Smyrna Centennial Commemoration organized at Illinois Holocaust Museum
.jpg)
The Smyrna Centennial Remembrance Conference 1922-2022 was held in person at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie and via Zoom online on September 18. The Illinois Holocaust Museum and the Asia Minor and Pontos Hellenic Research Center (AMPHRC) offered an afternoon of discussion and presentations by renowned scholars and educators as they addressed one of the most tragic and major events in modern Greek history.
Titled The Great Fire of Smyrna, the Genocide of Greeks in Asia Minor 100th Anniversary Commemoration, the event featured insights from the distinguished speakers as well as testimony from eyewitnesses in a video clip from the AMPHRC-produced documentary film Lethal Nationalism and in statements read by descendants of survivors of the Catastrophe.
The speakers included: George Shirinian, author and Executive Director of the Zoryan Institute; Dr. Constantine Hatzidimitriou, Adjunct Assistant Professor at St. John’s University and City University of New York; Dr. Paul Bartrop, Emeritus Professor, Florida Gulf Coast University; and Kelley Szany, Senior Vice President of Education and Exhibitions, Illinois Holocaust Museum and Co-Chair, Illinois Holocaust & Genocide Commission.
In his presentation, Shirinian highlighted the history of cosmopolitan Smyrna before the Catastrophe, the prosperity, diversity, and tolerance that made it a “jewel” and so different from other cities, but also a target for the extreme Turkish nationalists. He noted that we must “never forget this trauma to the Greek and Armenian people.”
Dr. Hatzidimitriou spoke movingly as his mother and family survived the burning of Smyrna in 1922, the “monumental tragedy” and how a century later, the Turkish leaders continue to deny the Genocide and blame the victims. He also noted the evidence of a U.S. cover-up, what he referred to as “Smyrna-gate,” as trade interests led some officials to minimize the seriousness of the situation in reports. Meanwhile, others, such as George Horton and Asa Jennings, took it upon themselves to help save lives.
Dr. Bartrop from Australia mentioned how thousands of Australians were lining up 100 years ago this week at recruiting offices to fight against Turkey after hearing the reports of what was happening in Smyrna. He spoke about the Allies and Greece after World War I and the circumstances that led to the burning of Smyrna.
Szany noted that this commemoration is “one way to keep the history alive 100 years after the atrocities were committed” and “our duty is to reflect on lessons learned.”
It is “not enough to curse the darkness… [we must] illuminate the future… affirm our responsibility to humanity, to teach others and be custodians of this memory we share… pledge others to Never Forget,” she said.
Broadcast journalist and media executive John E. Davis, member of the Board of Directors for the Illinois Holocaust Museum and member of the Executive Board of the AMPHRC, served as Master of Ceremonies for the event, noting the need to “take a stand for humanity” and raise awareness of the Genocide of the Greeks of Asia Minor to prevent further atrocities. “The Museum stands with the Greek community,” he said, to “light the torch of truth to the world.”
His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago, in his remarks, mentioned that his family came from Asia Minor, was forced to flee their home, and took the first boat they could to find refuge in Greece. He said: “Today… is one of the rare occasions when there are no words to express what’s in our hearts, when we are most authentic when we simply stand in silence before a mystery that is beyond our comprehension, beyond our capacity to process, beyond words… Our words fail to capture the depth and horror of this event and yet we absolutely must speak about it, we absolutely must study the historical sources, the personal accounts and the concrete facts with scholarly integrity in order to never forget and never allow falsehoods to further desecrate the dignity of those who suffered. In other words, we are called to be silent and we are called to speak the truth today, 100 years after the Great Fire was perpetrated.”
Among those present, Consul General of Greece in Chicago Manos Koubarakis gave a brief history of the Catastrophe, noting that the 1.5 million refugees who sought to rebuild their lives in Greece propelled the economy forward in the interwar period, contributing in various ways, economically, socially, and culturally, to the country. He noted one of the lessons is that Hellenism must act in solidarity and unity.
