The Tragic Anniversary of the 6 7 September

The Tragic Anniversary of the 6 -7 September 1955 Turkish State Organized Ethnic Cleansing Night of the Greek Community of Istanbul ECUMENICAL FEDERATION OF CONSTANTINOPOLITANS 1

SEPTEMBRIANA • During the night of September 6 -7/1955 the Turkish State, without any provocation whatsoever mounted an organized “eradication” attack against the civilian population of Greeks of Constantinople (Istanbul) utilizing Shock Troops. • In the next slides we would attempt to summarize the sequence of events of the operation for ethnic and religious cleansing of the Greek population of Constantinople. 2

Greek of Constantinople A short Historical Reference • After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the Greeks were subjects to persecution like all Christian populations under the Ottoman yoke whose existence and life depended on the tolerance of the occupying Turkish ruler. • In the period between 1850 to 1910, the Greeks of Constantinople, despite the discriminatory measures because of the limited reform conditions, progressed in education, commerce and social life. In 1913 the Greeks in Constantinople-Istanbul were 310. 000 in verified numbers as compared to 750. 000 for the City as a whole. 3

The History of the Constantinopolitan Greeks • The period of the First World War (1914 -18) has been the time that the Committee of Union and Progress Ruled the Ottoman Empire dictatorially and carry out the GENOCIDE of the Christian Nations of the Empire. • Following the Asia Minor Catastrophe in the summer of 1922 the Greeks of Constantinople and of the islands Imbros and Tenedos remained according to Laussane Treaty (24 July 1923) in Turkey. The Turkish Government with various repressive measures forced more than 150. 000 Greeks to leave and the remained Greeks in 1923 were 120. 000 out of 750. 000 total population of Istanbul. 4

The History of the Constantinopolitan Greeks • The period of First World War (1914 -1918) has been the period that the Committee of Union and Progress Ruled the Ottoman Empire Dictatorially and carry out the Genocide of the Christian Nations of the Empire. • Following the Asia Minor Catastrophe in summer of 1922 the Greeks of Constantinople and of the islands Imbros and Tenedos remained according to Lausanne Treaty (24/7/1923) in Turkey. The Turkish Government with various repressive measures forced more than 150. 000 Greeks of Constantinople to leave and the remained Greeks in 1923 were 120. 000 out of 750. 000 total population of Istanbul. 5

The Lausanne Treaty and the open violations of it by the Turkish Governments • Lausanne Treaty foresaw high level protections and guarantees of non-Muslim Minorities Rights (clauses 3044). The Minority Rights were stated that has International Law status and no Law of Turkish Republic can be against these Minority Rights. • The protection of the Minorities- and of the Greeks-were placed under the guarantee of League of Nations and Signatory States. The Lausanne Treaty is the establishing Charter of New Turkey. • However the Greek Minority realized soon the non-desire of Turkey to respect the Treaty and Minority Rights. 6

Violations of Lausanne Treaty by Turkey during the period 1923 -1940 • Interventions to Greek Schools: Firing of 160 Teachers. • Interventions against the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Expulsions twice of Patriarchs- Establishment of a state controlled pseudo Turkish. Orthodox Patriarchate. • Firing of all Greek Clerks of in State and Foreign Private Companies (1923 -24). • Closing of the Greek Philology Association, School of Commerce in the island of Chalki and the French-Greek Gymnasium. • Prohibition of large number professions to Minority members (1932) despite the Turkish-Greek Friendship Treaty. This forced more than 30. 000 Greeks to leave Istanbul. • Confiscation large number of Greek Community properties (1936) – Cancellation of self administration of Greek Foundations Law. 7

Violations of Lausanne Treaty by Turkey during the period 1940 -50 • During the 2 nd World War Mobilization of non. Muslim youth of 18 -45 age into “Work Battalions” during the period 5/1941 -12/1942 with conditions reminding the notorious “Amele Taburları” of the period 1914 -18. Rumors circulated for an annihilation plan. • Implementation of a Special Tax named “Fortune Tax” (Varlık Vergisi) 11/1943 -aiming to the Economic Destruction of the non-Muslim Minorities. 8

The Economic Destruction of Minorities Varlιk Vergisi (1942 -44) • The aim was the economic destruction of the Greek, Armenian and Jewish Minorities by implementing an extraordinary tax which was decided by the local single party regime leader arbitrarily. The tax has to be paid in 15 days without any right of objection. In case of non payment the minority member property was liquated with auctions and if this was not sufficient the person was sent to exile to Ashkale-the Siberia of Anatolia-to work in stone breaking mines. More than 2000 minority members were exiled and 21 died in exile. 9

