[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 131 (Monday, August 7, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11791-S11793]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


SENATE RESOLUTION 160--MARKING THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE ANTI-GREEK POGROM 
                     IN TURKEY ON SEPTEMBER 6, 1955

  Mr. D'AMATO submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on the Judiciary.

                              S. Res. 160

       Whereas, in September 1955, there existed a Greek minority 
     population of 100,000 in Istanbul, Turkey;
       Whereas, on the night of September 6-7, 1955, a pogrom 
     against the Greek community began in Istanbul;
       Whereas, anti-Greek rioters attacked, pillaged, gutted and 
     destroyed more than 2,000 Greek homes, 4,200 Greek shops and 
     stores, 73 Greek Orthodox churches, 52 Greek schools, eight 
     Greek cemeteries, all three major Greek newspaper plants, and 
     dozens of Greek factories, hotels, restaurants and warehouses 
     in Istanbul;
       Whereas, 15 Greeks were killed in the pogrom or died 
     subsequently, and 32 were seriously injured;
       Whereas, as many as 200 women were raped by rioters;
       Whereas, the U.S. Consul General in Istanbul reported that 
     police stood idly by or cheered on the rioting mobs;
       Whereas, the State Department received confirmation of 
     ``elaborate advanced planning for widespread destruction of 
     the property of the indigenous Greek community,'' involving 
     careful preparations by many individuals;
       Whereas, American journalist Frederick Sondern, Jr., 
     writing at the time for Readers Digest, described the events 
     of that night as ``.  .  .  one of the wildest eruptions of 
     mob fury and hysteria in modern times  .  .  .'';
       Whereas, homes of Greek officers stationed at NATO 
     headquarters in the Turkish city of Izmir were also attacked 
     and destroyed;
       Whereas, rioters attacked and burned down the Greek 
     Consulate in Izmir and the Greek Pavilion at the Izmir 
     International festival;
       Whereas, Turkish authorities failed at the time to convict 
     a single rioter, out of thousands, for any crime committed 
     during the pogrom;
       Whereas, five years later, after a military coup in Turkey, 
     the former Prime Minister and Acting Foreign Minister at the 
     time of the pogrom were charged with, and convicted of, 
     numerous criminal actions, including the instigation of the 
     anti-Greek riots;
       Whereas, the pogrom marked the beginning of the end of the 
     Greek community's presence in Istanbul, numbering about 2,000 
     in 1995;
       Whereas, September 6, 1995 will mark the 40th Anniversary 
     of the pogrom; Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the Sense of the Senate that the 
     President should (1) Take all appropriate steps to observe 
     and commemorate the loss of life and property, and the 
     numerous injuries and offenses, which took place during the 
     pogrom by proclaiming September 6, 1995 as a day of 
     remembrance for the victims of these attacks; and
       (2) Urge all Americans to honor the victims of the pogrom 
     in the appropriate manner.

  Mr. D'AMATO. Mr. President, I rise today to submit a resolution 
commemorating the anti-Greek pogrom that took place in Istanbul and 
Izmir, Turkey, on the night of September 6-7, 1955. With the coming 
40th anniversary of this horrible event, this resolution is meant to 
commemorate the tragic losses and horrific destruction of these riots 
and to honor its victims.
  In September 1955, the Greek minority population in Istanbul numbered 
over 100,000 people. Today, slightly over 2,000 remain. This pogrom 
marked the beginning of the end of the Greek community's presence in 
Istanbul and became ``* * * one of the wildest eruptions of mob fury 
and hysteria in modern times * * *'' as the journalist Frederick 
Sondern, Jr., writing at the time in the Readers Digest, described.
  Rioters killed 16 Greeks, and wounded 32 more. And it is reported 
that as many as 200 Greek women were raped on this one night.
  Moreover, anti-Greek rioters wantonly attacked, pillaged, gutted, and 
destroyed more than 2,000 Greek homes, 4,200 Greek shops and stores, 73 
Greek Orthodox churches, 52 Greek schools, 8 Greek cemeteries, all 3 
major Greek newspaper plants, and dozens of Greek factories, hotels, 
restaurants, and warehouses in Istanbul. At the time, the World Council 
of Churches placed the damages at $150 million. Other sources reported 
the damage to be double that amount.
  Similar attacks occurred in Izmir, Turkey at the same time when 
rioters attacked and burned down the Greek Consulate and the Greek 
Pavilion at the Izmir International Fair, as well as attacking the 
homes of several Greek officers stationed at the NATO headquarters 
there.
  During this time, the U.S. State Department reported extensively on 
the pogrom, and described the destruction as ``extremely widespread,'' 
adding ``* * * only a very small percentage of community property 
appears to have escaped molestation.''
  Mr. President, I am submitting this resolution so that the victims of 
this pogrom are not forgotten and the perpetrators know that their 
vicious attacks will not pass into history without condemnation and 
hopefully redress, to the extent that this could be done. Just as 
pogroms in the former Russian empire, during and after the Russian 
revolution ended the lives of thousands of Jews, these pogroms cannot 
be forgotten or denied. History must remember.
  Mr. President, at this time, I ask unanimous consent that dispatches 
from the U.S. State Department concerning the pogrom, as well as a 
listing of the deaths during the riots, be made a part of the Record. 
These documents were reprinted in the 1992 Helsinki report, ``Denying 
Human Rights & Ethnic Identity: The Greeks of Turkey.''
  I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution and honor 
the victims of this despicable act.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                               Appendix B

