In honor and memory of the Genocide of the Greeks of Pontos, we present to you a link to a book edited in 1920 by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, that records just a fruction of the sufferings of the Greek populations by the Neo-Turks of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

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.

THE BLACK BOOK OF THE SUFFERINGS OF THE GREEK PEOPLE IN TURKEY FROM THE ARMISTICE TO THE END OF 1920