Sept 6 1955 a mob of Turks went to Istanbul’s central square with
anti-Greek slogans. This followed the Sept 6 explosion of the house
where Turkish leader Ataturk was born.
The investigation by the Greek authorities found out that the explosion
was committed by the guard of the consulate, a Turk, who got the bombs
in Istanbul. Besides the consul and other officials were not in the
building at the moment of the explosion.
The special international commission of the World Council of Churches
investigating the consequences of the programs found out that 29 of 80
Orthodox Greek churches had been burned down, 4,000 stores and 2,000
houses destroyed. Also destroyed were many Roman Catholic and Armenian
churches.
US Senator Homer Capeheart confirmed in the United States News And
World Report newspaper that there were pogroms in Istanbul, Ankara and
Izmir. Crowds of Turks burned down and robbed 4,000 Armenians and Greek
stores, 80 churches and 700 houses with the damages amounting to $300
mln.
3,183 people were arrested in Istanbul, 424 in Izmir, 171 in Ankara
with most of them released later. The remaining were brought to court
but as the Halk Turkish newspaper wrote: “Believed to be guilty these
young people have been acquitted. It is very good. But who then
masterminded these actions?”
The above events caused a new wave of Greek and Armenian emigration
from Turkey.
Yorumlar kapatıldı.