Day of Memory..

[Orphic_Hymn]

With all the festivity going on the last week, Easter...etc.
I almost forgot about this one...










The turning point for the Hellenes of Asia Minor was the German-Turkish alliance that arose following the signing of the Treaty of Berlin (1878). Germany regarded Anglo-French �protection� of the Empire�s Christian peoples as an obstacle to its interests. Using the pretext of reform of the Ottoman military, Germany opened the doors of the Berlin Academy to Turkish officers (amongst them Mustapha Kemal Ataturk and Enver Pasha, architects of the Holocaust) and arranged the appointment of General Gφtz to restructure the Ottoman armed forces along German lines.

Germany convinced the Turkish authorities that the Hellenes were working for the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. (At this time, the Empire's economic and political life was dominated by Hellenes, Armenians and Jews.) The successful national movements throughout the Aimos Peninsula (Balkans) posed the possibility that similar movements would appear amongst the indigenous populations of Asia Minor (Hellenes, Armenians, Lazes, Assyrians/Chaldeans).

Hence, following the heavy defeat of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkan Wars (1912-13), the Young Turks (a military junta that seized control of the Empire in 1908), decided that Asia Minor would be a homeland for Turks alone: all others were to be eliminated. World War One gave the Young Turks the opportunity to implement their plan.

Germany willingly sacrificed the indigenous Christian peoples of Asia Minor to achieve its goals of direct access to the oil-fields of the Middle East. It is ironic, therefore, that the reports of German and Austro-Hungarian diplomats provide damning evidence that what was to take place was a meticulously-executed plan to depopulate Asia Minor of Christians: in other words, GENOCIDE.

The Turks have decided upon a war of extermination against their Christian subjects.

German Ambassador Wangenheim to German Chancellor von Bulow, quoting Turkish Prime Minister Sefker Pasha, July 24, 1909.

The anti-Greek and anti-Armenian persecutions are two phases of one programme - the extermination of the Christian element from Turkey.

Father J. Lepsius, German clergyman, July 31, 1915.

...the entire Greek population of Sinope and the coastal region of the county of Kastanome has been exiled. Exile and extermination in Turkish are the same, for whoever is not murdered, will die from hunger or illness.

Herr Kuchhoff, German consul in Amissos in a despatch to Berlin, July 16, 1916.

On 26 November, Rafet Bey told me:
We must finish off the Greeks as we did with the Armenians...On 28 November, Rafet Bey told me:
Today, I sent squads to the interior to kill every Greek on sight.

I fear for the elimination of the entire Greek population and a repeat of what occurred last year. (referring to the Armenian Genocide)

Herr Kwiatkowski, Austro-Hungarian consul in Amissos to Baron von Burian, Foreign Minister of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, November 30, 1916

Consuls Bergfeld in Samsun and Schede in Kerasun report of displacement of local population and murders. Prisoners are not kept. Villages reduced to ashes. Greek refugee families consisting mostly of women and children being marched from the coasts to Sebasteia. The need is great.

German Ambassador Kuhlman to German Chancellor Hollweg, December 13, 1916.

Herr Pallavicini, Ambassador of Austria-Hungary to Turkey, writes to Vienna, listing the villages in the region of Amissos that were being burnt to the ground, their inhabitants raped and either murdered or exiled, December 19, 1916:
The situation for the displaced is desperate. Death awaits them all. I spoke to the Grand Vizier and told him that it would be sad if the persecution of the Greek element took the same scope and dimension as the Armenian persecution. The Grand Vizier promised that he would influence Talaat Bey and Enver Pasha.

Austro-Hungarian Ambassador Pallavicini to Vienna, January 20, 1917

The time is near for Turkey to be finished with the Greeks as we were with the Armenians in 1915.


Talaat Bey as quoted by an Austro-Hungarian agent, January 31, 1917

...the indications are that the Turks plan to eliminate the Greek element as enemies of the state, as they did earlier with the Armenians.
The strategy implemented by the Turks is of displacing people to the interior, without taking measures for their survival by exposing them to death, hunger and illness. The abandoned homes are then looted and burnt or destroyed. Whatever was done to the Armenians is being repeated with the Greeks.

