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Austrian FPÖ head compares failed Turkish coup to Reichstag fire in Nazi Germany

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Burning-reichstagThe head of Austria’s far-right party has likened the failed coup in Turkey and subsequent purges to the burning of the Reichstag in Nazi Germany. Turkish President Erdogan has firmly denied any coup involvement.

Heinz-Christian Strache, the leader of right-wing Freedom Party (FPÖ), drew parallels between the aftermath of the Reichstag fire in Nazi Germany and a recent attempted military coup in Turkey, in an interview published on Saturday.

“One almost had the impression that it was a guided putsch aimed in the end at making a presidential dictatorship by Erdogan possible,” Strache told the Austrian daily Die Presse in an interview.

“He then grabbed complete power for himself – with prepared lists,” said Strache.

“We have dramatically experienced such mechanisms in history before, such as the burning of the Reichstag, where one seized complete power as a consequence,” added the FPÖ head.

In 1933, the fire on the German parliament building was depicted by the Nazis as a Communist ploy against the government. The blaze was used to justify curbing civil liberties and finalized Adolf Hitler’s powerful hold on Germany.

His comments were later echoed by Christian Lindner, the leader of Germany’s Free Democrat party (FDP), who also compared the recent failed coup in Turkey to the 1933 Reichstag fire. He told the “Bild am Sonntag” newspaper that Erdogan was “building an authoritarian regime tailored solely to himself.”

Lindner said the power grab meant that Erdogan “cannot be a partner for Europe.” He added that he was disgusted that EU accession talks for Turkey had not been stopped long ago.

Following the attempted military coup on July 15 by a faction within the Turkish army, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan used the coup plot to justify a crackdown on political opponents in universities, media, the judiciary, civil service and the army.

Erdogan has staunchly rejected any accusations that his government might have planned the coup. He has also blamed the attempted uprising on a US-based Muslim cleric.

Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern suggested earlier this week that the European Union discuss the possibility of ending talks with Turkey over its EU membership bid.

Turkey’s foreign minister fired back on Friday, calling Austria the “capital of radical racism” following Kern’s comments.

rs/mm/bw (dpa, Reuters)

How Armenian Genocide discussion failed in German Reichstag in 1916

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213922The first-ever attempt to address the mass killings of Armenians in Germany was made back in 1916 during the Genocide.

Reichstag member, the founder-to-be of the Communist Party of Germany Karl Liebknecht sent a written appeal to Bethmann Hollweg, the Reich Chancellor on December 20, 1915, to learn whether the German government was aware of the massacres of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. The response of the 26th session of the 13th convocation of Reichstag and the fierce reaction of the Reich’s members prove that humanist Liebknecht had risen an question, uncomfortable for the German government.

Armeniangenocide100.org presents Liebknecht’s written appeal and the transcript of the short discussion on the issue:

An excerpt from the transcript of 26th session of the 13th convocation of Reichstag:

President: We are passing to the agenda. The written appeals form the first part of the agenda. N 12 is the first of them. Reichstag member Dr. Liebknecht is invited to present the appeal.

Dr. Liebknecht: Is the Imperial Chancellor aware of the fact that during the ongoing war hundreds of thousands of Armenians in the allied Turkish Empire have been exiled and massacred? What measures has the Reich Chancellor taken for the need for repentance to awaken in allied Turkey, for the conditions of the Armenians left in Turkey to become worthy of human dignity, to prevent the recurrence of such disasters.

President: The Imperial Envoy, Director of the Political Department of the German Foreign Office, Dr. von Stumm is invited to answer the inquiry.

Dr. von Strumm: The Imperial Chancellor is aware that some time ago the Sublime Porte, compelled by the rebellious machinations of our enemies, evacuated the Armenian population in certain parts of the Turkish Empire and allocated new residential areas to them. Due to certain repercussions of these measures, an exchange of ideas is taking place between the German and the Turkish governments. Further details cannot be disclosed.

Dr. Liebknecht: I am asking you to give me the right to make a supplement in the request. (Excitement is observed in the courtroom)

Persident: Dr. Liebknecht is invited to make a supplement in the request.

Dr. Liebknecht: Is the Imperial Chancellor aware that professor Lepsius virtually spoke of an extermination of the Turkish Armenians…?

(The president’s ring. The speaker tries to continue talking. Call – Silence! Silence!)

President: Mr. deputy, this is a new appeal, which I cannot accept.

Dr. Liebknecht: Mr. President, please, keep to the rules of procedure.

If Mr. President listened to the appeal up to the end (excitement is observed in the courtroom), he would be able to decide whether it is a new request or not. By the way, it is noteworthy that the president was not self-willed in concluding a new appeal was being submitted, but was influenced by the audience’s reaction.

President: Dr. Liebknecht, I forbid such criticism against my regulations. (Stormy applause). We pass on to the next written appeal on the agenda…