What happened in Macedonia in 1903 according to foreign consuls

[Mygdonia]

Get out your translators and move back in time, because this is dynamic reading for all those concerned. The foreign consuls are the English, French and German. Obviously they have written their letters according to their biases but paints a very clear picture of events. So take out your online translators you can find here: http://babelfish.altavista.com/ and enjoy the literature.

http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/Of...ts/events.html


Table of Contents
1 Peran, 8 Jan. 1903 Constans to Delcasse (AMAE) The Exarchate’s attitude to the planned uprising
2 Monastir, 10 Jan. 1903 Stepski to Goluchowski (HHStA) Preparations for the uprising. The role of the Bulgarian commercial agent in Monastir.
3 Thessaloniki, 26 Jan. 1903 Biliotti to Whitehead (FO) Patriarchists are intimidated by the committees (central Macedonia). Preparations for the uprising.
4 Thessaloniki, 31 Jan. 1903 Biliotti to Whitehead (FO) The authorities try to deal with the armed bands in central and N.E. Macedonia.
5 Thessaloniki, 5 Feb. 1903 Biliotti to Whitehead (FO) A former officer in the Bulgarian army is a teacher in Monastir.
6 Thessaloniki, 14 Feb. 1903 Biliotti to Whitehead (FO) Turkish atrocities are being used to stir up sympathy in Europe.
7 Thessaloniki, 21 Feb. 1903 Hickel to Goluchowski (HHStA) Preparations for an insurrectional movement. The organisation of IMRO’s local committees.
8 Thessaloniki, 24 Feb. 1903 Biliotti to Whitehead (FO) The committees are inciting local people to revolutionary action.
9 Thessaloniki, 25 Feb. 1903 Biliotti to Whitehead (FO) An insurrectional movement is predicted for the spring. Appraisal of the armed band’s activities.
10 Thessaloniki, 9 Mar. 1903 Biliotti to O’Conor (FO) The activities of Bulgarian diplomatic officials as agents in Macedonia.
11 Thessaloniki, 11 Mar. 1903 Biliotti to O’Conor (FO) The committees’ political objects in Macedonia.
12 Monastir, 11 Mar. 1903 Kral to Goluchowski (HHStA) Preparations for the uprising. Economic pressure and atrocities by the committees.
13 Vienna, 12 Mar. 1903 Reverseaux to Delcasse (AMAE) Assessment of Bulgaria’s attitude to the uprising brewing in Macedonia.
14 Monastir, 15 Mar. 1903 Gauthier to Constans (AMAE) Preparations for the uprising. Economic pressure and atrocities by the commitees.
15 Thessaloniki, 24 Mar. 1903 Biliotti to O’Conor (FO) Pressure and blackmail by the armed bands in N.E. Macedonia.
16 Thessaloniki, 28 Mar. 1903 Steeg to Delcasse (AMAE) Commitee activity in E. Macedonia. A letter from Kapetan Alexis in Poroia.
17 Thessaloniki, 3 April 1903 Biliotti to O’Conor (FO) Greek reactions in Monastir.
18 Monastir, 17 April 1903 Kral to Goluchowski (HHStA) Sarafov’s activities in the Morihovo disstrict. Preparations for the uprising.
19 Monastir, 20 April 1903 Kral to Goluchowski (HHStA) Chakalarof’s activities. Pressure on Patriarchist communities in the Kastoria district.
20 Sarajevo, 21 April 1903 Excerpt from the newspaper (AMAE) The commitees’ political asprirations Bosnische Post of 14 April 1903 in Macedonia and the Turkish reprisals.
21 Thessaloniki, 25 April 1903 Hickel to Goluchowski (HHStA) The reaction of the Patriarchists. The commitees apply economic pressure on the Moslems.
22 Paris, 14/26 April 1903 Note from the French (AMAE) The committees perpetrate Foreign Ministry on atrocities against Patriarchists. Deliyannis’ memorandum
23 Thessaloniki, 30 April 1903 Telegram from Biliotti (FO) Participation of the Bulgarian army in the preparations for the uprising.
24 Plovdiv, 6 May 1903 Degrans to Delcasse (AMAE) Bulgaria’s attitude to the expected uprising.
25 Thessaloniki, 12 May 1903 Biliotti to O’Conor (FO) Atrocities by the committees in E. Macedonia.
26 Thessaloniki, 12 May 1903 Hickel to Goluchowski (HHStA) Bulgaria’s participation in the preparations. Exarchists return to the Patriarchate.
27 Monastir, 21 May 1903 Constans to Delcasse (AMAE) Exploitation of the atrocities. Bulgaria’s attitude to the uprising.
28 Thessaloniki, 1 June 1903 Biliotti to O’Conor (FO) Suggested measures to protect the harvest in view of the uprising.
29 Skopje, 1 June 1903 Fontana to Biliotti (FO) The committee’s political goals and the sentiments of the people of Macedonia.
30 Monastir, 1 June 1903 Kral to Goluchowski (HHStA) Secret briefing of the Bulgarian bands.
31 Monastir, 13 June 1903 Gauthier to Constans (AMAE) Initiation of villages into the uprising. The case of Andartiko in the Florina district.
32 Monastir, 16 June 1903 Gauthier to Constans (AMAE) Appraisal of the preparations for the uprising. The people are tired.
33 Thessaloniki, 1 July 1903 Hickel to Goluchowski (HHStA) Sarafof’s statements at a meeting of leaders of the armed bands.
34 From J. Stephanopoli’s book, (AMAE) Bulgarian propaganda in Madedonia Bulgares contre Hellenes and the Greeks.
35 Monastir, 22 July 1903 Kral to Goluchowski (HHStA) Karavangelis’ and Chakalarof’s activities in the Kastoria district.
36 Thessaloniki, 23 July 1903 Graves to O’Conor (FO) Estimates that the uprising is about to begin. Pressure on the Moslem communities.
37 Thessaloniki, 28 July 1903 Steeg to Delcasse (AMAE) Preparations for and strategy of the uprising.
38 Thessaloniki, 31 July 1903 Graves to O’Conor (FO) The situation in Gevgelija. The committees’ influence is based on promises.
39 Monastir, 31 July 1903 McGregor to Graves (FO) The Patriarchists’ reaction to the committees. Karavangelis’ activities in Kastoria.
40 Monastir, 1 Aug. 1903 Kral to Goluchowski (HHStA) The Patriarchists’ reaction to the committees. Vangelis Stebeniotis’ activities.
41 Monastir, 3 Ayg. 1903 Gauthier to Constans (AMAE) Tense situation in the town of Monastir.
42 Thessaloniki, 4 Aug. 1903 Graves to O’Conor (FO) The uprising begins in the region fo Florina and Almoria. Crops are set on fire.
43 Monastir, 4 Aug. 1903 McGregor to Graves (FO) The committees’ first acts. The uprising spreads to N. and W. Macedonia.
44 Monastir, 4 Aug. 1903 Kral to Goluchowski (HHStA) Escalation of the uprising. Attacks on Moslem villages.
45 Thessaloniki, 6 Aug. 1903 Vernazza to Delcasse (AMAE) The uprising spreads to N. and W. Macedonia.
46 Monastir, 6 Aug. 1903 McGregor to Graves (FO) Account of the uprising. Occupation of Krushevo. Morihovo controlled by the committees.
47 Paris, 10 Aug. 1903 Memorandum from the (AMAE) Progress of the operations. Attacks Ottoman Embassy to the on Moslem villages. French Foreign Ministry
48 Monastir, 10 Aug. 1903 Telegram from McGregor (FO) Progress of the operations. The committees occupy Nymfaio.
49 Therapia, 11 Aug. 1903 Constans to Delcasse (AMAE) Progress of the uprising and the psychological state of the enlisted villagers.
50 Thessaloniki, 12 Aug. 1903 Steeg to Delcasse (AMAE) The revoit in the vilayet of Monastir. The committees’ strategic and political goals.
51 Athens, 14 Aug. 1903 Maurouard to Delcasse (AMAE) Protests by the Greek Parliament. Bulgaria’s responsibility.
52 Monastir, 21 Aug. 1903 Gauthier to Constans (AMAE) The uprising continues. The army’s operations in the Florina and Krushevo districts.
53 Therapia, 22 Aug. 1903 Constans to Delcasse (AMAE) The uprising streads to the vilayet of Adrianople. Suspicions of Bulgarian collaboration.
54 Ahtens, 22 Aug. 1903 Maurouard to Delcasse (AMAE) The Greek Parliament protests about the events in Krushevo.
55 Thessaloniki, 25 Aug. 1903 Steeg to Delcasse (AMAE) The events in Krushevo. Action by the committees and Turkish reprisals.
56 Monastir, 25 Aug. 1903 Kral to Goluchowski (HHStA) Bulgarian military presence in Krushevo.
57 Monastir, 31 Aug. 1903 Kral to Goluchowski (HHStA) Plans to interrupt the harvest for the sake of the uprising. Collaboration between I.M.R.O. and the Verhovists.
58 Monastir, 1 Sept. 1903 Kral to Goluchowski (HHStA) The Bulgarian military plays a decisive part in the succes of the uprising.
59 Thessaloniki, 5 Sept. 1903 Telegram from Graves (FO) The uprising is subsiding, but the Bashibuzuks continue to harass Patriarchists.
60 Monastir, 8 Sept. 1903 McGregor to Graves (FO) The events in Kleisoura and Nymfaio in the Florina district.
61 Thessaloniki, 10 Sept. 1903 Lazzaro to the Consulate (NAUSA) The progress of the Turkish General and the Embassy opperations in the Florina district in Constantinople and the recapture of Krushevo.
62 Thessaloniki, 10 Sept. 1903 Lazzaro to Smith-Lyle (NAUSA) The uprising is subsiding. Fears for the missions.
63 Thessaloniki, 14 Sept. 1903 Steeg to Delcasse (AMAE) The Verhovist committee and I.M.R.O joined forces, despite their theoretical differences.
64 Thessaloniki, 23 Sept. 1903 Graves to O’Conor (FO) The Christians fear Turkish reprisals.
65 Monastir, 27 Sept. 1903 McGregor to Graves (FO) Denunciation of atrocities and reparations in the vilayet of Monastir.
66 Monastir, 28 Sept. 1903 Kral to Goluchowski (HHStA) Men and materiel continue to arrive from Bulgaria.
67 Thessaloniki, 11 Oct. 1903 Graves to O’Conor (FO) The Turkish army continues its mopping up operations.
68 Monastir, 21 Oct. 1903 McGregor to Graves (FO) The events in Krushevo according to an on the spot British inquiry.
69 Monastir, 18 Oct. 1903 Kral to Goluchowski (HHStA) A lieutenant of the Bulgarian army took part in the uprising.
70 Monastir, 21 Dec. 1903 von Alth to Goluchowski (HHStA) Reaction in the Kastoria district to the Exarchist Metropolitan’s tour.

[Mygdonia]

The Documents

1. The French Ambassador Jean E. Constans to the Foreigh Minister Theophile Delcasse.

Peran, January 8th, 1903

[AMAE/NS Turquie-Macedoine, vol.30, ff.23r-25r, No.4].

Monsieur le Ministre,

Dans une depeche adressee le 2 Janvier a Votre Excellence et dont il a communique le duplicata a l'Ambassade notre Consul a Salonique dit que, d'apres ses renseignements, les comites macedoniens auraient resolu de tenter au mois de Mars prochain le soulevement general du pays. Monsieur Steeg, prevoit que, meme si les comitadjis echouaient dans ce plan d'ensemble les troubles locaux , qu' ils reussiraient a causer, compteraient beaucoup plus d'adherents que ceux de l'an dernier et seraient incomparablement plus graves.

