Turkish Intellectuals Who Have Recognized The Armenian Genocide: Fikret Adanýr
By MassisPost
Updated: November 7, 2014
By Hambersom Aghbashian
Fikret Adanýr (born Oct. 3, 1941 in Foca, Turkey) is a Turkish
professor of history and philology. He studied English Philology at
the University of Istanbul(1962-1964), worked as a Turkish Language
Instructor in Vermont, USA(1964). During the years (1965 -1971), he
studied English Philology, History and Philosophy at the University of
Frankfurt am Main (M.A. in English Literature), then studied Slavic
Languages (Russian and Bulgarian) (1971-73) and completed his
post-graduate studies and research at University of Frankfurt am Main
(PhD in History, 1973-77). He held many academic positions where he
served as Research Assistant (East European History), University of
Frankfurt am Main(1978-79), Assistant Lecturer (East European
History), University of Giessen(1979-84), Assistant Lecturer (History
Department), Free University of Berlin(1984-86), Professor for
Southeast European History (with special focus on Ottoman-Turkish
History), Ruhr University Bochum(1986 to Present), and visiting
professor, Sabanci University, Istanbul (October 2002-February 2003).
He is the author of many books and has a very long list of published
books.(1)
Prof. Fikret Adanir participated in the Conference entitled The
Armenians during the Collapse of the Ottoman Empire that was held at
Istanbul’s Bogazici University in September 2005. In his speech, he
said, “a Turkish government may have to accept genocide accusation one
day due to impositions. This may please some circles. But, I don’t
think a concession made as a result of such impositions will be
beneficial for the future of Turkish-Armenian relations.” Adanir also
said that he was using the expression ‘Armenian Genocide’ in his
academic works, and added, “the dimension of the 1915-16 relocation is
far beyond than mass killings. A whole nation, regardless of whether
they were women, men, elderly or children, were relocated and died on
the roads. Their properties were seized, while those who survived this
incident were not allowed to return.” (2)
The Danish Royal Library has, together with the Armenian embassy, held
an exhibition on “The Armenian genocide and the Scandinavian
reaction”. Due to protests from the Turkish embassy, the library’s
director, Erland Kolding Nielsen, has agreed to hold an alternative
exhibition titled, “The so-called Armenian genocide.” This decision
has caused widespread debate and 37 Turkish intellectuals, including
Fikrat Adanýr, Taner Akçam, Cengiz Aktar, Murat Belge, Baskýn Oran and
Ãpek and Oral Çalýþlar, have in an open letter in Dec.2012 in
Denmark’s leading daily Berlingske, called on the library’s director
to reconsider his decision. They mentioned in their letter “By giving
the Turkish government the opportunity to present an “alternative
exhibit”, you support their policy of suppression and intimidation.
The support that you are extending to a regime that has made
opposition to confronting history and denial of the truth a
fundamental principle is equivalent to supporting a regime of
apartheid. We want to remind you that your support constitutes an
obstacle to democratization efforts in Turkey today.”(3)
In his research “The Reality and Relevance of the Armenian Genocide”,
1999, Prof Richard Hovannisian (UCLA), mentioned that “Fikret Adanir
explains the lack of readiness in Turkish society to face the truth of
the Armenian Genocide as being in large measure is the result of the
“official history” taught and propagated in the Republic of Turkey. He
offers an overview of Turkish nationalist historiography and how it
shapes public opinion.”(4)
According to ESI (European Stability Institute), Turkish historian
Halil Berktay, a professor at the prestigious Sabanci University in
Istanbul told ESI in early 2009, “Every country has foundation myths.
Turkey’s, however, thanks largely to the perseverance of Kemalist
dogma, has been virtually uncontested – at least till the 2000s.
Turkey was a late nation state. The hegemony of state Kemalism allowed
foundation myths to survive longer than in most nation states. He
added ” A few Turkish intellectuals, such as Taner Akcam or Fikret
Adanýr, addressed the Armenian issue in the 1990s. But they were
isolated from Turks in Turkey. The press did not cover their views.
Marginal journals or printing houses printed 1500 copies of one of
their books, for example.(5)
According to , (Oct 16, 2006), “Some
Turkish intellectuals also support the genocide thesis despite
opposition from Turkish nationalists; these include Ragip Zarakolu,
Ali Ertem, Taner Akçam, Halil Berktay, Fatma Muge Gocek and Fikret
Adanir.The reasons are: First, they cite the fact that the
organization members were criminals, and that those criminals were
specifically sent to escort the Armenians. This is regarded as
sufficient evidence of the government’s criminal intent. Second, the
fact that Armenians living outside the war zone were also removed.
Thirdly, it is argued that the thesis of simple relocation is flawed
due to the absence of the preparations which resettlement would
require. Fikret Adanir suggested that over a million lost their lives
during the events.(6)
A group of academics, journalists, artists and intellectuals have
released a statement condemning in the harshest terms what they define
as expressions that include “open hatred and hostility” towards
Armenians in Turkish schoolbooks, which were recently exposed by the
newspapers Agos and Taraf. The two newspapers recently published
reports on hateful remarks targeting Armenians in the textbooks used
in history classes, according to Today’s Zaman.
A letter accompanying the text of the condemnation, written by
historian Taner Akçam, notes that including such expressions as lesson
material to teach children is a disgrace. Prof. Fikret Adanir was one
of the academics who have participated in releasing the statement.(7)
—————-
1-
2-
3- genocide.aspx?
pageID=238&nID= 37144 &News CatID =396
4-
5-
6-
7- Turkish Intellectuals Condemn Anti-Armenian Textbooks.
Asbarez.com.Sept. 30th, 2014
http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/soeg/adanir.html
http://www.armeniapedia.org/wiki/Fikret_Adanir
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/a-controversial
http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/history/centers/armenian/source109.html
http://www.esiweb.org/index.php?lang=en&id=322&debate_ID=2&slide_ID=3
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Armenian_Genocide
http://massispost.com/2014/11/turkish-intellectuals-who-have-recognized-the-armenian-genocide-fikret-adanyr/
www.newworldencyclopedia.org