German-Armenian Society/Deutsch-Armenische Gesellschaft

The German-Armenian Society was founded in Berlin in 1914. Apart from Johannes Lepsius, Protestant priest and first chairman, its original members included the journalist Paul Rohrbach and the Armenian author Avetik Issahakyan. Lepsius took this initiative against the background of the worsening situation of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, which was to lead to the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians a year later. It is particularly due to Lepsius‘ efforts that the extent of this genocide became known in Germany. In 1956, after the death of its long-standing chairman Paul Rohrbach, the DAG was removed from the register of associations. In 1972, it was refounded in Frankfurt on Main. At present, the DAG has about 230 members