Les quelques indices que l'Ambassade a pu recueillir, concordent avec ces previsions de Mr.Steeg. Je puis notamment signaler a Votre Excellence le langage que m'a tenu l'Exarque bulgare quand il est venu me faire visite a l'occasion du jour de l'an. Deja le 4 Novembre, dans ma depeche No.195, j'avais pu indiquer qu'un certain revirement s'etait produit dans les idees de Mr. Joseph; cette foisci, j'ai constate que l'evolution etait complete; aussi bien, lui meme, a pris soin de me le dire... "Jusqu'a maintenant j'avais invariablement soutenu que le seul moyen raisonable et pratique pour aider a la realisation des aspirations bulgares etait la formation de la jeunesse et la propagation de nos sentiments par l'ecole et j'avais toujours condamne, comme insensees, toutes les moindres velleites d'insurrection. Aujourd' hui, je crois que le moment de l'action est venu et que la prudence doit faire place a l'hardiesse. Et l'exarque me laissa assez clairement entendre qu'il appelait de tous ses voeux l'insurrection.

Bien entendu, en public Mr. Joseph tient un tout autre langage et il recommande le calme et la soumission au sultan. J'ai [dans ma depeche no 215 du 29 Novembre] fait incidement allusion a une evengelique qu'il venait d'adresser dans ce sens a son clerge. Mais il est certain maintenant que le mot d'ordre donne en cachette par ce prelat est tout different. Or, en pays d'Orient une inspiration politique venant du chef d'une eglise a sur tous ses coreligionnaires une influence determinante. Si donc d'ici au printemps pour un motif quelconque qui n' existe pas aujourd' hui, une direction opposee ne leur a pas ete donnee par Mr. Joseph, il faut s'attendre a voir tous les tenants de l'Exarchat en Macedoine se lancer unanimement dans l'insurrection.

Constans


2. The Austrian Vice-Consul Ritter von Stepski to the Foreign Minister Count Agenor von Goluchowski

Monastir, January 10th, 1903

[HHStA PA XXXVIII/Konsulat Monastir 1903, vol.392, No.1].

Hochgeborener Graf

Am 5. l. Mts. ist in der Leitung der hiesigen, bulgarischen Handels-Agentie ein Wechsel eingetreten.

Der bisherige Agent, Herr P. Mikhailoff, welcher in dieser Eigenschaft seit 2. November 1898 thaetig war, ist abberufen und in den Ruhestand versetzt worden.

Mit seiner Nachfolge -vorderhand als Gerent der Agentie- wurde der fruehere Secretaer der bulgarischen Handels-Vertretung in Salonich, Dr. H. Koluscheff betraut.

Ueber diesen aeusserst schlauen Mann, der unter dem Deckmantel der Humanitaet und politischen Gleichgueltigkeit wohl auch hier die bulgarische Insurections-Bewegung -wenn nicht leiten- so doch nach Moeglichkeit unterstuetzen duerfte, hatte ich, waehrend meiner Gerenz in Salonich des Oeftern zu berichten die Ehre.

Ich gestatte mir, hier auch eine Beobachtung in Erinnerung zu bringen, die Herr General-Consul Hickel anzustellen und anzuberichten Gelegegenheit hatte.

"So oft Herr Koluscheff im Consular-Bezirke Reisen unternommen hatte, wurden, kurz darauf in den von ihm besuchten Ortschaften politische Morde veruebt."

Dass die Thaetigkeit des neuen "Handels" - Agenten nicht zur Beruhigung der hiesigen bulgarophilen Slaven beitragen wird, darf wohl mit ziemlicher Sicherheit vorausgesagt werden.

Die Ernennung Koluscheff's soll, wie ich aus sicherer Quelle erfahre, auf directen Befehl S. H. des Fuersten von Bulgarien erfolgt sein.

Waehrend des verflossenen Herbstes hat Fuerst Ferdinand, Koluscheff des Oeftern zu Sich befohlen und ihn ausgezeichnet.

Das besondere Wohlgefallen Seiner Hoheit soll unter anderem folgende scherzhafte Bemerkung Koluscheffs hervorgerufen haben:

"Der Sultan moege Ferdinand Bey, den Vali von Bulgarien, rasch auch zum Vali von Macedonien bestellen -dann werde daselbst sofort Frieden herrschen."

Stepski


3. The British Consul General Sir Alfred Biliotti

to the British Charge d' Affaires J. B. Whitehead

Thessaloniki, January 26th, 1903

[F.O.195/2156, ff.76r-80v, No.20].

Sir,

Two years ago some Greco-Vlachs, i.e. Wallachians who are educated exclusively in Greek schools and embued with Greek ideas, who in some parts speak nothing but Greek, and form, in the Vilayet of Monastir the bulk of the Macedonian Greek population, requested the permission of the Patriarchate to use the Roumanian language in their churches. The Patriarchate refused but the Exarchate acceded to the request, and this false step on the party of the former caused the first split in the Greco-Vlach party by inducing a number of Greco-Vlachs to throw in their lot with the Exarchate.

These new converts were, as is usually the case, more fervent than the Exarchists themselves and bashed by the Committees' bands resorted to intimidation and murder to coarse their compatriots who had remained faithful to the Patriarchate to join them.

One of the first Greco-Vlach villages affected was Oshin in the Caza of Ghevgheli, at the instigation of the Exarchist inhabitants of which two of the most influential Patriarchists were murdered in August last by a Bulgarian band under a certain Giovanni or Yovanoff of Ghevgheli. About three months ago, as I mentioned in my report No. 198 of November 9, 1902, he called at Oshin with his band and that of another leader, Arghiri, turned out at the Greek schoolmasters, appointed Roumanians (non-Bulgarian-speaking) and tried to induce the Orthodox priests to turn Exarchists, but failing in this they insisted on their reading the liturgy in Roumanian. On the priests' pleading ignorance of the language Yovanoff gave them six months to learn it.

Since their other chiefs have joined Yovanoff and Arghiri, viz. Pavlo, who died lately, Athanassi, Karadouka, and Apostoli, but the men under them do not exceed forty, a number which may, however, be increased at any time by recruits from among the natives.

These chiefs have continued the system initiated at Oshin, at Koupa, Houma, Longountza, and Loubnitsa, neighbouring villages of Ghevgheli, where also the Patriarchists are in the majority. In the village of Ghera Kortzi, where they form the minority, one of the most influential among them was murdered in broad day light while working in his field by a Bulgarian band some three weeks ago for refusing to recant. Papa Nicola, Orthodox priest of Livadi, another Greco-Vlach village some five hours distance from Goumendje is being threatened with death for remaining Patriarchist and if he is murdered the whole village will join the Exarchate from fear.

Meanwhile the forty men forming these Bulgarian bands live at the expense and in the houses of the Orthodox (or Roum, as they are officially termed, whether Greeks or Vlachs, in contradiction to the Exarchists), and no longer of the Bulgarian peasants, thus shifting the onus of supposed complicity from the latter to the former, as reported in one of my previous despatches.

The villages in the southwestern district of Ghevgheli, Gorpop, Boemitza, Bogdanza, Bores (or Bogros), Stoyakovo, Matchoukovo etc. are only in part Exarchist but the villages of Yenidje Vardar, Kriva, Barovitza, Tchernareka, Petges, Ramna, Petrovo with Cofalia (or Corfali) in Salonica are entirely Orthodox. None of these are, however, being pressed just now by the bands to join the Exarchate nor to dismiss their Greek schoolmasters but they have been warned to hold themselves ready to take up arms when ordered to do so in a few months. In the meantime they are threatened with death if they should denounce the bands, for whose reception they are ordered to have a house and provisions in constant readiness.

All these details some of which I have already had the honour of reporting, e.g. the payment of the taxes to the Committees agents and not to Government, the submittal of cases to the Committees representatives and not to the local tribunals, the rape of Dimitris' daughter at Moouin for her father's refusal to join the bands and (as I did not know at the time) the exaction from him of twenty five pounds, have only lately come to light. The poor wretches, who suffered, being afraid to even visit Salonica for fear of being suspected of having come to denounce their oppressors and only lately have a few dared to come secretly and, explaining their position, enquire what they can do for themselves or what can can be done for them. They trembled lest the bands should discover what would assuredly cost them their lives.

The Vali himself is at a loss how to relieve the Patriarchists. He told me a fortnight ago that he had summoned the Kaimakams of Ghevgheli and Yenidje Vardar and secretly arranged with them to invest all the villages mentioned above on a given day and in case of need to repeat the operation until successful, and also to send out flying columns. But nothing has been done, nor do I anticipate any very brilland result from such a plan even if carried out properly and thoroughly with the strong force required since many of the Komitajis are villagers against whom it would be difficult to prove anything, while the strangers have secured themselves against denunciation by the terrorism which they have established, and would succeed in slipping through the lines.

Want of foresight on the part of the Government has, I fear, allowed matters to go too far for any remedy to be easily discoverable. The late Halil Rifaat Pasha was induced by the dread of an "atrocities outcry", which has after all been raised, to allow the small minority of new-made Exarchists to share the Churches of the Patriarchists, who naturally regarded them as schismatics and to use the Bulgarian Liturgy -or to cause the closure of the Churches for months, thus depriving their original proprietors of the means of fulfilling their religious duties, even on such holidays as Christmas and Easter. The support thus given to the Exarchists was the more regrettable that it encouraged the revolutionary Committees to attain their end by assassinating the priests whom they could not bribe and the notables whom they could not coerce.

I frequently called the successive Valis' attention to this policy as detrimental to the interests of their Government, but in answer they all said that they were acting orders from the Porte which they could not disregard.

The only other band which is known to exist in this Vilayet is that of Alexis of Poroia. The daring which prompted his attempt on the train (as reported in my despatch No. 13 of the 17 inst.) near the station of Poroia proves how far the bands have established themselves or, at least, how inadequate are the means employed by the local authorities hitherto in coping with them.

The sufferings of the Greeks, described above, extend also to those Bulgarians and Vlachs who are Patriarchists and can only be remedied by the extermination of the few now existing bands, which if not destroyed will form the nucleus of larger bands in the spring. Only exceptionally severe and thorough measures can effect this and only the appointment of the most trustworthy officers for the work can prevent an "atrocities outcry".

Biliottis


4. A. Biliotti to J. Whitehead

Thessaloniki, January 31st, 1903



[F.O.195/2156, ff.92v-97r].

...The same European, whom I mentioned above, said: "The disturbances began with the murder at Serbinovo of ten taxcollectors etc. from Kroupnik... where (i.e. Serbinovo) a fight ensued, the most serious in Djouma Bala, during which one hundred Bulgarians and fifty Turks were killed. Though the Bulgarians did their best to rouse the Moslems to outrage they failed... The majority of the peasants returning from their flight to Bulgaria, willingly surrender their arms, the others are beaten until they do."(No. 190 of Nov. 19).Not a word about rapes and not only this, but rapes were said to have been committed at the beginning of December by soldiers in the Caza of Stroumnitza were stoutly denied by Bulgarians, who had come purposely to complain of beating and looting on the part of the troops, and in order to supply this unexpected deficiency the ringleaders had to take up the case of a girl who was carried off by a certain Hassan and of a married woman of doubtful character, who was ravished four months ago by a Bey, who subsequently indemnified her.

...Another statement made by all the deponents in Sofia, viz. that they possessed no arms and that they were obliged to buy rifles at very high prices to surrender to the Turks, is not in accordance with the fact that in Djouma Bala and Menslik alone fifteen hundred were collected. A certain number were given up voluntarily, but the great majority of peasants had to be more or less ill-treated before they dared part with their weapons. For, as the Bulgarians from Stroumnitza declared to me (v. No. 225 of Dec. 28), "the peasants are in a terrible dilemma, for if they do not give up their arms they are excessively beaten, and if they give them up without being beaten they are murdered by the Committees." Everybody, of course, both here and in Bulgaria -the local as well as foreign authorities and the public- knows that very large quantities of arms and ammunition supplied by the Committees were and still are in the possession of the Bulgarian peasants.

