TODAY IS 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN-GREEK POGROMS IN ISTANBUL
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6. ARMINFO. 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.