William Lewis Sachtleben
1895, 2 November
Armenian massacre victim interred in a mass grave in the Armenian Gregorian Cemetery, Erzurum, Turkey

Photographic b&w negative
University of California (UCLA) - Library
Collection: Sachtleben (William Lewis) Papers. Collection 1841, Local identifier: uclamss_1841_0327
 
Photograph of an Armenian massacre victim being lowered into a mass grave in the Armenian cemetery in Erzurum as mourners watch. On the right on the ground are human bones from graves disturbed digging the huge fifty-three feet square mass grave. On Wednesday, October 30, 1895, Armenians were massacred in Erzurum and the surrounding Armenian villages. American journalist William Sachtleben happened to be in Erzurum at that time, investigating the disappearance of American cyclist Frank Lenz. During the massacre Sachtleben was in the American mission building, where over 200 Armenians fled for protection. Sachtleben witnessed the aftermath of the massacre; he took photographs of the victims in the Armenian Cemetery and wrote three lengthy and detailed letters about the massacre that were published, unsigned and attributed to an Occasional Correspondent, in the London Times on November 16, 27 and December 9. In the Nov. 16 letter he wrote: "Saturday, Nov. 2...I went with one of the cavasses of the English Legation, a soldier, my interpreter, and a photographer (Armenian) to the Armenian Gregorian Cemetery. The municipality had sent down a number of bodies, friends had brought more, and a horrible sight met my eyes. Along the wall on the north in a row 20ft. wide and 150ft. long, lay 321 dead bodies of the massacred Armenians..."
 
"An Unceremonious Burial: At the Graveside. The four Armenians are here depicted having arrived at the deep trench with their gruesome burden, which they are handing to four companions. On every side of the large grave were crowds of people watching with anxious face the sad work going on..."["The Massacre at Erzeroum, October 30, 1895: From Photographs Taken on the Three Following Days." The Graphic: An Illustrated Weekly Newspaper, Dec. 7, 1895. Citation from: Gia Aivazian (2003), "The W. L. Sachtleben Papers on Erzerum in the 1890s" in Armenian Karin/Erzerum, ed. Richard G. Hovannisian. UCLA Armenian History and Culture Series: Historic Armenian Cities and Provinces, 4. Costa Mesa, CA: Mazda Publishers, pp. 246-47.]
 
LL/131283