With reference to the last paragraph but one in Mr. Elliots' despatch No. 195 of the 23rd ultimo to His Majesty's Secretary of State, Mr. Acting Vice Consul Theodorides reports "Le bruit que les Turcs poussent les habitants de ce district (i.e. Razlog) a emigrer vers le Sud n'a pas de fondement. Au point de l'emigration je dois ajouter que plus de six cent personnes de Razlog munies de passeports reguliers se sont rendues en Bulgarie avant les derniers evenements." This emigration of sixhundred natives at that time of year before the Turks began their search for arms proves that they were either warned of, or anticipated, the trouble which the Committees brought on the province. And the following extract from a letter from the best possible source confirms this view: "Razlog is Centralist and kept quiet when the Vurhovists rose in Djoumai district. This angered the Vurhovists and they sent bands over just at the beginning of winter to shed blood and get the Razlog Bulgarians into trouble. The coming of these bands convinced the Turks that Razlog is in the Committees business and they began the search for arms. The district is so remote that the Turks had no thought that what they were doing would reach the outer world and so made no particular effort at self control. My impression of the depositions of the witnesses you examined is that they told the truth as to their personal experiences. But the women may have exaggerated in one or two cases in telling what happened to men. All of them evaded or lied as to who instigated them to come. This arouses the suspicion that their coming here was arranged by the Committee."

Biliottis


5 A. Biliotti to J. Whitehead

Thessaloniki, February 5th, 1903

[F.O. 195/2156, f.131r, No.28].

...On January 26 a letter was seized on a schoolboy called Adjacoff travelling from Resna to Monastir, addressed to Paraskeff Sfetkoff, a former lieutenant in the Bulgarian army and only just come as schoolmaster to Monastir by L. Groourtzeff, director of the Bulgarian school and head of the Committee at Resna, the contents of which proved Sfetkoff to be the chief of the Committee at Monastir. It made several suggestions with reference to the employment of certain people as committee agents, among them the family of Hololtzeff. Biliottis


6 A. Biliotti to J. Whitehead

Thessaloniki, February 14th, 1903

[F.O.195/2156, ff.140r-142r, No.33].

Sir,

In dealing with the alleged Turkish atrocities in Djouma Bala, Menlik and Razlog, I have hitherto abstained from expressing any opinion on them contenting myself with collating the different sources of information at my disposal and remarking on the discrepancies and other details which it would have been impossible for anyone to grasp readily by merely reading the numerous papers on the subject. I consider myself, however, in duty bound to state my own personal view of the matter.

That the publication of the atrocities alleged to have taken place lately in Macedonia is a newspaper campaign with the object of rousing Europe to intervene actively in favour of the Bulgarians, is, I believe, denied by noone, not even by the interested parties and, since the more public opinion is stirred the more chance there is for the agitators' attainment of their ends, no pains are spared in working up comparatively trifling incidents and opportune rumours into really sensational stories while, as I pointed out in a previous despatch, the principle that to make the world believe one fact five must be stated is rigidly adhered to.

In a word the Bulgarians are doing what others have done before and what others will do after them in a struggle for national emancipation and no more reproach attaches to them than to their predecessors. Noone can blame them for playing upon the emotions of Europe, especially since their statements will be received with the caution due to the utterances of one of two sides. But the case assumes a different aspect when individuals supposed to be impartial critics, in their desire to render a service to an oppressed race by the publication of sensational articles, pick up all the rumours spread abroad, without regard to the facts which they have neither the means nor the leisure to ascertain and go even beyond those whom they aim at assisting without taking into account the possible fatal effects of their line of action on, if not all the Christian races of this part of Turkey, at least for the greater part of them, Greeks, Vlachs, Servians.

The Macedonian question (as a Jewish banker remarked to me the other day) was raised on behalf of all the Christians inhabiting that country -and ought in fairness to include the Moslems, who have as much to put up with- but has gradually been allowed to assume the complexion of a purely Bulgarian concern in no way affecting the other Christians, who -and this is a fact not taken into consideration in Europe- are at the present moment suffering infinitely more from the action of the Committees than from that of the Turkish authorities, on the population. Putting aside, then the atrocities which are alleged by the Bulgarians and their friends to have been committed it is, I think, a fair conclusion to arrive at, that the excesses which the troops etc. and the Moslem villages committed in spite of the earnest endeavours which their officers and the civil authorities undoubtedly made to restrain them, were perhaps more serious than those which would have occurred under the circumstances in Europe, but that they were by no means as serious as they appear generally to have been supposed to be.

Even admitting this, are the Turks to take their cue from the atrocity mongers and, in order to avoid every semblance of excess to abstain from measures calculated to repress revolution? Evidently not, and I would, therefore, suggest that the military attaches of the foreign powers should accompany the headquarters staff on the frontier with the double object of acting as a restraint on the Turks and of testifying to the truth, next time the latter have to act against the Bulgarians, as may occur very shortly.

Biliottis

[Mygdonia]

7 The Austrian Consul General Richard Hickel to A. Goluchowski

Thessaloniki, February 21st, 1903

[HHStA PA XXXVIII/Konsulat Thessaloniki 1903, vol.407, No.7, strictly confidential].

...Was die bulgarische Agitation anbelangt, kann ich meine im vorjaehrigen Berichte ausgesprochenen Behauptungen nur vollinhaltlich aufrechthalten, naemlich dass die hierlaendische macedono-bulgarische Dorfbewohnerschaft keineswegs aus eigener Initiative umsturzluestern und von hochfliegenden politischen Idealen beseelt und hingerissen ist, sondern von Connationalen und Stammesbruedern aus dem Fuerstentume herueber nur mit grosser muehevoller Beharrlichkeit und mit Terrorismus schwer genug aufgewiegelt und enrolirt wird. Das soll ja der im Oktober vor. Js. als Fuehrer von Banden vielgenannte "Oberst Jankov" in einem unlaengst in Sophia gehaltenen Vortrage selbst bestaetigt haben.

Die Organisation der Banden-Wirtschaft aber hat allerdings seither nicht unwichtige Fortschritte gemacht, und ist dementsprechend gefaehrlicher, jedoch auch fuer Repressivmassregeln unfassbarer geworden. Aus verschiedenartigen Nachrichten und Anzeichen ist zu entnehmen, dass die frueheren, der Mehrzahl ihrer Theilnehmer nach aus Bulgarien ueber die Grenze gekommenen Banden nicht mehr ebenso geschlossen beisammen blieben, sondern sich in die Ortschaften mehr und mehr vertheilt haben, indem die Mitglieder als Agitatoren und Chefs fuer die in den Ortschaften selbst dem Geheimbund angegliederten Localcomite's, welche nur wenige Mann ausuebender Anhaenger zaehlen (etwa 8-20 und mehr), fungiren. Diese Localcomite's stehen untereinander wahrscheinlich districtweise in Verbindung, halten haeufig naechtliche Zusammenkuenfte und bewaffnete Exercitien ab, und entziehen sich jeder Nachforschung oder Ueberraschung dadurch, dass sie bei Tage ihren gewoehnlichen Beschaeftigungen nachgehen. Ihr Zusammenhalten und die Wahrung des heimlichen Treibens ist lediglich nur das Resultat des systematisch von den wie frueher ambulanten Banden ausgeuebten Terrorismus, deren unbekannte, aber diesseits jedenfalls unter den exarchistischen Bischoefen, Geistlichen, Lehrern u.s.w. zu suchende Mandanten einen regelrechten Polizeiorganismus eingerichtet haben, und mit furchtbarem Ernst die jeweils verhaengten Strafen durchfuehren zu lassen verstehen. Man sagt mir, dass ein Uebermass im Genuss von geistigen Getraenken, welches dem Betreffenden die Zunge loesen koennte, beim ersten Betretungsfalle mit einer Anzahl von Hieben bestraft wird; im Wiederholungsfalle ist der Verwarnte schon dem sicheren Tode geweiht. Ueberhaupt wird jeder Fall von Verrat, sei es durch Anzeige an die Behoerden, oder sonstwie, er moege von wem immer begangen worden sein, unnachsichtlich mit dem Tode geahndet, und diess erklaert einerseits die sich wieder haeufenden Faelle von mysterioesen Morden an Mitbewohnern, andererseits die Hehlerschaft der an dem Geheimbunde Nicht-Betheiligten, wozu sogar nunmehr selbst die im Lande begueterten tuerkischen Bey's und sonstigen Tschiftlykbesitzer gezwungen sein sollen. Der herrschende Zustand erinnert durchaus an die beruechtigte "Maffia", und wie es den Anschein hat, ist dieses System in weit reichender Entwicklung im Innern des Landes, nun auch schon bis nahe an Salonich gediehen. Durchaus zutreffend wendete mir gegenueber der Generalgouverneur wiederholt diesbezueglich das kernige tuerkische Wort an: "guenduez kuelahlue, getsche silahlue", um die Schwierigkeit der Ausforschung zu kennzeichnen, was wegen des Wortspieles in "kuelah" nur unzulaenglich uebersetzt lauten wuerde: "bei Tage mit unauffaelliger Kopfbedeckung, bei Nacht zu unheimlicher That bewaffnet".

Nur ganz kurz moegen an dieser Stelle die am haeufigsten angewendeten Mittel skizzirt sein, mit welchen die ambulanten Banden die Theilnahme der laendlichen Bewohnerschaft erpressen, gleichviel ob sie sich zum Patriarchismus oder Exarchismus bekennt. In die Doerfer kommen mehr oder minder zahlreiche Organe von bereits bestehenden Comite's und lassen, nachdem die Gemueter durch Ueberredung, meist jedoch durch fuerchterliche Drohungen mit Ermordung, Einaescherung u.s.w. fuer das politische Ideal der Befreiung Macedoniens genuegend vorbereitet sind, die Bauern ganz theatralisch die Hand auf ein schwarzes Kreuz und einen Revolver legen und schwoeren, dass sie am naechsten Aufstande Theil nehmen werden. Hie und da wird ihnen sogar gesagt, dass es "dem Comite" gleichgiltig bleibe, ob sie sich auch fernerhin zum Patriarchismus bekennen wollen oder nicht, viel haeufiger jedoch geht damit auch der Zwang Hand in Hand, sich zum Exarchismus zu bekennen. Diese Propaganda ist bereits soweit vorgeschritten, dass die bisherigen Patriarchisten von Gumendsche, Gevgelue, Jenidsche-Vardar bis nach Vodena und Karaferia derart eingeschuechtert sind, dass sie ueber derlei Vorkommnisse selbst den patriarchistischen Bischoefen und dem hiesigen griechischen Generalconsul auf Befragen keine aufrichtige Antwort mehr geben, und sichtlich aus Furcht vor Racheakten wegen Verrat ausweichend angeben, sie haetten sich nicht zu beklagen und seien ganz zufrieden. Trotzdem ist es notorisch, dass sie nur unter moralischem Zwange aussagen, und desshalb befuerchten die eben genannten kirchlichen Funktionaere den successive fortschreitenden Abfall vom Patriarchismus, wodurch die thatsaechlichen Nationalitaetsziffern total entstellt zu werden drohen, da ja heirzulande mit dem Konfessionswechsel stets die Entnationalisirung parallel geht.

Ferner werden sodann den Bauern Contributionen auferlegt; naemlich Mehl u. gesalzenes Fleisch muss in die Gebirge gebracht und dort verborgen werden, da damit beim naechsten Aufstande die Approvisionirung vorbereitet wird; ebenso werden die Bauern gezwungen, dem Comite per Kopf und Monat je einen Piaster Abgabe zu entrichten; diese Contributionen werden durch den oben erwaehnten Polizeiorganismus strenge eingetrieben, und die Bauern muessen sich fuegen, ob Exarchisten oder Patriarchisten, denn jede Auflehnung wird frueher oder spaeter geraecht. So ist es denn begreiflich, dass die Propaganda thatsaechlich fortgeschritten ist, keineswegs aber durch allgemein freiwilliges Anschliessen der hiesigen bulgarischen Bevoelkerung.