     From: Amcongen, Istanbul.
     To: The Department of State, Washington.
     Subject: Damage caused to Greek Orthodox community 
         establishments during the September 6 Riots.
       A survey of the damage inflicted on public establishments 
     of the Greek Community of Istanbul during the rioting on the 
     night of September 6-7 shows that the destruction caused has 
     been extremely widespread. In fact, only a very small 
     percentage of community property appears to have escaped 
     molestation. Although there are as yet no figures available 
     assessing the damage sustained, the number of establishments 
     attacked and the nature of the destruction caused in the 
     course of the night under reference convey a clear picture of 
     the scope of the devastation. In most cases the assault on 
     these establishments involved a thorough wrecking of 
     installations, furniture, equipment, desecration of holy 
     shrines and relics, and looting. In certain instances serious 
     damage was inflicted on the buildings themselves by fire.
       Information received from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate 
     shows that of the 95 houses of worship listed on the books of 
     the Archbishopric of Istanbul 61 were either completely or 
     partially damaged. Eight of them became the victims of 
     flames. The religious edifices thus affected are identified 
     as follows:
       1. Aghia Triada, Taksim--Wrecked, pillaged and destroyed by 
     fire.
       2. St. Constantin, Kalyoncu Kulluk--Wrecked, pillaged and 
     destroyed by fire.
       3. Motamorphosia, Cemetery of Sisli--Wrecked and pillaged.
       4. Sotiros Christou, Galata--Wrecked and pillaged.
       5. Saint Nicolas, Galata--Wrecked and pillaged.
       6. Saint Jean, Galata--Wrecked and pillaged.
       7. Saint Dimitri, Kurtulus--Wrecked and pillaged.
       8. Saint Athanase, Kurtulus--Wrecked and pillaged.
       9. Saint Elephtere, Kurtulus--Wrecked and pillaged.
       
[[Page S 11792]]

