Memory is a concept that is solid yet malleable, like the tides of the ocean forever moving, shifting and changing the sands around it. This is where the dangers lie in relying exclusively on memories to remember genocide. In both the Armenian genocide and the Holocaust, the use of memory can provide us with immense information and details on the events that happened to individuals. As opinions, experiences, and life can change, memory can change too; especially when the idea of collective memory is added in the mix. By analyzing both the Armenian genocide and the Holocaust we can evaluate how memory is used in our remembrance of the events, how memory of the event changes, and how this can be problematic for how we remember genocides. The
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Occurring almost 100 years ago the survivors are almost entirely gone, leaving the living with only their memory they have passed along or shared. This memory is one of the main means we have when analyzing and learning about the Armenian genocide, which causes several issues to arise such as collective memory. Collective memory causes issues when remembering the Armenian genocide because many of the survivors were children when these events occurred. Being children, many survivors did not reconcile the hurt and loss around them until their adulthood. “As children…they did not have the time or energy to think about their losses; only in their later years did they begin to relive and reflect on their losses (Miller 155)”. This means that when the events were happening, as children they saw things very differently than how they would as adults now. This can definitely affect ones memory as their life has changed from …show more content…
This new collective memory causes problems for remembering the genocide and paying tribute to those that were killed. The cultural ideas that the new Turkish government installed after WWI fabricated the public with lies that affects ones memory in recalling events during this time period. This collective memory has been transformed into a cultural identity, which is carried by the people of Turkey today. This collective memory of the Turkish affects not only the way their culture remembers, or their lack of remembrance, but can also effect how Armenians and others remember the genocide. The denial of the memories of the Armenian genocide by the Turkish government can cause problems within survivors’ memories as well. Anger for the denial can cause feeling of resentment and hatred, which in turn can affect how they remember the Turkish people around them. This intense anger is viewed with one survivors quote, “I wish we could eliminate the Turks from this earth (Miller 164).” This type of deep emotional feeling can also lead to cloudiness in regards to memory. This denial by the perpetrators can be see as one reason for why the Armenian genocide does not have much info to commemorate and why it is not heavily viewed or discussed in education, films, or movies. This
Occurring almost 100 years ago the survivors are almost entirely gone, leaving the living with only their memory they have passed along or shared. This memory is one of the main means we have when analyzing and learning about the Armenian genocide, which causes several issues to arise such as collective memory. Collective memory causes issues when remembering the Armenian genocide because many of the survivors were children when these events occurred. Being children, many survivors did not reconcile the hurt and loss around them until their adulthood. “As children…they did not have the time or energy to think about their losses; only in their later years did they begin to relive and reflect on their losses (Miller 155)”. This means that when the events were happening, as children they saw things very differently than how they would as adults now. This can definitely affect ones memory as their life has changed from …show more content…
This new collective memory causes problems for remembering the genocide and paying tribute to those that were killed. The cultural ideas that the new Turkish government installed after WWI fabricated the public with lies that affects ones memory in recalling events during this time period. This collective memory has been transformed into a cultural identity, which is carried by the people of Turkey today. This collective memory of the Turkish affects not only the way their culture remembers, or their lack of remembrance, but can also effect how Armenians and others remember the genocide. The denial of the memories of the Armenian genocide by the Turkish government can cause problems within survivors’ memories as well. Anger for the denial can cause feeling of resentment and hatred, which in turn can affect how they remember the Turkish people around them. This intense anger is viewed with one survivors quote, “I wish we could eliminate the Turks from this earth (Miller 164).” This type of deep emotional feeling can also lead to cloudiness in regards to memory. This denial by the perpetrators can be see as one reason for why the Armenian genocide does not have much info to commemorate and why it is not heavily viewed or discussed in education, films, or movies. This