Armenia slides towards the "Armenian Reich"

While Armenia's Western patrons lavish compliments on "Armenian democracy," neo-Nazi trends are slowly but surely gaining strength in the country. This is happening openly, not underground, and the authorities are fully aware of what is happening. Nevertheless, no action is taken, as if the neo-Nazi organization is merely a children's group whose members will eventually grow out of it.

Next week, on the eve of the anniversary of the death of the founding father of Armenian neo-Nazism, Garegin Nzhdeh, the Hosank organization plans to hold a gathering and a press conference in the center of Yerevan. At the press conference, the group members intend to share their plans, which are grandiose – to build an Armenian Reich. In a normal country, a Nazi organization could not act so openly, even gathering journalists. But in Armenia, everything is possible.

The Hosank organization was created by U.S. citizen Hayk Nazaryan three years ago and continues to operate without interference. They have no problem using Nazi symbols and gestures. The organization has an office, websites, and they openly publish their program, promoting the superiority of Armenians over other nations and anti-Semitism. And yet, nothing happens.

Recall that in January of this year, neo-Nazis held a rally at the monument to Nzhdeh in honor of his birthday. They marched through the center of Yerevan, shouting "Misha Hai," which translates as "always an Armenian." The chant was clearly designed to echo "Sieg Heil." A group of young, tough-looking men dressed in black, with "chupa chups" symbols on their armbands, gathered at the monument. These men behaved confidently and casually, openly performing Nazi-style salutes and posing for journalists. While their numbers were small, it remains unclear how many people in Armenia support such Nazi activities. Nzhdehism is the Armenian equivalent of German Nazism. The "chupa chups" symbol on their flags and armbands, which is a sun symbol taken from ancient Armenian culture, has been vulgarized. This ancient solar symbol, which represents light, can also be found throughout the Turkic world. However, Armenian Nazis have appropriated it, turning it into a symbol of hatred and revenge. In the twisted interpretation of the newly minted Nzhdehists, it now resembles a lollipop – only missing the stick.

At that time, many observers noticed how confidently and relaxed the neo-Nazis acted. Previously, there was an effort to distance Nzhdehism from accusations of Nazism, but now Nzhdeh's followers openly perform Nazi salutes in front of their idol's monument, unapologetically promoting the idea of an Armenian Reich.

Most Armenian media outlets that report on neo-Nazi activities simply note the event without condemning it (or perhaps they don't want to?). By doing so, they show implicit solidarity. The authorities have not reacted to what is happening, leading to the conclusion that neo-Nazism is part of the new trends being imposed on Armenia, much like LGBT rights. All of this is presented as part of democracy and freedom. It's telling that after the January 1 rally, some in the Armenian media speculated that the "hand of Moscow" was behind the rise of neo-Nazism, suggesting that Armenian society is actually innocent. However, this version did not gain traction. Thanks to the education system and propaganda, both the young and old in Armenia are familiar with the ideas of Garegin Nzhdeh. Nzhdehism forms the basis of the national ideology, state policy, and societal bonds.

Our neighbors don't need to memorize Hitler's precepts, as filling their own ideological cushions is just as criminal. The idea of "Armenia for Armenians" and its implementation through ethnic cleansing is what Nzhdeh advocated. Megalomania, hatred, and a sense of superiority over other nations, ingrained from childhood, have driven Armenians to commit atrocities that even the ideologists of the Third Reich might envy.

Nazism is not just about a swastika on the sleeve; it manifests in many other ways. All these manifestations are present in Armenia.

While our neighbors panic at the mention of Western Azerbaijan, in Armenia, both in school textbooks and in media, hatred is taught, history and geography are distorted. A few years ago, an animated film called The Road Home was produced, depicting Armenia's expansion by 2050 at the expense of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkiye, and even Iran. A group of schoolchildren travels through these territories, which are described in the film as "liberated from the enemy." It is a highly "informative" cartoon, to say the least. In 2008, Armenian children watched this film with the belief that this would one day come to pass. Today, most have realized that they will have to abandon those fantasies and focus on how to preserve what they have by 2050.

However, the desire for a "great Armenian Reich" still persists in society. Otherwise, neo-Nazi actions would not continue with the tacit approval of the authorities and the unspoken solidarity of the public. For too long, Armenians have been taught that they are "true Aryans," that their blood is pure, and that they are genetically superior to "lower" peoples. Many generations have been raised in this toxic ideology, prepared to shed "impure" blood. Remember that in his speech at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry on January 16, 2003, the second president of Armenia, Robert Kocharian, stated that "Armenians and Azerbaijanis are genetically incompatible." He wasn't ashamed to repeat this during his speech at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Ironically, it is the same PACE that today praises "Armenian democracy." Kocharian's wife also echoed this sentiment when, at the opening of a Blood Transfusion Center, she stated, "Armenians should only be given Armenian blood. Armenian blood has a specific genetic structure."

In reality, this is a great tragedy for the Armenian people. The fabricated "genocide" and other myths are indeed tragic, but the real tragedy is the perverted mindset that prevents them from seeing reality as it is.