       10. Ivanghelistrias, Kurtulus--Wrecked and pillaged.
       11. Ghenethlion tis Theotocou, Besiktas--Wrecked and 
     pillaged.
       12. Saint Phocas, Ortakoy--Wrecked and pillaged.
       13. Saint Dimitri, Kurucesme--Wrecked and pillaged.
       14. Ton Taxiarchon, together with residence of Bishop, 
     Arnavutkoy--Wrecked and destroyed by fire.
       15. Saint Haralambos, Bebek--Wrecked and pillaged.
       16. Evanghelismos tis Theotokou, Boyacikoy--Wrecked and 
     pillaged.
       17. Taxiarchon, Istinye--Wrecked and pillaged.
       18. Saint Nicolas, Yenikoy--Wrecked and pillaged.
       19. Saint Paraskevi, Tarabya and residence of Bishop--
     Wrecked and destroyed by fire.
       20. Saint Paraskevi, Buyukdere--Wrecked and pillaged.
       21. Saint Jean, Yeni Mahalle--Wrecked and pillaged.
       22. Saint Constantin, Pasabagco--Wrecked and pillaged.
       23. Genethlion tis Theotocou, Kandilli--Wrecked and 
     pillaged.
       24. Saint George, Cangelkoy--Wrecked and pillaged.
       25. Prophe Ilia, Uakudar--Wrecked and pillaged.
       26. Agia Triada, with residence of Bishop--Kadikoy--
     Wrecked, pillaged and destroyed by fire.
       27. Saint Georges, Kadikoy--Wrecked and pillaged.
       28. St. Jean Chrysostome, Kadikoy--Wrecked and pillaged.
       29. Saint Ignace, Kadikoy--Wrecked and pillaged.
       30. Saint Dimitri, Buyukada--Wrecked and pillaged.
       31. Dormition of the Virgin, Buyukada--Wrecked and 
     pillaged.
       32. Metamorphosis tou Christou, Buyukada--Wrecked and 
     pillaged.
       33. Saint Georges, monastery, Heybeliada--Wrecked and 
     pillaged.
       34. Saint Spiridon, monastery, Heybeliada--Wrecked and 
     pillaged.
       35. Zoodochos Pighi, Balikli--Wrecked and destroyed by 
     fire.
       36. Genethlion tis Theotocou, Beligradiou, Yedikule--
     Wrecked and pillaged.
       37. Saint Constantin, Samatya--Wrecked and pillaged.
       38. Saint Paraskevi, Samatya--Wrecked and pillaged.
       39. Saint Georges, Samatya--Wrecked and pillaged.
       40. Saint Minas, Samatya--Wrecked and pillaged.
       41. Dormition of the Vergin, Exi Harmara--Wrecked and 
     pillaged.
       42. Saint Theodore, Langa--Wrecked and pillaged.
       43. Saint Elpida, Kumigapi--Wrecked and pillaged.
       44. Saint Kiriaki, Kumigapi--Wrecked and pillaged.
       45. Saint Nicolas, Topkapu--Wrecked and pillaged.
       46. Saint Georges, Edirnekapu--Wrecked and pillaged.
       47. Dormition of the Virgin, Edirnekapu--Wrecked and 
     pillaged.
       48. Another Dormition of the Virgin, Edirnekapu--Wrecked 
     and pillaged.
       49. Taxiarchon, Balat--Wrecked and pillaged.
       50. Panaghia tis Soudas, Egrikapu--Wrecked and pillaged.
       51. Dormition of the Virgin, Blacherne, Ayvansqray--Wrecked 
     and pillaged.
       52. Saint Dimitri, Xiloportis--Damaged.
       53. Dormition of the Virgin, Valinu--Damaged.
       54. Saint Jean Prodrome, Valinu, monastery--Wrecked.
       55. Saint Georges Potira--Wrecked.
       56. Vierge Houchliotisoa, Phanar--Wrecked and pillaged.
       57. Saint Nicolas, Cibali--Wrecked and pillaged.
       58. Saint Haralambos, Chapel, Cibali--Wrecked and pillaged.
       59. Dormition of the Virgin, Vefa--Wrecked and pillaged.
       60. Saint Paraskevi, Haskoy--Wrecked and pillaged.
       61. Aghici Therapon--Damaged.
       In addition to the above religious establishments the 
     following properties belonging to the Monastery of St. Sinai, 
     said to contain irreplaceable objects of art of Byzantine 
     origin and religious relics of great value, apparently, also 
     suffered serious destruction and pillage:
       1. Monastery of St. Georges ti Krimnou, Heybeli Ada.
       2. Monastery of St. Georges, Fener.
       3. Monastery of St. Georges, Tenikoy.
       Reports show that the dependencies of the religious 
     edifices hit were also not spared and that very serious 
     damage was inflicted on presbyteries and well-appointed 
     community meeting quarters, libraries, dispensaries attached 
     to these establishments.
       Among the Greek churches heavily attacked also figures the 
     church of the Greek Catholic Uniate at Hamal Basi, Bayoglu. 
     Report has it that the presbytery of the said church and the 
     congregational school attached thereto were also severely 
     damaged. As a matter of fact three other Catholic churches 
     having no connection whatever with the Greek community, are 
     reported to have also suffered serious damage during the 
     rioting.
       Reports on hand indicate that the rioting crowd hit with 
     particular frenzy at two important Greek Orthodox community 
     centers; the central cemetery at Sisli and the cemetery of 
     the Patriarchs at Balikil. The former sustained particularly 
     extensive destruction. Crosses and statues were knocked down, 
     sepulchers and vaults opened and the remains of the dead 
     removed and dispersed. At Balikli, the sarcophaguses of the 
     Greek Orthodox Patriarchs were desecrated.
       As for the Greek Orthodox clergy itself, considering the 
