ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

 

THE BLACK BOOK

 

 

OF THE

SUFFERINGS OF THE GREEK PEOPLE

IN   T U R K E Y

FROM THE ARMISTICE TO THE END OF 1920

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONSTANTINOPLE

PRESS    OF   THE    PATRIARCHATE

1920

 

Web Edition Note

 

At the conclusion of the 1914-1918 World War I, Turkey , which had sided with Germany and the other Central Powers and had been defeated by the Allies (including Greece ), was the first to sign in October 1918 an Armistice. Between the signing of the Armistice and the publication of this book late in 1920, i.e. within about 2 years, the number of Greek Christian citizens of Turkey put atrociously to death in some of the Diocese only, which are dealt with in this Book, exceeded 2.500 citizens, according to existing records. These brutal acts were decided, planned and directed by the Turkish central authorities and were aimed at cleansing lands under Turkish control from non Muslim citizens. They constituted Genocide and were perpetrated systematically and repeatedly through the years 1890-1974 in many areas under Turkish rule, in accordance with the political doctrine “ Turkey for the Turks”. It can be understood that, since the perpetrators of such crimes always take meticulous care not to leave traces and to cover up any incriminating evidence, the actual number of Christian citizens who perished systematically, is very much larger. This book, published at first in Greek in 1920, refers in Part A to individual cases of Genocide victims within the above 2 year period in various Diocese of Pontus; in Part B it referrs to victims of the Central and Western Asia Minor and in Part C it referres to victims of Eastern Thrace. Casualties of similar brutal acts in other regions under Turkish Rule are not dealt with in this book. In view of such atrocities, occurring in Turkey , not only during the 1914-18 War, but continuing even after the Armistice, the Allies decided in April 1919 to land Greek Army units at Smyrna , for the protection of the Christians. The landing took place in the first days of May 1919.However, the persecution of Christians continued.

 

PREFACE

 

After the conclusion of the Armistice, the Christian world of the East believed that its sufferings were at an end; that the tyrant's hands and feet were at last fettered for ever; that the murderous dagger and the horrid scimitar of the criminal had been put into the scabbard; that Christian life, honour and property had been secured; in a word that a breeze of true liberty would caress every brow.

But it was mistaken! It had forgotten for a moment that the mode of life and the general character of a nation, formed and crystallized through several centuries, cannot be changed so abruptly. The Turkish nation had again remained the same as before the Armistice and it shall yet continue to be the same for a long time. The proof of this assertion is based on the horrible atrocities which the Turks, whether private citizens or government officials, have committed from the time of the Armistice to this day, by plundering, torturing, mutilating, burning alive and massacring women and children and aged people and turning into waste cemeteries, communities of Christians, which only yesterday were flourishing and prosperous. The Turks committed these criminal acts respecting neither their signature on the document of the Armistice, nor the presence of the Allied troops and the universal outcry of the whole civilized world against them.

 The reader of this Black Book — the second published, constituting a continuation of the book issued in April 1919, which related the sufferings and persecutions endured by the Greek people of Turkey from the time of the Balkan War to the day of the Armistice — will surely shudder with horror and start with indignation the readers, who will see the same ferocity still prevailing in the bloodthirsty instincts of the tyrants; be they ordinary Turks or Kemalist leaders. Taking especially into consideration the fact that, due to the interruption of communications with the interior of Asia Minor, the Bishops and Communities under the Kemalist authorities could not inform the Patriarchate of the sufferings of the Christians, the reader will doubtless justify the anxiety of our National Central Authority, in its fears for the worst, with respect to the fate of the Christians still living in Anatolia.

We heartily hope that such fears may prove groundless. But even in such a case, the crimes officially reported to the Patriarchate corroborate once more the truth of the statement, that the Turkish people, dominated as it is by such savage instincts and having a character well known to all, cannot by any means open a road towards progress and can much less be a paradigm to others.

 

 

PART   A

 

 

THE MARTYRDOM

OF THE GREEK POPULATION

AT PONTUS

 

PROVINCE OF AMASSIA

The atrocities which will be described here and which have taken place in this ecclesiastical district after the signature of the Armistice, prove that no change whatever took place in the governing system of the provinces and that the big pre-existing chaos, local tyrants widened more and more, by continuing their mischievous acts for the complete extermination of the last remnants of the Orthodox Greek population, which has suffered a real martyrdom.

On the first days after the Armistice, Turkish troops went into the village of Foutoudjak and plundered many houses, killing at the same time inside the church Papa Lazaros, senior Priest of the village.

And again, Ali Ghalib, the Kaymakam of Tcharshamba, who two years ago, when he was Kaymakam of Pafra, had completely annihilated that district by setting fire to it and had exiled to Kastamouni all the male population from 14 to 90 years of age, went to the village Kazantsoulou, at the head of a military detachment and gendarmes, and killed there Messrs Theodore I. Poulatoglou, Eustache Karaghiozoghlou, Jean Savva Karaghiozoghlou and Yovanaki Karaghiozophlou. The gendarmes, on the pretext that all these persons were military deserter, have cut of their heads and brought them before the Kaymakam, who, although he could see that the heads were of old men and minor boys, instead of punishing them, rewarded the crime by saying “Well done, my children, this is the way you must fulfil your duties”. After this encouragement, the gendarmes have attacked the women and, like satyrs, they have satisfied their criminal instincts, raped many girls and violated more than 56 married women. The answer which the Kaymakam gave to those protesting for these crimes was simply: “Well done! This is what you, the guiaours, deserve”.

In the village Kavak, a Turk, named Ekrem, who was placed during the War by the Government at the head of 50 irregular troops (bashibozouks), has plundered completely all the surrounding villages, massacred whomever he wished, compelled all those who wanted to avoid military service, to pay each month heavy taxes. This way he contributed to the increase of the number of fugitives, and thanks to this scheme, he became exceedingly rich. Further, in association with the Moudir and with his acolytes Mehmed Pehlivan and Nedjib, he was stealing publicly the beasts and other goods of the Greeks; he terrorised that district by arresting and locking up Greek women in his Haremlik, and after satisfying brutally his instincts, he would release them. This tyrant had received unofficial orders to arm a band of his men and continue his civilizing mission!