...Meine Aufgabe kann es natuerlich nicht sein mich darueber auszusprechen, welches Mass von Verantwortlichkeit die fuerstlich bulgarische Regierung fuer die Fortentwicklung des von der Tagesordnung wahrscheinlich ueberhaupt nicht mehr abzusetzenden Problemes treffen muss. Aber ich halte es fuer meine Pflicht an dieser Stelle die Thaetigkeit und Haltung der "bulgarischen Handelsagenten" in Salonich, Serres und Monastir zu beleuchten. Hier herrscht in allen Kreisen, welche nicht mit den bulgarischen Machinationen sympathisiren, sondern die Lage unparteiischen Blickes zu pruefen im Stande sind, nur die Eine Ueberzeugung, dass die "bulgarischen Handelsagenten" die ruehrigsten Emissaerdienste im Interesse der bulgarischen Comite's bethaetigen, also unter dem Schutze und Deckmantel amtlicher Autoritaet, -denn beim Volke gelten sie als' Consulate- die Angelpunkte des Verkehres der Comite's untereinander und offenbar auch mit der fuerstlich bulgarischen Regierung sind. An ihrer Spitze steht der Agent in Salonich, Herr Schopoff, welcher den gegenwaertigen Agenten in Monastir, Herrn Koluscheff frueher als langjaehrigen "Secretaer" herangebildet hat; der fruehere Agent in Monastir, Herr Stoeff, hatte sich noch nicht als genuegend tuechtig und zu wenig schneidig erwiesen, darum wurde er vor kurzer Zeit hieher, im Austausch mit Koluscheff, als "Secretaer" berufen; in Serres fungirt als "Agent" Herr Jurukow, welcher seit der vorjaehrigen Affaire trotz des anfangs kraeftigen Auftretens der tuerkischen Regierungsorgane in Amt und Wuerde wieder eingesetzt wurde.

Von diesem letzteren ruehrt ein Ausspurch her, (dem serbischen Generalconsul gegenueber vertraulich gemacht, als ihn dieser nach den Verhaeltnissen in Serres befragte), welcher die Situation allerdings frappant zeichnet, und uebersetzt lauten wuerde: "die Tuerken haben den Tag, wir aber die Nacht; den Tuerken lassen wir das Thal, uns bleiben die Berge."

Alle diese "Handelsagenten" betreiben sichtlich rein nur politische Agitation; sie dirigiren und redigiren die Beschwerden, welche dem Vali von bestellten Delegirten, sowie anonym in Abschrift bei den hiesigen ConsularVertretungen am Thor abgegeben werden. Allerdings machen sie, insbesondere Herr Schopoff, dieses Alles mit so grosser Geschicklichkeit, dass es unmoeglich waere, gegen sie behufs formeller Anklage sachliche Nachweise zu erbringen. Aber dass seit ihrem Auftauchen im Jahre 1897-1898, resp. ihrer Zulassung durch die tuerkische Regierung, die hierlaendischen Agitationen in zielbewusste Bahnen gelenkt wurden, ist mir selbst von meinem frueheren russischen Collegen, dem vom Dienste zurueckgetretenen Generalconsul Ilarionow, wiederholt bestaetigt worden. Man geht mit der Annahme sicherlich nicht zu weit, dass ein grosser Theil der falschen und uebertriebenen Informationen, welche in die europaeische Presse uebergehen, auf die Informationen Herrn Schopoff's zurueckzufuehren sein mag.

Die Beleuchtung des Treibens dieser Herren erscheint mir insbesondere desshalb wichtig, weil offenkundig einige der hiesigen fremden Vertreter, namentlich der franzoesische Consul, Herr L. Steeg, sowie unter anderen Franzosen, welche an Journale Correspondenzen vermitteln, der Lehrer Mothu, betreffs ihrer Informationen in eine gewisse Abhaengigkeit vom bulgarischen Vertreter gekommen sind, welche in den hiesigen tuerkischen Kreisen sehr wol bekannt ist, besonders seit Erscheinen der Artikel im "Matin", "Temps", u.s.w. nebst Auszuegen aus dem "Livre jaune", die hier natuerlich beharrlich confiscirt werden. Als Curiosum moege auch Erwaehnung finden, dass die Reformvorschlaege, welche Herr Steeg in einem Berichte aufgezaehlt haben soll, textlich einem Operate des grossbritannischen Generalconsuls, Sir A. Biliotti, entlehnt sind. Biliotti hatte sich ebenfalls erst seit einigen Monaten davon ueberzeugt, dass die Informationen Schopoff's einer ganz energischen Censur beduerfen, seitdem er selbst Delegierte der beschwerdefuehrenden Ortschaften des Kaza's Strumnica u.a., welche ihm von Schopoff zugeschickt worden waren, persoenlich ausgefragt hat, u.z. unter Zuziehung eines Arztes, welcher die angeblichen Wunden als Contusionen und Folgespuren von Pruegeleien nicht mehr erkannt hatte. -Ferner hat man tuerkischer Seits allen Grund, den im vorigen Juli erfolgten Wechsel in der Leitung des russischen Generalconsulates zu bedauern, da der neue Titulaer, A. de Giers, einer bedeutend weniger unparteiischen Haltung sich befleisst, als sein Vorgaenger.

Hickel


8 A. Biliotti to J. Whitehead

Thessaloniki, February 24th, 1903

[F.O.195/2156, ff.146r-146v, No.43].

Sir,

Mr. Acting Vice Consul Theodorides reports that the inhabitants of the large village of Vrondou and of other villages of the Caza of Serres are being threatened and cajoled by Bulgarian bands into leaving their homes for the mountains, and that several families have already left for fear of emergencies and gone South, not North as the bands would wish.

News of a similar nature has reached Mr. Theodorides concerning other parts of the Mutessariflik and he is of opinion that serious events may be expected shortly, especially as the authorities are taking no administrative measures but rely solely on their military forces.

Biliottis


9 A. Biliotti to J. Whitehead

Thessaloniki, February 25th, 1903

[F.O.195/2156, ff.178r-180r, No.44].

Sir,

There is very little doubt, that an insurrectional movement of some sort against the Government will take place this spring in Macedonia and the only question then is how far the movement will spread and what importance will it assume.

As things are now, that is with the bands already existing here and those crossing the frontier against the real wish of Bulgaria, and meeting with a more or less cordial reception from part of the Exarchists in Macedonia it seems hardly likely that the rising can become general.

It is more than doubtful whether the bands will induce any great percentage of the population to take up arms willingly or unwillingly in their favour.

Although, besides the encounters which may be expected to occur along the frontier, where the population has been exasperated by the illtreatment it suffered recently during the Turkish search for arms, and which small parties of armed men may cross in spite of the utmost endeavours on both sides to prevent them, a more determined effort against the Government may be made in some inland centres, such as those of Stroumnitza and Kilkish in this Vilayet and in some Cazas of the Vilayet of Monastir, yet the bands, wellorganized and numerous as they are, cannot exert the pressure on the peasantry as a whole necessary to force it to rise with them, for the latter would require some assurance of subsequent protection from retribution on the part of the Government, an assurance which can only come from without. The movement in the other parts of these Vilayets and in that of Uskub will in all probability be limited to individual and spasmodic efforts.

The new tactic which I hear the bands are about to employ with regard to inland districts where flight to the mountains is difficult namely that of scouring the villages and forcing all the able-bodied men, whether Bulgarians, Greeks, Servians or Vlachs, to follow them will add to their numbers, but they will be leading a host of unwilling victims to the slaughter -which will however, have the great advantage of giving the movement the semblance in the eyes of Europe of an uprising of the Christian population against the Government.

One thing is certain: the larger the band, the less mobile and the more easy to exterminate will it be, whereas guerillas would keep the country in unrest and be very difficult to cope with.

The real danger in my humble opinion is that the Committees may organize a series of incidents, murder etc. to take place simultaneously throughout the whole of the three vilayets, not excepting but rather especially in the capitals and larger towns, with a view to showing that the country is a prey to anarchy and with the object of provoking a panic with its usual disastrous results.

I had the opportunity of witnessing panics in Crete and nobody who has not seen one can imagine, how little it takes to raise one, how much to allay it (if allayed it can be) , and what farreaching consequences it can have.

I thought it my duty to warn the Vali of this possibility in order that he may not be taken unaware, and I have since been confirmed in my expectation by the news given me today, that among a number of plans devised for creating a panic, it is arranged that the Bulgarians of some neighbouring farms shall in case a foreign warship appears in the harbour, rush down shouting wildly that massacres have begun in the interior. This together with the murder of a handful of peasants would produce a very appreciable panic.

I do not wish to prophesy, but I thought it right to let you know the course into which events may drift.

Biliottis


10 A. Biliotti to the British Ambassador Sir Nicholas R. O'Conor

Thessaloniki, March 9th, 1903

[F.O.195/2156, ff.215v-216r, 217r-219r, No.53].

...Mr. Pissurica has, ever since the transfer of the British Vice Consulate from Monastir to Uskub, reported freely and with what I consider commendable impartiality on current events in the Vilayet of Monastir, as he would not have dared to do had he not felt himself completely assured against attacks by his position as a British Dragoman -in which capacity he has acted in reality though not in name as a Vice Consul or Consular Agent.

But the bands have grown so bold owing to the abject terror into which they have succeeded in plunging the populations of Macedonia, that they now actually dare to turn their attention to Consular officials who have in execution of their duty reported facts, damaging to the Committees, as they really were -without favour or prejudicewhich Mr. Pissurica has fear as his reports on misdeeds by Moslems and Bulgarians alike show.

...In my despatch No. 6 Confidential of February 4, 1900, of which I enclose a copy, and No. 18 Confidential of February 24, of which I enclose extracts -to which I would particularly refer Your Excellency- I gave a sketch of the condition, in which Macedonia was at that moment, and of the work done by the so called Commercial Agents of Bulgaria, adding a forecast of what the situation would develop into in this and the neighbouring vilayets, if no means were taken to check the system of terrorism, which had already been inaugurated by the Bulgarian bands and which was causing a state of insecurity of which even the Moslems were complaining.

The Russian Ambassador's scathing criticism of these Commercial Agents, as reported by Your Excellency a year later in your despatch of February 23, 1901, is a strong corroboration of the statements contained in my reports, and I would draw your Excellency's attention to the striking coincidence between what I said in the former concerning the Bulgarian Secretary, Mr. Koloucheff, and the fact that Mr. Pissurica is threatened a month or two after Mr. Koloucheff is appointed Bulgarian agent at Monastir.

I stand by every word I wrote three years ago concerning the complicity of the Bulgarian Commercial Agents in Macedonia in the doings of the Committees -a complicity which if it has altered at all has altered only in the sense of affording yet greater encouragement to the bands, and it therefore lies with Your Excellency to decide whether rendering the Bulgarian Government and its agents responsible for the safety of Mr. Pissurica, and other British officials who may incur the displeasure of the Committees will tend to their greater security. It is quite beyond my power to make any suggestion as to any efficacious means of protecting Mr. Pissurica against the execution of the threat conveyed to him by Daniel Rizoff other than his removal from Macedonia.

In any case since, as I understand, Mr. McGregor has been appointed Vice Consul at Monastir and is about to proceed to his post, I would beg Your Excellency, before he does so, to instruct him as to the protection he should give or cause to be given to Mr. Pissurica. But I have little doubt that any measure directed against an individual Komitaji or a band would only accelerate the carrying out of the threat made against him.

