[MGSA-L] Events of September 6-7, 1955

[Kosta Dalageorgas]

In remembrance of the events of September 6-7, 1955, here in Istanbul, here is a video on YouTube describing the events:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhpvNmQuB04 

For those doing research or interested in the Ottoman Empire, there is an excellent podcast created by Georgetown University graduate students.  Their website can be found here: http://www.ottomanhistorypodcast.com/ 
You can also download their podcasts on iTunes.

This is what they posted on their Facebook page in regards to the events of September 6-7:
This image shows the aftermath of the September 6-7 Istanbul riots in 1955 (6-7 Eylül Olayları). The Turkish Historical Association (Turk Tarihi Kurumu or TTK) acquired photographs of the events from the military prosecutor at the time who instructed that they be released 25 years after his death as a lesson to future generations. In 2005, the images were displayed in an exhibit, which was attacked and defaced by a group of ultranationalists. 

For a full collection of images such as this one, see:https://picasaweb.google.com/112756778055196275739/67EylulOlaylar02#

These riots were coordinated alongside a staged bombing of the Turkish consulate in Thessaloniki by the Menderes government and were designed to intimidate the local Greek population in Istanbul within the context of the Cyprus issue. While the riots mainly targeted the property of Greeks and Christians, at least a dozen were killed and many more men and women were injured and raped during the events. 

Initially, Turkey's British and American Cold War allies absolved the Menderes administration of guilt despite some indications of direct involvement. However, when Menderes and his cabinet were subjected to a mock trial before a military court for violating the constitution following the military coup in 1960 (after which Menderes and two others were executed), some details of the conspiracy came to light. 

The riots are cited for accelerating Greek emigration from Turkey during subsequent decades. From approximately 80,000 before the escalation of the Cyprus issue, the Greek population of Istanbul shrank to half of that by the mid-1960s and today is just a few thousand. 


Also, the Ottoman History Podcast did an episode on Karamanli Culture in the Ottoman Empire.  You can listen to the episode here: 
http://www.ottomanhistorypodcast.com/2012/08/karamanli-culture-in-ottoman-empire.html

I hope everyone has a good weekend. 

Kosta Dalageorgas
https://twitter.com/kdalageorgas 
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