In the district of Pafra, the Moslem Albanians established themselves in the by then evacuated Christian villages. Expecting that they would be compelled some day to re-abandon the villages, they left the fields uncultivated, demolished the houses and sold the timber to the neighbouring Turkish villages. Those Greeks, who returned, not only could not take back their stolen goods, tools and beasts, but they did not even dare to go near their villages, because they were threatened to be killed by the Moslem Albanians, who were armed to the teeth. Thus, Jean Kavaklioghlou accompanied by his son Savva and his nephew Manoli, who were going to visit their village Sourmeli, were literally slaughtered by the Albanians. Anastas Savoglou, from the village Kaitalaba, was killed between the villages Peitourlou and Kiosseli. Haralambos Papayorgoglou was killed between Knilalaba and Tsiriklar. Many others were killed in a similar manner. These Albanians, being under the protection of the chief brigand and Kaymakam of Pufra, the Albanian Hakki, and with a view of terrorizing the place and of obliging the citizens to scatter themselves into the mountains, were firing during the night at the windows of the houses.

The same things happened in the district of Nevien. In the middle of December, Panayoti Tontonoglou from Kupoukaya and 5 women, all of whom were returning to their homes, were killed by the Turks of the village Sarbin,

In the same month, Avraam Peftouloun, Totoroglou and Panayoti Constantine Emanet, who where returning from Vezir-Kioprou to their village Kapoukaya, were killed by Hadji Karahamdji and Kel Tanadjioglou, both Turks of Sarbin.

In the same month, Constantine Tsolak from Kouzala (Pafra), was killed by the Turks of the village Kirleycn near Vezir-kioprou. Two other Christians coming from the interior were killed in the same month by Turks on the banks of the river Alys near Kapoukaya.

Three other Greeks, Tryphon, from the village Kara-Hussein, Ketseli, from Kafza and Yovan Kovavloglou from Kapoukaya, having bought some beasts in the village Kiolitse-Agatch, were killed by Turks in an ambush, when they were returning.

And again Mr. Miltiadis Kaladjoglou, from the burned village Devrend, who was the only support of 13 orphans, and who was working in the Turkish village Gazi-Beili, was assassinated in the house of Molla Hussein, in the presence of several Turks.

In the same month, near Samtoun, a certain Nazim Tchaoush, Custom’s official of Tckekyoi, went to the village Tsinik and thrashed Mr. Anesti Papouloglou, wounding him in his nose, ears and other places and plundered his house. His poor wife was so much frightened that she died the next day. The same man has also plundered the house of Hadji Gavrili Gavriloglou, and just for mere pleasure killed a woman from Sari-Klissp, who was going to her village, as well as a man named Christo Kazandjoglou, from the village Sinema-Tash.

In the village Falsa a military detachment, under the orders of the Arab officer Mouftah, killed Mr. Zaharias Deliyannides, from the village Sinan (Keras-sounde), the two brothers George and Jean Varitimoglou, from Sinavli, village of Ordou and Mr. George Andreoglou, from Guiavous-Bouki, another village of Ordou. The officer had cut off the heads of all these men, on the pretext of being deserters, and had sent them to the bloodthirsty Kaymakam of Tcharskamba. The above mentioned officer is at the same time the hero of many other crimes and murders.

On December 15^th, 1918 , the troops staying in Dourouk llan at Kavak, went to the village Kara-Dayh, in the company of some Laz and Turks irregulars (bashibozouks). At the moment when Christian citizens were coming out of the church, where a wedding had taken place, they opened fire and killed Mr. Symeon Tshaoushoglou. Then, they entered into the village and plundered all the houses, robbing clothing, food, furniture, etc.

On January 14^th , 1919 a military detachment went to Taflan-kyoi to pursue deserters and killed there Mr. Hercule Eleftheriou, a 10 years old boy named Hercule Pandeli, a 20 years old young lady named Eleni Yeorghiou, and another man, Eleftherios Ermenides. Then, they plundered many houses robbing as many beasts as they could, together with all the corn-crops. They tore the holy Gospel and robbed all the ornaments, vessels, vestments, frontals, etc.   

On the January 15^th , 1919, Hadji Agha Bey, from the village Teke-kyoi and President of the Committee for Union and Progress, accompanied by his 3 sons and his 3 brothers and also by Kessif Pehlivan, Hassan Kokoz Ali, Kartali, Hassan Pehlivan, Mouhazer Hakki, Ali Ibrahim and Kiritli Memet, all of whom were armed, accompanied also by two local gendarmes, Rechid and Ali, and by many others, went into the village of Tchinik, where they opened fire, killed a boy, Vassilios Ioannou, 15 years of age, plundered many houses, and then returned quietly back to their village.

On the January 16^th, 1919 , troops were sent to Tchinik to make inquiries for the events of the previous day. These troops however, killed the widow, Sofia Christou Bekiaroglou, 23 years old, whose husband had fought in the Amcle-Tabouroit, and had died of hunger, terribly tyrannised; they practically cut into pieces the poor woman's body, and went away. The peasants wanted to transport the corpse to Samsoini, but when Riza Bey, chief of the Gendarmerie of this city, learned that Mr. Harty, an honourable British officer, had arrived at Samxoun, he did not allow such a thing.

On the January 21^st, 1919, Ahmed Tchaoush, who together with others had the duty to look after the security of the place Djumbuz-Han, attempted to kill the coachman, Antonios Dem. Mouratoglou, from the village Kara-Day, while shouting at the same time "Up to this day I have killed 50 infidels; I will kill you too. There is no one to enquire about it”.

On the January 22^nd, 1919 , at a distance 15 minutes away from Merzifoon and near the Turkish village Fiikfi, Turks have killed Mr. Katirdji Anastas, who was coming from the village Eisandik-Kafza.