Now that the bands have begun intimidating those who are bold enough to report against them, I fear that Mr. Theodorides, acting (and unpaid) Vice Consul at Serres, who has done his duty with as much energy, impartiality and ability as Mr. Pissurica, may be the next official to attract their attention, or that of the Commercial Agents or of whoever may be their directing genious. And my anxiety is based on the fact that, ever since the lowering of the Bulgarian flag etc. at Serres, Mr. Theodorides has been an object of special aversion to Mr. Schopoff, who (as I reported in my despatch No. 130 of August 2, 1902), bears him a grudge founded on idle gossip and street scandal. Mr. Schopoff has of late been indulging again in bitter and intemperate remarks against Mr. Theodorides for statements published lately in the Blue Book.

Nor in my opinion will Mr. Theodorides be the last of native Consular Servants to be threatened, unless some very energetic steps are taken not only to protect Mr. Pissurica, but also to stop Bulgarian Commercial Agents from criticizing them in a manner likely (this not intended) to provoke the hostility of the Committees against them.

I cannot abstain, before ending this despatch, from pointing out how exactly events have turned out as I anticipated in my despatches of February 6 and 24, 1900 how the bands have since then rendered life in the three Vilayets impossible to the inhabitants and how they are beginning now to attempt to make it so for Consuls, who do not abstain from reporting Bulgarian intrigues etc. as they see them to be.

Biliottis



A. Biliotti to N. O'Conor

Thessaloniki, February 4th, 1900

[Attached to report No.10, ff.220r-221r].

Sir,

In returning to Your Excellency the copy of a despatch addressed by Mr. Elliot to the Marquis of Salisbury concerning the activity of the Macedonian Committee, I have the honour to point out, that all my reports and those of Mr. Vice Consul Fontana point to the same conclusion, as that come to by Her Majesty's representative at Sofia, viz. that Macedonia is at present in an unusually disturbed condition consequent on Bulgarian political intrigues, which mostly take the form of murders and armed attacks and have as object the terrorizing of Christians of other races. All the Bulgarian schoolmasters, and they are to be found everywhere, are members, and frequently as reported, the death-bearing agents of the Committees. They are apprehended where unavoidable, but for some reason or other they are, to my knowledge, not punished.

The Bulgarian authorities in Macedonia appear to command large sums of money and some of the Turkish functionaries are devoted to their cause, while it is said, that bribery is rife in the highest official quarters of the Vilayet. According to all I hear, the recall of the Caimakam of Ghevgheli, who gives them unbounded support, would much tend to restore confidence among the other Christian races of that district.

The so-called Bulgarian Commercial Agents are nothing but central Committees the chief of which is at Salonica. I have heard since my arrival here, but have hitherto refrained from reporting the rumour that political murders by Bulgarians, almost unknown till three years ago, date from the appointment of that time of Mr. Schopoff to the post of Commercial Agent in this Vilayet, and have during the last two years greatly increased.

It has also often been pointed out to me, that Mr. Schopoff's Secretary is frequently travelling about in the Vilayet and that his itinerary can be traced by the murders and other disturbances which follow in his wake in different districts.

I beg to call Your Excellency's especial attention to the incident reported in my immediately preceding despatch, which allowed to pursue its present course will form a precedent enabling the Bulgarians to carry out their political intrigues and sit the whole of this and neighbouring vilayet ablaze at their will. Hitherto they have been terrorizing the populations, now they have taken to terrorizing such of the Turkish authorities, as dare to oppose them -and Turkish opposition is growing steadily weaker in consequence of the reasons mentioned in my despatch No. 3. They are thus armed with a two edged sword and perfect masters of the situation. I consider very opportune the incident of Mehmed Pasha and the Bulgarians, whom he arrested -as having forced them to unmask their batteries, long perhaps before they were ready all along the line.

The Powers are thus given time to devise some measure for checking Bulgarian propensities. But if this timely warning is neglected, the consequences may be most serious for the tranquillity of Macedonia in the coming spring.

Biliottis


11 A. Biliotti to N. O'Conor

Thessaloniki, March 11, 1903

[F.O.195/2156, ff.224r-224v, No.54].



...The Committees have doubtless a political object, be it autonomy or annexation, and their leaders may be men of highest motives, but among those affiliated to their bands there are a great number of mere brigands whose only object is perpetrating murders etc. is their own personal gain. But whatever the motives each party has one and the same object in view, to keep the country in disorder and oppose by all means the introduction of any measure which could calm it. Had their object been the amelioration of the condition of the native Christians they would have tried to induce them from the beginning to join the movement and not have murdered and otherwise ill-treated them as they have done. And so deep rooted is the dislike of the non-Bulgarians of the bands, that notwithstanding their desertation of Turkish rule, the latter will not side with them although they suffer much for not doing so.

And -be it noticed- even now that the Committees are attempting to attract Greeks, Serbs and Vlachs to themselves by promises of better things, the improvement they say they are working for is not reform but always the supersession of the Turk.

Biliottis


12 The Austrian Consul August Kral to A. Goluchowski

Monastir, March 11th, 1903

[HHStA PA XXXVIII/Konsulat Monastir 1903, vol.392, No.22].

...Die Gelderpressungen vollfuehrt das Comite mit unbeschreiblicher Kuehnheit bei Bulgaren, Griechen, Walachen, bei Christen und Mohammedanern. Den Christen droht im Falle des Nichtzahlens Ermordung, den reichen, gutbewachten und bewaffneten mohammedanischen Gutsbesitzern Brand ihrer Landgueter. Bei Geldeintreibung machen die Comite's unter den Christen schon deswegen keinen Unterschied, weil sie behaupten, ihre Bemuehungen seien auf Verbesserung des Looses saemmtlicher Christen in Macedonien gerichtet. Die Hoehe der zu fordernden Geldsumme wird in Anbetracht der Vermoegensund Einkommensverhaeltnisse des Einzelnen genau erwogen, doch laesst das Comite in beruecksichtigungswuerdigen Faellen mit sich reden. Weniger bemittelten Leuten wird manchmal selbst die Haelfte nachgelassen, vermoegenden nichts. Das Ausmass der Beitragsleistung bewegt sich zwischen 5 und 100 Ltq, selten mehr. Im Kreise Perlepe, wo die Mohammedaner in Minoritaet sind, soll fast ein jeder Aga gezahlt haben, desgleichen die meisten Griechen (resp. Walachen) Monastirs und der walachischen Doerfer wie Gopes, Mollovista, Tirnovo, Krusevo u.s.w.

Sogar eine Anzahl von Haeusern dieser nichtbulgarischen Staedchen ist -meist wohl durch Drohung- den Comite's gewonnen worden, da dieselben in jenen wichtigen und von den Tuerken weniger verdaechtigen Ortschaften ein pied-a-terre benoetigten.

...Die fortgesetzten, noch nie mit solchem Hochdruck wie gegenwaertig ausgefuehrten Erpressungen haben die Beunruhigung unter der nicht bulgarischen, namentlich der griechischen Bevoelkerung auf einen hohen Grad gesteigert, Alles schwebt in Furcht, Niemand wagt Widerstand. Gerade waehrend dieser Schreckenswirtschaft fuehlt ein Jeder doppelt die Schutzlosigkeit, welcher er durch die Unfaehigkeit, Schwaeche und Corruptheit der tuerkischen Regierung ausgesetzt ist. Die Sehnsucht nach Ordnung dieser unertraeglichen Zustaende und einer neuen starken Regierung wird immer brennender, und -wie ich schon oefter zu behaupten die Ehre hatte, man will gar keine Reformen, keine Autonomie oder was immer; die Majoritaet der Macedonier wuenscht sich nichts Anderes als -ich bitte um Verzeihung ob meiner Aufrichtigkeit- das Schicksal von Bosnien.

Die Strafexecutionen fahren fort, ein staendiges Kapitel in der Bandenthaetigkeit zu bilden, und waeren aus den letzten 14 Tagen zu erwaehnen die Rachemorde am griechischen Priester von Zelenic, am Lehrer von Strebeno, einem griechischen Parteigaenger aus Ajtos (saemmtlich im Kaza Florina), am serbischen Priester von Vrbjani und einem albanesischen Grundbesitzer aus Lenista (Kaza Perlepe), welchem der Hals durchschnitten wurde. Insbesondere das Verbrechen von Vrbjani hat Aufsehen erregt, weil schon zwei Jahre lang kein Attentat der Bulgaren gegen Serben zu verzeichnen war, und die Serbophilen sich den Banden nie gegnerisch erwiesen haben. Die Moerder waren -wie der serbische Generalconsul durch persoenliche Nachforschung an Ort und Stelle feststellte- drei, jetzt fluechtige Bewohner des Dorfes (darunter Einer ein langjaehriger Freund des Priesters), die den Mord als eine Art Aufnahmspruefung in das Comite zu vollfuehren gezwungen worden waren.

Kral


13 [AMAE/NS Turquie-Macedoine, vol.31, ff.214v-215r, "Rapport confidentiel d' un agent secret envoye en Macedoine pour sonder les dispositions de Sarafoff et des comites macedoniens", attached to report No.25, submitted by the French Consul in Vienna, Marquis de Reverseaux, on March 6th, 1903].

...Presque tout l'element intelligent de la Bulgarie professeurs, employes, officiers- est macedonien et que son irritation peut amener a des exces en Bulgarie meme.

Actuellement, l'explosion de ce mecontentement est retenu par l'espoir que, lorsque le premier appel des revolutionnaires se faira entendre en Macedoine, le Prince n'osera pas resister a ce sentiment populaire, et que, au lieu de permettre la rupture, de tous les liens de discipline et du pouvoir d'etat, il preferera ecouter son peuple plutot que les Puissannces, car il ne consentira pas a etre renverse , victime de la desillusion qui s'emparerait de tous les cercles bulgares.




14 The French Vice-Consul Max Gauthier to J. Constans

Monastir, March 15th, 1903

[AMAE/NSTurquie-Macedoine, vol.32, f.22, No.56].

...Plusieurs grecs a Monastir meme, ont ete invites par le comite a lui verser de fortes contributions faute de quoi ils savent quel sort leur est reserve (...) Les comites les poussent de toutes leurs forces a la revolte et continuent activement leurs menees qui trouvent un terrain bien prerare. Il ressort des faits cites plus haut qu' ils assassinent impitoyablement les traitres et ceux qui refusent de se laisser ranconner. Les villages valaques de Milovichta, Nejepol, Tirnova-Magarovo et surtout Pissoder qui n'ont jamais ete perquisitionnes ni inquietes par les troupes sont sollicites de s'affilier au comite, beaucoup d'entre eux ont ete contraints de verser de l'argent et une vingtaine de personnes de Tirnova-Magarovo auraient ete gagnees a la cause revolutionnaire...

Gauthier


15 A. Biliotti to N. O'Conor

Thessaloniki, March 24th, 1903

[F.O.195/2156, ff.269r-270r, No.69].

Sir,

Mr. Acting Vice Consul Theodorides reports, that Alexis of Poroia, the notorious Bulgarian chief, carried off two men, one Greek, and the other Vlach from that village, for whom he asks eighty pounds ransom, and cut the telegraph wires between Demir Hissar and Petritch; and that three aides-de-camp to the Sultan arrived at Serres on the 21st instant to institute an enquiry into the Vrondou incidents (See my despatch No. 46 of February 28).

Mr. Vice Consul Gregoriades38 reports that the Committees, greatly encouraged by the amnesty, are showing greater energy than ever in Drama. At Gornitza, a village which has remained completely faithful to the Patriarchate, they murdered the Khodjabashi, Dimitri Martsou, whom they have long threatened for his refusal to recant.

I hear, that amnestied Bulgarians have persuaded some of the seven hundred inhabitants of Gornitza to join the movement and that the murder was committed as an example to the rest; also that the murderers of Balabani, whose son, Mr. Gregoriades reports, is being threatened with death, if he does no desist from his prosecution of his father's assassins, live in the neighbouring village of Skrivotza, which is a hotbed of Committee intrigue.

