one of the best known Turkish writers worldwide. In her books, she intertwines sensitive Turkish issues with cosmopolitan stories and Sufism. In this interview, she talks to Ceyda Nurtsch about how she plays with language, the role of fiction and the democratisation of Turkey