Germany
summary
Armenian Community
ARMENIAN STUDENTS STAGE PROTEST DEMONSTRATION IN GERMANY
Yerkir 16.01.2006 12:14
YEREVAN (YERKIR) - About 60-70 Armenian students of German universities and high schools, joined with representatives of German-Armenian organizations and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, staged a demonstration on January 4, 2006 in Cologne, Germany to protest against the destruction of the Armenian medieval cemetery in Jufla of the Nakhichevan region by the Azeri troops.
The organizers handed out flyers depicting the Armenian cross-stones of the cemetery before and after the destruction, as well as the history of the Nakhijevan region. The protesters also repeatedly read out a letter to the UNESCO.
At the end of the demonstration, its participants lit candles around a big picture of a khachkar and participated in a mass served by local Armenian priests.
Following the demonstration, they discussed the matter at the St. Sahak-Mesrop Armenian Church in Cologne.
Relations with Armenia
Genocide Recognition
In asking the Turkish government to acknowledge its crimes against the Armenians in 1915, the German Bundestag made perhaps the most thoughtful and resonant statement to Turkey yet made by a governmental body. In its resolution of June 15, the Bundestag "deplore[d] the deeds of the Young Turk government in the Ottoman Empire which have resulted in the almost total annihilation of the Armenians in Anatolia." Refusing to be self-righteous (Germany was Turkey's World War I ally), the Bundestag acknowledged its own crimes against the Armenian people and concluded with a deeply democratic statement acknowledging "from its own national experience how hard it is for every people to face the dark sides of its past" and asserted "that facing one's own history fairly and squarely is necessary" and is an essential part of "the European culture of remembrance to which belongs the open discussion of the dark sides of each national history."
-Peter Balakian, September, 2005
Deutsche Bank and the Genocide
COMMUNITY ACTION ALERT
AZG Armenian Daily #003 12/01/2006
Armenians from Los Angeles and Orange County will be gathering in Downtown Los Angeles, for a press conference led by the law firms of Geragos & Geragos, Kabatack Brown Kellner, and Yeghiayan & Associates, the attorneys who settled the lawsuits against New York Life and AXA during the past year for $37.5 million dollars.
The firms now represent the heirs of Armenians who perished in the Armenian Genocide, in a lawsuit which will be filed on January 13, 2006 against Deutsche Bank and Dresdner Bank. The lawsuit alleges that the German banks have systematically thwarted the recovery of millions of dollars in assets deposited by Armenians prior to the 1915 Genocide. In addition, the lawsuit seeks damages for looted Armenian assets forcibly taken by the Turkish government during the Genocide. Deutsche Bank funded the Turkish government's mass genocide of Armenians in return for these looted Armenian assets.
On Friday, January 13, 2006 at 12 noon, a press conference and protest will be held at the Los Angeles office of Deutsche Bank regarding its failure to return money and assets belonging to heirs of Armenians who perished in the Armenian Genocide. Your presence at this protest is need to garner the attention of Deutsche and Dresdner bank executives who have ignored their banks' wrongdoings. Guest speakers will include attorneys Mark J. Geragos, Brian Kabatack, and Vartkes Yeghiayan. Lunch will be donated by Zankou Chicken.
| This article contains text from a source with a copyright. Please help us by extracting the factual information and eliminating the rest in order to keep the site in accordance to fair use standards, or by obtaining permission for reuse on this site.. |
Forbes Jan 13 2006
Deutsche Bank, Dresdner Bank facing lawsuit by Armenian genocide descendants 01.13.2006, 11:24 AM
FRANKFURT (AFX) - Deutsche Bank AG and Allianz AG's banking unit
Dresdner Bank AG are facing a class action suit in Los Angeles by
descendants of the Armenian genocide of 1915, according to a
statement by US law firm Kabateck Brown Kellner LLP, which represents
the plaintiffs.
The lawsuit seeks the recovery of 'millions of dollars' worth of money and property that the plaintiffs claim the two German banks wrongfully withheld following the genocide 'that killed approximately 1.5 million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire'.
'Many Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire during the early part of the last century deposited money, gold and other assets into Turkish branches of Deutsche Bank and Dresdner Bank,' says Kabateck, partner with Kabateck Brown Kellner.
The law firm added that in addition to these deposits, as much as 6 mln Turkish gold pounds, as well as property, cash and jewellery, were seized by the Ottoman Empire and funneled to European banks, including Deutsche Bank and Dresdner Bank.
'The banks accepted these assets from the Ottoman government knowing full well that they were looted from Armenians,' says Yeghiayan, partner with Yeghiayan & Associates, which is also representing some of the plaintiffs.
The statement pointed out that there is no statute of limitations on claims to recover money and other property deposited in a bank.
