As it is to be expected that almost all of the Armenians in Aleppo will be deported, request now that exemptions be obtained for students attending German schools, even though schools do not have boarding facilities.
I consider the information given by the Minister of the Interior to the deputy for Marash to be pretence. Rather, deportations of Armenians also residing in Aleppo are more drastic than ever today. Should the Minister seriously wish to put an end to this, the best method of doing so would be to dismiss Commissioner Abdul Ahad Nuri Bey.
A German Franciscan monk asked me to intervene in favour of local Catholic Armenians, if possible. The deportation of these people has also begun.
Minister of the Interior today repeated assurance that deportation of the Armenians residing in Aleppo not planned and that he issued strict orders in this sense. Catholic Armenians were also exempt from deportation. He requests information, should contrary orders have been given by the local authorities, if possible citing individual cases.
The manner in which the Minister's orders are evaded by the local authorities (Wali and Deportation Commissioner) was shown in my reports Nos. 236 and 247 dated 26 and 28 January, respectively. Even before the war there were at least 6,000 Armenians residing in Aleppo but, due to the new method of counting, presumably only 56 families reside here today. This mocks the true circumstances. Thus, orders are urgently required that as proof of residence tax payments made at least one or two years ago, references by respected persons and similar proof are also considered valid.
Deportations are in full swing. Yesterday, for example, 200 to 300 people were deported, among them the families of soldiers. Accommodation was ordered for the latter in nearby villages. But all of them were marched off to Derel-Zor in March. They were not allowed to take anything with them, so they must starve.
Even individual women and girls are picked up on the street and this situation is being used by government authorities to carry out acts of caprice. It is simply a manhunt, and the Armenians fear that their wives and daughters will gradually be dishonoured, without exception.
I assume that, like Catholics, Protestants will also be exempted.
Postscript: Yesterday, the Wali explained to Major v. Mikusch that he had strict orders to deport the Armenians.
Again informed the Minister of the Interior today of the events in Aleppo and that his orders are seemingly not being carried out. Talaat Bey then promised to repeat his instruction to Vali to deport only those families residing in Aleppo because of the last Armenian deportations and to exempt Catholics as well as Protestants.
During the past few days, Roman Catholic families have been deported, among them the following who, as proven by the parish register, have been residing in Aleppo for more than 10 years:
Alexandro Hecter, Susann Khataz, Copraki, Artin Muesati ..., kghermergi.
Ce procédé est en contradiction avec les assurances formelles données ces jours-ci par S. E. Talaat bej à l’Ambassade d’Allemagne et suivant lesquelles les catholiques d’Alep seraient exemptés des mesures d’expatriation.
Par conséquence, l’Ambassade d’Allemagne aime à espérer que les ordres nécessaires soient données afin qu’il soit permit aux familles catholiques d’Alep de continuer à y rester, et à celles qui ont été déjà expulsées, de rentrer dans leurs domiciles.