Smyrna-Armenians remembered in Istanbul (photos)

Istanbul’s  Nazar Shirinoghlu Hall on Thursday hosted a literary evening dedicated to the Armenians of Smyrna (presently Izmir).

A keynote speaker at the event was Zakaria Mildanoglu, the author of the recently published book “Armenians of Izmir”, Agos reports.

In an opening address, Rober Koptash, a former editor of the Turkish-Armenian newspaper who now heads the publishing house Aras (which printed the edition) greeted the participants interested in the historical Armenian city's past.

The event offered the participants a good chance to hear stories about the town’s cultural and historical heritage, and the deportation and the future fate of its former residents.

They were introduced to not only archive records and relics of tangible and non-tangible culture left behind the local Armenians, but also the Armenian schools, publishing houses and cultural instructions that operated in Smyrna and other Turkish cities and towns until the 1915 genocide.

In the World War One period, Armenians, Greeks and Jews accounted for some 60% of Smyrna’s population.

Much of the city’s port was destroyed in the Great Fire of Smyrna (aka Catastrophe of Smyrna) in September 1922.

It was in the same period that Turkish Kemalist troops gained control of the city, defeating Greeks who had invaded Asia Minor to liberate Greek territories.

To avoid massacres, thousands of Armenians found shelter  in the St Stephanos church. Over 50 houses, 24 churches, 28 schools, banks, consulates and hospitals burned down in the fire.