Three Bulgarians entered the shop of a Bulgarian baker in Salonica some days ago and one of them fired four shots at him and his companion, wounding one of them severely. The baker refuses to give any explanation, but the reason for the crime is said to be the appropriation of one hundred pounds given to him last year or the year before to distribute in such a manner as to cause the release of certain Komitaji prisoners.

The would be assassin, a youth of eighteen or twenty, died in his house the same evening apparently of a fit brought on either by fright or by remorse.

While the police were searching for the other two in some vegetable gardens outside the town they found a man, with a bullet wound, who after repeated examinations, has finally confessed to being one of the Boemitza band (see my despatch No. 55 of the 12th instant), to have been wounded in the encounter and to have "come" here for medical treatment.

Biliottis

[Mygdonia]

16 The French Consul Louis Steeg to T. Delcasse

Thessaloniki, March 28th, 1903

[AMAE/NS Turquie-Macedoine, vol.32, ff.62v-63r, No.11].

...Le 23 un fil de service a ete coupe sur la ligne de Jonction entre les stations de Poroi et d'Hadji-Beylik. On a trouve a cet endroit une lettre en bulgare pleine de menaces et fixee sur un baton et dont j' envoie a titre de curiosite la traduction litterale a Votre Excellence. Cette lettre est signee du brigand Alexis de Poroi,de meme qu' une autre lettre trouvee sur la meme ligne le 15 Janvier dernier (voir rapport du Janvier no 2). Le Valy de Salonique suppose que la signature de la derniere lettre est apocryphe Alexis ayant, d'apres lui, du quitter le pays. On me signale cependant de sources differentes de nouveaux exploits de ce brigand aux environs de Poroi ou il aurait ranconne deux grecs et oblige un bey turc a lui fournir des vivres et des chaussures.

Les grecs se montrent assez emus du recent assassinat du primat grec d'un village du caza de Zihna ou les revolutionnaires bulgares n' avaient jamais penetre jusqu' a present...

L'opinion generale parmi les personnes en etat de suivre le mouvement revolutionnaire c' est que le vilayet de Monastir est la region ou se presenteraient en ce moment les plus grands dangers de soulevement. On signale de divers cotes le retour dans cette province d'un grand nombre d'ouvriers bulgares qui paraissent obeir a un mot d'ordre general soit qu' ils se prerarent a prendre part a une insurrection soit qu' ils veuillent etre aupres de leurs familles pour les defendre en cas de danger...

Steeg




17 A. Biliotti to N. O'Conor

Thessaloniki, April 3rd, 1903

[F.O.195/2156, ff.330r, No.81].

Sir,

I have been told that the Greeks at Monastir, roused at last to action, have warned the Bulgarians resident in the same town that for every Patriarchist murdered by the bands in the country they will murder two Bulgarians in the town. Whether this news is true or not, the fact is that reports of murders from that Vilayet have been less frequent of late and that the bands appear to be limiting themselves to the more profitable employment of exacting money...

Biliottis


18 A. Kral to A. Goluchowski

Monastir, April 17th, 1903

[HHStA PA XXXVIII/Konsulat Monastir 1903,vol.392, No.44, confidential].



Hochgeborener Graf,

Entgegen den Zeitungsnachrichtenk, dass Boris Saraffof42 sich am Wege nach Sofia zu einer Berathung befinde, weilt derselbe seit mehreren Wochen in diesem Vilajete und beabsichtigt nicht, Macedonien sobald zu verlassen.

Er kam ueber Morihovo, hatte in einem Dorfe oestlich der Crna (3 1/2 Stunden von Monastir entfernt) eine Unterredung mit Delegirten des hiesigen Provinzcentralcomite's43 und zog dann ueber Setina-Banica in die Kaza's Florina und Kastoria. Beim Verlassen Bulgariens war er von etwa 55 Officieren der bulgarischen Armee begleitet und fuehrte mehrere Pferdeladungen Dynamit mit sich. Die Officiere vertheilten sich au fur et a mesure; beim Betreten Morihovo's verblieben noch 15, jetzt nur mehr 3 an seiner Seite. Von Setina aus (Dorf s.w. des Kaimakcalan) waren bloss noch 3 Pferdeladungen Dynamit weiterzutransportiren.

Auch eine groessere Partie neuer Mannlichergewehre wurde vor nicht langer Zeit durch Saraffof wieder eingeschmuggelt, doch bewaehrten sich dieselben fuer die Banden wegen des leichten Rostens und der Schwierigkeit der Reparatur nicht. Am geeingnetsten fuer die Insurgenten sei nach wie vor das System "Gras".

Nach Monastir waere Saraffof -entgegen den Behauptungen zahlreicher Leute, auch von Consuln- nicht gekommen. Wahr sei hingegen, dass dies zwei seiner Officiere thaten, welche auch die naechstgelegenen Doerfer (Bukavo, Orehovo, Brusnik etc.) besuchten.

Kral


19 A. Kral to A. Goluchowski

Monastir, April 20th, 1903

[HHStA PA XXXVIII/Konsulat Monastir 1903, vol.392, No.46].

...Auch die Serben haben in diesem Vilajete keine Ursache mehr, die Unschuldigen zu spielen, weil serbophile Doerfer, namentlich in Porec (Krcevo) die Banden aufnehmen -mag sein, manchmal widerstrebend- und sich bewaffnen. -Als besonders kuehner Fuehrer zeigt sich in juengster Zeit der ehemalige Lehrer Cilio Cekalaroff aus Smrdes, der die recherchirenden Detachements schon mehr als einmal als Frau verkleidet zu taeuschen wusste. Seit 14 Tagen besteht sein Sport in der planmaessigen Vertreibung der griechischen Lehrer, hie und da auch der Priester, aus den, dem Patriarchate anhaengenden slavischen Doerfern der Kaza's Florina und Kastoria, indem er ruft: "Nieder die Griechen, hoch Bulgarien!"...



Kral


20 [AMAE/NS Turquie-Macedoine, vol.33, ff.6r-10r, "Le mouvement macedonien", traslated extract from the journal Bosnische Post of April 14th, 1903, attached to report No.47 submitted by the French Consul in Serajevo on April 21st, 1903].

L'opinion publique europeenne malgre l'abondance des nouvelles qui de Macedoine inondent la presse depuis des mois, n' a pu se faire une idee exacte de l'essence et de l'etendue du mouvement revolutionnaire parce que, sans parler du tranvestissement des faits qui resulte du manque de critique ou d'un calcul fait a dessein, la longue chaine des symptomes de la rebellion pourait faire croire qu' il s'agit de l'emouvant spectacle d'un soulevement populaire contre la domination ottomane.

Cependant, ainsi qu' on le confirme de Salonique de source autorisee, une telle importance manque absolument a l'action fanatique de l'agitation bulgare. Les representations repandues dans une partie de la presse, surtout en France et en Angleterre qui voudraient faire croire qu' en Macedoine les masses populaires opprimees preparent un combat desespere entourent les entreprises d'une petite fraction de la population d'une aureole que sont loin de meriter les equipees de la propagande revolutionnaire. Cette propagande et les violences des bandes bulgares ne sont pas le debordement d'un courant populaire, mais ce sont, au contraire les chefs de cette agitation qui cherchent a creer un courant populaire dans cette direction. Il ne suffit pas pour decrire la situation dans les provinces macedoniennes de constater que les Serbes et les Grecs, dans toute la region dont il s'agit sont absolument eloignes de la pensee d'extorquer par la rebellion des ameliorations du gouvernement turc: pour etablir la verite complete, il est necessaire de signaler le fait que parmi les Bulgares egalement la partie atteinte par le mouvement revolutionnaire ne forme qu' une petite minorite. Les instigateurs de ces menees deploient les plus grands efforts pour produire un etat de surexcitation et de passion que pourrait conduire a la lutte a outrance et au moyen des violences inouies pour aiguillioner vers des represailles sauvages les troupes destinees a retablir l'ordre, aussi bien que les Musulmans en general, afin que la Macedoine offre le spectacle d'un conflit effrayant entre une population chretienne et "l'opresseur ottoman". Ils n' ont jusqu' ici atteint ce resultat, du moins en ce qui concerne la force armee. C' est au contraire un fait indiscutable que les troupes, a part quelques cas isoles, ne se sont pas en aucun endroit rendues coupables d'exces et que nullepart l'action repressive n' a pris le caractere d'une destruction sans distinction des coupables et des innocents.

Or rien ne peut etre plus mal venu pour les chefs de l'agitation bulgare que la moderation du cote turc, car, pour justifier la revolution aux yeux de l'etranger et pour produire en Europe un torrent d'indignation, ils ont absolument besoin d'atrocites turques. Les regisseurs des Comites se sont en consequence inquietes depuis des mois, de mettre en scene, la representation d'horreurs de ce genre, repandant incessament des nouvelles exagerees ou entierement inventees. Il leur arrive d'ailleurs egalement de temps a autre, de completer ces produits de leur imagination par de sanglantes realites, en amenant par des violences cruelles qu' ils commettent contre les Musulmans des represailles analogues de leur part. C' est ainsi que pour prendre un exemple qui jettera une vive lumiere sur les evenements, sur 30 meurtres commis pendant le mois de Mars dans le vilayet de Monastir en l'espace de 12 jours, plus de la moitie ont des Bulgares pour auteurs tandis que les autres ne sont que des actes de vengeance de la part des Turcs. Le fanatisme du comite et de ses emissaires ne fait d'ailleurs pas seulement des victimes parmi les Musulmans mais aussi parmi les Serbes et les Grecs, et on pourrait dresser une longue liste des crimes odieux exerces par les Bulgares contre leurs" freres chretiens" et qui rapelle les exploits de Boxers.

En outre, les comites exercent un vrai regime de terreur sur leurs compatriotes pour les contraindre a se joindre a la revolution ou du moins a aider a l'execution de leurs desseins.

L'arsenal des moyens de contraindre par lesquels les comites cherchent a produire un boulversement dans la Turquie d'Europe ne se borne pas la. S'ils ne reussissent pas a l'aide des attrocites turques a exciter l'indignation morale de l'Europe a amener par la son intervention dans les troubles de Macedoine, les revolutionnaires bulgares veulent essayer d'attirer la sympathie de l'etranger et de l'amener de cette facon a agir pour un dommage sensible cause a ses interets materiels. Avec une sceleratesse digne d'un complot anarchiste ils forment le dessein de detruire les voies de communication qui servent au trafic de toute l'Europe, et par la d'aneantir d'un grand nombre d'etres humaines qui n' ont rien a faire avec les evenements de Macedoine. Cette conduite criminelle a deja , comme l'on sait, commence a s'exercer contre la ligue d'Orient et selon toute apparence, le Comite ne manquera pas de matieres explosibles, car il est prouve que de l'etranger des quantites considerables de dynamite ont ete introduites en fraude a travers les frontieres turques. Le public europeen ne devrait par aucune espece de representation, se laisser conduire a l'idee fausse qu' il se livre pour le moment en Macedoine une guerre d'independance digne de la sympathie du monde civilise, mais au contraire considera les evenements qui s'y jouent sous leur veritable jour et en consequence les juger, comme les menees criminelles d'une tres petite minorite d'une des nationalites chretiennes. Les comites et leurs partisans ne veulent pas de reformes, ils ne veulent pas que le sort des chretiens en Turquie se presente peu a peu dans des conditions plus favorables, ils ne veulent pas d'une amelioration tranquille et progressive de l'administration turque, telle que l'action de la Porte commancee sur les conseils de l'Autriche et de la Russie, permet de l'attendre, si elle est poursouivie avec perserverance. Ce qu' ils cherchent a l'aide des procedes anarchistes c' est exclusivement la revolution politique, bien que l'effervescence qui forme la condition de ce genre n' existe, sans parler des Serbes, des Grecs et des Kutzovalaques, pas meme parmi les Bulgares.


