We know from our history what it means to face one’s own history.

The Greens Faction member Gregor Gysi stated the aforesaid at Thursday’s Bundestag—the lower house of the German parliament—debates on the resolution on the recognition of Armenian Genocide.

“We know how hard it is to review one’s own history; this is not a sign of weakness, but it means that confidence has grown,” said Gysi. “Today, we want Turkey to face the dark pages of its history, which led to the extermination of peoples. Ultimately, we need to call what occurred like it was: genocide, which occurred 101 years ago.

“Germany, as an ally of the Ottoman Empire [at the time], had its accountability [in this genocide]; that’s why we need to be very active. It took forty years for Germany until our president acknowledged the crime of the Nazis, and acknowledged the guilt of Germany. Now, we [i.e. Germans] can condemn the Nazis. But why the leadership of Turkey cannot face history, one hundred years later?”

The deputy added that even thought the German MPs were receiving threats, they did not succumb to them.