1648 - Macedonia is Greece

May 19th: National Memorial Day of the Genocide of the Greeks of Pontos

Around 1.5 million Greeks were killed, 353.000 alone in Pontos (Northern Turkey today)

Pontian and Anatolian Greeks were victims of a broader Turkish genocidal project aimed at all Christian minorities in the Ottoman Empire. A total of more than 3.5 million Greeks, Armenians, and Assyrians were killed under the successive regimes of the Young Turks and of Mustafa Kemal from roughly 1914 to 1923. Of this, as many as 1.5 million Greeks may have died. The end of the genocide marked a profound rupture in the long Greek historical presence on the Asia Minor.

Greek communities began inhabiting Anatolia (Greek for “east”), otherwise referred to as the Asia Minor, since the 12th century BCE. They centered mostly along the Aegean littoral, although some Greeks, known as Pontians, went further east and colonized the southern shores of the Black Sea. Turkic peoples migrated into Anatolia over the first millennium CE and by the 14th century had established the Ottoman Empire. Over the next six hundred years, the Empire organized its ethnically diverse population into the millet system, thereby ensuring cultural and religious pluralism. Under this system, the Ottoman Greeks, like other Christian communities in the Empire, were provided with a degree of autonomy.

The geographic extent and political power of the Ottoman Empire began to decline over the 19th century as subjected peoples, especially the Greeks, began exerting their own nationalist aspirations. With the support of the Great Powers, the Greeks successfully overthrew Ottoman rule during their War of Independence from 1821 to 1830, thereby establishing the modern Greek state as it is currently situated at the tip of the Balkan Peninsula. However, the over two and a half million ethnic Greeks still living in Anatolia, separated from their Balkan compatriots, suffered the scorn of an increasingly vitriolic Turkish nationalism tainted by a bitter sense of humiliation. The Young Turk movement emerged from this context, eventually aiming to turn the multiethnic Ottoman Empire into a homogenous Turkish nation state. Under the banner of the Committee for the Union of Progress (CUP), this ethnic nationalist movement assumed power after a coup d’état in 1913.

This political revolution occurred in the midst of the Balkan Wars from October 1912 to July 1913, which ultimately ended five centuries of Ottoman rule in the Balkans. Afterwards, there was a brief diplomatic effort between the Greeks and the CUP to arrange a population exchange. However, the outbreak of World War I stunted this effort, and instead the CUP took its own radical initiatives. They began singling out all able-bodied Greek men, forcibly conscripting them into labor battalions which performed slave labor for the Turkish war effort. Greek children were stolen and forcibly assimilated into Turkish society. Greek villages were brutally plundered and terrorized under the pretext of internal security. Indeed, as with the Armenians, the Greeks were generally accused as a disloyal and traitorous “fifth-column,” and eventually most of the population was rounded up and forcibly deported to the interior. This modus operadi was more or less the same for all three Christian victim groups.

Again with support of the Great Powers, Greece invaded part of Anatolia immediately after the defeat of the Ottomans in World War I. Centered around the Aegean port city of Smyrna (now known by its Turkish name, Izmir), Greek occupation forces brutally subjected local Turks, thereby further stoking interethnic conflagrations. At the same time, Mustafa Kemal Pasha was leading a Turkish resurgence, eventually dispelling the Greek military from Anatolia. Turkish forces retook Smyrna in September 1922, instigating a massive anti-Greek pogrom. On September 13, a fire broke out amidst the chaos, spreading uncontrollably over the next two weeks. The Smyrna catastrophe took the lives of somewhere between 10,000 to 15,000 Greeks. Two months later, diplomatic negotiations between the Kemalist regime and the Great Powers began in Switzerland, leading to the signing of the Treat of Lausanne in February 1923. The sovereign status of a Turkish nation state was thereby affirmed, and the Great Powers essentially condoned the Turkish genocidal project.

The demographic consequences of the Greek genocide are not objectively certain. The prewar population of Greeks was at least 2.5 million. Over the course of 1914 to 1923, about one million had migrated, some voluntarily but most under coercion. As many as 1.5 million Greeks died, either from massacre or exposure, although this figure is not positive. Presently, a miniscule Greek population remains in Turkey. Greek communities annually commemorate the genocide on September 14 in recognition of the Smyrna catastrophe.

