Harmanli massacre refers to the battle between Russian and Turkish forces and the ensuing mass death of Muslim civilians near
Harmanli
Harmanli ( bg, Харманли , tr, Harmanlı) is a town in Haskovo Province, south-central Bulgaria. It is the administrative centre of the eponymous Harmanli Municipality.
Near the site of Hamanli in Late Antiquity, during the early 4th- ...
in early 1878,The Congress of Berlin and after, William Norton Medlicott, page 157 during the
Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)
The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 ( tr, 93 Harbi, lit=War of ’93, named for the year 1293 in the Islamic calendar; russian: Русско-турецкая война, Russko-turetskaya voyna, "Russian–Turkish war") was a conflict between th ...
. Approximately 2,000 to 5,000 Muslim civilians were massacred.
After Suleiman Pasha's defeat at Plovdiv, his scattered troops retreated through the
Rhodope Mountains
The Rhodopes (; bg, Родопи, ; el, Ροδόπη, ''Rodopi''; tr, Rodoplar) are a mountain range in Southeastern Europe, and the largest by area in Bulgaria, with over 83% of its area in the southern part of the country and the remainder in ...
and down the
Maritsa
Maritsa or Maritza ( bg, Марица ), also known as Meriç ( tr, Meriç ) and Evros ( ell, Έβρος ), is a river that runs through the Balkans in Southeast Europe. With a length of , or 200,000,The Russian Army and Its Campaigns in Turkey in 1877-1878, F. V. Greene, page 360 people, consisting of an immense caravan with over 20,000 wagons, were retreating from
Plovdiv
Plovdiv ( bg, Пловдив, ), is the second-largest city in Bulgaria, standing on the banks of the Maritsa river in the historical region of Thrace. It has a population of 346,893 and 675,000 in the greater metropolitan area. Plovdiv is the c ...
. After the Russian success at the Battle of Sheynovo, the South Russian Detachment proceeded to
Adrianople
Edirne (, ), formerly known as Adrianople or Hadrianopolis (Greek: Άδριανούπολις), is a city in Turkey, in the northwestern part of the province of Edirne in Eastern Thrace. Situated from the Greek and from the Bulgarian borders, ...
and encountered this column in the vicinity of
Harmanli
Harmanli ( bg, Харманли , tr, Harmanlı) is a town in Haskovo Province, south-central Bulgaria. It is the administrative centre of the eponymous Harmanli Municipality.
Near the site of Hamanli in Late Antiquity, during the early 4th- ...
.
On 16–17 January 1878, a reconnaissance Russian squadron east of Harmanli encountered a large column of Turkish refugees, about 30,000 of them - armed, accompanied by scattered Ottoman army detachments. The front of the column consisted of regular Ottoman army detachments.
On 17 January a Russian squadron entered Harmanli and let through the town's railroad station a train in which Ottoman generals travelled to peace talks with the Russian chief commander Nikolay Nikolayevich. Shortly after the train left Harmanli, Turks from the column set the railway bridge on the
Maritsa
Maritsa or Maritza ( bg, Марица ), also known as Meriç ( tr, Meriç ) and Evros ( ell, Έβρος ), is a river that runs through the Balkans in Southeast Europe. With a length of ,Svilengrad
Svilengrad ( bg, Свиленград; el, Σβίλενγκραντ; ota, Cisr-i Mustafapaşa) is a town in Haskovo Province, south-central Bulgaria, situated at the border of Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece. It is the administrative centre of the h ...
). After the incident, the Russian field commander expressed his astonishment of the Turks' actions in a telegram to the commanding officer - General
Mikhail Skobelev
Mikhail Dmitriyevich Skobelev (russian: Михаил Дмитриевич Скобелев; 29 September 1843 – 7 July 1882), a Russian Empire, Russian general, became famous for his conquest of Central Asia and for his heroism during the Russo ...
, given the central Ottoman authorities' efforts to conclude a truce (which was ultimately done on 19 January). On 19 January a Russian regiment received orders to clear the surroundings of Harmanli of the armed refugees and the remaining Ottoman forces in order to free up the road to
Adrianople
Edirne (, ), formerly known as Adrianople or Hadrianopolis (Greek: Άδριανούπολις), is a city in Turkey, in the northwestern part of the province of Edirne in Eastern Thrace. Situated from the Greek and from the Bulgarian borders, ...
. Based on the Russian version of the events, upon approaching the column, the Russian forces were shot at by Turks hiding behind carts. During the Turks' flight, some of them encountered and burnt down the Christian village Devraliy. Based on the Turkish version of the events, the column was attacked by Russian troops. The column broke up and dispersed, the able-bodied portion of the caravan fled toward the mountains, the old, the sick and the very young who were left behind perished in the freezing weather. The old men who remaining in the carts were massacred by the Russians. A group of Muslims were overtaken at Sarambey (present day
Septemvri
Septemvri ( bg, Септември, , ) is a town in Pazardzhik Province, Southern Bulgaria, located at the western end of the Upper Thracian Lowland, away to the west from the city of Pazardzhik. It is the administrative centre of homonymous ...
) by Russian troops who seized all of their possessions and carried off the young women. The greater part of the caravan was also plundered by the Bulgarians of neighbouring villages, massacring the remaining refugees who were not strong enough to flee into the mountains.
After the column's dispersing, the Russian commander General
Mikhail Skobelev
Mikhail Dmitriyevich Skobelev (russian: Михаил Дмитриевич Скобелев; 29 September 1843 – 7 July 1882), a Russian Empire, Russian general, became famous for his conquest of Central Asia and for his heroism during the Russo ...
arrived at the scene, accompanied by Western military correspondents. The French journalist Dick de Lonlay described the aftermath of the battle. General Skobelev ordered a small Russian detachment to collect the remaining supplies and surviving refugees (including children) and bring them back to Harmanli. Children were handed to Harmanli's mayor who took care of their feeding. The ameliorative measures taken by the Russians were recorded in Skobelev's telegram to the commander of the Russian 30th Infantry Division.http://www.runivers.ru/lib/book8944/479852/ , „A collection of Materials on the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 on the Balkans, 74th edition, Actions on the Southern Front 1–19 January 1878 (Advance to Adrianople and Constantinople), 1911" Surviving refugees who arrived in Harmanli were allowed to receive their children and property back and go to
Adrianople
Edirne (, ), formerly known as Adrianople or Hadrianopolis (Greek: Άδριανούπολις), is a city in Turkey, in the northwestern part of the province of Edirne in Eastern Thrace. Situated from the Greek and from the Bulgarian borders, ...
.
See also
* List of massacres in Bulgaria
*Accounts and papers of the House of Commons, 1878, page 62
*The Library magazine, 1880, page 141