The Armenian Genocide 1915/16 from the Files of the German Foreign Office
Edition I
Revised and Extended Edition of the Collection of Diplomatic Documents published by Johannes Lepsius in 1919 under the Title: ”Germany and Armenia“ Assistant: Sigrid Gust Translated by: Vera Draack
Guide for the Topics in the Documentation
Preface
The fact of the genocide plays an important role in the current discussion on the recognition of the Armenian genocide, because Turkey denies the genocide, respectively makes out acts of revenge by the Armenians, especially in 1917, to be a Turkish genocide by the Armenians (this will be the topic of the coming edition). That is why this guide concentrates on proving the genocide of 1915, which was largely completed by 1916, as well as the background on this genocide, insofar as it comes to light from the files.
For Johannes Lepsius, the genocide of 1915 and 1916 was also in the foreground; thus, this guide in its perceptions does not go far beyond that which the editor Lepsius summed up in his introduction. Only the chapter on Germany’ s role contains new emphases. For those readers with no knowledge of German, however, this guide is an important supplement to the references which come, for the most part, from American sources, because Lepsius’ book, “ Germany and Armenia” has not been translated into English or at least never published in English..
The numerous documents which Lepsius published on the Caucasian campaign are not taken into account in this guide (they are dealt with in the introduction to a later Caucasian edition), nor those on the German relief organisations and their problems, which play a relatively large role in the Lepsius edition.
The testimonials of German diplomats and the German witnesses enlisted by them are in the foreground of the passages quoted. Eye witness reports and the testimonials of Armenians are only added if they have been specifically or tacitly confirmed by German diplomats. This is by no means evidence of a lack of confidence in what is certainly the most important and vivid testimony given by Armenians. This weighting is only meant as preventive action against those who describe the statements made by Armenians as being less credible because they are very prejudiced.
Only a short chapter has been devoted to the German attitude on the Armenian genocide, because the basis in the Lepsius documents is too narrow. It will be treated in full in the next edition.
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