Amis bienvenue au musee du Louvre

Amis bienvenue au musee du Louvre.

L’un des musée le plus important du monde, il accueille de nombreuses trouvailles de nombreux pays. Dans un bâtiment imposant que le visiteur devrais visiter deux food pour en profiter. Les trois œuvres les plus important » Mona Lisa, la victoire de Samothrace et Aphrodite de Milos. Deux de ces trois œuvres sont grecs. Mais en l’entrée du musée malheureusement on ne vois pas le bienvenue en grecque. Parmi beaucoup d’autres langues qui sont déjá en place. Les fonctionaires m’on did que la Gréce n’a pas de sponsors. J’ai repondu que les sponsors de la Gréce sont ces merveilleuses decouvertes qui sont ici. Amis de l’art et de l’istoire, Cher’s visiteurs du musée du Louvre je vous souhaite le bienvenue en grecque. En signe de respect pour l’art et l’istoire puisque les fonctionaires du musée ne le font pas.

Alors Ami’s et visiteurs Kalos Irthate- bienvenue. Kalos Irthate bienvenue au musée du Louvre qui accueille des trouvailles de nombreux pays. Loin de leurs pays origine pour que les visiteurs puissent profiter. Kalos Irthate a Paris dans la ville de lumiére en France, dans le pays de la régénération et l’énérgence de la civilization.

Kalos Irthate, bienvenue

Despina Dimotsi

(a été envoyé aux journaux – Le figaro et Le Parisien)

Φίλοι, καλώς ήρθατε στο μουσείο του Λούβρου

Ένα από τα σημαντικότερα μουσεία παγκοσμίως. Φιλοξενεί πολλά ευρήματα από πολλές χώρες σε ένα επιβλητικό κτίριο που ο επισκέπτης πρέπει να επισκεφθεί τουλάχιστον δύο φορές για να το απολαύσει. Τα τρία σημαντικότερα έργα; Η Μόνα Λίζα , η νίκη της Σαμοθράκης και η Αφροδίτη της Μήλου! Τα δύο από τα τρία αυτά έργα, είναι Ελληνικά. Στην είσοδο όμως του μουσείο δεν αντικρύζουμε, δυστυχώς, το καλώς ήρθατε στην Ελληνική γλώσσα ανάμεσα σε πολλές άλλες γλώσσες που ήδη υπάρχουν. Δεν έχει χορηγούς η Ελλάδα, μου είπαν οι υπεύθυνοι – οι χορηγοί της Ελλάδας είναι τα πανέμορφα ευρήματα που βρίσκονται εδώ, απάντησα εγώ!

Φίλοι της τέχνης, φίλοι της ιστορίας αγαπητοί επισκέπτες του μουσείου του Λούβρου, θα σας καλωσορίσω στα Ελληνικά, σαν ένδειξη σεβασμού ως προς την τέχνη και στην ιστορία, αφού οι υπεύθυνοι του μουσείου δεν το κάνουν.

Φίλοι και επισκέπτες, λοιπόν, ΚΑΛΩΣ ΗΡΘΑΤΕ!!!!! ΚΑΛΩΣ ΗΡΘΑΤΕ στο μουσείο του Λούβρου που φιλοξενεί ευρήματα πολλών χωρών μακρυά από την χώρα προέλευσης τους, ώστε να τα απολαμβάνουν οι επισκέπτες. ΚΑΛΩΣ ΗΡΘΑΤΕ στο Παρίσι – στην πόλη του φωτός, στην Γαλλία – στην χώρα της Αναγγένησης και της ανάδειξης του πολιτισμού. ΚΑΛΩΣ ΗΡΘΑΤΕ!