Chancellor Hollweg of Germany, February 9, 1917.

Thus, by official government decree, were 353 000 Pontian Hellenes slaughtered. Another 500 000 fled into exile (60% to Hellas, 40% to the Soviet Union). The Christian nations of the world were witnesses to this crime against humanity, but for reasons of political expediency and economic self-interest, by their silence, they pardoned the criminals. The Ottoman and Kemalist Turks denied the Hellenes of Pontus, of Kappadokia, of Ionia and of eastern Thrace the very right to exist.

The Kemalist Turks thought that they had rid themselves of all the Hellenes of Asia Minor. For decades, it was thought that Hellenism had died in Asia Minor. The truth is that eastern Hellenism survives. The Pontian Hellenic dialect continues to be spoken in Pontus by the Muslim inhabitants of the region. Hellenic also continues to be spoken in the Aivalik (Kydonies) region, near the ruins of Troy. Pilgrims regularly gather at the Monastery of Panayia Soumela; these include many nominally Muslim inhabitants of Pontus. They meet pilgrims from Hellas, Australia and around the world. They converse in Pontian Hellenic, dance the same folk-dances to the sounds of the same musical instruments, they worship at the same holy spring, at the heart of the Monastery's majestic ruins. On July 20, every year, thousands of "Muslim" Pontians gather at the vale of Touyia to celebrate the feast day of the Prophet Elijah (Elias).
Pontian Hellenism today thrives throughout the world and survives in its home soil: PONTUS.

[akritas]

The Genocide of Greeks of Pontos (Black Sea).

Professor Konstantinos Fotiadis (2004).
The Genocide of Greeks of Pontos (Black Sea).
Athens: Editions of Institution of Parliament of Greeks for the Parliamentarism and the Democracy, p.600 + photographs.

Presentation by Theofanis Malkidis Ph.D
Demokritus University of Thrace
GREECE


1. A owed action of debt

The investigation of genocide of Greeks of Pontos (Black Sea) from the Young Turks and Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) arrangement constituted a question taboo for the Greek historical and political science. The Greek-Turkish pact of friendship 1930, the simultaneous integration of Greece and Turkey in the NATO in 1952, but also simultaneously the called approach of two states, constituted points stations (and) for the Pontian question. They are these parameters "that the Genocide of Hellenism of Pontos did not acquire the compurgation that it was imposed it acquires ", as stresses the writer in his import.

On one side because the political climate did not allow is investigated the crime of mass murders of against Greeks, on the other side when this became after initiative of scientists and intellectual as minimal debt against the collective memory, faced a very hostile environment.

However after fights and efforts of many years from Pont's inhabitants of second generation and associations of interior and abroad, the Greek parliament recognized in 1994 the genocide of Greeks of Pontos, establishing him 19 May as day of memory and price. The law on the recognition of mass crime was from an alone him station in the newer Greek history, that more precious perhaps it had it offers the Hellenic state to the victims of liquidation from the historical homeland and to their descendants, the refugees that reached poor in Greece and nevertheless contributed in the Greek politician, economic, social and cultural life.

The recognition of genocide by the Parliament of Greeks had a lot of components and other so much priorities. The protection of the 19 th May as day of memory of genocide of Greeks of Pontos, "action of duty to the history and action of responsibility opposite in the newer generations of Greeks", her internationalisation in all the levels (recognition from Turkey, the trespass of rights Pontians that lives in Turkey and particularly in their place of existence in the Pontos), the installation of Native of the Pont refugees from the former Soviet Union in Greece, the documentation of genocide.
For reasons that are known and comprehensible as we reported more and are connected with interests foreigner with the memory and the real friendship between the populations the decision of national delegation on the publication of documents genocide of Greeks of Pontos, was not materialised immediately. Thus they passed 10 entire years until the Greek Parliament publishes the book of professor Konstantinos Fotiadis, which argued the murders of 353000 Greeks in the Pontos the interval 1916-1923.

