The Armenian experience in the First World War.
Building on her successful premier for JW3 with Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean, Jill looks at another area that is not well known. During the First World War Western nations were horrified at what were then described as the ‘Armenian Massacres’.
This lecture looks at the background to these atrocities and will consider the recent work of Israeli historian Benny Morris on this theme. Why did the rulers of Ottoman Empire allegedly set out to exterminate its Armenian population? What could possibly justify this outrage and why does Turkey still claim that it was no genocide but repressive measures which got out of control at local level?
Jill Stern is an historian. Aged twenty she graduated with first class honours in History from King’s College London. Much of her working life was spent as a teacher at Wycombe Abbey School and as chairman of a Health Authority in West London and vice-chairman of North Thames Regional Health Authority. Returning to academic study she gained an MA (Distinction) and a doctorate in seventeenth century Dutch history at University College London. As a doctoral student she was awarded the prestigious Pollard Prize for History. She has a book and many published articles to her credit. She has lectured in Britain, the Netherlands and New York. History is her lifelong passion and she is keen to share that passion with others.