Davis also mentioned the Tokei Maru, a Japanese merchant vessel, whose captain ordered his crew to dump valuable cargo so that they could rescue people from the Catastrophe, saving over 800 lives. He applauded the Japanese government and people, inviting a representative of the Consulate General of Japan in Chicago who thanked the Greek people for remembering the heroic humanitarian effort of the Japanese captain and crew.
The Republic of Armenia’s Honorary Consul in Chicago Oscar S. Tatosian was also present and in his remarks noted the visit of U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to Armenia and the current ceasefire with Azerbaijan.
For thousands of years, Smyrna was the wealthiest of cities located today on Turkey’s Aegean coast, an elegant, cosmopolitan city where Greeks, Armenians, Turks, Jews, and others lived and worked together – a city known for religious tolerance.
The Great Fire of Smyrna (Smyrna Catastrophe) started on September 13, 1922, after the Turkish armed forces entered Smyrna, a deliberate act by the Turkish government to destroy or expel the Greeks and any other Christian population. The entire Greek and Armenian quarters of the city were destroyed, forcing the population to flee and seek shelter in Greece and elsewhere. Historians believe that the number of victims was in the tens of thousands, while the number of refugees was over a million. Thousands of Greek and Armenian men were subsequently deported into the interior of Anatolia, where many died in harsh and brutal conditions. After the Smyrna Catastrophe the Hellenic city founded over 3,000 years before, a jewel of the Eastern Mediterranean, ceased to have a Hellenic community.
Partner organizations for the event include The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago, National Hellenic Museum, University of Chicago Center for Hellenic Studies, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki – Pontic Studies, Hellenic American Leadership Council, Armenian National Committee of Illinois, Assyrian American Civic Club of Chicago, ENOSIS – The Federation of Hellenic American Organizations of Illinois, Hellenic American Women’s Council, Hellenic Link Midwest, PanPontian Federation of USA and Canada, Pontian Greek Society of Chicago, Pontian Youth Association of USA and Canada, and UCLA SNF Hellenic Center.
More information about the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center is available online: https://www.ilholocaustmuseum.org/.
Learn more about AMPHRC online: https://hellenicresearchcenter.org.
Read more at thenationalherald.com
RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: Gidonb
- 1) ‘Friends of the Kastro of Siphnos’ host gathering in Greek capital of Athens
- 2) Hellenic Parliament displays slogan 'We remember' for Holocaust victims
- 3) Monica Bellucci at Greek Consulate in New York to promote "Maria Callas" movie
- 4) INSIDE-A six-hour visual meditation event in the Athens Concert Hall
02/02 23:16
Geneva court: Fifteen antiquities on their way back to Greece from Switzerland
02/02 23:11
Public Health Organization says fall in Covid infections in weekly report
02/02 22:54
National Observatory: January 2023 one of the warmest on record in Greece
02/02 22:41
Greece-India relations promoted with visit of State Minister to Athens
02/02 22:25
Media report: The old Hilton in Athens will transform into new hotel Conrad
02/02 21:47
Hoteliers' Association of Athens and Attica: 2022 occupancy high, but lower than 2019
02/02 20:35
Smart Attica Digital Innovation Hub for Greece launched at Demokritos center
02/02 19:00
Berlin minister: Greece is ahead of Germany in digitization of public services
02/02 17:06
Greece rises nine places on the Economist’s Democracy Index for 2022
02/02 07:19
EFSF greenlights eighth reduction of step-up interest margin for Greece
01/02 23:24
National Archaeological Museum will host 125,000 ancient treasures in Athens
01/02 19:14
Cyprus and Greece sign deal on mutual academic recognition of university degrees
01/02 18:34
IOBE report: Greek economic sentiment index rose to 104.9 points in January
01/02 18:04
Greece and Japan ink MoC on improving business networking and investments
01/02 17:11
Eurostat report: Greek inflation rate to slow down to 7.2% in January
01/02 15:46