On January 27^th, 1919, the Metropolitan of Amassia, Mgr. Germanos, wrote: “It is impossible to find out and describe all the crimes taking place openly in this place, because the peasants, who have been repeatedly robbed, disgraced and killed for many centuries and more so in the last years, got finally tired and desperate, since they cannot find justice, because the authorities leave all crimes committed by Turks unpunished. The peasants are therefore compelled to bear silently all these monstrous deeds, as all protestations against or prosecutions of the murderers, remain without result.”

“When such things happen under the eyes of the representatives of the victorious Powers, one can imagine what is taking place in the interior, where there is no control or any kind of inspection, and the Raya (Ottoman subject), is abandoned to become the victim of despotism and barbarous instincts of the first irregular soldier or gendarme he meets.”

“We do not receive any more news from our representatives in the interior, because they are tired of writing in vain and reporting persecutions and martyrdom. It is only today that I have been able to find out that the brigands have entered also in the cities, forcing and plundering the shops of all the Greeks. Thus, in the city Erbaa, ( province of Neocecarea ), brigands forced a Greek shop, which they plundered altogether; the value of all the goods was 5000 liras. In the village Kavak they forced the shop of the Greek Mr. Jordan Kademoglou and robbed everything in it, worth about 1200 liras.”

“We do not get any more news from the districts Ladic, Vezir Kioprou, Tsoroum, Tokat, etc., because the Greek population there became hopeless, after the two terrible massacres: the red massacre of the Armenians and the white massacre of the Greeks. They are something like a herd of beasts, ready to be slaughtered, terrorised and all gathered in one place, see their flock decimated every day by the butchers, and are anxiously expecting from hour to hour to suffer the same fate as their brothers…..” 

“While we were expecting upon the termination of the War and the signing of the Armistice which followed, an improvement of this state of things, on the contrary, the tyrant became bolder and more impudent. After the political change and the downfall of the Unionistic Government, the Committee of Union and Progress continues to have the control in its hands and the power to impose itself omnipotent every where. This fact is quite natural and easily explained from a psychological point of view, when we presume that this Committee is the expression and incarnation of the Turkish soul itself. The Turkish people in the face of the Committee have recognized the incarnation of their desiderata, their dreams and their ideals. But on the other hand the Committee too, being an offspring of this people, and consequently in a state to know better than any body the popular psychology, has drawn up a program entirely in conformity with its tendencies and instincts, with a view of strengthening and extending itself in as greater an area as possible. Talaat, this highest representative of the Turkish soul, has publicly expressed himself about the Greeks, saying that he will reduce them to beggars by robbing their properties and distributing it to the Turks. And indeed, the property of the expelled Greeks of Thrace , of Asia Minor and of Pontus , amounting to several hundreds of millions of liras, was distributed among the Turks.”

“Deli Raafet Pasha, the murderer and incendiary of the district of Samsoun, during the persecution of the Greeks of Pontus , expressed himself in the sense, that he will turn the Greeks to boatmen and porters (hammals). In reality, after the Turks had plundered the property of the expelled Greeks, and burned their houses, those Turks who up to that moment were boatmen and hainmals, became millionaires, whereas the Greeks, who up to that time were very well off and rich, died or nine tenths of them were killed or forced to leave their motherland. Those Greeks, who somehow have managed to return to their homes, not only they do not find any of their belongings, but they are swept off every day by hunger....”

Such being the psychological dispositions of the Committee of Union and Progress, one must not be surprised to hear me say that this Committee is still dominating our place, and is intending to bring about new catastrophes, resulting in the complete destruction of the remaining ruins, heaped up by the fanaticism and barbarism of recent years. For the last two months this Committee continues to arm the Turks of all the cities and villages from the coast, to the interior of Asia Minor . Rifles and ammunition of the Government are distributed every day to the Turkish population. The rifles of the demobilized troops at Batoum have been and are still given to the villagers of all the districts of Samsun, Pafra, Tcharshamba, Ordou, Kerassund etc.

The same things take place in the interior of Anatolia . Thus, in the city of Sivas, the ex-Vali of Sivas and Konia, Sivuzli Emin Kcltflywylou Hull Bey, the faithful acolyte of the notorious assassin Mouaver Bey, as well as Gani Bey, the representative of the Committee there, Emir Beyoglou Elem Bey and Sakirdji Zadelev & Co. are publicly distributing rifles in the city and in the villages, and armed to the teeth are going about everywhere giving arms also to the Sandjaks of Tokat, Amassia, Merzifoon, Erbaa, Ladik etc.

In the light of this new armed preparation and systematic organisation, which is going on most methodically among the Moslem population, the Greek people are in great terror and agony, not knowing what will happen to them. Many of those who could manage, came from the interior to our City, and others are getting ready to flee. All these unfortunate beings are perfectly right. The big wounds of the Nation are still fresh. They have not been yet cured and they cannot be. The murders, the robberies, the disgraces and violations committed by the Turks have become the order of the day. On the other hand, the injustices, crimes and corruptions of the governors of Baffra, Hakki Bey and Tcharshamba Galib Ali and others, who committed the deportations and usurpations of the property of the Greeks, not only remained unpunished by the Turkish Authorities. Consequently, the perpetrators became even more audacious and turned to be the chief-brigands of the place and the tyrants of the Christians. Every piece of property of the Christians is found in the hands of these monsters. The honour of the women becomes the prey of the first aggressor and there is no safety of life, property or honour.

In the city of Samsoun alone, 178 young men were hanged in the middle of the market, 210 villages were burned down to ashes, and 70,000 inhabitants of the villages of Samsoun were deported and scattered about in the Turkish villages, hungry and naked; 90 % have died the worst kind of death. About 203 of our schools were burned, about 350 of our churches were plundered and then burned, our houses, religious places and everything sacred were ruined and smashed to pieces, our life is intolerable.

