This is a Google automatic translation of the German Bundestag's Resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide of 1915; it calls upon the Turkish Government to come to terms with its past.

Bundestag PDF File:
http://tinyurl.com/25mo4k

Application
The groups SPD, CDU / CSU and Alliance 90/The Greens and FDP
Remembrance and commemoration of the expulsions and massacres of the
Armenians 1915 - Germany should contribute to the reconciliation between Turks and
Armenians contribute

The Bundestag would decide:
The German Bundestag bows in memory of the victims of violence,
murder and expulsion, in which the Armenian people before and during the
First World War had to suffer. It deplores the acts of jungtürkischen
Government of the Ottoman Empire, to the almost complete destruction
The Armenians in Anatolia have led. He also regrets the inglorious
Role of the German Reich, in view of the wide range of
the organized expulsion and extermination of Armenians, which it did not even
tried to stop the atrocities.

The German Bundestag with this commemoration honors the efforts of all the
Germans and Turks who are working under difficult circumstances and against the
Resist their government in word and deed for the rescue of Armenian
Women, men and children. Especially the
Work of Dr. Johannes Lepsius, energetically and effectively for the survival
Of the Armenian people has fought to be snatched from oblivion and
Meaning the improvement of relations between the Armenian,
German and the Turkish people maintained and preserved.

The German Bundestag is from long personal experience aware
How difficult it is for every nation to the dark sides of its past
It is however firmly convinced that an honest reappraisal of
history is necessary, and the most important basis for reconciliation.
This is especially true in the framework of a European culture of remembrance,
To the open confrontation with the dark side of the respective
National history.
Against this background the German Bundestag regrets that today in the
Turkey a comprehensive discussion of the events in the former Ottoman
Reich is still not possible, and scientists and writers,
Dealing with this part of Turkish history,
Criminal prosecution and civil defamation are exposed.
The German Bundestag also see the first positive signs that
Turkey in the sense of the aforementioned European culture of remembrance increasingly
With the issue. Examples are:
-- The Turkish Grand National Assembly is the first time Turkish citizens
Armenian descent to talk about the crimes against the Armenians
And the Turkish-Armenian relations invited.
-- In Vienna there was a Turkish-Armenian women's dialogue.
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-- Initial contacts between Turkish and Armenian historians led
At the beginning of a document exchange.
-- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan opened with the Armenian
Patriarch Mesrob the first Armenian museum in Istanbul of Turkey
And proposed the establishment of a publicly bilateral Turkish-Armenian
Historians Commission.
In this context, the German Bundestag but again
Deeply concerned that the Armenian-Turkish Conference internationally respected
Scientists, from 25 To 27 May 2005 in Istanbul to take place,
By the Turkish Minister of Justice and was blocked by the Turkish
Government opinion dissenting positions in this Turkish scientists
As a "dagger thrust in the back of the Turkish nation" has been defamed.
The proposal of Prime Minister Erdogan, a joint türkischarmenische
Historians Commission set, it can only be successful,
If it is based on the basis of a free and public scientific discourse
Implemented.
Even Germany, with the displacement of crime on the Armenian
People has has an obligation to its own responsibilities.
This includes Turks and Armenians lend their support to the trenches
Out of the past for ways of reconciliation and understanding
.
For a long time, especially the two main churches in Germany
An integration of Armenians from Turkey. The resulting
Armenian communities, provide opportunities for meeting and remembrance.
Particularly in view of the large number of living in Germany
Muslims from Turkey, it is an important task, the story
Mind and thus contribute to reconciliation.
Dealing with these historic events, but also
Immediate significance for the present. Today, the normalization of
Relations between the Republic of Turkey and the Republic of Armenia for the
Future of the entire region is of particular interest. What urgently needed
, The confidence-building measures on both sides in terms of
OSCE principles. It could, for example, the opening of the border with Turkey, the
Armenia's isolation and lift the establishment of diplomatic relations
Carry.
Germany, because of its historic role in the deutschtürkisch -
Armenian relations today in a special obligation
Under the Neighbourhood initiative of the EU. The goal must be to help
The normalization and improvement of the situation between Armenia
And Turkey to allow and thus contributing to stabilizing the
Caucasus region.
An important contribution to remind the federal states can afford. Task
The education policy is to help the reappraisal of
Expulsion and extermination of Armenians as part of the reappraisal of history
Ethnic conflicts in the 20th Century also in Germany.
The German Bundestag called on the Federal Government to
-- It help that between Turks and Armenians compensation
Through processing, Reconciliation and forgiveness of historical guilt reached
,
German Bundestag - 15 Election Period - 3 - Printed Matter 15/5689
-- To enter that parliament, the government and society in Turkey
With their role towards the Armenian people in past and present
Unreservedly deal
-- For the formation of a committee of inquiry-historian, except at the
Turkish and Armenian scientists and international experts
Are involved,
-- To ensure that not only the records of the Ottoman Empire
On the issue generally be made publicly available, but
Germany also of Turkey, passed copies from the archives
Of the Foreign Office,
-- For the actual implementation of the Istanbul planned, but
Public pressure moved konferenco,
-- For the granting of freedom of expression in Turkey, in particular,
Also on the fate of the Armenians, use,
-- To help that Turkey and Armenia their intergovernmental relations
Normalize.
Berlin, 15 June 2005
Franz Muentefering and group
Dr. Angela Merkel, Michael Glos and Group
Katrin Göring-Eckardt, Krista Sager and Group
Dr. Wolfgang Gerhardt and Group
Justification
90 years ago, on 24 April 1915, was in command of the Ottoman Empire
Jungtürkischen movement steering the Armenian political and cultural
Elite Istanbul arrested, inland and disappeared to a large extent murdered.
This date was a day of remembrance of the Armenians in the allerWelt
Expulsions and massacres of the Armenian subjects of the Ottoman
Empire, which at the end of the 19th Century, but then strengthened in the First
World War took place.