Greek Foreign Minister received United Arab Emirates Ambassador in Athens
01/02 14:20
01/02 10:59
Greece reaches target of slashing road fatalities by over 50% in 2020
01/02 09:31
One bid for long-term lease of Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Center property
31/01 23:07
Historic First Synaxis of Orthodox Hierarchs of Ecumenical Patriarchate in USA
31/01 19:13
‘Friends of the Kastro of Siphnos’ host gathering in Greek capital of Athens
31/01 19:10
Bank of Greece: Demand for loans by Greek enterprises to increase in Q1
31/01 18:45
Greece wins "Best Tourism Destination for 2023" title at Grand Travel Awards
31/01 18:17
UNWTO announces winning start-ups for global "Awake Tourism Challenge"
31/01 16:55
Extra four flights from Belgrade to Greek tourism destinations this year
31/01 15:59
Foreign Minister: Greece and Israel forged enduring partnership at strategic level
31/01 15:55
Revenue from tourism at €2.4 billion in Cyprus for Jan-Nov 2022
31/01 14:22
Prime Minister: Greece is now an attractive destination for foreign investments
31/01 13:04
Athens taxi drivers stage downtown protest over ‘pauperization cocktail’
31/01 12:50
Electricity subsidy set at 40 euros per MWh for Greek households in February
31/01 00:11
Booking.com: Greek region of Epirus among most welcoming places on earth
30/01 22:22
Credit ratings agency Fitch upgrades credit rating of three systemic Greek banks
30/01 19:11
Greek Foreign Affairs Minister to visit officially Israel on Tuesday
30/01 18:26
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises to get plenty of funding in Greece
30/01 17:15
Traditional Greek handicrafts get their own museum in the center of Athens
30/01 16:21
Greek PM and Japanese counterpart sign Joint Statement of Strategic Cooperation
30/01 11:39
Four Greek ports get European Union financing for infrastructure upgrades
30/01 11:27
29/01 00:33
Israeli Ambassador at Economist event: Greece-Israel relations at their highest point
29/01 00:00
Ambassador to Athens: Even more United States investments coming to Greece
28/01 14:14
Finance Minister at Economist event: Greece has turned a page
28/01 14:11
Private sector deposits up by 5 billion euros in Greece during December
28/01 14:06
Ambassador to Athens: Greek and American interests are identical
28/01 13:59
Fitch upgrades Greece's credit to BB+ a mere one step below investment grade
28/01 09:03
27/01 15:09
Minister: Crete plays a key role in Greece's new and active foreign policy
27/01 14:48
Greek Tourism Minister: In 2023, direct flights from the USA will bring over €1 billion
27/01 13:01
SNF support assists students put affordable housing theory into practice
27/01 10:57
Hellenic Parliament displays slogan 'We remember' for Holocaust victims
27/01 09:03
EU Commission calls on six member states to apply nvironmental directives
26/01 21:58
26/01 21:53
Finance Minister presents six priorities of Greek economy to ESM's new head
26/01 21:47
Monica Bellucci at Greek Consulate in New York to promote "Maria Callas" movie
26/01 19:23
New European Union rules for drone traffic management come into effect on Thursday
26/01 18:43
Supreme Court hears arguments between funds and defaulted borrowers in Greece
26/01 18:12
Drop in coronavirus and flu infections agency records in weekly report
26/01 12:33
Stormy weather warning sent to residents of Attica region via 112 phone line
26/01 09:27
Flights extended from Saudi Arabia and Bahrain to Mykonos and Santorini islands
26/01 08:38
Athens to host two European football finals over the coming 16 months
26/01 07:16
All 22 flights to and from Cyprus to be affected by Thursday's island-wide strike
26/01 03:19
Media report: Hamptons to bring New York-style luxury to Northern Greece
26/01 03:12
Greece to transform "green" commercial shipping fleet with new fund
26/01 03:01
AIRDNA: Average price of Airbnb in Greece at €193 in 2022 up by 35% from 2019
25/01 20:50
1.7 million pensioners to see 7.75% pension rise in Greece this month
25/01 19:46
IATA welcomes restoration of ‘Class A’ ATC services over Somalia airspace
25/01 19:34
Greek FM: MoU with Mozambique opens communication between the two countries
25/01 17:53
UNWTO and partners advance shared accessibility agenda for tourism industry
25/01 17:16
Dangerous weather warning sent to residents of Greece's Achaia via 112 phone line
25/01 16:07