Yeghiayan said the class action is seeking reparations similar to those made by Swiss banks to Jewish Holocaust victims in 1998.
| This article contains text from a source with a copyright. Please help us by extracting the factual information and eliminating the rest in order to keep the site in accordance to fair use standards, or by obtaining permission for reuse on this site.. |
Glendale News Press Jan 14 2006
Banks facing two lawsuits
Class-action suit alleges banks withheld assets from Armenian Genocide victims. By Tania Chatila, News-Press and Leader
LOS ANGELES -- More than 500 Armenians from across Los Angeles County held signs that read "Blood for $" and chanted "Shame on Deutsche Bank."
Demonstrators gathered at the downtown offices of Deutsche Bank A.G. Friday morning, hours after it and Dresdner Bank A.G. were slapped with a class-action lawsuit claiming they have withheld money and assets from the heirs of Armenian Genocide victims for 90 years.
"We brought this case specifically to address the wrongs committed by this bank and others who profit off the Armenian Genocide," said attorney Brian Kabateck, of Kabateck, Brown, Kellner, LLP at Friday's rally.
He and Mark Geragos, of Geragos & Geragos, APC; and Vartkes Yeghiayan, of Yeghiayan & Associates, filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court.
The suit claims that the two German banks have prevented the recovery of millions in money and assets deposited by Armenians prior to World War I and the Armenian Genocide.
The lawsuit also claims that the banks accepted "looted assets" taken by the Ottoman Turkey government during World War I and the Armenian Genocide.
"We are declining to comment on that lawsuit," Deutsche Bank spokeswoman Rohini Pragasam said.
The suit seeks restitution -- which Geragos estimates in the tens of millions -- for the heirs of genocide victims.
"For 90 years, this bank has sat on the blood money of the Armenian people who were driven into the desert and slaughtered by the Ottoman Turks," Geragos said.
"That blood money is what they pay for their sweets with, its for what they do their investments with."
Kabateck, Geragos and Yeghiayan -- all of Armenian descent -- settled two separate class-action lawsuits against New York Life and AXA in the past two years for more than $37 million.
The two companies agreed to payouts to descendants of life insurance policyholders killed in the genocide.
"This is an important issue," said protester Levon Marashlian, a professor of history at Glendale Community College and the college's Armenian Students Assn. faculty advisor.
"In addition to people being starved and massacred, their property was also stolen and insurance companies did not pay out life insurance policies."
Marashlian and several students in the college's Armenian Students Assn., were among many Glendale residents present Friday to show their support.
"It's about our race," said Tigran Pedirian, 17, of Glendale. "They think they can fool us."
The lawsuit has five representative defendants, but Kabateck believes there could be thousands of families that could be affected by the suit.
| This article contains text from a source with a copyright. Please help us by extracting the factual information and eliminating the rest in order to keep the site in accordance to fair use standards, or by obtaining permission for reuse on this site.. |
KESQ, CA Jan 13 2006
Heirs of Armenians file class-action lawsuit against German banks
LOS ANGELES Heirs of Armenians killed 91 years ago in the Turkish
Ottoman Empire sued Deutsche Bank and Dresdner Bank today, claiming
the German banks owe them (m) millions of dollars and other assets
deposited by their ancestors.
The class-action lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of seven Armenians living in Southern California. This is the latest bid by Armenians in the United States to recover assets they believe belonged to some one and one-half (m) million Armenians who perished in a genocide beginning in 1915.
Litigation brought against New York Life Insurance Company by Armenian descendants led to a 20 (m) million-dollar settlement. French life insurer A-X-A has agreed to pay 17 (m) million dollars to settle a separate class-action claim. Both lawsuits made similar allegations.
The lawsuit against the German banks seeks to recoup unspecified (m) millions of dollars for assets such as gold, cash and jewelry.
The banks also are accused of concealing and preventing the funds from being recovered by the account holders' heirs.
| This article contains text from a source with a copyright. Please help us by extracting the factual information and eliminating the rest in order to keep the site in accordance to fair use standards, or by obtaining permission for reuse on this site.. |
Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region 104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200 Glendale, California 91206 Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353 ancawr@anca.org www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE Friday, January 13, 2006
Contact: Armen Carapetian Tel: (818) 500-1918
ANCA-WR SUPPORTS HEIRS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS FILING LAWSUIT AGAINST GERMAN BANKS
-- `We can, today, secure a measure of justice, and that is why we are
here. Justice: A small measure today - from a bank. A greater measure tomorrow - from the Turkish government. The full measure - soon - of the justice owed the Armenian nation.' -- ANCA-WR board member Raffi Hamparian
LOS ANGELES, CA - The Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region (ANCA-WR) today lent its support and took part in a press conference and rally outside the Los Angeles offices of Deutsche Bank announcing a class action lawsuit against both Deutsche Bank and Dresdner Bank for wrongfully withholding money and assets belonging to heirs of Armenians who perished during the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923.
The suit was filed today by attorneys Mark Geragos, Brian Kabatack, and Vartkes Yeghiayan. Over 600 members of the Armenian American community were on hand during the press conference to support the filing of the suit and to protest the banks' wrongful actions.
