Germany, Turkey, and Armenia: A Selection of Documentary Evidence Relating to the Armenian Atrocities from German and other SourcesAnonymous
History
Germany, Turkey, and Armenia: A Selection of Documentary Evidence Relating to the Armenian Atrocities from German and other Sources
Anonymous
Armenian question; World War, 1914-1918 -- Armenia
This morning I had a long conversation with Mr.---- about events
at Zeitoun. He has managed to obtain some information regarding the
little Armenian town, although all direct communication with it has
been interrupted. Turkish troops have left Aleppo for Zeitoun--some
say 4,000, some 6,000, others 8,000. With what intention, one
wonders? Mr.----, who has been there himself during last summer and
this winter, assures me that the Armenians have no wish to revolt, and
are prepared to put up with anything the Government may do. Contrary
to the old-established custom, a levy was made at Zeitoun at the
time of the August mobilisation, and they did not offer the slightest
resistance. None the less, the Government has played them false. In
October, 1914, their leader, Nazaret Tchaoush, came to Marash with a
"safe conduct" to arrange some special points with the officials. In
spite of the "safe conduct," they imprisoned him, tortured him and
put him to death. Still the people of Zeitoun remained quiet. Bands
of zaptiehs (Turkish gendarmes), quartered in the town, have been
molesting the inhabitants, raiding shops, stealing, maltreating the
people and dishonouring their women. It is obvious that the Government
are trying to get a case against the Zeitounlis, so as to be able to
exterminate them at their pleasure and yet justify themselves in the
eyes of the world.
--th April, 1915.
Three Armenians from Dört Yöl were hanged last night in the
chief square of Adana. The Government declare that they had been
signalling to the British warship or warships stationed in the Gulf
of Alexandretta. This is untrue, for I know, though I dare not put
the source of my information on paper, that only one Armenian from
Dört Yöl has had any communication with the English.
--th April.
Two more Armenians from Dört Yöl have been hanged at Adana.
--th April.
Three Armenians have been hanged at Adana. We were out riding
to-day, and the train came into the station just as we reached the
railway. Imagine our indignation when we saw a cattle-truck filled
with Armenians from Zeitoun. Most of these mountaineers were in
rags, but a few were quite well dressed. They had been driven out
of their homes and were going to be transplanted, God knows where,
to some town in Asia Minor. It seems we have returned to the days
of the Assyrians, if whole populations can be exiled in this way,
and the sacred liberty of the individual so violated.
--th April (the next day).
We were able to see the unfortunate refugees, who are still here
to-day. These are the circumstances of their departure from Zeitoun,
or rather this is the tragedy which preceded their exile, though it
was not the cause of it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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