     scale and severity of the acts of violence recorded, it 
     appears that only a relatively few were exposed to the fury 
     of rioters. According to information given by the 
     Patriarchate only one aged Orthodox priest, monk Chrysanthos 
     of Balikli, is believed to have been killed during the 
     rioting. Since his body has not been recovered he is listed 
     as missing. It is supposed that he perished during the 
     burning of his church. The principal dignitaries of the 
     Orthodox church who were maltreated during the disturbances 
     and made to suffer indignities are reported to be the 
     following:
       The Metropolitan of New Cesarea, Weaudor.
       The Metropolitan of Troy, Bogacikey.
       The Metropolitan of Derkos, Therapia.
       The Metropolitan of Chalchida, Kadikoy.
       Bishop Panphilion, Balikli.
       Bishop Ilioupolios, Arnarutkoy.
       The Archdeacon of the Patriarchate, Yenikoy.
       Extensive damage also seems to have been suffered by the 
     educational establishments of the Greek community. At least 
     36 of the 48 schools of the community are reported to have 
     been more or less seriously damaged. The principal victims 
     are the Zappeion Girls' College at Taksim and the Megali 
     Scholi Boys' College of Phanar, both princes of the 
     community, the Theological School at Heybeli, and the high 
     schools at Haskoy, Edirne Kapu, Bakirkoy, Gelata, Taksim and 
     Arnavutkoy. The elaborate dispensary of the Takrim High 
     School and several public soup kitchens operated in 
     conjunction with these educational institutions were also 
     demolished. A list of the schools hit by the rioters is given 
     below:
       1. The Greek Catholic School at Hamal Basi.
       2. The Zappeion Girls' College, Taksim.
       3. The Megali Scholi Boys College, Phanar.
       4. The School of Haskoy.
       5. The School of Evanghelistria.
       6. The School of Gelata.
       7. The School of Ortakoy.
       8. The School of St. Constaintin, Beyoglu.
       9. The School of Bakirkoy.
       10. The School of Boyacikoy.
       11. The School of Kurtulus.
       12. The School of Yenikoy.
       13. The School of Ferikoy.
       14. The Theological School of Heybeli Ada.
       15. The School at Nane Street.
       16. The School of Aynali Cesme.
       17. The School of Arnavutkoy.
       18. The School of Aghia Triada, Taksim.
       19. The School of Bebsk.
       20. The School of Besiktas.
       21. The School of Kandilli.
       22. The School of Cengelkby.
       23. The School of Kuzgunouk.
       24. The School of Uskudar (Teni Mahole).
       25. The School of Xakikoy (Yeldegirmen).
       26. The School of Cafer Aga.
       27. The School of Balat.
       28. The School of Lonca.
       29. The School of Edirne Kapu.
       30. The School of Samatya.
       31. The School of Longa.
       32. The School of Buyakdere.
       33. The School of Tarabya.
       34. The School of Buyuk Ada.
       35. The School of Ioakimeion Parthenagogheion.
       36. The School of Kentrikon Parthenagogheion.
       Efforts are now being made to immediately repair some of 
     the damage to make possible opening of these schools by the 
     end of this month. To that effect a preliminary aid of TL 
     110,000 has been allocated to the Community by the Turkish 
     authorities. Special appropriations are also expected for the 
     repair of damaged religious institutions and cemeteries 
     since, neither the community itself nor the Patriarchate is 
     in a position to provide adequate funds for the purpose. As 
     the allocation of such funds will require legislative action, 
     an emergency relief of TL 200,000 is announced for urgent 
     repair work.
       Though not specifically community property, it might be 
     appropriate to consider in the present report also the damage 
     sustained by the Greek language press of Istanbul. All three 
     principal dailies, the APOYEVMATINI, the TACHYDROMOS and the 
     EMBROS suffered heavy losses. The first two had both their 
     offices and printing establishments completely wrecked. In 
     the case of the EMBROS only its offices were destroyed since 
     it had no printing press of its own. The APOYEVMATINI 
     (circulation 10,000), the most heavily hit, managed to resume 
     publication two weeks after the rioting. Its losses alone are 
     estimated at half a million lirae. The TACHYDROMOS 
     (circulation 5,000) has as yet not been able to recuperate 
     from the blow but is scheduled to appear in the near future. 
     The EMBROS (circulation 7,000) reappeared a few days after 
     the disturbances. The weekly OKROIDS (circulation 5,000) 
     managed to continue publication without interruption though 
     its offices were also heavily wrecked. Like the EMBROS it has 
     no printing press of its own.
       As pointed out in the opening paragraphs of this report a 
     monetary assessment of the damage caused to Greek Community 
     property in the course of the September 6 riot 

