Until 1937, the colonial powers – both the Ottoman Empire and the Turkish Republic – were unable to gain a foothold in this region or penetrate it in any significant way. Dersim had always been a stronghold of resistance against oppression and foreign rule. In the years 1937-1938, the Dersim population experienced genocide, in which 70,000 Dersim residents, including children, women and the elderly, were killed and the survivors were forcibly deported.

Dersim is a colorful mosaic of cultures. In addition to the Zaza, both Kurdish and Turkish are spoken in the region. There is an ancient Iranian faith that bears the traces of Mazdaism and Zoroastrianism to Christianity and Islam.

According to estimates, up to three hundred thousand Dersimers live in Germany, of which up to ten thousand live in Cologne and the surrounding area. Dersim Gemeinde Köln e.V. was founded in May 1995 to promote the culture, language and history of Dersim immigrants in Germany and was recognized by the Social Committee of the City of Cologne as a foreigners’ center and by the tax office as a non-profit association.

Our activities serve the dialogue and cultural mediation between Dersim immigrants and the Germans as well as other immigrants.

The “Dersim Gemeinde Köln e.V.” (DGK) was founded
in 1995 and is a member of the “Federation of Dersim Communities in Europe e.V.” (FDG).

Our association

FDG