September's Pivotal Three Days

In the heart of Turkey, September 6 and 7, 1955, marked a tragic turning point in the nation's history. The centuries-old tradition of coexistence was wounded during the riots that ensued, leaving deep scars that continue to simmer to this day.

Petros Markaris, a young seventeen-year-old at the time, lived on the island of Heybeliada, spared from the riots that ravaged Istanbul. His Turkish classmates, however, remained silent about the pogroms once school resumed.

The events that unfolded were a culmination of deep-seated mistrust between Greeks and Turks, fear of Armenians due to the genocide of 1915, the "Cyprus conflict", violent nationalist outbursts, the poisonous role of the churches, economic problems, and political intrigues. The "Asia Minor Catastrophe" of 1922, a devastating defeat for the Greeks, also played a significant role in the tension.

The riots began on a Monday, September 5, 1955, and ended on Thursday, September 8, 1955. Thousands of Greeks fled Istanbul, reducing the community from 90,000 to 5,000 within a few years. The island of Heybeliada, once home to a mix of middle-class holidaymakers, Greeks, Armenians, and Jews, saw a dramatic decrease in its diversity.

In Istanbul, martial law was declared, tanks rolled out, and the city resembled a battlefield. The remnants of looted items were found on Istiklal Street in Beyoğlu, including battered refrigerators, radios, and washing machines. Half of the shops on the central shopping street in Beyoğlu were destroyed after the riots.

The Turkish government accused the Greek government of involvement, which vehemently denied any role. The events were also used by militaristic nationalists in Turkey for their agitation, leading to the attack and looting of 3000 houses, 5000 shops, and 60 schools of the Greek, Armenian, and Jewish minorities.

The responsible Turkish Prime Minister during the riots, Adnan Menderes, still enjoys "very high esteem" in Turkey and has streets, an airport, a university, and a monumental mausoleum named after him. This stark contrast between the past and the present raises questions about the nation's collective memory and the lessons learned from its history.

Orhan Pamuk, the Turkish writer and Nobel laureate, describes the morning after the riots as a time when non-Muslims were in danger of being lynched. The author, Markaris, depicts this dark chapter in his 90-page story "Drei Tage", published in the collection "The Death of Odysseus" (2016).

A young teacher who taught Turkish literature whispered to Markaris that she was ashamed. The newspaper vendors shouted headlines of tabloids on the afternoon of the riots, fuelling the tension and hate.

The night of September 6 saw an explosive device thrown into the garden of Atatürk's birthplace in Thessaloniki, adding more fuel to the fire. The Turkish commissioner in Istanbul warned that there would be trouble.

The rule of the provinces began in Turkey, according to Can Dündar. The nouveau riche from Anatolia took over apartments and shops at ridiculous prices, marking a significant shift in the country's social fabric.

Tensions continue to simmer between Turkey and Greece, and the causes of hatred and further skirmishes have not been eliminated to this day. The 1955 Istanbul pogroms serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of peace and the importance of understanding and respect in a multicultural society.