Note de fin
1 K. Baghdjian, 1987; S. Toriguian, 1988.
2 H. Kaiser, 2002, p. 163.
3 H. Kaiser, 2010, p. 177-180.
4 DH.ŞFR 53-93, Minister to Erzerum, Van, Bitlis provinces, May 23, 1915.
5 A-Do, 2015; H. Kaiser, 2019b.
6 US-NA/RG59/867.4016/67, Sharp to Secretary of State, Paris, May 28, 1915, telegram 796, in A. Sarafian, 2004, p. 29.
7 H. Kaiser, 1999, p. 79-80.
8 Bab-ı Ali Evrak Odası (BEO) 4357-326758, Talaat to Cabinet, May 26, 1915, IAMM 270.
9 Takvim-i Vekayi 2189 (June 1, 1915).
10 Meclis-i Vükela 198-24, May 30, 1915, Minutes 163.
11 BEO 4357-326758, Grand Vizierate to DH, War Ministry, Finance Ministry, May 1915, Dept. Important Affairs 163/652. As this article focuses on the plunder of movable property in the summer of 1915, it will not address the law on the so-called abandoned property, which was passed in September 1915 nor the administrative manuals produced thereafter.
12 The drafting of the regulations had been in the making for some time. On 23 May 1915, the Ministry of Interior had informed the Ottoman Fourth Army that it was preparing regulations for the administration of immovable Armenian properties. Taner Akçam and Ümit Kurt claim that by that date the regulations of 30 May 1915 had been already finalized. Their claim is, however, not substantiated by the archival record as Shukru Bey’s communication shows. DH.SFR 53-94, Minister to Fourth Army Command, May 23, 1915, EUM (Emniyet-i Umumiye Müdüriyeti); DH.İdare-i Umumiye Müdiriyeti (IUM) EK 8-57, Shukru to IUM, June 10, 1915, IAMM Spec. 191, secret; Shukru to IUM, June 13, 1915, IAMM Spec. 193. H. Kaiser, 2006, p. 46-71; O. Gözel-Durmaz, 2014; T. Akçam, Ü. Kurt, 2015, p. 20-21.
13 H. Kaiser, 2019b and 2019a. This section further elaborates in some detail and partly revises my earlier findings. Recently made available Ottoman documentation has been included as it substantially adds to our understanding of the deportations. H. Kaiser, 2002 and 2008.
14 H. Kaiser, 2002, p. 152-156.
15 DH.ŞFR 450-62, Bahaeddin Shakir to Talaat, Erzerum, Nov. 25, 1914; 52-281, Minister to Tahsin, May 9, 1915; 471-62, Tahsin to Talaat, Erzerum, May 17, 1915; 471-114, Tahsin to Talaat, Erzerum, May 19, 1915; 53-93, Minister to Erzerum, Van, Bitlis provinces, May 23, 1915; 472-71, Tahsin to Talaat, Erzerum, May 25, 1915; 53-129, Minister to Erzerum province, May 27, 1915; National Archives, Britain, Foreign Office (hereafter: FO), 424/245/20954, Samson to Grey, Adrianople, Mar. 30, 1913; 195/4260, Monahan to Mallet, Erzerum, Oct. 14, 1914; K. Sürmenyan, 2015, p. 60.
16 DH.ŞFR 472-145, Tahsin to DH, Erzerum, May 29, 1915; 474-123, Tahsin to DH, Erzerum, June 9, 1915; 475-29, Tahsin to DH, Erzerum, June 12, 1915; 54-10, Talaat to Erzerum prov., June 14, 1915.
17 Bahaeddin Shakir Bey remained in Erzerum until 21 July 1915 when left for Bitlis, coordinating his moves directly with Talaat Bey. DH.ŞFR 475-121, Tahsin to DH, Erzerum, June 16, 1915; 476-3, Tahsin to DH, Erzerum, June 16, 1915; 476-4, Tahsin to Talaat, Erzerum, June 17, 1915; 476-44, Bahaeddin Shakir to Talaat, Trebizond, June 19/20, 1915; 476-100, Tahsin to Talaat, Erzerum, June 21, 1915; 480-94, Bahaeddin Shakir to Talaat, Erzerum, July 19, 1915.
18 DH.ŞFR 476-45, Tahsin to DH, Erzerum, June 18/19, 1915; 666-26, Tahsin to DH, Erzerum, June 24, 1915; 479-82, Tahsin to DH, Erzerum, July 11, 1915; 477-54, Tahsin to DH, Erzerum, June 26, 1915; 54-156, Minister to Erzerum prov., June 26, 1915; 481-66, Tahsin to DH, Erzerum, July 28, 1915.
19 DH.ŞFR 474-3, Sabit to Ministry of Interior, Harput, June 5, 1915; 475-30, Sabit to DH, Harput, June 12, 1915; 54-162, Minister to Harput province, June 26, 1915; 477-77, Sabit to DH, June 27, 1915; 480-144, Sabit to Talaat, Harput, July 24, 1915.