On February 1^st, 1919, soldiers have killed Hadji Elia of Kerassound, Persefs K. Zaifoglou and Hriste Tsigaroglou, all of them in the village Tsinik; and although they had declared that they surrender, nevertheless they were fired at, and Ghristo, seriously wounded, hid himself in a corner, where he died, and the other two were arrested and taken somewhere out of the village, where they were slaughtered. Then the soldiers cut off their heads and rejoicing, brought them to Teke-kyoi and hung them for 8 whole hours in front of the shop of the President of the Union and Progress Committee, Hadji Aya Bey. It has not been allowed to have the corpses buried. They had left them to be eaten up by the dogs and the crows. The Metropolitan of Amassia wrote a lakrir and complaint about the crime to the Governor, who of course has done nothing   

A report from Bafra, dated February 4^th, 1919, states that on February 2^nd, in the village Issaakli, a suburb of Bafra, while a wedding was taking place in a house, a Turk named Sarimin Ismail, has fired through the window at those inside the house and killed a young man 25 years old, Lazar Prassaoglou, and a girl, Despina Kalaoglou, from the village Kain-lalabci, wounding at the same time a Demetrios Panaoglou, a Yovan Pandeli and a girl. Although the perpetrator was arrested, he was released two days later, on the ground that there was no proof. However, all those who were present, recognised him, and so, in his place the wounded persons were imprisoned.

According to another report from the representative of the Metropolitan at Gavza, dated also February the 4^th, the refugees who were returning to Bafra, were killed by Turks of the village Surbin, near the Kaza of Bafra, and the corpses were speared and set up on prominent places.

A 16 year old boy, Panayioti K. Anastasoghlou, and Mrs. Katina, wife of Kyriake N. Alessoglou, both from Kapoo-Kaya, as well as Averkio Papa Paraskevaoglou, from the Christian village Tolioalar, were also assassinated. The witness of these assassinations was Sava Antonoglou, from Donooz-Alan, who miraculously succeeded to save himself.

A bride, wife of a tailor from the village Kabou-hlou Esmc, kaza of Vezir Kioprou, who was going to Amassia to visit her imprisoned for political reasons husband, was carried away by the Turks of the village Essin Bey. She was taken to the house of Pits Ahmed Oglou, where she was violated by the Police Magistrate and his secretary, who happened to be found in the house. After this base action and in order to have their crime concealed, all three of them sent her to Zeintounlouk, one of the wildest Turks….

A report from Kavza, dated February 10^th, 1919 , stated:—The day before yesterday, Saturday, at about midnight the infamous Moulazim Memdouh Bey, with sufficient troops, surrounded Kiosroufi, a village which suffered a great deal and in which two weddings were taking place. They attacked with mittrailleuses the houses where the people were celebrating and proceeded with violations and plunderings, and then with thrashing to death every single person. Memdouh Bey killed with his own hands the father of the bridegroom, Isaak Karabadjakoglou, carrying away all the booty with the horses and being proud for their deeds. The following day he came back once more to the same village with his troops and surrounded it again.

Of the two weddings mentioned above, one bride had to go to Knvza. Here however nobody knew anything of the events which took place at Kiosroufi. Therefore many people set off from there, with eight carriages and about 50 horses, to go and receive the bride. Thus all of them, men and women, fell in the trap, and a pandemonium followed. Every single person was imprisoned in the stables etc. Cryings and horror fell throughout the village, because Memdouh the murderer had ordered that the best-man, Basile Kiossoglon, and Cotso K. Antonoglou should be at once shot.      

On February 15^th, 1919 , Turkish bands arrested outside of Erbaa, two brothers, Eleftherios and Stylianos Kalaidjoglou, and carried them to be massacred. At a certain moment however, both of them run away and although repeatedly fired at from behind, they were miraculously saved.

On February 21^st six young men from the village Hallab-Kogliaz, this side of Tsoroum, who had completed their military service and were returning from Angora to their homes, were arrested by the Turks of the above village, and three of them, Nicolas P. Simeon from Merzifoon, Jioannis Semer-djoglou from Hadjikeuy, and Stavros from Kiosrouf, were killed, while the other three seriously wounded.

On February 22^nd Memdotih Bey, Gendarmery Commander at Merzifoon, renowned for his monstrosities against the Greeks of Vezir-Kioprou, who with one shot had killed 18 Greek boys, by placing all of them in a row, the one behind the other, came in the village Kiosroof, kaza of Kavza, and killed Isaak, a sixty years old quiet peasant.

On February 23^rd Turks entered in the house of Haralambos Hristou, in the village Terpez (Oinoi), and literally stripped it. The most notorious of the bands, raging all these districts, is that of Terme Pits Ahmed, composed of 150 murderers, who are plundering and killing every day the remnants of already ruined villages.

On February 26^th, near Kessillou a Mehmed Pehlivan, ex guard of the village, attacked Christo Photoglou and mortally wounded him. While the poor victim was expiring, he said to Harilaos Avraam, from Tsikour-Yatak, who happened to pass by, that the above mentioned Turk is his murderer. The perpetrator now lives in Samsoun, quite undisturbed.

On February 27^th, the renowned Commander of Gerdarmery at Merzifoon, attacked with gendarmes and Bashibozouks a wedding procession, which was going from Hadjikeyj (kaza of Amassia), to the village, and a fighting of 20 minutes took place, during which three Christians were wounded.

On March 2^nd, two Christians from Kirezli, of Baffra, who were returning to their village, were killed at midday , near the village Toum-Soiigluts.

On March 4^th, five Greeks from Phulsn, who were going with kaiks back to their country, were arrested near Tcharshamba by pirates, who carried away goods worth 4000 liras. The pirates have not touched at all the kaiks transporting Turkish goods, checking carefully whether the goods were belonging to Christians or to Moslems.

On March 7^th Osman Tchaoush, the Police Commander of Platano thrashed mercilessly the priest Lazaros.

On March 8^th in the village Sounoussa Arpa Deressi, Kaza of Ladik, six Greek soldiers, returning from their military service, were massacred with axes by Turkish peasants.

On March 9^th the Laz-Turks who on January 10^th had entered in Tsalnl Armootkyoi, robbed everything from the house of Samsounlou Panayot, whose ear they have cut, and arresting Anthimos Vassiliou, ordered him to get ready for them 1000 liras, otherwise he would be killed.

