‘I Have Killed, But I Am Not a Murderer’: Austrian Journalist’s Book on Operation Nemesis

On May 22, the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute hosted a presentation of the book by Austrian journalist and former diplomat Birgit Kofler-Bettschart, “I Have Killed, But I Am Not a Murderer,” newly translated into Armenian. The book tells about Operation Nemesis, carried out in 1919-1922 against the orchestrators of the Armenian Genocide and the massacre in Baku.

“Two years ago, I came to the Armenian Genocide Museum for research, where I was received very warmly, and thanks to the museum staff, I found a lot of materials. However, back then I did not think that two years later I would return here for the presentation of my book. I hope that by writing this book, I was able to contribute to the further implementation of the slogan ‘Never Again’. Although today there are some developed international judicial bodies, we unfortunately see that political factors often contribute to the failure to observe justice. I hope that with this work I will convey my message and I hope that we will no longer leave Armenia alone,” Birgit Kofler-Bettschart said.

The original book, dedicated to the secret mission of Armenian avengers to punish the organizers of the Armenian Genocide, was published in Vienna in March 2024. That same year, it ranked among the top five best non-fiction books published in German.

“This book was initially written for a German-speaking audience in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. During my research, I discovered that there is very little information about the Armenian Genocide in these countries and much of the information that is available is incorrect,” the author said.

The book “I Have Killed, but I Am Not a Murderer” was translated from German into Armenian by Ashot Hayruni and Hayk Martirosyan.

“Birgit Kofler-Bettschart, though not Armenian herself, managed to present this sensitive topic objectively. She used German and Armenian literature, the Austrian, Italian and German press, as well as the memoirs and records of the Nemesis fighters,” said editor-in-chief Hayk Martirosyan.

The presentation was attended by descendants of the Armenian avengers who took part in Operation Nemesis.

“The Nemesis fighters, to a certain extent, freed our people from the stigma of victimhood,” said Armen Gevorgyan, the grandson of Artashes Gevorgyan, who assassinated one of the organizers of the Armenian Genocide, Djemal Pasha.

According to the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, the book “I Have Killed, But I Am Not a Murderer” is the first comprehensive study in Armenian dedicated to Operation Nemesis.