1915-07-30-DE-011-M

Source: DE/PA-AA/Embassy Constantinople/Vol. 170.
Publication: DuA Doc. 125 (rev. abbr.)
Translator: Linda Struck

The Consul in Aleppo (Roessler) to the Embassy in Constantinople

No. 53

Aleppo, 30 July 1915

The government has now given the order to clear not only the coastal areas of the Vilayet Aleppo of Armenians, but also Aintab and Killis and probably Marasch which neither lie in the war area or along the military road. Aintab has 32000 and Killis 6000 Armenian inhabitants. I dutifully leave it to your discretion to recommend the government to revoke the order, or at least to postpone its execution. Its organisation is by no means sufficient to cope with these sudden mass deportations. Already there are ten thousand Armenians here. In Der-Zor there are 15000 whose feeding by the government is completely inadequate. They have sold more than 30 children in order to avoid having to starve to death.
The numerous educated townspeople were less in a position to face the hardships of the journey than the people from villages. Strictly confidentially I have been asked by the Armenian side whether the towns of Aintab, Marasch, Adana and [indecipherable] can be spared for a contribution of 10000 Turkish pounds each. They have also [The Armenians] requested that, if measures to be taken against them are unavoidable, they be allowed to emigrate instead of being deported.

[Roessler]

[Note by Mordtmann, 2 August]

Some time ago the Patriarch also spoke to the Grand Vizier on this point. The Grand Vizier only replied: Are you even daring to threaten us?