On March 10^th seven cavalry gendarmes met near the village Dere Tchiflikt (Frbaa), five Greeks going to their village Teke and firing against them, they killed one of them.

On March 12^th two young Greeks of Kurd-Dere of Oinof, who had been exiled to the village Kirez-Tepe, were engaged as servants of the Aga (chief) of the village Tayar, who then asked them to take charge of guarding, as it were, the house of his son Hassan, against a probable attack by the Armenians. Without suspecting anything the two poor Greeks went there and they were assassinated at midnight .

On March 14^th Turks arrested the priest George, who was returning from Russia to his village Tsan-gueri (Onoi) and after thrashing him they took from him 300 liras, which he had with him.

On March 16^th at about midnight , Fethi, son of the gendarmerie Commander at Oinoi, has forced the door of the coffee-shop Sava-Mavi and entering in the shop, fired at him, wounding him mortally. He died after a few days.

On March 18^th the priest Mihail, from the village Youha Yapou of Amassia, who was going with his companion Vassilios Papa Kyriakou to Merzifoon, was attacked near the village Alala by Ahmed Imamoglou, from Kiork-kyoi, who robbed them and then shot Yassilios at his right breast. He also fired at the priest, whom he wounded in his neck. The priest pretending to be dead, fell and so saved his life. The assassin went away, after ascertaining that both of his victims died.

On March 20^th in the village Ersandik (Vezir-Kioprou), a band of 23 bashibozouks and 10 soldiers, have asked a woman to give them bread. The woman gave them the only loaf she had with her. The bashibozouks began cursing her, which made her husband come out of his house and intervene. A little later, however, came reinforcements with mitrailleuses and many other Moslems from the neighbouring Turkish villages and attacked the whole village, killing the priest George and 14 women and children.

On March 21^st, the infamous brigand Kasik Mehmed, from the village Rash Alan near Kavak, had gone with his acolytes to the village Souloudjak Pitsindjik, killed Anastassios Kyriakoglou, Demetrios Yeorgiou, loannis Constantinou, Costi Yeorgiou and Panika Vassiliou, and robbed all their mony and clothes. Besides, he also committed several other crimes, and when he was leaving, he gave such a blow on the skull of Sofia Anesti Panteloglou, that the next day she died. The Metropolitan of Amassia officially protested this murder, but the Moutessarrif gave no notice to this denunciation and let the perpetrator go free, without asking anything concerning this crime.

On March 22^nd, in the village Mouxid (Kavza), Turks killed John Eleftheriou and Philippe Sava, both from Ttredjik.

On March 23^rd, George Haralambassoglou from Ordou, who was working in the Turkish village Tsivril, has sent his employee, Paul Ioannou Tsamadjoglou to Samsoun for work. The latter was arrested outside the village and killed by the Turks, sent there for the purpose.

On March 25^th, the gendarmes of Tekekyoi arrested in Andrialos two peasants from Tsawalan, on the ground of being deserters. But instead of taking them to the Konak, they slaughtered them like sheep, and rejoicing, carried their heads to Tekekyoi.

On March 26^th several women came from the village Karadjakyoi of Siuopo with wounded heads and limbs, describing in very black colours the tortures they suffered by the gendarmes, in addition to their privation and other ill treatment, after their return from exile. The commonest phases which the Government functionaries are using against the unfortunate Ottoman Greeks, are “You, Ghiaours, (infidels), you still dare to talk, and you are still living; in one evening we shall sweep you away”.

On March 27^th Turks entered at night in the village Tarkandag, arrested two Christians and killed them. After these crimes were committed, Kara Dimit, chief of a band, entered in the Turkish villages Ahourlou, Smonssik and Kdlik, the populations of which were armed by the Government and disarmed, them without killing a single person.

On March 28^th Turks killed in his mill a Greek, George the mill-keeper, from the village Poulaman (Phatsa), with a view to take over his mill with all the surrounding fields, which they were cultivating, as their own, during the exile of the true owner.

On March 29^th, three Christians from the village Tsinglur were arrested by Turks on their way to Samsoun. The Turks literally cut them into pieces. The Christians of the village Tangarlou found and brought the corpses to their village. They then informed the widows and the orphans, who weeping and lamenting came to take the corpses and bury them in their village. The persons so cruelly murdered, were Nicolas Samloglou, Archangele Samloglou and 14 years old boy Savva Tachtadji.

On March 31^st, between the Turkish villages Carli and Emirli, four Greeks from the villages Karakostalar were massacred by Turks; they were called Constantine Karacasoglou, Cost. Dimitriou, Paul Papazoglou, and Tarahtchi, son-in-law of Hadji Lazaros.

On April 2^nd, in the Turkish village Tsolah Kaza of Ladik (Amassia), murderers have killed the son of Kosma, Ktradjom a young man 20 years old, and also the son Pavlos, a young man 18 years old. The first was shot and the second was literally slaughtered.

On April 7^th, near the Turkish village Alionrlou Surkish bands have arrested and killed in the road G. Philiposoglou, and Aposlolos Mouhtaris, two Greeks from the village Doumuz-Agli. At the head of the band was the infamous Laz Mehmed, who had robbed about 30 women and children passing from that place, and carried away clothes, monies and everything else the unfortunate creatures had with them. On the same day, in the village Kadedi, Hadji Mehmed Tchaoushoglou with his acolytes and assisted by the gendarmes of Tekektyoi, arrested at night the following persons who were working there: Christo Papazoglou, a boy 13 years old, Kyriako Yeo-ika, 45 years old, Theokhari Moumdji, Kosti Termeli 25 years old, and three other tinmen. All of them were from the village Tsinik. From them one, named Thokhari and a further tinman, succeeded to escape, but all others were massacred.