Quake near Greek island of Rhodes had a magnitude of 5.9 Richter
25/01 13:57
INSIDE-A six-hour visual meditation event in the Athens Concert Hall
24/01 21:30
Passenger traffic in summer 2022 rises 4% from 2019 at 24 Greek airports
24/01 21:04
Greek Foreign MInister concludes Johannesburg visit before heading to Mozambique
24/01 19:37
Mexico's Yucatán State joins global Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories
24/01 18:44
24/01 18:00
Deal for the operation of the WHO Office in Cyprus to be inked on Friday
24/01 17:13
Finance Minister: Greek government secured rise in households' income
24/01 17:08
First credits on market pass cards handed out in Greece by March 3
24/01 16:56
24/01 15:46
Media report: Pistachios from Greek Island of Aegina are top in the world
24/01 11:23
Irish writer claims tourism and development may be the end of Corfu island
23/01 23:32
Report: Athens’ Lycabettus Hill offers stunning views of Acropolis, Saronic Gulf
23/01 22:56
IATA: Aviation welcomes pause on roll-out of new border system for EU
23/01 19:48
Shipping Minister hails Royal Caribbean’s plans to open office in Cyprus
23/01 19:29
Culture Minister: Deal on Parthenon Marbles' return 'difficult, but not impossible'
23/01 16:28
Bank of Greece: Travel receipts soar by 68.5% during January - November 2022
23/01 15:44
Greek Prime Minister: Greece's image abroad is now very positive
23/01 14:23
23/01 14:00
E-car subsidy program underway in Greece with 10,500 filed applications
23/01 12:40
Solar power capacity projected to increase further in Greece during 2023
22/01 14:07
Greek soprano featured in tribute to legendary Maria Callas in Athens
22/01 13:08
Greek Prime Minister in Davos: We will not go to war with Turkey (video)
22/01 10:07
Greek Minister briefs 27 ambassadors on effective protection of EU's borders
22/01 09:01
7.75% hike will start being paid out with February's pension checks in Greece
21/01 23:23
UNWTO at FITUR 2023: Investing in a diverse, sustainable future for tourism sector
21/01 22:10
Significant reduction in power bills coming in Greece during February
21/01 17:06
Prime Minister: Greece will receive investment grade right after elections
21/01 15:02
New York Consulate General of Greece honors the victims of the Jewish Holocaust
21/01 13:58
Northern Greek city of Kastoria presents new all-seasons tourism promotion logo
21/01 11:50
Municipal construction workers announce strikes from January 23 - February 13
20/01 13:04
United States Secreatry of State Blinken likely to visit Athens on February 21
Berlin minister: Greece is ahead of Germany in digitization of public services
Geneva court: Fifteen antiquities on their way back to Greece from Switzerland
Greece-India relations promoted with visit of State Minister to Athens
Hoteliers' Association of Athens and Attica: 2022 occupancy high, but lower than 2019
Greece rises nine places on the Economist’s Democracy Index for 2022
Public Health Organization says fall in Covid infections in weekly report
Smart Attica Digital Innovation Hub for Greece launched at Demokritos center
National Observatory: January 2023 one of the warmest on record in Greece
Media report: The old Hilton in Athens will transform into new hotel Conrad
EFSF greenlights eighth reduction of step-up interest margin for Greece
Cyprus and Greece sign deal on mutual academic recognition of university degrees
UNWTO and partners advance shared accessibility agenda for tourism industry
Greek Foreign Minister received United Arab Emirates Ambassador in Athens
Eurostat report: Greek inflation rate to slow down to 7.2% in January
Deputy FM conveys best wishes for New Year to Greeks of Diaspora
Greece wins "Best Tourism Destination for 2023" title at Grand Travel Awards
Greek government lists items for 'shopping basket' with zero or low price hikes
Ai Stratis to become the first completely green island in Greece
National Archaeological Museum will host 125,000 ancient treasures in Athens
Electricity subsidy set at 40 euros per MWh for Greek households in February
Four Greek ports get European Union financing for infrastructure upgrades
Fitch upgrades Greece's credit to BB+ a mere one step below investment grade
Finance Minister at Economist event: Greece has turned a page
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises to get plenty of funding in Greece