The Armenian Genocide monument in Cologne was removed under pressure from racist organisations affiliated with the Turkish state, RA Honorary Consul in France Djorkaeff Denis wrote on his X account.
“Shame on Germany! How to clear history!”, he added.
French Senator, Deputy Chair of the France-Armenia Friendship Group Valerie Boyer wrote on her X account that “Cologne has bowed to the Turkish National Visionists who impose the denial of the 1915 Armenian genocide”. Boyer said, “This is a direct consequence of Turkish immigration to Germany… It is a harbinger of bitter days in Europe,” she added.
In turn, French journalist Guillaume Perrier wrote on his X account: “The city of Cologne is finally dismantling a monument commemorating the Armenian genocide. Cologne has a small Armenian community, but above all a large Turkish community. This is primarily the result of pressure from the Turkish government and concessions from the German right (the CDU used, encouraged and supported the Gray Wolves and Millie Gorius against the influence of the left on Turkish immigrants).”
The monument was erected on 15 April 2018 by the initiative “Remember the Genocide” . The one and a half meter steel sculpture was installed near the Cologne Cathedral near the Hohenzollern Bridge. The triangular pyramid is topped with a bronze garnet pierced with a point. “This pain is for all of us” w” reads the inscription on the memorial, engraved in Armenian, English, German and Turkish.
The monument in Cologne symbolising the Armenian genocide, which Turkey does not recognise, has been erected and dismantled several times over the years following protests by Turkish nationalists. After a march in late October by Turkish nationalists, including supporters of the racist, far-right “Ulku Ocaklari” and DITIB associations, the city’s final decision was “the monument must be removed”.
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The decision of Cologne mayor Henriette Recker was commented on in an interview with RUSARMINFO by ex-adviser to the German government, chairman of the Eurasian Society (Berlin), German political scientist Alexander Rahr.
More details in the video
Video interview in Russian