On April 8^th, about 50 Turks under the leadership of Kurdoglou Mehmed Redjeb, surrounded at 3 o'clock in the morning the little village Kertchembe, comprising 10 houses and situated only half an hour's away from Samsoun. At first they blockaded the house of a 17 year old young man, J. Vassiliou, who for three whole hours was courageously resisting the band, without surrendering his home to the brigands. In the meantime, a Greek, Christo Triantafillides, came out of his house, to assist his countryman, who was in danger, but he was cruelly killed; his wife, Parthena, and a Lazaros Vassiliou, were mortally wounded.

On April 13^th, the teacher Haralambos Yeorghiadis, in the company of George Ilia Tsinoglou and the 17 years old son of Hadji Panayoti, as well as Anastase Tombouli, left the village Kiztl-Giul lo come to Samsoun. All of them were arrested near Indje-Sou by Turks and massacred.

On April 14^th, the corpses of two Greeks, who were strangled on the road of Bagdad , were brought to Samsoun.

On the same day, about 200 bashibozouks assisted by gendarmes, blockaded the village Tosoaz of Amassia, killed four peasants and slaughtered a good many children, who had escaped to the mountains.

On April 27^th, near Katnmoul, about 50 soldiers and bashibouzouks, were arresting all those passing from the central main road. Among those arrested, was Anastasios Vassiloglou from the village Omer-Guioylou, who having served as soldier for seven whole years, had returned from his military service. This man was killed by the above mentioned bashibozouks. On the same day, in a place called Tsorljouk-Bogan, a Greek, Kyriakos, from Enguiz-Tepc (PMra), was put to death,

On April 28^th, at Tchikour-Alan (Krwzu), Turks have killed Paulos Koja Biyikoglou; they have cut off his head, put it on a pole and used it as a target for shooting practice.

On April 30^th , at Pekerli (Al-tcham), a widow was murdered, leaving four minor orphans. On the same day the Greek J. Anatasiou from the village Ormanos, while returning from Bafra to his village, was attacked by a band of 15 brigands and put to death.

On May 1^st, about 200 armed Turks firing against all the Greek villages in the vicinity of Sepija, have hilled Ilia Etikwuzuylott, a tobacco merchant from Inje Keris. On the same day at Erbna a Greek Chief named Yakovos, who after the Armistice was handed over to the Authorities and later on he was left free, while going to the house of Mr. X. Kojamanidou, was shot dead at midday in the centre of the city. Many Turks participated in this crime, but those who have shot him were Kurkji Euzeyir, kurd Hassan and Poughamali Ali Shan.

On May 2^nd, the Chief of the Gendarmerie Detachment, Corporal Sari Mehmed from Asarjim, invited the Greek N. Hadji Sava from Karamough, to go and see him. Hadji Sava took with him the teacher Lazaros, from Teke-kyoi, and went to see the corporal. When they arrived there they saw that the corporal had with him a few armed well known brigands, who a few minutes later left and hid themselves in a spot, about 15 minutes away from the station. When the two Greeks were returning to their homes, these brigands fired at them; Hadji-Sava succeeded to escape, but the poor teacher was killed.

On May 5^th, a band of brigands arrested near Kavadjik 3 Greeks, kidnapped them and their horses, took them to an unknown destination and then exterminated them. On the same day a band of 25 Lazes and others, entered the Turkish village Kousktshoulat (Baffra), arrested the Greeks Eleftherios Parasoghlou, from Tekcmljik, Isaak Daniiloglou, and Kallinikos Yacow, who were working in the village, and killed them. Further on the same also day, a band of Lazes and Turko-Albanians attacked the village Enguis-Tepe (Baffra). Women and children scattered about and the brigands having plundered all houses, killed Kyrillos Demirdji, Alexandre Kesseli, Costi Papaioannou, Styliano Mihailoglou and the carpenter Haralambos from Ineboli, all of whom have been unable to escape.

On May 6^th near Kavadjik (Samsoun), another band kidnapped and put to death G. Theodorou, J. Savva, and Christo Panayotin, all natives of Chaldea . The crimes took place before the eyes of the guard-soldiers of the main road, who where simply admiring the scene.

On the 8^th of the same month, another band attacked the village Petes Bafra, plundering the house of Apostolos Sagiroglou, who was kidnapped to the mountains and disappeared ever since. The robbed goods were found in the houses of Oflou Zade Risa, Tahir Aga Zade, Hadji Bey Kerzeli Oglou Redjeb all, of whom were arrested, but released a little later.

On the 9^th of May, several peasants of Sira-Kendir (Ladik), and of other villages, while going to the bazaar of Ladik between the Turkish village Hamid Kyoi and Kiodec Kyioi, have fallen into a snare of a band composed of 12 brigands. One of the travellers, Panika Vomankozoglou, was put to death. On the same day another band arrested and carried away to the mountains Stylianos Bodosoglou, from the village Lenyieiti (Baffra). After a few days his body was found near the village Sounnrli, next to the corpse of another unknown Greek; the heads of both of them were cut off and placed under their own armpits.

On the 13^th of May, the Greek chief Pits Vassili, in the company of his wife, was going from Kaxza, where he used to live, to his native village. Although after the Armistice he had surrendered to the Authorities and was living a private life and he was under supervision. He fell into the ambush of a Turkish band near the village Sivri Klisse. Somehow he saved his life, but his wife was killed. On returning to Havza he reported the crime, but he was arrested and put into jail.

The Metropolitan of Amassia, Mgr. Germanos wrote the following on May 13^th, 1919 ,: — “The evil has increased in the littoral districts of Bafra Teharshamba, Ounia and Phalza. Every day new bands of Lazes are landing. The peasants are in a desperate situation. The Greeks in the City see the brigands and murderers coming and going with blood-stained hands. They are unable to find the least protection from anyone. They therefore began to seriously think about emigrating, because they foresee massacres and they are quite right. The government itself is at the head of all this and organises bands of mischievous element, which are doing nothing else except kill every day and prepare a new blow against the Christians. The same things take place in the interior too, in the districts of Ladik, Erbaca, Kavak Merzifoon, Amassia, Vezir-Ktoprou, Kawza and elsewhere. There is chaos everywhere, there is no Government. The Christians are considered to be outside any law. The Turkish bands, organised and armed by the Government, are working according to the extermination program. In every city and with the Government’s consent, organisations establish themselves are hold regular meetings, call peasants and other mischievous elements, form bands, and send them against peaceful Christians, in order to commit all sorts of crimes, such as plundering, kidnapping, killing, disgracing and violating fearlessly property, honour and life of innocent and civilised people. These Christian citizens are considered as criminals, only because they survived their martyrdom, remained faithful to their national traditions and refused with the greatest obstinacy to become Muslims..”

