Dear Mr. von Neurath,
For obvious reasons I do not wish to convey the enclosed report to you through official channels, but simply as a private person and for your own personal information.
With best regards,
Guenther
Enclosure 1
The undersigned German nationals, at present residing in Konia, would herewith like to present the following report to the Imperial German Embassy.
For the past week we have been witnesses of the most moving scenes, which anyone not coming into close contact with them can hardly imagine. Every day long trains of Armenians arrive here, who according to their accounts, have been deported from Ismid, Adapazar and the surrounding areas.
From some of those passing through we have learned that the deportation regulations have already been enforced for many months in Cilicia and North Mesopotamia and as we hear, also other places in Anatolia are being cleared of the Armenians. Today the local Armenians also received the order to leave the town within eight days.
Naturally, it is not up to us to complain about the measures taken by the authorities. We are also aware that there are some guilty ones among the Armenians. What we wish to achieve with our report is only to express our objection to the way in which these deportees are being treated, which runs completely counter to any form of humanity.
Women and children are being driven along with blows of the fists and with sticks. They are being chased out into the night on open carts and Tatar carriages, and those without money have to continue the difficult journey on foot carrying the remainder of their possessions.
Those who are even without the bare necessities have to sell off their few belongings, but these are often torn from them by force and stolen.
How great is the despair of mothers who have to give away their children in order to spare them the most wretched fate.
Children who have been taken in by compassionate Christian families are later taken away from them by the authorities and given to the Turks.
Help from our side is not favoured. This reminds us of an occurrence in April of this year, where the assistance of the local American mission given to approx. 3,000 Armenians expelled from Zeitun was forbidden; on the other hand, no objection was raised from any side when, during the Balkan turmoils, beds and linen worth more than 500 Ltq. were distributed from Eskishehir to Eregli among the Muslim emigrants.
The whole of the route from here to beyond Aleppo resembles a caravan of misery and wretchedness. In places such as Karaman, Eregli and Bozanti, where the people themselves are suffering from a shortage of bread, the fate of the deportees is unimaginable; they are destined to suffer a slow, agonising death by starvation. For your information we would like to mention that in Bozanti, despite a price of 8 piasters for an oka [just over 2 pounds] of bread, there is none available at all.
In the mountainous areas on this side and in the plain on the other side of the Taurus, these poor people are subjected to the most disgraceful lustful desires of the half-wild Muslim population.
The whole measure seems to be aimed at a complete extermination of the Armenians.
This inhumane treatment constitutes a disgrace, which is indelible in world history, not only for the Turks, but also for us Germans as their current allies and advisors, if we continue to stand back and allow the destruction of this people. Apart from this, this procedure is highly deplorable in the interest of the economic position of the country, and German enterprises will also be affected when this industrious people is destroyed.
If the undersigned take the liberty of conveying a report about these circumstances to the Imperial Embassy, then they are doing so under the assumption that these facts are not known in full to the Imperial German Embassy.
We Germans, who are forced daily to observe this inhumane activity, feel it is our duty as members of a cultural state in the midst of a half-civilised people, to protest against it.
In expectation that our petition will be considered to such an extent that at least the fate of many thousands of innocent women and children is relieved, we remain,
[Record Mordtmann, 24 August]
He was in possession of a copy of the objection raised by the Germans from Konia.
He describes the way in which the deportation is carried out, beginning in the west, as follows:
The transports are first directed to Konia, where there is a fairly large concentration camp; those who cannot buy a rail ticket have to go on foot.
In Konia most of them sell their belongings, but are only allowed to sell to Turks.
The wealthier deposited their cash with the Banque Ottomane; this was later prohibited and the deposits were confiscated by the authorities; this is what happened to a rich Saracen from Ismid, amongst others.
The property owned by Armenians is registered by the Armenian Bishop of Ismid; the register is in the hands of the engineer Maurer, who will later be passing it on to here.
More recently, the Protestant and Catholic Armenians are being spared; the Armenians who have been deported from Ismid and the surrounding areas are at present in Eskishehir, and are supposed to be heading for Kintakia, where the Armenians have been expelled.
