There [Çemishgezek] is a sect of nominal Moslems scattered through this region of whom I think you have not heard. They bear the name Kuzulbash, which means literally ‚readhead‘. [...] They never or almost never go through the Muslim forms of prayer; nor do they keep their fast. They are a people by themselves. A peculiar people and open to the Gospel. [...] The Turks seem to regard them very much as they do the Koords, as worthless heretics, and not worth caring for»

George Dunmore aus Arapkir an Rufus Anderson, Sekretär des ABCFM in Boston, 24. 10. 1854, ABC 16.7.1, reel 526:66. Zitiert in Kieser, Hans-Lukas, Der verpasste Friede. Mission, Ethnie und Staat in den Ostprovinzen der Türkei 1839-1938, Zürich: Chronos, 2000, S. 71.

There is a large population in our field of Turks called ‚Kuzzel-bash‘. They seem to be a distinct party or tribe and constitute the majority of Musselmen in all this region. They are all ready to receive the Gospel. They believe in Christ. They do not observe the great fast of the Mohammedans; neither do they use their forms of prayer or practise their various washings. They pray extempore. They meat together once a year, make bread and eat it, and say this is for Christ. They are addicted, however, to some superstitions, and are ignorant; yet they receive the Gospel with gladness, and fear not to say they are with us. Two copies of the New Testament in Turkish, not long since, were carried to one of their villages. They were eagerly read and listened to. The villagers were amazed at the wonderful truths and many joyfully received them. At length the villagers became divided among themselves; and many separated from their mollah [dede], and declared they would receive the truth at all hazards. And these men, as we have heard, have already been subjected to much persecution for the Gospel's sake; one of them at the same time being the chief man of the village. In another village, eight hours from Arabkir, a Kuzzel-bash has a testament, which he reads and preaches to his people; and he also is suffering much persecution. He is a Turk of some influence. Indeed, many instances of religious awakening among this interesting people have come to our notice.

ABCFM, Station report, Arapkir, Mai 1855, ABC 16.7.1 (reel 523:237). Zitiert in Kieser, Hans-Lukas, Der verpasste Friede. Mission, Ethnie und Staat in den Ostprovinzen der Türkei 1839-1938, Zürich: Chronos, 2000, S. 71 f.

[...] I was visited by one of their chief men, who professed great friendship for the truth, and repeated a desire, often expressed by them, that we should send out teachers and preachers among them. He assured us, as others have since done, that his people were ready at once to abandon their faith and become Protestants. To this step they are no doubt mainly actuated by a desire of securing protection from the severe exactions and oppressions of their rulers, the Turks. Their becoming members of the political community styled Protestant, would throw the door wide open for evangelical effort among them; and this movemenet they have a right to make, in accordance with the guarantees of the recent Imperial Firman [Hatt-i Hümayun]. Yet as missionaries, mainly concerned for the spirital welfare of men, we do not deem it wise to encourage such a change, testing as it would the sincerity of the government on the subject of universal toleration, and arousing, without doubt, an outbreak of Moslem bigotry [...] It is true, the Kuzzel-bash are nominal Musselmans; but they despise the religion of their oppressors, and practice but few of its rites, and those but occasionally. I a pasha or a beg is the guest of a village, the muezzin calls the hours of prayer, otherwise his voice is not heard. The oppressions which they suffer from the dominant race are more severe than those endured by any class of the Christian subjects. In this respect they are the most abused people in Turkey. They are industrious and frugal, and with protection would become rich and prosperous; but as it is now, they are eaten up by greedy pashas and other exorbitant officials.

Sanford Richardson aus Arabkir, 17. 7. 1856, The Missionary Herald, Okt. 1856, S. 296-98.

Der Vali von Ankara an die Zentralregierung über die Kizilbasch, 22. 4. 1894

Wie bereits früher mitgeteilt, gibt es in einigen Gegenden unserer Provinz, namentlich in den Sandschaks von Yozgat und Kirschehir zahlreiche Einwohner, die der Unwahrheit, dem Heidentum und vielerlei Irrtümern verfallen sind. Ihre ketzerischen Glaubensinhalte beweisen, dass sie ganz und gar vom Islam abgefallen sind und dass ausser der nominellen Bezeichnung nichts geblieben ist, was sie als Muslime kennzeichnen könnte. Diese Bevölkerung trägt den Namen Kizilbasch beziehungsweise Rotköpfe. Um die Fehler dieser Gemeinschaft zu berichtigen, habe ich in meinem Bericht vom 15. fiubat 1309 [21. 2. 1894] an den Padischah mehrere Massnahmen vorgeschlagen. Man muss in jenen Dörfer je eine Moschee und eine Schule errichten und einen sunnitischen Imam anstellen, der sie von ihren falschen Glaubensneigungen errettet. [...] Diese dem Irrtum verfallene Gemeinschaft befindet sich nicht nur in der Provinz Ankara, sondern auch zu Hunderttausenden in der Provinz Sivas. Über Sivas hinaus bis zum Iran gibt es viel Dorfvolk, das diesem Bekenntnis und Glauben angehört. Die Tatsache, dass es an vielen Orten in Anatolien eine Bevölkerung gibt, die ketzerisch, unerweckt oder heidnisch ist, kann schreckliche Folgen haben – wenn sie sich selber überlassen bleibt.