The same Metropolitan wrote on May 31st. —“The evil is continuing during the month of May as well, robberies, kidnappings, murders and terrorism are now quite ordinary phenomena and the Lazes under the protection of the Government are landing around Samsoun and preparing to massacre the Christians. The place is full of criminals. The Turks of the cities are organising themselves and directing bands with the knowledge of the Government. These bandits go freely about the cities and at night go up to the mountains. They are plundering and destroying and return undisturbed to receive new instructions and perpetrate new crimes….”

At the beginning of August 1919 regular troops with bashibozouks attacked the village Kouloudjata, which was completely and literally plundered. A similar attack took place on the 21^st of August against the village Teknedjik.

On August 4^th, the Greek Pavlos Panayotoglou from Kizyl Yol, while returning from Samsoun to his village, was robbed and killed at Indie-Sou, by the band of Mehmed Effendi. Although the Authorities have arrested one of the murderers, he was afterwards released, through the intervention of the chief of the band in question.

On September 18^th, the son of the shepherd Bessim Tchaouch, from the village Alaichak, has killed at Zeintounglou another Greek shepherd, grandson of Yovani Hadji Badjanaghi.

On September 23^rd, several peasants from the village Alan and Sernitch going to Ladik, where robbed. Three of them accompanied by a girl were carried away, and were later found dead, lying in a ditch, with tied hands and feet. The poor girl was mortally wounded under the ears. The gendarmerie did nothing for the arrest and punishment of the criminals.

On Obtober the 5^th, a big sailing vessel carrying tobacco from Alatcham with several passengers on board, was attacked by Lazes, who robbed the ship; the damages were more than 6000 liras. About the same date a Greek, Savvas Pavlou, from the village Tougssnuskyoi in company of his servant, was coming back home from his mill; on the way they were attacked and killed. Also another Greek, Porlika Papazoglou, and his son Lazaros, were killed on the same day.

On February 21^st, 1920 , while Papa-Nicolaos, Eleni Constantine Tastsoglou, Paraskevi Ilia Keskin, Lazaro Cyriakoglou and his wife, Maria, were going from Samsoun, to their native village Tafian-Keuy, they were attacked by a Turkish band and all of them killed. The corpses of four of them only were found and they were terribly massacred. At the same time 15 other Greeks were killed, from the villages Zannas and Foundoukli of Amassia, as well as from the villages Kirk-Harman, Ilidje and Feriz Dagh of the Kaza of Erbaa. The following five persons were also killed, viz: Sava Hadji-Yovanoglou, Gregorios Zanali and his wife, Yanni Davoultsioglou, and another, whose name could not be found. All were natives of Zana. The murderers belonged to the band of Molla Bekir, from the Turkish village Yihilgan.

On April 7^th, the following persons were killed by Turks of the village Inbat, ten minutes away from the city Erbaa, where they had gone shopping: Dimitrios Grigoriou Abbazoglou, and Stefanos Yeorghiou Abazoglou, natives of the village Fadura, and Kyriakos Pandelioglou, Savas S. Sariparoglou, and Savas Sekir Lambi, natives of the village Hadji Bey.

On May 17^th, Alexander Mamatidis, living at TeM-Kyoi, disappeared; it was found out later, that he had fallen into a snare of Lazes, and was killed.

On May 28^th, Constantine Yovanoglou, Eleftherios Dimitroglou, Nicolas Chrissoglou, Efraim Phot. Kiossekehaya and Paraskeva Demirdjsglou, all natives of Knrabounar (Baffra), while returning from Majifoon, sustained and attack near the Turkish village Tshal (Kaza of Kioprou). The first three were killed, and the other two wounded.

On June 28^th, one of the leaders of Tsbroum named Astos Ouraktsoglou was strangled in the prison of Alalscham.

On July 19^th, bashibozouks killed two Greeks of the village Yatjli Pussan, named Yorika Yerz. Xenitoglou and loannis Amanetoglou. On the 31^st seven Lages carried away and killed near Eski Idissc, Panayoti Hadji Yeorghiou, native of the village Christi (Bafra), and his son-in-law, Kyriako Kara Demirdtoglou.

On August 1^st, soldiers killed at Yagla Keris, the Greek Aleco Minasoglou, a native of the village Kapa Djeviz. On the 19^th of the same month, the Greek Antonios Karakostali, native of the village Kara-Koushitshoular (Ladik), while returning to his village was killed near the Turkish village Kol-Alan, by Ouzoun Ali Oglou Ahmed and his acolytes. On the 23rd, armed Turks of the Turkish village Mamalzi, attacked the quarter of Adji-sou (Kodja Dagh), killed four, Layaros Kemendjepji, Sofia, wife of Iordanis Savoglou, Stavroula, wife of Nikolaos Hizardji, Eleni, wife of Pavlos Dimitroglou, and wounded Yanko Lazarou. And again in the quarter Tsikour Yatak, they killed Photios and Panayoti Aridjoglou, Yorika Parassi, the son of Yanko Photoglou, and wounded Evyenia Theodorou.

On September 1^st, Stavro Savoglou, Panayoti Photoglou, Simeon and Anastas Nizanoglou, all natives of Kourou, were coming to Bafra. On the way they were arrested by armed Turks, and the first two were wounded mortally by dum-dum bullets, while the other two were killed on the spot. On the 23^rd of the same month, Turkish brigands entered the garden of Periklis Kalpaktsoglou , situated 18 minutes away from Baffra, and killed his mother-in-law, Elissavet.