Preparation of the Ethnic Cleansing of Greek Community of Istanbul 1950 -55 • In 1946 an Internal Report of Republican Peoples Party stated that the 500 th Anniversary of Capture of Constantinople should be celebrated without Greeks. • The Unconventional Warfare Doctrine of Cold War is utilized for the planning of destruction of the Greek Community. The start of the anticolonial struggle of Greek Cypriots in 1950 provided the excuse for the implementation of the plan. • Part of the Turkish Press cultivates the hate against the Greeks and demonizing them as internal enemies. • A state funded Association named “Cyprus is Turkish” is established and in few months district sections are opened all over Turkey and in London. This Association played an essential role in the attacks against the Greek Community in 6 -9/7/1955. 10

The Summer of 1955 • Britain invited Greece and Turkey for a Conference to discuss the Stability in Eastern Mediterranean related to Cyprus issue. • The acceptance of participation by Greece increased the aggression of the Turkish State. • Part of Turkish Press propagated falsified information such the preparation of massacres against the Turkish community in Cyprus by Greeks and prosecutions of Muslims in Greece. • The preparation of the Destruction of Greek Community of Istanbul was prepared on tactical level during the month of August 1955. 11

The Mechanism of Catastrophe The Diagram Below shows the Organization of the Events of 6 -7/9/1955 “Septembriana” Unconventional Warfare Headquarter Deep State Menderes Government Cyprus is Turkish Association Army Police Secret Service MAH Press Party Mechanism of Democratic Party University Youth Organizations Trade Unions Clergy 12

Preparation of the Destruction of the Greek Community of Istanbul • A provocation act was prepared and executed by Turkish State Secret Service by putting a small scale bomb to House of Mustafa Kemal, founder of new Turkey, in Thessaloniki near the Turkish Consulate. The bomb as was proved by Turkish and Greek Tribunals was transferred by Diplomatic bag from Turkey. The aim was to show the destruction of the Turkish Leader house by Greeks and fuel the enmity against Greeks in Turkey. • The Agents Provocateurs were captured by Greek Police and their direct involvement and of the Turkish Secret Services in the bomb attack was proved. • The Agents were feed after pressure from Turkey and were received as heroes when they escape to Turkey. The leading figure of the Provocation Oktay Engin in the decades to come took several high positions in Turkish State. 13

Confession of the Deep State Involvement • The Founder and for 25 years Leader of the Turkish Unconventional Warfare Operations General Sabri Yirmibeşoğlu δηλώνει in 1991 in an interview to TEMPO Magazine said (issue 24, 915 June 1991, pages. 24 -27) : – The organization and execution of the events 6 -7/9/1955 has been magnificent (MUHTEŞEM) and had absolute success! – ALSO CONFIRMED HOW THE Istanbul EKSPRES printed the news for the Thessaloniki provocation bombing. 14

The Preparation of the Annihilation Operation Against the Greek Community of Istanbul • Before of the events of 6 -7/9/1955 the targets were identified by marking churches, minority institutions-houses-shops of Greeks. • The storming troops were transferred from various regions outside of Istanbul and were organized into 40 -50 members attack groups guided by a leader. The attackers were using same type destruction instruments such as iron sticks and clubs. This element shows also the preplanning of the Attacks. • The transportation of the Storming Troops were transported by lories and boats prepared before. 15

The Newspaper Istanbul Ekspres was printed 4 days before its circulation in 200. 000 copies at 4 p. m. on 6 September 1955 -while its usual circulation was 5. 000 copies-φύλλα περί της 4 μ. μ. την 6/7/55 -–informing for the provocative “bombing” of the Mustafa Kemal in Thessaloniki by Greeks and thus giving the signal to start the attacks to Greek Establishments: Schools, Churches, Cemeteries, Shops and Houses. 16

The Execution of Destruction Operation • Approximately at 6 p. m. a Demonstration started at the Taksim Square which evolved into looting of the Greek Shops, Schools and Churches. 17

The Three Phases of Destruction • The attacks to Greek Institutions and Properties started at 7 p. m. simultaneously in all districts of Bosporus, Pera, Old City, Asian side and Prince islands. This element shows the preplanning of the Attacks. • The storming troops which are at least 100. 000 persons, act in three wave consequent phases: – Destruction of Gates – Looting – Arson 18

Massive Destruction • Targets are the 64 Greek Churches, Cemeteries, Institutions (Schools, Hospitals, Philanthropic Establishments), Shops and Houses of Greeks. • Also targets are the Armenian and Jewish Minority Communities. 19

The Open Participation of the State • The Police forces stays as passive witnesses while in some cases they encourage the looters. • The Prime Minister A. Menderes and President or Republic C. Bayar cross the city of Istanbul at the peak of the events. The Minister of Interior N. Gendik was coordinating the insults from the Prefecture Office of Istanbul. 20

The Results of the Attacks (drawn from Helsinki Watch, Books of X. Xristidis, S. Vryonis) • Destruction and Arson of 71 Churches. • “ “ 26 Schools-5 Athletic Associations • « « 4500 Shops and Factories-3 Newspaper Offices. • Extensive destruction in Cemeteries, looting of tombs and among them the tombs of Ecumenical Patriarchs. • Destruction of 2100 Houses. • The Number of deaths is 37 (the orders given were not for a massacre). • Attacks to Families of Greek Officers serving at the NATO Headquarters in Smyrna. • 200 Rapes of Woman. 21