The book is separated in 13 chapters which cover the history of Greeks of Pontos, the ethnological situation in the region, the Ottoman reforms and the Young Turks arrangement, that was turned against the Greeks (and the Armenian), program of Mustafa Kemal arrangement for the crimes in the Pontos. The book includes primary sources, the result of research of writer in government and owned files of former USSR, France, Germany, Great Britain, Austria, Italy, Vatican, Society of Nations and Greece, while is mentioned also rich bibliography in Greek and other languages.


2.The crime

The genocide of Pont's inhabitants (1916 – 1923) with above 353.000 victims, constitutes a big genocide the 20 th century The term genocide as it was shaped afterwards the end of second world war, means the methodical extermination, total or partial, national, racial or religious team and it is a primary crime, that does not have interrelation with martial conflicts.
The partial or total annihilation national, racial or religious team raises, accordingly to the article of 1 special Convention, which has voted the General Assembly of UN in 1948 in the crime of genocide, that is different from the crimes of war, after ?it does not only force the martial rules, but the himself it constitutes crime at the humanity, provided that it refers in concrete individuals or nation, but concerns entire the humanity ".
Thus the genocide constitutes the heavier crime according to the international right, for which in deed does not exist prescription. The one which commits the genocide does not exterminate a team for something that e you do, but for something that is, s the case of Greeks of Pontos, because they were Greeks and Christians.

The 19 May 1919 date the arrival of s Moustafa Kemal in the Samsounta, is the beginning for the second and harder phase of Genocide. The terrorism, the working battalions, the exiles, the obliteration of leadership in the Amasia in 1921 , the rapes, the mass murders, forced the Greeks of Pontos to abandon their homes and leave after courses, in Greece, in the USSR, Iran, Syria, and elsewhere (Australia, USA) or as means of self-defence is undertaken resistance action against the organised drawing of extermination. He has become henceforth today perceptible that t a victims of genocide would be very more, if did not exist the guerrilla movement. The conclusion of Pontian genocide it constitutes violent liquidation surviving afterwards 1922 -1923.


3. The importance of publication

The recognition of genocide of Greeks of Pontos and the publication of author's work of Mr Fwtja'di from the Parliament of Greeks despite the delay it vindicated Hellenism of Pontos and connected the modern Hellenism with his past via the collective memory, that is to say truth. The particular publication of professor Fotiadis is henceforth a basic element of memory and ? it rests with in the Parliament of Greeks it transmits in the parliaments other countries her intention to render her respectable memory that of Genocide ". Hellenism of Pontos is a big and important part of Greek nation and it is not possible to be ignored from the State and the Greek society. The safeguarding and the further appointment and internationalisation of day memory of genocide, which exceeds the Hellenism of Pontos and penetrate all the Greek society, it constitutes main constitutive element of institutions and society that are defended the history and truth. And as lead the bigger, perhaps, Pontian writer, Dimitris Psathas "it is not allowed we sacrifice the historical truth in no expediency, as unfortunately, it was established it becomes from the time that was engraved the said Greek-Turkish friendship.

The non critical silence of makes of History, he was perhaps also one from their reason s that so much bad headed the ' friendship ' with Turks. Throw the veil of oblivion in the past, but dry with, no we hide. Know also same the Turks what they made their parents, in order to they avoid what they stigmatised them in the same time who want they take the place between the civilized nations. Only knowing Turks and knowing those us and their stigmatised past, can sometimes engrave a Greek-Turkish friendship on solid bases ".

source:
Hellenic News of America

[Amarantos]

"Greek leaders issue messages on Pontian genocide

President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis as well as party leaders addressed messages....."
http://www.ana-mpa.gr/anaweb/user/sh...712&service=10



http://www.in.gr/news/article.asp?ln...2&lngDtrID=244
http://www.in.gr/news/article.asp?lngEntityID=703927

[akritas]

Official order for the destruction of all Hellenes and the abuse of the Hellenic women.

"To the Commander of the Central Corps.
I call your attention to the following:
Death to the Hellenes who lack honour. As soon as you are given the first sign, immediately destroy all. As for whatever regarding the women, don't hesitate. Don't consider neither honour nor friendship when comes the moment of revenge.
The commander of the corps
Mehmet Azit."




Hellenes from Pontos in a Turkish labour battalion. Few survived.




source:
http://www.greece.org/genocide/quotes/index.html