A History of Azerbaijani Massacres of Armenians from 1905 to 1921

“The butchery began with the slaughter of 1,500 Armenians while the police looked on as if it were a theatrical display. Women were shockingly mutilated, children were lashed to pieces before their mothers’ eyes. Men either were cut to pieces instantly or mutilated in an indescribable fashion before they were put to death. An Armenian vizier, who barricaded himself in his house, was roasted to death with his wife and children,” the report notes.

Furthermore, the article discusses the number of Armenian civilian casualties as well. Albeit having found refuge in another house, Armenians were persuaded to come out, following which the Tatar soldiers ambushed and murdered them.

On September 7, 1905 the Chicago Daily Tribune article titled “Caucasia Swept by Tartar Horde” reports about the massacre of the entire Armenian village Hak (spelled Mankend in the report). “A dispatch from Elizabethpol says that all of the inhabitants of the Armenian village of Mankend in the district of Zangezursk [sic. Zangezur] have been massacred by Tartar nomads.”

It is notable that the article refers to “Tartar nomads,” thus noting that they were not indigenous in the geographic areas. Moreover, from linguistic point of view, the word “Tatar” literally means “a nomad.”

On September 13, 1905 both the Washington Post and the Chicago Daily Tribune had reports on 300 Armenians killed in one village, providing horrific details of the crimes committed by Tatars.

“Tartar Hordes Massacring the Armenians; Children Thrown to Dogs […] A holy war has been proclaimed in the Caucasus districts of Zangezur and Jebrail, where Tartars are massacring the Armenians without distinction of sex or age. The country is swarming with bands of Tartars under the leadership of their chiefs. Many thousands of Tartar horseman have crossed the Perso-Russian frontier and joined the insurgents in destroying Armenian villages” the Washington Post reports in an article titled “Holy War Proclaimed.”

“Tartars raise the Green Flag as Signal for Armenian Massacres; Kill old and young; Russian Troops Too Busy in Fighting Social Democrats to Protect Christians,” reports the Chicago Daily Tribune in an article titled “Begin Holy War in the Caucasus.”

It is essential to note that Tatars (or Tartars as Azeris were known then) attacked and ravaged not only civilians, but also Armenian monks and holy sites. On July 13, 1906 the Chicago Daily Tribune printed an article titled “Tartars Attack Monks; Furious Onslaught on Armenian Monastery.” It informs about the attack on Echmiadzin monastery and the residence of the Armenian patriarch, on one village in Zangezur and the city Van.

Having concealed in the surrounding hills, Tatars had ambushed Armenian monks and opened fire after nightfall. Moreover, in Zangezur Tatars had attacked an Armenian village. “In the Zangisur [sic. Zangezur] district today 300 Tartars attacked one Armenian village. A detachment of police arrived and tried to restore peace, but the Tartars killed the police captain,” the Chicago Daily Tribune reports.

On July 31, 1919 both the Chicago Daily Tribune and the Washington Post periodicals reported about Turkey-backed Tatar attack on Armenians from three sides, cutting off the relief supplies.

Next, the US media coverage reveals that the brutal suppression, fire opening and attack on Armenians lasted till the end of the year 1919.

On December 9, 1919, the Los Angeles Times issued another article titled “Armenia Again is Involved in War: Azerbaijan headed by Turkish Officers, Attack on Three Sides.” It reports about triple attack on 12,000 Armenians from three sides – Meghri, Nakhichevan and Stepanakert. It goes without saying that trying to plunge the country into chaos and turning it into a war-torn country, Azerbaijan clearly aimed at territorial gain.

Of special significance is the Christian Science Monitor article issued on August 28, 1919, titled “Tartars and Kurds Slay Armenians.” It reports about the 600 civilian casualties (men, women, children) in Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh and the destruction of six Armenian villages. This report poses a paramount importance in terms of demographic data of Artsakh population where Armenians made up the majority in 1919 as well.

“According to the pre-war statistics of the Russian Government, Armenian Karabakh (the occidental half of the administration of Cantzak) numbered a total population of 526,000 inhabitants, of whom 376,000 were Armenians, 138,000 Tartars, 9000 Russians, Georgians, etc., and 3000 Turks” the Christian Science Monitor reports.

Furthermore, the Christian Science Monitor report clarifies the reasons behind the massacre of Armenians. “The cause of the trouble is said to be apparently political dues to the desire of the Tartars to annex the Armenian Province of Karabakh to the Tartar Republic of Azerbaijan.”

On March 26, 1920 the New York Times printed a press report headlined “17,000 Armenians Massacred by Tartars, Declares Prelate on Mission to Allies.” Similarly, another report appeared in the Boston Globe, headlined “Reports 17,000 Armenians Slain by Tartars Recently.” Both reports cited the data obtained from Armenian Archbishop Khoren, who had arrived in London from Yerevan.

On April 22, 1921 the Christian Science Monitor issued an all-inclusive article titled “Fierce Attacks on Armenians,” reporting about the “slaughter and devastation charged to Tartars and Bolsheviki in Near East Dispatches.” It provides a detailed account of the fifth time invasion by Bolsheviks and Tatar devastation. The report reveals that Bolsheviks fiercely attacked Armenians in Spitak and surrounding villages. In Dilijan and Vanadzor Armenian intellectuals and household names were executed, namely Nerses Avakian, deputy Allabekian, president of Zemstovo and others. It should be noted that some Armenian place names were spelled differently in the report, utilizing the place names in use at that period of time.

The above-mentioned Christian Science Monitor April 22, 1921 report also indicates the predominance of Bolsheviks in the Tatar-Bolshevik overlapping actions against Armenians which might trigger irreversible dire consequences.

“Bolsheviki are exciting the Tartars against the Armenians for the purpose of starting armed conflict between the two populations. Armenian peasants are defending themselves heroically, but Russian soldiers continue to aid Bolsheviki bands. Annihilation of Armenian people seems inevitable” the Christian Science Monitor reports.

Last but not least, on November 22, 1921 a succinct article appeared in the New York Times titled “New State of Nakhichevan.” The article informs about the unfortunate treaty signed in Kars on October 13, which resulted in territorial gains for Turkey and Azerbaijan.

“The treaty creates within Armenian territory the small autonomous State of Nakhichevan, under the protection of the Republic of Azerbaijan. About half of Caucasian Armenia is given to the Turks as well as large tracts of territory in Georgia. The preamble of the treaty recognizes the rights of peoples to self-determination” the New York Times reports.

(Gayane Barseghyan is a lecturer at Brusov State University, Yerevan in the Department of Linguistics and Professional Pedagogy. The scope of her research comprises studies in Linguistics and Romano-Germanic Philology.)