21 R. Hickel to A. Goluchowski

Thessaloniki, April 25th, 1903

[HHStA PA XXXVIII/Konsulat Thessaloniki 1903, vol.407, No.28].

...Ein gewisser Stoiko aus dem Dorfe Kukles hat am 21 l.M. seinen Landsmann Pehlivan Vassili aus dem Grunde ermordet, weil letzterer angeblich vor einiger Zeit der tuerkischen Behoerde Spuren von Banden angezeigt haette. Wahrscheinlich aus dem gleichen Grunde hat Stoiko unmittelbar darauf im Dorfe Ormanlue einen Tuerken, Namens Redschel getoetet; dieses Mal aber musste er die Unthat mit seinem eigenen Leben bezahlen, er wurde von den Tuerken dieses Dorfes ermordet. Stoiko war seinerzeit als eines der fanatischesten Organe des bulgarischen Bischofes von Strumnica, Gerasinos, bekannt, vor zwei Jahren zu lebenslaenglicher Festungshaft verurtheilt und in Folge der juengsten Amnestie freigelassen worden, worauf er sofort die fruehere agitatorische Thaetigkeit aufgenommen hatte.

...Jedenfalls dauert die Thaetigkeit der Comite's auch bezueglich der forcirten Waffen-Ankaeufe, selbst in patriarchistischen Doerfern an und ebenso die Ranconnirung um Summen von 20-100 Ltq. und mehr an Bemittelten aller Confessionen, selbst Muselmaennern, welche sich aus Furcht thatsaechlich insgeheim zu executiren pflegen, weil sie ihr Leben im gegentheiligen Falle nach zahlreichen Vorfaellen fuer verwirkt erachten...

Hickel




22

Paris, April 14/26th, 1903

[AMAE/NS Turquie-Macedoine, vol.33, f.70r, On the note submitted by Mr.Delyanni on April 28th 1903 on order of the Greek government].

Le Consul General de Grece a Salonique telegraphie a son gouvernement qu' une famille grecque Saramento, composee de quatre membres, dont deux femmes, a ete assassinee la veille... Saint... au village Babiani, par la bande Bulgare Jovani, qui, ensuite, obligea le seul survivant de la famille a apporter au Caimacam une lettre annoncant etre l'auteur des quatre meurtres.

Cette nouvelle venant apres celles que le Gouvernement hellenique a eues dernierement de Serres, Castoria, et Florina sur la situation devenue de jour en jour plus grave par suite des meurtres commis contre les Grecs a produit sur le Gouvernement hellenique la plus penible impression...


23 Deciphered Telegram by A. Biliotti

Thessaloniki, April 30th, 1903

[F.O.195/2156, f.420r].

[Band?] of 500 partly in Bulgarian uniform crossed the frontier yesterday surrounded a party of 30 soldiers near Radovishta -detachments from Radovishta and Stroumnitza came up and fighting lasting all day- two lieutenants seven [men?] thirty Bulgars killed the rest being hotly pursued. Perfect [tranquillity?] at Salonica.

Biliottis


24 The French Consul L. Degrand to T. Delcasse

Philippopolis, May 6th, 1903

[AMAE/NS Turquie-Macedoine, vol.33, f.147r].

Les journaux de la Principaute relatant les attentats commis a Salonique par les agitateurs macedoniens sont lus ici parmi les Bulgares avec un interet voisin de l'enthousiasme et j' ai pu constater qu' aucun sentiment de pitie n' a ete manifeste a l'egard des victimes innocentes qui ont succombe dans cette circonstance, il n' y a pas eu de surprise, personne n' ignorait les intentions des comites et leur programme de represailles; au meeting signale dans la depeche que j' avais l'honneur d'adresser a Votre Excellence le 22 Fevrier dernier, un de leurs representants n' avait-il pas dit" rendons nous memes la vie impossible aux etrangers" cette menace ne devait que trop tot se realiser. Les partisans de la cause macedonienne et le nombre en est grand maintenant tant l'idee a fait des progres, se preoccupent peu des lamentables resultats de l'acte commis a Salonique car ils esperent qu' il aura pour effet d'obliger les Puissances a intervenir directement au lieu de recommander des reformes dont ils persistent a proclamer l'inefficacite.

L'abandon si brusque de leur cause par la Russie a provoque une irritation qui n' est pas calmee et dont on semble dans les comites decide a donner la preuve en dirigeant un attentat contre son ambassade a Contantinople.

Quant aux officiers jusqu' a ce jour renfermes dans une silencieuse reserve, ils dissimulent a peine leur mecontentement; ce que la Bulgarie devait de reconnaissance a la Russie pour le sang verse est largement, disent-ils, aujourd' hui compense par les consequences nefastes de sa diplomatie; ils reprochent au cabinet d'avoir suivi les avis de St Petersbourg, d'avoir neglige les preparatifs militaires que necessitaient les circonstances et d'avoir enfin laisse au Gouvernement Turc le temps de concentrer en Macedoine et sur leurs frontieres des forces dont l'importance devient inquietante.

Les consequences de ce mecontentement n' ont pas tarde a se manifester: la surveillance est moins stricte et de nombreux partisans me dit-on s'acheminent vers la Macedoine par le Rhodope. Recemment parait-il le chef d'une bande operant en Macedoine est venu dans un village voisin de Peroustiza avec quelques uns de ses hommes pour demander des vetements. Él a en outre recu 400 francs quelques fusils et des munitions, puis a de nouveau passe en Turquie; on m' a assure que le Comite de Philippopoli etait parvenu a recueillir une nouvelle somme de onze mille francs.

Deux wagons de munitions sont partis de Tatar-Bazardjik pour Sofia, ils seraient destines a Kustendil; ici 18 chariots de munitions ont ete transportes dans un magasin militaire situe pres de la station...

Degrand


25 A. Biliotti to N. O'Conor



Thessaloniki, May 12th, 1903

[F.O.195/2156, ff.563r-564v, No.147].

Sir,

Mr. Acting Vice Consul Theodorides reports as follows: May 5. The Greek Community of Serres have petitioned the Government to close the Bulgarian school in that town, because the absence of Bulgarian families makes the existence of a Bulgarian school unnecessary, and because recent events at Salonica prove the complicity of the masters and pupils in the Bulgarian disturbances. The latter have been concentrated by the Serres Authorities in one or two houses in order that they may be closely watched.

On May 4th a Bulgarian school-master of Banitza was arrested near Serres in possession of several Mannlicher cartridges. He was imprisoned and made certain statements which led to the blockading of Banitza and the subsequent conflict (reference to my telegram No. 31 of the 5th instant). The women and children were withdrawn from the village of which a greater part was burned. The band consisted of twenty Bulgarians proper and thirty natives, and was annihilated with the exception of Gheorghi of Vrondou. Among them were the chiefs Deltzeff, (the man who planned Miss Stone's capture) whom the Missionaries describe as the most capable and most honest of the Komitajis, Dimitrioff and Kostanoff.

On the 7th there was an encounter at Goleshiovo (Demir Hissar). The Vali informs me that, while a flying patrol was watching the village, they were taken in the rear by a band of some twenty Bulgarians who were allowed to come up owing to their being dressed in Turkish military uniform. Another detachment, however, coming up, they were put to flight with slight loss on each side.

As a result of the Banitza fight, the village of Vrondou was subjected to a thorough search and about forty of the inhabitants were arrested. The villagers gave up to the authorities all the arms, ammunition, bombs, moneys, subscription lists which they had from the Committee and, declaring that they had been duped by it, begged to be taken back into the Patriarchist fold.

If this is true and if there is a retrograde movement on the part of villagers in the interior, it is one that should be encouraged by all possible means. For Exarchist means Komitaji, and no greater blow could be struck at the revolutionary organization than for the Exarchist Bulgarians to go back to their original sect.

One means of giving this movement a very strong forward impulse would be the settlement of the disputed churches question. In several parts of the interior, to mention only Vissotchan (reference to my Report No. 200 of Nov. 20th) and, I believe Koumanova, Greek churches were taken, more or less without fair reason, from the Orthodox and given to the Exarchists; in others the churches were closed, pending an understanding, and have remained closed; and in others again the Orthodox and Exarchists worship alternately.

If these churches which have been, in part or wholly, taken from the Orthodox for no adequate reason, or which have remained closed, were formally handed back to the Patriarchists, there would in my opinion be a strong reaction, especially among those who have been compelled under threat of death to change their religious appellation, given that an anti-Exarchist movement has really sprung into existence among the peasantry of Macedonia.

Biliottis


26 R. Hickel to A. Goluchowski

Thessaloniki, May 12th, 1903

[HHStA PA XXXVIII/Konsulat Thessaloniki 1903, vol.407, No.33].

...Nach hierortigen Informationen wuerde bulgarischerseits darauf gehofft, dass groessere Banden aus Bulgarien demnaechst die Grenze ueberschreiten sollen, auf deren Cooperation gerechnet wird. Freilich ist es sicherlich nur Ruhmredigkeit, wenn die Zahlen dieser Zuzuege mit Tausenden beziffert werden -man nennt 10-20.000! Auf deren Ankunft scheint nun das Schlagwort: "Des allgemeinen Aufstandes" aufgebaut zu sein.

...Es bleiben nun noch die ambulanten Bandenfuehrer, von denen jedoch angeblich in den letzten Engagements hie und da gefaehrliche Personen ihren Tod gefunden haetten, nebst mehreren bei den Banden befindlichen bulgarischen Officieren, welche nach tuerkischer Behauptung sei es der regulaeren bulgarischen Armee, sei es der Reserve angehoert haetten. Es bleibe dahingestellt, ob es sich nicht vielleicht doch um Verkleidungen handelt, um das Volk diesseits zu taeuschen, wie ja auch aus Kriegslist sogar schon tuerkische Militaer-Uniformen zur Verwendung gelangt sein sollen.

...Mehrseits wird auch in letzter Zeit wieder gemeldet, dass sich ehemals patriarchistische Gemeinden, welche nur unter dem Terrorismus der Bandenfuehrer sich zum Exarchismus bekannt haben, neuerdings an die patriarchistischen Bischoefe und auch an die Localbehoerden zu wenden beginnen, um ihren Ruecktritt in die patriarchistische Kirche zu erklaeren. Wenn diess vorlaeufig auch nur als vereinzeltes Symptom gelten kann, so sollte es vielleicht dennoch nicht unbeachtet bleiben; es beweist jedenfalls, das die Begeisterung im Allgemeinen keineswegs so spontan ist, wie die Comite-Chefs gern glauben machen zu wollen scheinen.

Hickel


27 J. Constans to T. Delcasse

Monastir, May 21st, 1903

[AMAE/NS Turquie-Macedoine, vol.34, ff.47r-48r, No.85].

...Le sentiment national, en effet, est trop surexcite chez la population de race bulgare pour que son hostilite contre la domination turque cede devant la seule crainte d'une repression par les armes. Il faut donc nous attendre a voir se continuer dans les campagnes la guerilla actuelle; il faut, nous attendre aussi a voir se produire dans les villes des attentats pareils a ceux de Salonique. Sans doute, ces attentats nuisent a la cause macedonienne, au lieu de la servir; mais dans leur exasperation, un grand nombre des macedoniens n' ont plus de scrupule dans le choix des moyens, et pour attirer l'attention de l'Europe sur leurs revendications, ils n' hesitent pas a commettre des actes criminels contre des etrangers, au risque d'amener sur toute la race bulgare la reprobation generale. L'histoire de l'emancipation italienne a presente, il y a quelque cinquante ans, des aberrations semblables.