Öz, Baki, Alevilik ile ilgili Osmanli belgeleri, Istanbul: Can, 1995, S. 148 f. Auf deutsch in Kieser 2000, S. 168 f.

Ayar 14 (April 26), 1868

To the brother of the mighty Emperor of Russia, the King Michael, of high estate, salutation and peace from Mar Shamun, Patriarch of the East.

For some time past you have known and heard of the state of the Nestorians, a nation of poor people, numbering more than 16,ooo families living in these mountains of Kurdistan. They have no place to sow a sufficiency of grain to provide themselves with bread.

The Kurds have forcibly taken possession of several of our churches and convents; they constantly abduct our virgins, brides, and women, forcing them to turn Moslems.

For twenty years and more the Turks have taken possession of the country, but they are worse than the Kurds, as they do not protect us from them, but demand from us military taxes, poll tax, and other moneys. At the same time the Kurds demand and take from us, as was their custom of old, pretending the Nestorians [are] their "zirr kurr" (serfs), that is, bought with money by them.

Now, such being our condition, we beseech your Mightiness, for the sake of Jesus, His Baptism, and Cross, either free us from such [a] state or procure us a remedy. If, at a subsequent period you think it necessary, we will send you a Special Agent on our part, who will be able to inform you of all that is requisite in detail.

May the Lord preserve you. Amen.

Given in Quchanis, from the Patriarchal residence.

(Signed and Sealed)

The Petitioner, Patriarch of the East, Mar Shamun

His Father, Benjamin

Parliamentary Papers, 92(1877), Cmd. 1739, no. 47; zitiert in Joseph, John, The Nestorians and their Neighbours, A Study of Western Influence on their Relations, Princeton, 1961, S. 99.

To the honorable and merciful Mr –-- [Andrus]. After kissing your hands, we inform you that about a month ago we sent you a letter to which we were looking for a speedy reply. Daood, the Mosul Christian, has been telling us that if we were to cast ourselves upon Christ and Mr. –--, Christ would come quickly and send us relief. But it is now a month since we threw ourselves upon Christ and yourself, yet to this day He has not sent us any relief funds. The Mosulli, Daood, tells us about Christ how he healed the sick, fed the hungry and raised the dead. But we have seen a surprising thing in that He has sent us nothing! yet we believed the word of Daood that he would send us relief. [...] We are still looking to Christ and to you. May God prolong your days. We kiss your hands and beseech you to make haste to supply the needs of the poor and needy among us [...] Maseekh Belloo [Yeziden-Führer]

ABCFM, Alpheus Andrus, Mardin, ca. 1878, ABC bh Misc Corresp 1854-78. Zitiert in Kieser, Hans-Lukas, Der verpasste Friede. Mission, Ethnie und Staat in den Ostprovinzen der Türkei 1839-1938, Zürich: Chronos, 2000, S. 69.

Parmi tous les peuples, seuls les Kurdes

sont privés du droit d'apprendre à lire et à écrire.

L'Etranger, lui, traduit tout dans sa langue

il apprend ainsi tous les secrets des peuples.

Si tu considères l'ensemble des savants kurdes

petits et grands, ils n'ont jamais lu deux mots en kurde.

Les Kurdes sont passés maîtres dans les trois langues

mais pour ce qui est de leur langue, ils sont ignorants.

Hacî Qadirî Koyî (1816-1894)

Auf französisch zitiert in Blau, Joyce, "La littérature kurde", in: Bozarslan, Hamit (Hg.), Les Kurdes et les Etats, Nr. 68-69 von Peuples Méditerranéens, Paris, 1994, S. 84.

Oh! El Djezireh et Botan

Pays des Kurdes

Quel grand malheur

Ils veulent faire de toi l'Arménie

N'y a-t-il donc plus aucun recours?

Je prête serment sur le Coran

S'il émerge une Arménie

Il ne restera plus un seul Kurde.

Hacî Qadirî Koyî (1816-1894)

Auf französisch zitiert in Bozarslan, Hamit, "Histoire des relations kurdo-arméniennes", in: Kieser, H.-L. (Hg.), Kurdistan und Europa, Zürich: Chronos, 1997