The German parliament's (Bundestag) recognition of the tragedy that had befallen Ottoman Armenians in 1915 as genocide was no surprise. Everyone knew it was coming.

And yet disbelief characterized the Turkish government's response to the German action. It was such a disbelief that Turkey’s staunchly Erdogan-loyalist new Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, just a few minutes prior to the vote at the Bundestag, referred to his conversation with his German counterpart, Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"There is a vote at the German parliament … They intend to hold us responsible for the events of 1915. When desperate situations arise in politics, such bright ideas come to mind. This is one example. I told Angela Merkel, 'Germany is a strong ally of Turkey; as such, we hope it will not be involved in such an irrational act.' She said to me, 'We will do our best.' And I told her that nothing can happen there [the Bundestag] despite her wishes. We'll see what happens. Germany is passing through a real test of friendship," Yildirim said at a party meeting.

And Germany failed Yildirim's test.