GERMANY AND THE BALKANS

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES

AUGUST 6, 1915

Sir, In a recent discussion in the House of Lords upon the massacres

and
outrages now being perpetrated by Turks upon the Christian races of
Asia Minor,
Lord Crewe is reported to have said:

Wholesale massacre and deportation have been carried out under the
guise of
necessity for the evacuation of the certain districts. It is also true
that the
crimes have not been challenged by German officials, whose presence and
influence might have been mitigated the sufferings of the people, but a
curse to
the people. These officials have shown a cynical disregard of the
country and
its inhabitants.

May I point out that this is by no means the first occasion upon which
German
officials have aided and abetted the Turks in Similar abominations.
From
personal experience I could quote several instances, but will continue
myself to
one.

In September, 1903, the Bulgarian population of Macedonia, after a long

spell of
acute suffering, rose in revolt against the Turks. Being admirably
organized and
bravely led, The Comitadjis, or members of the Bulgarian Committee,
obtained, at
first, considerable success. I myself witnessed several small
encounters in
which bands of 20 to 30 Bulgars came off distinctly best against whole
Turkish
companies, or battalions, supported by guns. The revolt began to assume
most
serious proportions. The Sultan Abdul Hamid, became very much alarmed.
Telegrams
poured out from the Palace. The whole Turkish Army was mobilized. The
local
Commander-in-Chief, Omer Rushdi Pasha was hastily "ungummed." The local
Governor-General quite obviously lost his nerve and head. The Inspector
of the
European Provinces. Hilmi Pasha, hurried to replace him, but failed to
restore
either confidence or order. The record of Bulgarian successes increased
from day
to day. At this critical moment the German Emperor stepped in to save
the
situation. Serving in the Great General Staff at Berlin was a Prussian
officer,
Captain von Goeben, who, under De Wet, had fought against us throughout
the
South African War, and who therefore had first-hand knowledge of Lord
Kitchener's system of "drives." Drives, said the Emperor to the Sultan,
might
solve the Macedonian problem. Von Goeben, accordingly, was dispatched
at once to
the Turkish Army headquarters at Monastir, where, for all practical
purposes, he
assumed complete command. Drives were duly organized, the Turkish
soldiery being
strengthened by Arnauts, or Albanian bashi-bazouks, and the riffraff of
the
Turkish towns.

Von Goeben was successful. Failing to catch the Comitadjis, who

remained in the
forests and hills, he arranged to round up their less mobile relatives
and
friends instead. Villages were destroyed wholesale. Old men, women, and
children
were mercilessly slaughtered and in the most disgusting manner.
Following in von
Goeben's tracks I found, for instance, Bulgarian children mutilated or
half
burnt but living, and on more than one occasion. Bulgarian women who
been
partially skinned alive--"their stockings taken off" as the Arnauts
used to say.
I saw other and worse sights which cannot be described in print. In
this manner
and by these means "normal" conditions were eventually restored.
Incidentally,
Major von Goeben, promoted for his gallant deeds, committed suicide a
few years
later whilst in prison awaiting trial on a charge of murdering his own
commanding officer in his bed.

I enclose my card and remain yours, &c.,

A ROVING ENGLISHMAN