`Today, we ask simply for what is owed, what has been owed for nearly a century,' stated Raffi Hamparian, board member of the ANCA-WR. Justice: A small measure today - from a bank. A greater measure tomorrow - from the Turkish government. The full measure - soon - of the justice owed the Armenian nation.'
Geragos, Kabatack, and Yeghiayan recently settled similar lawsuits against New York Life and AXA for $37.5 million for the wrongful withholding of insurance policy proceeds held from the Armenian Genocide era. In today's filing of court papers, the same lawyers represent the heirs of Armenians who perished during the Armenian Genocide against Deutsche Bank and Dresdner Bank. The lawsuit states that these German banks systematically thwarted the recovery of millions of dollars in assets deposited by Armenians prior to the 1915 genocide. In addition, the lawsuit seeks damages for looted Armenian assets forcibly taken by the Ottoman Turkish government during the Armenian Genocide. Deutsche Bank funded the Ottoman Turkish government's mass genocide of Armenians in return for these looted Armenian assets.
`Every single lawyer on this case is of Armenian descent and has ancestors who perished in the Genocide,' said Brian Kabatack, one of the attorneys filing the class action lawsuit. `We are not going to settle for less than full restitution.'
Leading the protest in chanting were members of the United Human Rights Council. Among the hundreds of Armenian Americans from the greater Los Angeles area who attended the press conference and protested the German banks were a large number of professionals working in downtown Los Angeles and students from area universities and local Armenian high schools.
`This brings memories back, stories of my aunt and uncle being slaughtered, my dad ending up begging on the streets,' said Katia Kermoyan, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
The ANCA is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.
Editor's Note: Photos attached. Photo 1 caption: From left to right - Attorney Mark Geragos, Armenian National Committee of America board member Raffi Hamparian, and attorney Brian Kabatack. Photo 2 caption: Protesters at Deutsche Bank offices in Los Angeles.
Raffi Hamparian's remarks at the press conference follow:
Dear friends,
We are brought together today in calling upon Deutsche Bank to make good on its debt. To honor its obligation.
To return the funds it eagerly accepted but then so heartlessly withheld from the victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide. Withheld - from the wounded, the destitute and desperate - exactly when they needed access to them the most.
Today, we ask simply for what is owed, what has been owed for nearly a century.
We know that the time has long-since passed when Deutsche Bank can make its depositors whole. That time has passed. No one today can wipe away the blood, the tears, the sweat of endless desert marches, mass executions, and starvations.
But we can, today, secure a measure of justice, and that is why we are here.
Justice: A small measure today - from a bank.
A greater measure tomorrow - from the Turkish government.
The full measure - soon - of the justice owed the Armenian nation.
And so, in closing, let me say that today is not about lawsuits, or lawyers, or banks.
Today is about justice.
The justice long-denied the Armenian nation.
The justice that we - together - will secure for our future.
Thank you.
Turks and Kurds in Germany
11,000 Turks in Germany Demand Armenian Genocide Recognition
YEREVAN (Yerkir)--Turkish journalist and Chairman of the Germany-based organization "Union Against Genocide," Ali Ektem, collected 11,000 signatures from German Turks demanding recognition of the Armenian genocide. According to Ektem, the main goal of his organization is the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian genocide by Turkey and Turkish society. The signatures were collected starting in 2004 and submitted to the Parliaments of Germany and other European states. He said the signatures were submitted first to the Turkish Parliament, which has yet to respond.
"Hostility cannot last eternally. Turkey should resign itself to the fact and acknowledge the Armenian genocide. I am convinced that the peoples residing in Turkey will also condemn and acknowledge the reality," said Ektem.
He added that international organizations can help Turkey reach this goal. "They should act as mediators in the dialogue between the Turkish and Armenian nations," said Ektem.
ASBAREZ Online [04-27-2006]
| This article contains text from a source with a copyright. Please help us by extracting the factual information and eliminating the rest in order to keep the site in accordance to fair use standards, or by obtaining permission for reuse on this site.. |
German court rejects suits against Armenian Genocide vote
14:35, 19 Dec 2016
Siranush Ghazanchyan
Germany’s highest court has rejected a string of complaints against a decision by the country’s parliament to label the killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks a century ago as genocide, the Associated Press reports.
The Federal Constitutional Court threw out eight complaints against the resolution approved by lawmakers in June.
It published one of the decisions Monday, in which judges said the plaintiff had failed to provide sufficient evidence that his fundamental rights had been violated and that no such violation was obvious.
The parliamentary vote infuriated the Turkish government and prompted it to withdraw its ambassador from Berlin for a few months.
Ankara also refused to let German lawmakers visit German military personnel stationed at Turkey’s Incirlik air base, but relented after the German government stressed the resolution isn’t legally binding.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2016/12/19/german-court-rejects-suits-against-armenian-genocide-vote/
| This article contains text from a source with a copyright. Please help us by extracting the factual information and eliminating the rest in order to keep the site in accordance to fair use standards, or by obtaining permission for reuse on this site.. |