20 DH.ŞFR 479-107, Tahsin to DH, Erzerum, July 12, 1915.
21 DH.ŞFR 477-20, Tahsin to Talaat, Erzerum, June 24, 1915; 479-89, Tahsin to DH, Erzerum, July 11, 1915; Auswärtiges-Amt, Politisches Archiv (AA-PA), Konstantinopel 943, J. No. 5476, Scheubner-Richter to Embassy, Erzerum, July 12, 1915; Türkei 183/39, A 28584, Scheubner-Richter to Hohenlohe, Erzerum, Aug. 5, 1915, copy, enclosure in, Scheubner-Richter to Bethmann Hollweg, Erzerum, Aug. 10, 1915; H. Kaiser, 2002.
22 DH.ŞFR 477-79, Djemal Azmi to DH, Trebizond, June 27, 1915; 479-3, Djemal Azmi to DH, Trebizond, July 6, 1915; 479-20, Djemal Azmi to DH, Trebizond, July 7, 1915.
23 DH.ŞFR 480-105, Djemal Azmi to DH, Trebizond, July 21, 1915.
24 DH.ŞFR 482-130, Tahsin to DH, Aug. 7, 1915; 484-108, Tahsin to Talaat, Erzerum, Aug. 20, 1915; 55-133, DH to Tahsin, Aug. 21, 1915; 484-116, Defterdar Djemal to Talaat, Erzerum, Aug. 21, 1915; 485-77, Tahsin to Talaat, Erzindjan, Aug. 26, 1915; 487-28, Tahsin to DH, Erzindjan, Sept. 4, 1915; 487-120, Tahsin to DH, Erzindjan, Sept. 6, 1915; 55/A-110, Minister to Tahsin, Sept. 7, 1915. Armenian Assembly of America (AAA), Krieger files, reel 60.
25 DH.ŞFR 481-123, Sabit to DH, Hozat, July 30, 1915; 482-28, Sabit to DH, Hozat, Aug. 1, 1915; 482-75, Sabit to DH, Ovadjik, Aug. 4, 1915; 482-113, Sabit to DH, Hozat, Aug. 6, 1915; 483-40, Tahsin to DH, Erzerum, Aug. 9, 1915; 483-95, Sabit to DH, Dirik, Aug. 11, 1915.
26 AA-PA, Türkei 183/44, A 24633, Bericht von Fräulein Thora von Wedel und Fräulein Elvers, Krankenschwestern im Dienste des Roten Kreuzes, enclosure in Valentini to Bethmann Hollweg, Great Headquarters, Sept. 10, 1916.
27 AA-PA, Türkei 183/44, A 24633, Bericht von Fräulein Thora von Wedel und Fräulein Elvers, Krankenschwestern im Dienste des Roten Kreuzes, enclosure in Valentini to Bethmann Hollweg, Great Headquarters, Sept. 10, 1916; AAA, Oral History Project (hereafter: AAA) Pailag Khatchadourian; Gegham Petros Hatsagordsian, “Testimony,” in V. Svazlian, 2011, p. 206; Arakel Ghazar Tagoyan, “Testimony,” in V. Svazlian, 2011, p. 230; “Les déportations des Arméniens d’Erzeroum,” Renaissance (Apr. 17, 1919).
28 National Archives, United Kingdom, Foreign Office (hereafter: FO) 371/2768/1455/261608, Dec. 26, 1916, Armenian Massacres. Report by an eye witness Lieutenant Sayied Ahmed Moukhtar Baas; H. Kaiser, 2019a; Philomène Norian, “Comment Djémal Azmi fit égorger les Arméniens,” Renaissance (Jan. 28, 1919); “Le procès de Trébizonde,” Renaissance (Apr. 27, 1919); T. Lehmann-Haupt, 1921, p. 35-37.
29 AA-PA, Türkei 183/44, A 24633, Bericht von Fräulein Thora von Wedel und Fräulein Elvers, Krankenschwestern im Dienste des Roten Kreuzes, enclosure in Valentini to Bethmann Hollweg, Great Headquarters, Sept. 10, 1916; AAA, Pailag Khatchadourian; Ministère des Affaires Étrangères, Centre des archives diplomatiques de la Courneuve, Série E, Levant, Armenie 1 (hereafter: MAE), Kaiané Abrahamian, Basra, n. d., enclosure in Roux to Pichon, Basra, Mar. 17, 1918; “Les déportations des Arméniens d’Erzeroum,” Renaissance (Apr. 17, 1919); “Le procès de Trébizonde,” Renaissance (Apr. 27, 1919); Poghos Vardanian, “Testimony,” Erzerum, Oct. 2, 1916, in A. Virabyan, 2013, p. 242; Gegham Petros Hatsagordsian, “Testimony,” in V. Svazlian, 2011, p. 206; J. Yervant, 1988, p. 13. Vardanian’s report has survived in two versions. A second version is kept at the Nubarian Library in Paris. Raymond Kévorkian has discussed this second version in detail. My discussion differs from Kévorkian’s in its contextualization. R. Kévorkian, 2011, p. 297-298.