D'autre part, l'insurrection macedonienne a des reserves de force considerables et ce n' est qu' a la suite d'une lutte longue, difficile et meurtriere que celles-ci seront epuisees. En dehors des adeptes que les comites ont recrutes sur le territoire meme de l'Empire l'insurrection, en depit des denegations du Gouvernement Princier de Bulgarie et meme, je crois, contre le gre de celui-ci,-ne cesse de s'alimenter dans la Principaute; non seulement elle trouve la un lieu de refuge, mais elle y puise journellement des renforts en argent, en munitions, en hommes. Dimanche dernier, par exemple, on me signalait du Palais l'entree en Turquie de plusieurs officiers de la garnison de Philippopoli qui allaient grossir les bandes.

Aux reclamations de la Porte a cet egard, le Gouvernement princier repond qu' il surveille de son mieux la frontiere, mais qu' il ne peut etre tenu a faire l'impossible; et, d'ailleurs, ajoute-t-il, non sans justesse, si les insurges reussissent a passer et a introduire leurs engins, la faute en est pour moitie a l'autorite ottomane qui a, elle aussi, le devoir de surveiller la frontiere...

Constans


28 A. Biliotti to N. O'Conor

Thessaloniki, June 1st, 1903

[F.O.195/2156, ff.666r-666v, No.171].

Sir,

I have the honour to report that I lately drew the Vali's attention to the danger of the Bulgarian bands setting fire to the crops before they could be safely garnered and to the consequent necessity of adopting measures for expediting as much as possible the collection of the tithes.

Dismissing the old system of selling the tithes by auction to the usual tax-collectors as causing just that delay which one would wish to avoid, I suggested that, in case peasants refused to buy up their own tithes, there were two ways of proceeding to their collection:

(1) The appointment of special taxildars, paid by the Government, to levy the tithe in kind: or

(2) The assessment of the tithe on the basis of an average for the past few years to be paid after the crops had been stored.

The Vali assured me that he was perfectly alive to the danger mentioned -which might mean a loss of 10% to the Government, but a loss of 90% to the peasantry- and that he had already taken steps for the appointment of government taxildars, since the collection of the tithes on past averages after the crops had been stored would present considerable difficulties.

Biliottis


29 The British Consul Raphael A. Fontana to A. Biliotti

Skopje, June 1st, 1903

[F.O.195/2156, 690v-691r, 692v-694v, No.39, confidential].



...In the town of Ishtip there are at present sixteen Christian gendarmes who, the Notables declare, are not men of solid reputation, nor were they selected from the respectable classes. It is, however, to be surmised that members of those classes did not desire to serve as gendarmes. Leading Ishtip Bulgarians state that the influence of the Committees is somewhat on the wane, but that nevertheless the whole Bulgarian community voluntarily contribute to the Committee funds. They consider the movement and exploit of the bands to be indispensable as a reiterated protest against reforms which they consider reforms only in name. They are working for a general Bulgarian rising, and are prepared to face massacre in order to attain the end they hold in view viz. : "Macedonia for the Macedonians" meaning, no doubt "Macedonia for the Bulgarians".

...A representative Bulgarian at Uskub tells me that the increased activity of the Committees and of the bands this sprig, and more especially, the outrages at Salonica, are the logical outcome of the disappointment inspired by a scheme of Reforms which, although approved by the Powers, has no real backbone, and which, above all, lacks the sanction of those Powers. Were the reforms serious and the position of the Inspector General entirely independent of Constantinople, and solely dependent upon such sanction, the work of the Committees and bands would, he says, die a natural death. Of this I entertain doubts. The peasantry of many localities nourish, it is true, but a few aspirations and but a half-hearted desire to rise. They play hero-songs and patriotic skirlings on the Bulgarian bag-pipe, they accept rifles, extend hospitality to roving bands and contribute to committee funds with more or less stoical, if not heroic, patience. But it is doubtful whether their general idea of patriotism or nationality oversteps their fostered hatred of the Turk, and dislike to paying him taxes. In the towns, however, the feeling prevalent among Bulgarian notables, school-masters and the majority of the Bulgarian citizens is far deeper, and the education of the pupils in the Bulgarian high-schools is merely a re-echo of that feeling.

The end they hold stead fastly in view, the aim of the Committees and the goal of the bands is the prize of their hoped-for high calling as free Bulgarians, an autonomy for Macedonia and that a Bulgarian autonomy. Nothing less will satisfy them, nothing less will long stay them whilst the Bulgarian Principality exists as a neighbour. They would very likely nail any change which would tend to ensure the swift realisation of their dream, but they would not cease to labour until that dream was a dream no longer. Serious and complete reform under Turkish auspices -even were such reform possible- would, I think redouble their ardour, and perhaps precipitate a crisis upon which they are already staking so heavily.



Fontana




30 Monastir, June 1st, 1903

[HHStA PA XXXVIII/Konsulat Monastir 1903, vol.392, Standing orders of I.M.R.O.'s armed bands attached to A. Kral to A. Goluchowski No.63 of June 1st 1903].

...

1) [Village information services].

2) Die Dorfbewohner (Maenner, Frauen und Kinder) sollen, sei es im Guten sei es durch Gewalt, angehalten werden, ueber die Uebergriffe der Detachements in der Vilajetshauptstadt Klage zu fuehren, u. zwar zunaechst bei den Consuln, dann beim Vali.

3) [Financial matters].

4) Auch schaedliche und nutzlose Christen sollen getoedtet werden und zwar unter Umstaenden, dass die Schuld den Feldhuetern, Gutsverwaltern, Zehentpaechtern und Beys unterschoben werden kann. Zwei Leute aus dem Dorfe muessen in der Lage sein, vor Gericht in rechtsgiltiger Weise dafuer Zeugenschaft abzulegen, was mit voller Ueberzeugung und Sicherheit zu geschehen hat...

Kral


31 M. Gauthier to J. Constans

Monastir, June 13th, 1903

[AMAE/NS Turquie-Macedoine, vol.34, f.168r, No.29].



...Le 4 de ce mois, la bande de Tchakalaroff forte, dit-on, de 150 hommes, est arrivee a Gelovo, caza de Castoria. Le chef voulait penetrer dans l'eglise qui obeit au rite grec pour amener les habitants a se rallier au rite bulgare. Ceux-ci ont averti le chef de bande Kote, grecisant hostile a Tchakalaroff, lequel prevint a son tour les troupes de Pissoderi. La bande Tchakalaroff dut alors se retirer par des gorges ou la poursuite etait difficile, en tuant quatre soldats; de son cote elle n' a perdu qu' un homme...

Gauthier


32 M. Gauthier to J. Constans

Monastir, June 16th, 1903

[AMAE/NS Turquie-Macedoine, vol.34, ff.192v-193v, No.30].



...A chaque retour de la belle saison, on predit une insurrection generale et un dernier et decisif effort du comite macedonien, mais jusqu' a present il n' a reussi qu' a produire ces quelques bandes qui troublent periodiquement le pays jusqu' aux approches de l'hiver. Chaque fois qu' elles se rencontrent avec les troupes, elles sont impuissantes a resister et s' echappent en laissant sur place 10 ou 15 de leurs qui perissent toujours avec bravoure, mais sans aucun profit pour la cause bulgare.

En sera-t-il ainsi longtemps encore? Un observateur attentif peut noter depuis peu, quelques indices successifs d'une modification fort au desavantage des comitadjis. Les paysans semblent las de leur fournir sans cesse des vivres et des subsides en argent et d'encourir les consequences desastreuses de leur presence dans les villages.

Il est a peu pres certain que la presence de Svetkoff et de sa bande a Moghila, a ete denoncee par les paysans eux memes preoccupes de se soustraire a l'extorsion de la forte contribution exigee par lui. Jusqu' a present les bandes traquees dans les villages occupaient librement les montagnes. Or le 11 Juin, ce n' est pas a Banitza meme que la bande Papantcheff a ete decimee, mais sur les montagnes avoisinantes. Le meme jour, sur la montagne de Nicodim, entre Racle et Teplitze, qu'une autre bande perdait 8 hommes. Le 13 encore, c' est entre Dumbini et Smordeche que 15 comitadjis ont trouve la mort. Les troupes paraissent aujourd' hui prevenues de la presence des bandes avant qu' elles aient le temps de s'introduire dans les villages, ce qui indique une tendance des paysans a les en eloigner dorenavant. Si ces mouvements s'accentuent dans le Vilayet, les bandes n' y pourront plus facilement subsister...



Gauthier


33 R. Hickel to A. Goluchowski

Thessaloniki, July 1st, 1903

[HHStA PA XXXVIII/Konsulat Thessaloniki 1903, vol.407, No.45, strictly confidential].

...Das Meeting der Banden-Chefs hat unter Leitung Sarafoff's stattgefunden. Wiewol mir auch derzeit aus dieser Nachrichten-Quelle der Rendez-vous-Ort nicht genauer bezeichnet werden kann, muss ich auf Grund von Andeutungen frueheren Datums annehmen, dass hiezu die Kosuf planina (von Bulgaren: Kosuhowska planina genannt) ausgewaehlt war; also der Gebirgszug, welcher sich in der Richtung von Strumnica nach Monastir (Marianska-, Blatec- und Kosuf-planina) erstreckt. Auch hiess es schon damals, dass von den etwa 60 im macedonischen Agitationsgebiete vertheilten Banden (mein englischer Collega beziffert deren Anzahl auf 80) je 2 Delegierte zu dem Meeting zu erscheinen hatten.

Ich erfahre nun, dass die Betheiligung eine recht zahlreiche war; von Salonich waeren 8 Delegierte erschienen, reichlichere Contingente vertraten ferner Koepruelue, Monastir, Florina, Istib u.s.w. Aus der laengeren Ansprache Sarafoff's wird folgende Stelle hervorgehoben, deren Wiedergabe mir bezeichnend erscheint: "... Salonich gehoert Bulgarien an, -vor den Augen Gottes und der Welt wird Salonich Bulgarien's Ehefrau. Am 16. April (alt. St., also ganz richtig: 29 April neuen Styls) hat in Salonich die Braut-Schau und Brautwerbung stattgefunden. Am 25 Juni (alt. St., also heute in 8 Tagen) wird die Verlobung mit noch groesserem Prunke gefeiert werden. Die Hochzeitsfeier wird einige Monate spaeter mit Alles an Glanz uebertreffenden Festlichkeiten begangen werden. Geht in Frieden nach Salonich! Vier unserer verlaesslichsten Brueder sind in Salonich eingetroffen, -von ihnen sollt Ihr die noethigen Instructionen erhalten..."...

Hickel


34 [AMAE/NS Turquie-Macedoine, vol.35, ff.99v-101v, Extract of the book by Jeanne Stephanopoli, Bulgares contre Hellenes. Appendice (Athenes, 1903), p. 4-8].

...L'obstacle pour les convoitises bulgares c' est l'Hellenisme... Il est une menace constante de dissolution pour toutes les races inferieures, par l'attrait qu' il exerce sur elles sa gloire et son genie.

Du moins telle est l'opinion des Bulgares. Voici M. Sarafoff, directeur du gymnase (lycee) bulgare de Salonique dans un rapport qui fut repandu en Allemagne: "Le pire ennemi du Bulgare est le Grec". Voici M.Kintscheff, inspecteur des ecoles bulgares de la Macedoine, dans un discours a la Societe Macedonienne de Sofia: "Nous avons a compter en Macedoine, moins avec l'islamisme qu' avec l'hellenisme . Le premier agonise visiblement; mais le second se developpe de jour en jour, dans toutes les communes, avec une vigueur et une activite inquietantes. Par le commerce et l'industrie, par les ecoles et les eglises, mais surtout par un patriotisme ardent l'hellenisme s'est considerablement fortifie en Macedoine, durant les dernieres annees, et il pese aujourd' hui dans la balance comme un facteur serieux. Il s'est accru surtout dans la moitie meridionale de la Macedoine, specialement dans les districts de Drama, Serres, Salonique, Monastir et Castoria.

A Monastir notamment les ecoles grecques