Assassination for justice echoes within Square Soghomon Tehlirian. This square honors Soghomon Tehlirian. He was an Armenian revolutionary. He assassinated Talaat Pasha in Berlin on March 15 1921.
Square Soghomon Tehlirian stands as a testament. It embodies courage and remembrance. The square’s story is rooted in Operation Nemesis. This was a revenge plan. It targeted Ottoman leaders responsible for the Armenian Genocide.
Soghomon Tehlirian was born on April 2 1896. His birthplace was Nerkin Bagarij. This village was in the Erzurum vilayet of the Ottoman Empire. He grew up in Erzincan. Tehlirian’s early life took him to Serbia for education. Later, he planned to study engineering in Germany. World War I changed his path.
In 1915, tragedy struck. Ottoman police ordered the deportation of Armenians in Erzincan. Tehlirian lost 85 family members in the Armenian Genocide. His mother and older brother Vasken perished. Vasken was studying medicine in Beirut.
After the war, Tehlirian joined Operation Nemesis. He was entrusted to assassinate Talaat Pasha. Talaat was a main orchestrator of the Armenian Genocide. Tehlirian found Talaat’s address in Berlin. He rented an apartment nearby to study Talaat’s routine.
On March 15 1921, Tehlirian shot Talaat Pasha. He used a 9mm parabellum round from a Luger P08 pistol. The assassination happened in broad daylight. German police arrested Tehlirian immediately.
Tehlirian’s trial became a public spectacle. It took place during the Weimar Republic. His defense focused on the impact of the Armenian Genocide on his mental state. Tehlirian claimed he witnessed his family’s murder. He stated he was not a murderer. He felt no guilt. His conscience was clear.
Tehlirian described a dream during the trial. In it, his mother’s corpse appeared. She scorned him for not avenging his family. The jury acquitted Tehlirian. It took them slightly over an hour to reach a verdict.
After the trial, Tehlirian moved to Cleveland. He later lived in Marseille and Yugoslavia. He married Anahit Tatikian. They eventually settled in San Francisco. He worked as a postal clerk under the name Saro Melikian.
Tehlirian died in 1960. He is buried at the Ararat Cemetery in Fresno. His monument features a gold-plated eagle slaying a snake. The eagle symbolizes Armenian justice. The snake represents Talaat Pasha.
Tehlirian’s actions influenced Raphael Lemkin. Lemkin was a Polish-Jewish lawyer. He campaigned for laws against genocide. Hannah Arendt compared Tehlirian to Sholem Schwarzbard. Both men sought justice for their people.
In 2017, Marseille honored Tehlirian. The city named this square after him. The square stands as a symbol. It represents resilience against injustice. It embodies the enduring fight for justice. It is a tribute to Soghomon Tehlirian’s legacy.
Stand here a moment longer. Reflect on justice and remembrance. Square Soghomon Tehlirian connects us to history. It reminds us of the fight against oppression.