Thank you, Bookworm-Girl for the interesting interview with Pamuk!
About the genocide of the Armenians that began on the 24th of April 1915: that still is a very difficult thing, even today. For example: Turkey wants to join the European Union, but one of the conditions for acceptance is the official acknowledgement of the role they played in that genocide, where about 1,5 million Armenians from the eastern Turkish provinces were killed (now Turkish, but Armenian at the time).
In 2010 I was in Turkey, near the border with Armenia, to visit the ruins of the ancient Armenian town Ani. Ani, a 10th century town that has become a symbol for the Armenians, is on Turkish soil now. The Armenians want it back. It was quite an experience to stand among the ruins and look out to Armenia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ani
And in Ani, our Turkish guide told his version of that genocide. Around 1914, the Turkish gave weapons and money to the Armenian, in order to fight the rebels from the Balkan together. But what happens? The Armenian turn around to fight the Turks and what could they do but defend themselves and kill all Armenian?
We were standing around him; silent and embarrassed. No one said anything…
The following year I was in Esfahan, Iran, and visited new Julfa, the Armenian quarter in Esfahan since 1606 A.D.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Julfa
With a promise they could have their own land and the freedom to practice their Christian religion, Shah Abbas invited skilled Armenian artisans from the north to work on his ambitious building projects for Esfahan. After the genocide of 1915 many Armenian fled to new Julfa.
I visited a small museum in that quarter: among beautifully illuminated 15th century religious books I also looked at the commemoration for the 1915 genocide. Very impressive.