The treatment of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire

A striking collection of contemporary documents, this volume brings together diplomatic dispatches, eyewitness testimonies, and relief‑agency reports compiled in 1916 and presented to the British Foreign Secretary. The material was gathered from officials, missionaries, and refugees who lived through the upheavals in the Ottoman provinces of Bitlis, Erzeroum, and the surrounding regions. Listeners will hear the stark language of consular letters, personal narratives, and even German and Danish military observers, all recorded close to the events they describe.

The anthology is organized by geography, offering separate sections on the north‑eastern vilayets, the flight of displaced populations into the Caucasus, and the conditions in key towns such as Moush and Baibourt. Each entry preserves the voice of its originator—whether a refugee woman describing a convoy, a missionary recounting life under occupation, or a foreign resident reporting to relief committees. Together they reveal the scale of displacement, the daily hardships endured, and the early international attempts at humanitarian assistance.

Listening to these primary sources provides a rare, unfiltered glimpse into a pivotal moment of history, allowing the audience to hear the human side of diplomatic and journalistic records. The careful curation lets listeners follow the unfolding crisis without revealing later developments, making the experience both informative and emotionally resonant.