Edgar Hilsenrat: When writing this book, I felt Armenian

09.05.2006 12:54

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – German author Edgar Hilsenrat met on May 7 with
Armenian intelligentsia.

Hilsenrat, who was awarded a presidential prize for his book `The Tale
of the Last Though’ on the Armenian Genocide, was also granted the
honorary doctor title of the Yerevan State University.

`When writing this book, I felt Armenian,’ said Hilsenrat, who is of
Jewish origin. The book was first published in 1989 and almost
immediately received the Alfred Doblin award. It has been translated
into Russian, Turkish and now Armenian. The Turkish publisher of the
book was later sentenced to a prison time.

`I don’t know whether it was because of my book or another reason but
one thing I know is that Turks had no chance to read it, all the
copies of the book were withdrawn from bookstores,’ the German author
said. Hilsenrat said he hoped Turkey would recognize the Armenian
Genocide some time. He also deplored Israel for refusing to recognize
the Genocide.

Speaking at the meeting, Babken Harutiunian of the Yerevan State
University History Department thanked Hilsenrat, saying the prize he
received was only a modest acknowledgment of the work the author has
done.