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ROYAL LIBRARY UNDER FIRE FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE EXHIBITION
The Copenhagen Post
Dec 4 2012
Denmark
Christian Wenande
But library director has brushed aside the criticism, saying that a
Turkish version of the events will go ahead as planned
The Royal Library has attracted heavy criticism after agreeing to
let Turkey co-arrange an alternative exhibition about the Armenian
Genocide.
The library has complied with the wishes of the Turkish ambassador
to Denmark to be involved with the exhibition, 'The Armenian Genocide
and the Scandinavian response', which is currently on display at the
University of Copenhagen.
The Turkish Embassy has been granted the opportunity to stage a
Turkish version of the historical events in a move that has generated
criticism from a number of circles, including politicians, historians,
and the Armenian Embassy in Copenhagen.
"This is giving in to Turkish pressure and it won't do. Without
comparing the two events, it's like asking neo-Nazis to arrange
a Holocaust exhibition," Søren Espersen, a spokesperson for Dansk
Folkeparti (DF), told Berlingske newspaper.
Turkey refuses to to use the 'genocide' to describe the deaths of
over an estimated one million Armenians who died during the mass
extermination carried out by the Ottoman Empire between the years of
1915-1923. Turkey counters that the deaths were a by-product of the
First World War and that the issue should be left to historians.
But Matthias Bjørnlund, a historian and leading Danish expert on the
Armenian Genocide, is perplexed over the Royal Library's decision in
the case.
"If you believe that all versions of history are equal, then you've
undermined your role as a research institution," Bjørnlund told
Berlingske. "It was genocide and not all interpretations of this
history are correct."
The Armenian ambassador to Denmark, Hrachya Aghajanyan, who is a
co-host of the original exhibition, is disappointed by the move.
"I hope that the Royal Library will reconsider their decision and not
give in to the possible Turkish pressure," Aghajanyan told Berlingske.
But Erland Kolding Nielsen, the director of the Royal Library, denied
that the institution buckled under pressure from Turkey.
"One can't pressure us, and we have not spoken about removing the
Armenian exhibition. We have simply given them the opportunity to
show their alternative exhibition," Nielsen told Berlingske.
Currently, 24 nations - including France, Germany and Russia -
officially consider the killings as genocide, but Denmark has yet to
make that assertion.
Earlier this year, Turkey condemned the French senate's adoption
of a law criminalising those who refuse to recognise the killing
of Armenians in 1915 as genocide in France. The Turkish government
froze political and military ties with France after the law passed
in late January 2012, which would impose a fine of 335,000 kroner
and a one-year jail sentence on those found guilty of denying that
the deaths amounting to genocide.
It is not yet know when the Turkish exhibition version will debut,
but the Turkish embassy said that preparations were underway.
http://cphpost.dk/news/international/royal-library-under-fire-armenian-genocide-exhibition
The Copenhagen Post
Dec 4 2012
Denmark
Christian Wenande
But library director has brushed aside the criticism, saying that a
Turkish version of the events will go ahead as planned
The Royal Library has attracted heavy criticism after agreeing to
let Turkey co-arrange an alternative exhibition about the Armenian
Genocide.
The library has complied with the wishes of the Turkish ambassador
to Denmark to be involved with the exhibition, 'The Armenian Genocide
and the Scandinavian response', which is currently on display at the
University of Copenhagen.
The Turkish Embassy has been granted the opportunity to stage a
Turkish version of the historical events in a move that has generated
criticism from a number of circles, including politicians, historians,
and the Armenian Embassy in Copenhagen.
"This is giving in to Turkish pressure and it won't do. Without
comparing the two events, it's like asking neo-Nazis to arrange
a Holocaust exhibition," Søren Espersen, a spokesperson for Dansk
Folkeparti (DF), told Berlingske newspaper.
Turkey refuses to to use the 'genocide' to describe the deaths of
over an estimated one million Armenians who died during the mass
extermination carried out by the Ottoman Empire between the years of
1915-1923. Turkey counters that the deaths were a by-product of the
First World War and that the issue should be left to historians.
But Matthias Bjørnlund, a historian and leading Danish expert on the
Armenian Genocide, is perplexed over the Royal Library's decision in
the case.
"If you believe that all versions of history are equal, then you've
undermined your role as a research institution," Bjørnlund told
Berlingske. "It was genocide and not all interpretations of this
history are correct."
The Armenian ambassador to Denmark, Hrachya Aghajanyan, who is a
co-host of the original exhibition, is disappointed by the move.
"I hope that the Royal Library will reconsider their decision and not
give in to the possible Turkish pressure," Aghajanyan told Berlingske.
But Erland Kolding Nielsen, the director of the Royal Library, denied
that the institution buckled under pressure from Turkey.
"One can't pressure us, and we have not spoken about removing the
Armenian exhibition. We have simply given them the opportunity to
show their alternative exhibition," Nielsen told Berlingske.
Currently, 24 nations - including France, Germany and Russia -
officially consider the killings as genocide, but Denmark has yet to
make that assertion.
Earlier this year, Turkey condemned the French senate's adoption
of a law criminalising those who refuse to recognise the killing
of Armenians in 1915 as genocide in France. The Turkish government
froze political and military ties with France after the law passed
in late January 2012, which would impose a fine of 335,000 kroner
and a one-year jail sentence on those found guilty of denying that
the deaths amounting to genocide.
It is not yet know when the Turkish exhibition version will debut,
but the Turkish embassy said that preparations were underway.
http://cphpost.dk/news/international/royal-library-under-fire-armenian-genocide-exhibition