Ashes and Pheonix

Documentary film on the life and work of Johannes Lepsius by Merlyn Solakhan and Manfred Blank

The German theologian Johannes Lepsius was the founder of the Armenian Relief Organization and is regarded today as the “Guardian Angel of the Armenians”. When the genocide of the Armenian people in Turkey reach its height in 1915, Lepsius traveled to Turkey, collected testimonies from witnesses and other records documenting the crime. He later published these in Germany under the title “The Death March of the Armenian People”, which was banned shortly thereafter. In commemoration of the 150th anniversary of his birth in 2008, this project will present a documentary film and video installation about Lepsius’s life. The film examines the historical evidence, tracing the path the Armenians took on their death marches through Turkey and the Syrian Desert. It also highlights the current situation of the Armenians living in Turkey today. Both the documentary film and video installation will be presented in cinemas and international cultural institutions.

Artistic director: Merlyn Solakhan
Research consultant: Hermann Goltz

Schedule and venues:
Film and audio-visual installation:
beginning 28 June 2009 Filmmuseum Potsdam, Lepsius-Haus Potsdam, OWZ at the Martin-Luther-Universität zu Halle-Wittenberg, German-Armenian Society Frankfurt/Main, Yerevan Action Art Center, Center of Arts and Culture at the Sabanci University Istanbul, Catholicosat Art Center of Cilicia, Antelias / Lebanon

Film presentation:
Armenian communities in Berlin, Frankfurt / Main, Cologne, Munich Bielefeld, Nürnberg, Duisburg, Kehl; Armenian Cultural Association in Hamburg;
German community of Merano (I); Armenian Cultural Centre in Alfortville (F);
“Golden Apricot” International Film Festival (Yerevan/Armenia) (July 2009)