30 AA-PA, Türkei 183/44, A 24633, Bericht von Fräulein Thora von Wedel und Fräulein Elvers, Krankenschwestern im Dienste des Roten Kreuzes, enclosure in Valentini to Bethmann Hollweg, Great Headquarters, Sept. 10, 1916; AAA, Hagob Mihran Ferahian; Poghos Vardanian “Testimony,” Erzerum, Oct. 2, 1916, in A. Virabyan, 2013, p. 242.
31 AAA, Hagob Mihran Ferahian; Pailag Khatchadourian; Hagob Mihran Ferahian; Gegham Petros Hatsagordsian, “Testimony,” in V. Svazlian, 2011, p. 206; MAE, Kaiané Abrahamian, Basra, n. d., enclosure in Roux to Pichon, Basra, Mar. 17, 1918; Poghos Vardanian, “Testimony,” Erzerum, Oct. 2, 1916, in A. Virabyan, 2013, p. 244; Arakel Ghazar Tagoyan, “Testimony,” in V. Svazlian, 2011, p. 230; J. Yervant, 1988, p. 14, 17.
32 T. Lehmann-Haupt, 1921, p. 38.
33 Poghos Vardanian, “Testimony,” Erzerum, Oct. 2, 1916, in A. Virabyan, 2013, p. 245-246.
34 AA-PA, Türkei 183/44, A 24633, Bericht von Fräulein Thora von Wedel und Fräulein Elvers, Krankenschwestern im Dienste des Roten Kreuzes, enclosure in Valentini to Bethmann Hollweg, Great Headquarters, Sept. 10, 1916.
35 FO 371/2768/1455/261608, Dec. 26, 1916, Armenian Massacres. Report by an eye witness Lieutenant Sayied Ahmed Moukhtar Baas; AA-PA, Türkei 183/44, A 24633, Bericht von Fräulein Thora von Wedel und Fräulein Elvers, Krankenschwestern im Dienste des Roten Kreuzes, enclosure in Valentini to Bethmann Hollweg, Great Headquarters, Sept. 10, 1916; Poghos Vardanian, “Testimony,” Erzerum, Oct. 2, 1916, in A. Virabyan, 2013, p. 242-250.
36 Onnik Kouyoumdjian, “Les atrocités de Kémach,” Renaissance (April 27, 1919).
37 Poghos Vardanian, “Testimony,” Erzerum, Oct. 2, 1916, in A. Virabyan, 2013, p. 246.
38 Poghos Vardanian, “Testimony,” Erzerum, Oct. 2, 1916, in A. Virabyan, 2013, p. 247-250; H. Ilgaz, A. Birinci, 2001, p. 44-45.
39 AAA, Nazeli Tehlirian; Hagob Mihran Ferahian; Puras Stepanian; Gegham Petros Hatsagordsian, “Testimony,” in V. Svazlian, 2011, p. 206; J. Yervant, 1988, p. 18.
40 MAE, Kaiané Abrahamian, Basra, n. d., enclosure in Roux to Pichon, Basra, Mar. 17, 1918; Arakel Ghazar Tagoyan, “Testimony,” in V. Svazlian, 2011, p. 230; Gegham Petros Hatsagordsian, “Testimony,” in V. Svazlian, 2011, p. 206-207; J. Yervant, 1988, p. 18.
41 FO 6501, No. 2790, Ejzaji Mehmed Bey.
42 DH.Emniyet-i Umumiye Müdüriyeti 2. Şube 29-50, Madjid to DH, [Constantinople], July 22, 1916; DH to Erzerum prov., Sept. 18, 1916; AAA, Krieger files, reel 42, Vehib to EUM, Constantinople, Dec. 5, 1918.
43 For another case of plundering movable Armenian property and the government’s response see H. Kaiser, 2019c, p. 156-158.
44 FO 6500-6501, No. 2704 Madjid Bey, No. 2733, Memduh Bey; No. 2790 , Ejzaji Mehmed Bey; AAA, Krieger files, reel 60, Erzindjan court martial investigation file; P. Leverkuehn, 1938, p. 65-66; A. Tetik, 2014, p. 24, 275, 294; H. Ilgaz, A. Birinci, 2001, p. 44.
45 AAA, Krieger files, reel 60, Erzindjan court martial investigation file.
46 AAA, Krieger files, reel 60, Erzindjan court martial investigation file; FO 371/2768/1455/261608, Dec. 26, 1916, Armenian Massacres. Report by an eye witness Lieutenant Sayied Ahmed Moukhtar Baas.
47 DH.ŞFR 519-99, Vehib to Talaat, [?], May 15, 1916.
48 AAA, Krieger files, reel 42, Vehib to EUM, Constantinople, Dec. 5, 1918.
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