Nazim Bey – Ideologist of the Armenian Genocide

One of the ideologists of the Armenian Genocide was Nazim Bey. During the secret meetings of the Young Turks, which were attended by Djemal, Enver, Talaat, Behaeddin Shakir Bey, and other executioners of the Armenian people, Nazim Bey tried to ideologically justify the crimes that were being prepared against the Armenians. We present to you an excerpt from his speeches.

“It is necessary to act decisively and quickly. Armenians are dangerous like a purulent formation. At first, this poisoned wound seems to be safe, but if an experienced surgeon does not treat it promptly, it will surely lead to death.

It is necessary to act quickly. If we limit ourselves to partial pogroms, as was the case in Adana and other regions in 1909, then we’ll receive more harm than benefit since this will wake up Arabs and Kurds, who are also going to be destroyed.

The danger will triple, and the fulfillment of our plan will be hampered. I have told you several times and am repeating now that if the cleansing is not universal and final, it will bring harm instead of benefit. The Armenian ethnos must be completely eradicated so that not a single Armenian is left on our land and that the very word “Armenian” is forgotten. Now is war, we won’t have another such opportunity.

The intervention of the world powers and the loud protests of the world press will go unnoticed. Even if they find out, they will face a fait accompli, and this question will be settled. This time, our actions should be aimed at the complete extermination of the Armenians.

It is necessary to exterminate everyone to the last person. I became your friend, ally, and brother to revive Turkism. I want only Turks to live on this land and become its full masters.

May all non-Turkish elements disappear, no matter what faith or nationality they have. Our country needs to be cleansed of non-Turkish elements. Religion doesn’t matter to me. My religion is Turan.”

David Fidanyan

Nazim Bey (1870-1926) was aTurkish politician and statesman, general secretary, and one of the ideologists of the Unity and Progress Party.

He took an active part in the development of ideas of Pan-Turkism, justifying the need to get rid of all non-Turkish elements of the Ottoman Empire.

At the beginning of 1915, he spoke (the above text) at a secret meeting of the private Young Turkic Committee on the issue of the total extermination of the Armenian population of the country, saying that the Armenian people must be completely exterminated so that not a single Armenian remains in Turkey.

After the defeat of Turkey in WWI (1914-1918), Nazim fled to Germany. By the decision of the Istanbul Military Tribunal, Nazim along with other main culprits of the massacre of Armenians – Talaat, Enver, and Djemal – was sentenced to death in absentia.

Returning to Turkey in 1920, Nazim joined the group of political opponents Mustafa Kemal, took part in a conspiracy against him, and was hanged in Ankara in 1926.