On October 5^th, at Tsakalli, on the road to Kavak, Turks knocked at the door of the house of Ioannis Tomazoglou. When the latter opened to see who had come, he was shot dead.

The Kemalists, numbering 4.000, are pursuing the Circassien Hassan Tchaouch, and since last August begun to ruin and burn to ashes the Greek villages of the district, so that the above mentioned Hassan may not be welcomed and there. Sixteen houses of the villages Sernitcch, four houses of the village Kadir-Alan, (Kaza of Erbao), and again two houses in the village Sahardja and two houses at Karamouch, (Kaza of Ladik), and the churches were completely plundered and everything sacred were trampled. As Hassan Tchouch found refuge in the district of the Kaza Vehir Kioprou, the Kemalists proceeded to ruining of the following Greek villages: Ersandouk, Saradjik, Kaplan, Kodja, Daout Yourd, Poutsouk and Tchift. In the village Kaplan 12 Greeks were killed, amongst whom, were the mouchtar of the village, Panayoti Hadji Mihail, Yanni Hodja and his brothers Theodoros, Haralambos and Pavlos Papazoglou.

All crimes, plunderings and violations were chiefly committed by bashibozouks of the districts of Kavza and Kioprou. They were encouraged in their deeds by the presence of regular troops and so they thought of using the occasion and cause a complete catastrophe wherever they could.

 

 

PROVINCE    OF   NEOCESSAREA

Since the very first days of the Armistice, the Turkish Government officials, as well as all other private Turks, have adopted a menacing attitude against the Christians. Rumours about imminent massacres were going about every day, and the terrorised Christians did not dare to come out of their houses and attend to their ordinary agricultural work. This anxiety was continuously increasing in consequence of the fact that the local Authorities had begun to publicly furnish arms to the Turks.

On March 29^th 1919 , a Turkish band attacked between Phalsa and Oinoi, several refugees, who were returning to their homes from Oinoi, Ordou and Kerassund. One of these refugees was pitilessly thrashed and wounded, while all the rest were completely robbed. On the 31^st of the same month, in the village Elez-kyoi, (Kaza of Ordou) and at the place called Boulama, Turks killed the Greek George Tsilinguiroglou, in his own mill.

During the month of September of 1919, the Greek John Panayot Reis, was cut to pieces between Samsoun and Oinoi. In the middle of the same month, Aristidis Simitos, a native of Oinoi, was returning from Ratoum on board his own motor-boat and he moored in the bay of Kerasund . The following day he intended to continue his journey to Oinoi; but the Turks forced him to tug with his motorboat, another boat with six Lazes on board and take them to Ordou. No sooner they had left port, the Lazes began shooting heavily against the motorboat. Under this rain of bullets, the helmsman, Kyriako Pambou, from Oinoi, fell dead, mortally wounded in his head and another Turk together with an Armenian were also wounded. The captain cut off the ropes and going full speed, he succeeded to save himself.

In the middle of October 1919, the 3rd Turkish Army Corps instructed telegraphically the Municipal Prefect of Oinoi to try and persuade the Greeks to sign documents refuting all crimes committed by the Turks against the Christians and stating that in the interior of the district reins perfect lawfulness and tranquillity. The Metropolitan of Neocesarea however, gave the due reply, at a moment when from all parts of the Province news were reaching him of violations and plunderings committed by Turkish bands. Such a state and even worse continued in the following months.

On June 6^th 1920 , armed Lazes attacked the village Sinanli, plundered all t clothes, provisions and beasts of the peasants, and went away. On June 8^th, the same things happened in the village Annaiclf, which the Turks have ruined completely, not failing to wound two peasants at the same time. A few days later, the Greeks Andreas Efthimiou Orphanides, Panayotis Har. Batzaktsoglou, Michael Nic. Batsaktsoglou and Constantine S. Orphanides, all natives of Aria, were killed by Turkish bands between Kabatooz and Pakadjak. Likewise, Stylianos Efst. Terpsenides, natives of Alitsen, Anastasios Geor. Kalaidjoglou, Angelos X. A. Karipoglou, natives of Armaleli, Haralambos K. Manousarides, native af Guiavouriki, and Kyriako Karipides, native of Mcsssudie and two other boys, were literally slaughtered by Turkish bandits, while going to Messoitdie.

On June 25^th, about 3000 antikemalists have made an assault against the Kemalists at Ziles and by putting fire to the city, have burned down to ashes all of it, including six houses belonging to Greeks.

About the middle of September Kemalists burned and ruined the Greek villages of the Kaza of Erbna. Seven houses in the village Entik-Pounar, six houses in the village Heriz-Dagh, four in the village Guiok-Tssukour, three houses in each of the villages Guiol-Ognou, Fadara, Hadji Bey and Kil-Yoldouren, and two houses in each of the villages Djebrail and Kelemiz, were all burned down. Besides many human losses are to be reckoned.

In a report of the Greek community of Falsa dated October 19^th, states: “The oppressions, the tyrannies and persecutions against the Greek element from the Nationalists are always continued systematically and premeditatedly....  We are under full anarchy …. About a month ago Greek families coming here from the interior, were robbed on the way. Their losses amount to more than 10,000 liras. Besides, two Greeks were murdered. A few days ago in the centre of the City shops and houses were plundered. The losses amount to 3,000 liras. Three days ago Turks have stolen the motor-boat of a Greek, which was lying in the bay of Oinoi , and have killed three Greek sailors. We are terrorized. At night we are shut inside our houses, not knowing what may happen the following day. We are continuously sitting on the top of an active volcano…..”

Mgr. Policarpos, Metropolitan of Neocesarea, while returning back to his diocese in the middle of October, he was compelled to go back to Constantinople , because the Police Authorities did allow him to land neither at Inebolit or at Ounie, or at Ordou.

 

 

PROVINCE OF TREBIZONDE

The plunderings and murders against Christians became very frequent from the very first day of the Armistice in the Vilayet of Trebizonde, to such an extent, that the peasants abandoning everything were compelled to find refuge to Trebizonde to save their honour and their lives. There was a complete lack of