Armenian Media's First Mention of the Word Genocide.

Shavarsh Missakian, "Haratch", 9 December 1945

Translation by Vahe Apelian

Levon Sharoyan posted a copy of the December 9, 1945 issue  of "Haratch” (Forward) Daily of Paris, where for the very first time its longtime editor Shavarsh Missakian first introduced the newly coined word "genocide" in his editorial and hence in the Armenian press.  Haratch ('Forward') (Armenian: Յառաջ) was an Armenian daily newspaper based in France. It was founded in 1925 by Schavarch Missakian.The newspaper was famous for attracting high profile names in Armenian literature and journalism. Schavarsh Missakian, died on Janauary 26, 1957.

 

The Editorial

“A new word that was used during the Nuremberg Trials, “Genocide”.

It means ցեղասպանութիւն (tseghasbanoutiun)

In fact, the four victorious governments declare in their historic accusation that “Germany is guilty of genocidal premeditated, planned crimes for eradicating national, religious or ethnic groups, especially the Poles, the Jews and others…..”

People knowledgeable in law note that it is the first time the word genocide (ցեղասպանութիւն - tseghasbanoutiun) appears in an accusation.

The author of the word is an American lawmaker by the name of Lemkin. He explained the origin and the meaning of the word in a recent book.

The word "genocide" is formed by adding to the Greek genos (race or tribe) cide (Latin) which means killing such as in homicide, infanticide. Thus "genocide" means to destroy according to a particular and premeditated plan the necessary foundations of a racial group to obliterate its political, social, cultural, linguistic, economic being. Genocide is directed against a racial group as a whole and its actions against individuals are not directed against them per se but as members of that racial group.

The act consists of two phases: first annihilate the leading cadre of the racial group and then replace it with a leading cadre from the perpetrator.

According to the American lawmaker, the law will not only punish the criminals during war but will assure the security of minorities in the future.

We read these words and follow the Nuremberg Trials. Our mind instinctively wonders away to a far distant world where thirty years ago war crimes were also committed according to a premeditated plan to annihilate, during a world war, a race left to its fate and on its own.

The same methods were used there also: decapitate the leadership;  dismantle, destroy and eradicate the political, social, cultural, economic foundations and uproot them. Massacre and obliterate them in groups on the spot, during their exodus or in the desert. Kill them with sword, dagger, gun, cannon, hatchet, stone, axe or hammer; by hanging or burning them; by starving or throwing them in the river or sea. Even inject them with deadly microbe, stuff their still-nursing babies in wooden boxes and nailing them shut.

In another word genocide (ցեղասպանութիւն - tseghasbanoutiun ). 

Where were the lawmakers and the judges of today? Had they not discovered the word? Or was it that the bloodthirsty monster was too strong to lay a hand on?

Our rage mounts tenfold particularly because the day’s victors were present then, where the crime was committed. They were there for full four years and ruled like landlords, much like they do nowadays in Germany. Then also hundreds were apprehended, and 70 hand-picked monsters were sent to Malta to be tried and punished commensurate to the crimes they perpetrated. Then?

Has the world changed for the better from Istanbul and Malta to Nuremberg and Auschwitz?

Let the hyenas of genocide be tried and punished mercilessly. But where did the first example of modern-day genocide take place?”