The accommodation and food-supply for the deportees is bad. There is a high death rate.
In Eregli there is a large camp (approx. 3,000 people); it appears that those who have travelled by train are accommodated there, as the people still had a lot of belongings with them; there is also a high death rate in this camp.
In E. five railway trains arrive each day, each with 1,000 – 1,500 Armenians; Mr. Zabel has seen 8,000 moving along on foot.
Ulukirkhla is one of the worst stations. The camp there was formerly occupied by labour battalions, is infested with refuse, insects, etc. The conditions for the deportees there is very wretched.
Beyond Ulukirkhla there is no more transport by train. The deportees are herded on in individual groups like cattle.
It is there that the attacks by robbers begin; Mr. Z. had proven news of such an attack. 15 Armenians were killed or wounded during the ambush.
In Bozanti, the next station, there is neither accommodation nor bread; from there it is another 10 kms without a break to a refugee camp along the military supply and communication route.
Beyond Bozanti there are no longer any strong men to be seen among the deportees. There are only a few carts for those with money, as all available vehicles have been requisitioned by the military.
In Adana the emigrants arrive completely exhausted.
The military route Adana - Osmania - Hamidé is now only passed along on foot; the camps (in the open air) are in a terrible condition. Beyond Aleppo there are also no longer any marriageable girls among the deportees.
Lieutenant Colonel Klinckhardt was offered 2 girls by Turkish officers in Ratulem. [This sentence was deleted.]
In Kubla there is another large camp where, amongst others, the Armenians from Dört Yöl are accommodated.
Of the other things that Mr. Z. has observed, it should be mentioned that Azmi Bey, who was posted to Beirut, gave the order to destroy the bell-tower of the Armenian Protestant Church, which is also frequented by German Protestants, shortly before his departure from Konia. Despite an urgent plea from the German side, the order was carried out.
Mr. Zabel gives the impression of being a sober, impartial observer; he has collected plenty of material, including a series of photographs and films.
His judgement on the behaviour of the Turkish authorities in the interior of the country was devastating; among other things he said:
he had travelled in many countries in disquieting times - while war and revolution dominated the country - but he had never seen any anarchy of this kind anywhere at all.
II On 23rd inst., Mr. von Holbach (Regie official, has been in Turkey for many years) visited me; he was last in Adana and came here almost simultaneously with Zabel.
His accounts of the suffering of the deportees coincide with the reports of Mr. Zabel.
I would like to emphasise a few of his details:
Those transported by train are being crowded, at present 50 to 60 at a time, into cattle trucks which can otherwise hardly hold 40.
In Konia and Adana there have been many conversions to Islam; many Armenians are already selling their children in Konia.
The trade in Adana will be badly damaged by the persecution of the Armenians. The whole of the bazaar in Adana is Armenian. The cotton cultivation is also almost exclusively in Armenians hands; trade with this commodity in Greek hands.
Hakki Bey (General Staff Officer), Vali of Adana, tried at the beginning to protect the Armenians, but was then ordered to Constantinople, and since his return has been relentlessly against the Armenians.
Mr. von Hollbach closed his report with the words:
He has always been completely sympathetic with the Turks; but after all he had seen with his own eyes, he had been totally rid of his sympathies for the Turks.
For now he would keep his silence, but at the right moment he would bring everything into the newspapers.
[Notes Mordtmann, 24 August]
2) The Armenian Bishop is asking me to send a message to His Majesty the Emperor, saying that all Gregorian Armenians wish to become Protestants and are requesting the protection of the Emperor. ...
3) There is a rumour going around that due to the intervention of His Majesty Franz Joseph, the Catholics are being exempted from deportation. ...
4) There is the greatest despair among the Armenians. Policemen are even taking the liberty of infringing on them. Their possessions are being sold off at ridiculous prices and all kinds of obstacles are being put in the way of these poor people while their belongings are being sold. ...
5) As notified, approx. 25 Armenians have declared their willingness to become Muslims.
6) As I already wrote, the order even applies to my employees.