The Next Day • The attacks continued more than 12 hours despite the enforcement of Martial Law. • The economical dimension of the destructions is above a Billion of USD of that time. • Most importantly is the ethical hit against the Greeks seeing the horrible insults of their holly and sacred foundations. 22

The Next Day • Turkish Government denies any involvement of and claims the involvement of Turkish Leftists that organized the events. There were 50 arrests of Writers and Leftist Activists which were freed after 3 months since no proof of guilt was found. • The arrested 3000 looters were freed in 3 months. Nobody was tried or punished. 23

International Reactions • The Consular Authorities of Foreign States report the size of the events. • The Reaction of Greek Government is mild and no appeal is done to United Nations. • The British Government having also responsibility for the preparation of events neglects them while the USA, because of the Cold War circumstances, places the victim and the perpetrators to the same place. • Only the Council of Churches expresses its solidarity and sends a delegation. 24

The Next Years • The Turkish Government tries by all means to degrade the size of the events, deny its involvement in the preparation of the events and planning of the Destruction of the Greek Community of Istanbul. • The efforts of Denial fails because of the Photographs taken by Dimitrios Kaloumenos and their concealment out of Turkey by G. Karagiogas an Athens Reporter. • The compensation of victims lead into a political game and finally only 5% of the losses are compensated. 25

The Proof of the Organized Plan • In 28 May 1960 the Menderes Government if overthrown by a Military Takeover and members of the Ruling Party are lead to a Series of Trials at the island of Yassıada. • Among the trials there has been the events of 6 -7/9/1955. Essentially this trial has been a cover up operation of the mechanism of the Deep State Mechanism that has organized the Destruction of the Greek Community of Istanbul. Three members of the Menderes Government were punished to sentences of prison of few years while the prime organizers and the agent provocateurs (putting the bomb in Thessaloniki) were found innocent and freed. 26

The Similarity of the “Septembriana” with the Kristal Night of Nazi Germany • There is a very high degree of similarity between the Kristal Night Riots occurred against the Jewish Minority in Nazi Germany in 89/11/1938 and the Events of 6 -7/9/1955 in Constantinople. • The Similarities are: – The involvement of Provocation. – Action of Para-state mechanisms and use of storming troops. – Attack to pre-marked shops and houses. – The attack to sacred Places and Cemeteries – The orders of not massacres. 27

Germany 1938 -Istanbul 1955 28

The Continuation – The Expulsion of Greek Citizens 64 -65 • The Plan of Ethic Cleansing of the Greek Community of Istanbul continued with violent Expulsions at the years 1964 -65. • Turkish Government violating once more the Lausanne Treaty expelled out of Turkey the 12. 000 Greeks of Constantinople by declaring them as Spies or persona non grate. The expulsions were violent and lead to the confiscation of the all properties of the deportees. 29

Continuation of Prosecutions • The Turkish Governments throughout the last 50 years continued the violations of the fundamental human rights of the Greek Minority of Turkey. Some of the prosecution are: – The illegal closing of the Theological School of Chalki in 1971 which is still closed despite the numerous appeals. – Confiscation of Properties of Greek Minority Foundations and Churches. – Confiscations of Greek Citizen Properties by using “Secret Decrees”. – Restrictive Measures against the Minority Schools by transferring the administration of the Schools to appointed by State Turkish Vice-Headmasters. 30

The “Melting Program” against the Greek Communities of the Islands of Imbros and Tenedos • The islands Imbros and Tenedos were transferred to Turkish Administration through the Lausanne Treaty (clause 14) stating that the island population being 98% of Greeks should be self administrated. This obligation never was respected by Turkey. • In 1964 the Turkish Government in the framework of the “Melting Program” closed the Greek Schools in the two islands and brought convicted criminals with the freedom to attack Greeks of the Imbros. • Meanwhile with several illegal restrictive administrative measures against the properties of the Greeks the economical destruction of the Greek Communities of Imbros and Tenedos was implemented. • As a result the Greeks of the Imbros and Tenedos were forced to leave their homeland being in 1960 12. 000 habitants now they are less than 250. 31

Conclusions • The Turkish State during the last 84 years has violated on a continuous basis without interruption its obligations determined by the Lausanne Treaty of 1923 in protecting Minority Rights, the Declaration of Universal Human Rights of United Nations and the European Convention of Human Rights (Resolution Date 4/11/1950 -endorsement by Turkey 18/5/54). Therefore the Events of 6 -7/9/1955 has still its legacy in the framework of the International Law and Human Rights. • The recent International Law of ROME STATUTE (2003) for the International Court of Crimes articles 6 and 7 are to treat the cases as the 6 -7/9/1955 events of Istanbul. 32