THE ARMENIAN DEPARTMENT OF THE STATE FREE UNIVERSITY OF BERLIN WILL NO LONGER OPERATE
Ruzan ISHKHANIAN
Thursday, 17 May 2012 15:44
Lecturer of the State Free University of Berlin, Armenologist, Doctor
of Indo-European and Comparative Linguistics Zhirayr KOCHARIAN was
invited to the parade dedicated to the May victories. He often visits
our Republic, rejoices at our people’s successes and achievements,
and in Germany, our compatriot is one of the activists taking
countermeasures to the Turkish-Azerbaijani common ideology and
propaganda and a man living with the concerns and problems of his
nation.
Sharing his impressions on the festivities in Artsakh with Azat Artsakh
newspaper, Mr. Kocharian also presented his concerned related to the
closing of the University’s Armenian Department.
– What feelings did you have after watching the parade?
– I had the fortune to participate in the 1995 military parade;
when the tanks were passing along the square, I felt happy and began
to applaud and at that moment my camera dropped and got broken. And
today … The current level of the Artsakh Army’s combat readiness
and efficiency is obvious. I remember my first visit in late 1991,
the fateful days for Artsakh when people were going to fight for death
and life, and then I see today’s Renaissance Square, along which the
soldiers of the victorious Army are marching, and I understand the
people’s sincere joy. Surely, the parade was held on the highest level
and left great impressions. I’m sure that the organized Army of Artsakh
is ready to defend its people and to hold back Azerbaijan’s aggression.
– Mr. Kocharian, there is a considerable number of Turks in Germany,
and the Armenian community often faces certain obstacles while
struggling against them. What can you say about this and, in
particular, about the recently-opened NKR Representation Office there?
– The NKR Representative is Harutyun Grigorian, with whom we have
established direct contacts. Joint efforts are needed for resolving
definite issues. As the Representation Office has opened recently,
so it is too early to speak about its activity; at the current stage,
it is planning its further activities. We scientists continue the work
in our sphere. The Artsakh people are already aware of what is the
Berlin State Free University’s Armenian Department doing. In Germany,
you know, the Turkish-Azerbaijani propaganda is quite active, the
resistance to which is our main duty – if anti-Artsakh or misleading
articles appear in the local media, we immediately respond to them.
But, we are concerned about the fact that no proper book about the
Artsakh issue has been published in German so far.
– And what is the situation at the Berlin State University? Still in
2007, during our interview here you expressed certain concern about
the future of the University’s Armenian Department.
– Unfortunately, our department is going to be closed, about which
I expressed my concern years ago. I must say that the Republic of
Armenia’s Ministries of Diaspora and Education and Science didn’t do
what they could and had to do to preserve the department.
– What was the ministries’ omission?
– They didn’t just understand its value. I’m sorry to say all that.
The matter is the seminars of the Berlin State Free University’s
Indo-European and Comparative Linguistics, the Armenian Department
of which was founded in 1921. The University is an elite educational
establishment and has 63.000 students. Together with the entire staff,
the total number of people makes 100.000. The majority of the German
Nobel Prize winners are lecturers of this University. I should also
note that atomic fission was first implemented at this University.
– So, Mr. Kocharian, after closing the Armenian Department somebody
will take that place.
– For a year and a half, the Azeris have been trying to force inside,
which, surely, would mean weakening of our position.
– And are you going to somehow respond to that challenge?
– I think if the noted ministries had focused on the issue, it would
have been resolved today. But, the issue was delayed a few times,
and it is impossible to do anything now.
I should note that our presence there didn’t pursue only scientific
goals. We worked to keep high the political reputation of the Republic
of Armenia, which is very important. If Azeris tried to organize
exhibitions or lectures at the Berlin State Free University, we
impeded them. If we hadn’t resisted, surely, the picture would have
been different. I regret to inform that the classes will be canceled
in late September of this year.
– And what support did you expect from the homeland?
– Armenian scientific centers, be they of Armenian studies, academic
or others, could help us; they had to become sponsors to decide the
financial issue – our annual budget was 48.000 Euros, 24.000 of which
Óould be paid by the University and the second half – by Armenia. This
is only for opening an Armenian lecture center and it could be expanded
in the future. In particular, corresponding specialists from Armenia
could be invited to Germany. I was already working in that direction;
I elaborated a program of cooperation between the Berlin, Yerevan,
and Artsakh State Universities and we already started discussions on
that issue. There were interesting proposals.
– You noted the significance of cooperation between the Artsakh State
University and the Berlin State Free University.
– The responsible for the University’s foreign relations was
a wonderful person named Gugold, a citizen of the former German
Democratic Republic. He was in Armenia and he loves Armenians very
much. Once I asked him,
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