The Armenian recruited soldiers of the Ottoman army were at the beginning
Of the war entry of the Ottoman Empire in Arbeitsbataillone summarized
And the majority were murdered. Women, children and elderly were from
Spring 1915 on death marches through the Syrian desert. Which of
Verschleppten the route has not been murdered or killed
Had reached the fate of this latest in camps in inhumane
The desert to Deir ez Zôr. Massacres were also specially established
Special units. Resistance senior Turkish official

Against this approach, as well as criticism from the Ottoman Parliament met
Jungtürkische regime with the brutal rejection. Many areas,
Where the Christian Armenians expelled were with Kurds
Muslim refugees in the Balkan wars populated. Likewise, nationals
People of other Christian groups, especially Aramaic / Assyrian
And Chaldean Christians, but also by certain Muslim minority
Deportations and massacres affected.

The deportations and mass killings fell after independent calculations
Over 1 million Armenians to be victims.

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Numerous independent historians, Parliaments and international organizations designate the expulsion and Destruction of the Armenians as a genocide.

The legal successor of the Ottoman Empire, the Republic of Turkey, denies
until today, contrary to the facts, that these operations a systematic
Had been used or that the mass deaths during the Umsiedlungstrecks
And the massacres perpetrated by the Ottoman government wanted

The added hardship against the Armenians was always with the fact
Justified by the fact that both 1878 and 1914/1915 many Armenians on the side
Russia fought against Turkey and that the danger existed
Have that the Armenians in the First World War the Ottoman Empire in
Backs would fall. Other Turkish justifications rely on
Armenian violence against Turks, when armed resistance
Against the Turkish resettlement activities occurred. Also up in
The 1980s by Armenians against Turks perpetrated terrorist attacks
Be used to justify the Turkish position used.
Overall, the extent of the massacres and deportations in Turkey always
Still belittles and largely disputed. The Turkish stance is
In contradiction to the idea of reconciliation, the values of the community
European Union heads. Even today, historians in Turkey at
Reappraisal of the history of the expulsion and murder of Armenians
Not free to come and despite easing after the previous criminality
Still under great pressure.

The German Empire was a military ally of the Ottoman Main
Reich also deeply involved in these operations. Both the political
and the military leadership of the German Reich was from the outset for
the persecution and murder of Armenians. The files of the German Foreign
Office, with reports from the German ambassador and consuls in
Ottoman Empire based document the scheduled implementation of
Massacres and expulsions. Despite urgent input of many German personalities
From science, politics, and the churches, including politicians like
Philipp Scheidemann, Karl Liebknecht, or Matthias Erzberger and significant
Personalities from the Protestant and Catholic Church, such as
Adolf von Harnack and Lorenz Werthmann, it defaulted the German Reich line,
On their Ottoman allies exercise effective pressure.
When the Protestant theologian Dr. Johannes Lepsius on 5 In October 1915
German Reichstag the results of its July / August 1915 in Istanbul
Conducted research presented, the entire theme of Armenians
The German Reich under government censorship. Likewise, from 1916
German military censorship of the documentation of Johanneds Lepsius' Report
On the situation of the Armenian people in Turkey "banned and confiscated.
The Lepsius directly to Members of the Germans
Reichstag sent copies of this documentation provided by
Authorities intercepted and the deputies after the 1919 war issued.
This almost forgotten displacement policy of the German Reich shows that
This chapter of history in Germany still not satisfactory

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