[[Page S 11793]]
     has as yet not been attempted. Very general estimates on the part of 
     community and church leaders would indicate that it goes into 
     millions of Turkish liras. The Department will be informed as 
     soon as a substantive estimate is available.
       For the Counsul General.
                                                       Betty Carp,
                                                Assistant Attache.
                    Appendix C: Deaths in 1955 Riots

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       Manner of death/ 
        Name             Age             Place            source \1\    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Priest]                      90  Baloukli..........  Doused with       
 Chrysanthos Mantas.                                   gasoline and     
                                                       burned to death. 
[Bishop] Gerasimos   ...........  Baloukli..........  Tortured, beaten, 
 of Pamphilus.                                         comotose died.   
[Bishop] Gennadios            80  Yenikoy...........  Beaten, died of   
 Arabatzoglou..                                        injuries.        
[Priest] Name        ...........  Edirenkapi........   Disappeared.     
 unknown.                                                               
[Priest] Name        ...........  Chalke............  Found dead.       
 unknown.                                                               
[Church caretaker]   ...........  Pasa Bahci........  Was killed inside 
 Erpapazoglou.                                         church which was 
                                                       dynamited.       
[Caretaker] Name     ...........  Anadoluhisar......  Was killed at     
 unknown.                                              shrine there:    
                                                       Cumhuriyet,      
                                                       7.IX.55.         
Abraham Anavas.....           65  ``Moton'' Store...  Was killed in     
                                                       store:           
                                                       Cumhuriyet,      
                                                       8.IX.55.         
Olga Kimiades......           77    ................  Beaten, died of   
                                                       heart attack:    
                                                       Huriyet, 8.IX.55.
Thanassis            ...........  Hatzopoulos         Was killed at his 
 Misiroglou.                       Passage.            store:           
                                                       Cumhuriyet,      
                                                       8.IX.55.         
Hebe Giolma........           16  Stegi Ergazomenon.  Was abducted,     
                                                       raped, killed.   
Name unknown.......  ...........  Yeni Cami area....  Person described  
                                                       as               
                                                       ``disrespectful  
                                                       Greek'' by       
                                                       Turkish newspaper
                                                       was lynched by   
                                                       mob: Milliyet,   
                                                       8.IX.55.         
Isaak Uludag.......  ...........  Besiktas..........  Died at the school
                                                       in which he was a
                                                       caretaker in the 
                                                       fire set by the  
                                                       mob: Cumhuriyet, 
                                                       8.IX.55. NB:     
                                                       Uludag was one of
                                                       those who had    
                                                       changed his Greek
                                                       name.            
Theopoula            ...........  Uskudar...........  Raped, killed:    
 Papadopoulou.                                         Speech by MP     
                                                       Alexandros       
                                                       Hatzopoulos in   
                                                       Turkish          
                                                       parliament,      
                                                       12.IX.55.        
Giannis Balkis.....  ...........  Bakirkoy..........  Found dead in     
                                                       Street: ibid.    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Other than the specific sources cited the following accounts include
  information on deaths: Noel Barber's reports in the Daily Mail        
  (London), the speech of Turkish MP Alexadnros Hatzopoulos in          
  parliament and the report by US Senator Homer Capehart to Secretary of
  State Dulles.                                                         

  

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