Vice-Consul Kuckhoff (Samsun) reported about it in detail at the beginning of July inst.
He wrote, among other things (A53a of 22 [July] page 176):
”This involves nothing short of the total elimination or a forced conversion into Islam of an entire race. The government sent orthodox and fanatical Moslem men and women into all the Armenian homes for the purpose of spreading propaganda to encourage conversion to Islam, threatening the most serious consequences for those who stayed loyal to their faith. Up until now, many families have already converted and their numbers are growing daily. The majority resisted the temptations and in groups they were deported into the inner parts of the country daily. From what I have heard, they will be held in places not too far away and prepared more thoroughly for their conversion to Islam. In the area around Samsun each and every Armenian village has become Moslem, likewise in Unié. Privileges were granted to none except to the renegades.”
Concerning isolated conversions in Trebizond: refer to page 204.
At the beginning of August, a Moslem traveller from that area reported that in Unié, Samsun, Ineboli, etc., the Armenians had converted to Islam en masse. Despite this, some of them were still deported later. In Terme, the Armenian priest is now Moslem and the church has been converted into a Mosque. (A53a of 23 [July] page 54)
In other areas, it appears that conversion to Islam has not met with any more success. But still it was reported that in Konia a number of Armenians (25) were prepared to convert.
One can assume that in many cases the authorities, in order not to thwart the purpose of the deportation of the Armenians: i.e., the elimination of the men and the confiscation of Armenian property, have prevented any mass conversions, or have still deported those converted.
A report from Sister Didsun, dated 15 November (Enclosed report Aleppo of 30 November No. 7078), concerns itself with the conversion to Islam of the Armenians in Hadjin and its surroundings (Adana province). Consul Buege reports personally from Adana on 21 October (enclosure 3) in reference to J.No. 6226 in A53a of 24 [July]):
"The Director of the Turkish orphanage explained to the Christian pupils that either they had to convert to Islam or they had to leave the orphanage. The girls left the orphanage, as well as a few of the boys, of which 14 stayed behind and have presumably been converted to Islam. The Director had explained to the children that in an Ottoman orphanage there was no room for the Christian religion. Moreover, it was forbidden for them to pray."
Here in Constantinople, 20 Armenians have supposedly been converted under the pressure of the situation, apparently those who are well situated in Anatolia and who are attempting to save their fortunes by converting.