ΔΕΣΠΟΙΝΑ ΔΗΜΟΤΣΗ

A Proposal for Fixing the Mess In Hellas Irreversibly

Dear Hellenes, Peter Vangelatos asked me to offer my proposal and I have obliged as follows: For the record, I am NOT a politician either but I CHOOSE to have and informed opinion on what matters to my motherland Hellas and express it here as often as I think it is required and as time permits :-)! I will document my position as follows: S - Strengths: Hellas has many strengths due its location in the world as Gate btwn Europe and Middle East/Africa and then Asia. The above strengths will be reduced but not eliminated when commerce will be established through the North Pole area. Hellas also has significant wealth underground both in its land (Central North and North) and sea areas. In addition, the Hellenic area of the Mediterranean sea has high quality and volume of seafood. The climate of Hellas, its unique and vast historical sites throughout Hellas are another strong advantage. The Hellenic wine, olives, olive oil and other food products are another strength. The Hellenic population is highly educated with a heavy dose of business ingenuity/savvy – I choose to include here the Hellenes abroad because they are always there to help their motherland and could be Hellas’ sole strength WHENEVER Hellas were to decide and engage them PROPERLY. W – Weaknesses: Highly corrupt political, judicial, governmental and media people/systems coupled with a highly “porous” constitution. Unstable government. The process for starting a new business and/or getting some assistance in case of difficulties continues to be highly bureaucratic with lots of red tape. Absence of a proper Hellenic Ethnic Strategic Plan for Business/Commerce, External (Foreign) Policy/Defense, Education that would be above political parties and other self-serving interests. Hellas is de facto a non-independent country given European bankers now and for the next 100 years will have the final say in most if not all major Hellenic expenditure decisions. A significant percentage of the population works for the government and continues to be inefficient/non-productive. Aging population due to low reproduction and emigration of otherwise highly qualified, young Hellenes abroad in search of work, a better life … A culture of customer service excellence continues to fade away, in some sectors reaching problematic and/or unacceptable levels. Lastly, Hellenes love to be in charge regardless of qualifications; perhaps as much as 20-30% - maybe even up to 40/50% - of the population have had the title of President at some point in their life. The current, non-wealthy Hellene appears to be in a lethargic condition, pretty much disgusted with the very difficult life situation. O - Opportunities: The opposite of each of the previously stated weaknesses are the available Opportunities. T – Threats: Hellenes’ worst threat/enemy is “thyself”!!!!!!!!! History has proven that time and time again. Turkey continues to be the number ONE threat due to many political, geostrategic, economic, cultural and other conflicts. Albania and the Former Yogoslavic Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) are the next two very serious threats. Also, if politicians continue to offer Hellenic citizenship to various refugees in exchange for their vote, then it is possible that over the next 10 years the composition and identity of Hellas might change irreversibly to something other than being Hellas with nearly 90%+ bonafide Hellenes. The current political, judicial, governmental and media corruption and favoritism on behalf of the rich and powerful can not continue to exist as it is now for very much longer. My proposed Action Plan (First Draft): 1. Establish Hellenic Ethnic Strategic Plan by proper engagement of the working people, bright scientists/business Hellenes abroad, securing the support of the “establishment” and then begin IMMEDIATE implementation. First, Hellas must implement solutions for reaping the benefits from the “low hanging fruits or quick hits,” then continue with medium range solutions and then longer term plans. Finally, constantly review, update and adjust the core Strategic Plan as it might be required per the ever changing global environmental conditions. 2. Secure the agreement of the politicians to have a NEW Government run by a truly qualified person, non-politician: one who will do as they say and talk honestly and straight with/to the people. 3. Communicate to the global community, its close allies and the world that the new government will abide by the commitments of previous Hellenic governments on the condition a proper review of same will not uncover “foul play.” 4. Develop and communicate a specific list of powerful Incentives for Doing Business, Vacationing in Hellas that could entice the outside world to partner with Hellas and its people for now and the long term. Simultaneously, minimize/eliminate bureaucratic, red tape business practices by applying successful practices from other countries. 5. Overhaul the current Educational system, especially that after High School and set it up so every graduating professional knows how and where to find suitable, properly paying job instead of waiting to be given a job somewhere in the government, all of which will eliminate the plague called “Private Tutoring Systems/Services.” 6. Revamp the Hellenic Constitution and Justice System to ensure each Hellenic politician is ALWAYS accountable for their actions and should they brake the law, then they would be properly punished, thereby putting an end to the current bordello situation (getting away with murder: being a national traitor, thief, crook, etc.) 7. Work towards and finally reach a lasting solution with its neighbors, e.g. Turkey, Albania, FYROM/Skopjie, etc. Next, sign peace agreements with each neighboring country over the LONG term. I look forward to the input from others.

Costas Chantzis

Your area was old Serbia . Never #Macedonia