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1. Very interesting article – great research here. Thank you Talin for writing this. I’ve often wondered how the Armenian Genocide was finished up, i.e. how surviving Armenians were essentially not allowed to go back to their homes and properties following the Genocide during the Republican period of Turkey.

   It occurs to me that many of the approaches, including the legislation used to rid Armenians out of the interior provinces, likely violates international law and perhaps even Turkish law, and importantly may not be conditional on recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

   My point here is that an approach Armenians can take to at least defacto recognition of the Armenian Genocide is to reclaim these until now lost properties. I believe this is already in process for the return of Church properties to the Armenian Patriarchate. Does anybody know, or have ideas about, how personal properties of Armenians could be reclaimed?

   • @robert
     I have a idea about your problem..
     first apply for Turkish citizenship
     next apply for a Job, after 20 years of work, apply for retirement
     then apply for housing credit
     and finaly you can achieve your goals

     My family exiled from Thessaloniki …People in Turkey 7/24 plus 20 years work to have a home…It is not so easy to have a home in Turkey…

2. My grand parents told me they use to put black paint or ribbon (I can not remember which one it was)on the Armenian peoples doors to mark them and distinguish them from other houses,in order to single them out for persecution.

3. I grew up in 60s in an area of Istanbul, where we had an intense population of the so-called ethnic minorities (it is an unacceptable shameful definition, I am using it because it became a legal definition), namely Armenians, Greek Rums, Jews. They have all been our good friends, neighbors and just like my family members. Because of them, I have a large collection of Armenian, Greek and Jewish music and books.

   Gradually they disappeared from the scene, because of the oppresssions and persecutions over the years. I hope to see these people again in large numbers all over Turkey, building their churches, synagogues, homes and bringing their rich culture and colors to make this land more livable and more colorful.

   Am I hopeful? Yes I am always hopeful, but the reality might be different and may not turn out be the way I like it to be. Who knows? Let’s keep hoping.

4. To Bennu:

   Sorry to hear that your family was exiled from Thessaloniki. That must of been tough.

   Your description of getting a home in Turkey sounds like it could apply to Armenia as well… meaning that in both these countries, and I think like much of the world unfortunately, it’s not an easy life for the average person.

   So much of the trouble really is because we humans are so busy fighting with each other that much of our efforts are wasted. Maybe I’m naive in saying it, but I think the world would be a much better place if we just did away with the borders and let people live. We could still all keep our cultures, be it Turkish, or Armenian, or Kurdish, or French, German, Italian, but we recognize the world as one place. What a world that could be!

   • @robert I agree with you, Robert …we all humanbeing it is easy to set boundaries in relationships…but we should remove our mind boundaries! we share common pain, history, cuisine, songs, land…My family exiled from Greece, died in Turkey…your family exiled from Turkey and I understand how you feel ..you re dying everyday..

   • wrongo, Turk oglu Turk Bennu:
     we Armenians share nothing with you Turks: your savage nomadic ancestors invaded the lands of my civilized, indigenous ancestors, Armenians, murdered the indigenous peoples, stole their lands, stole their wealth, stole their genes, stole their culture, stole their cuisine, stole their song & dance, stole everything: and now incongruously claim everything that was Armenian, Assyrian, Greek is supposedly ‘Turkish’.
     —
     And Armenians were not, quote, ‘exiled’ from Turkistan: indigenous Armenians were murdered by progeny of invading foreigner Asiatic Turkic tribes: 2 million unarmed Armenian civilians, including children and babies (1895-1923). The survivors barely escaped with their lives and spread throughout the world. “Exiled”, my foot.
     Like I said: we have nothing in common with you Denialist Turks.
     And we are not dying every day: from the brink of extinction, we have grown to 12 million worldwide.
     Wait for the payback, Denialist: it’s coming.

5. @Resoman I hope you will come back…I love Armenian architecture. especially churches are amazing and so much caracteristic…I can’t help saying this.. armenian cuisine so delicious..the only thing we need is a little emphaty that will bring us closer together…My grandfathers father(motherside) died in Sarıkamış..grandfathers family(mother side) killed by armenian gangs… We have to get rid of hateful thoughts…if you really think so, our door is wide open to welcome you..
   A poem by Mevlana
   A certain person came to the Friend’s door
   and knocked.
   ‘Who’s there?’
   ‘It’s me.’
   The Friend answered, ‘Go away. There’s no place
   for raw meat at this table.’
   The individual went wandering for a year.
   Nothing but the fire of separation
   can change hypocrisy and ego. The person returned
   completely cooked,
   walked up and down in front of the Friend’s house,
   gently knocked.
   ‘Who is it?’
   ‘You.’
   ‘Please come in, my self,
   there’s no place in this house for two.

6. Dear Avery, Your denial of our common culture is not much different than Genocide denial. I live in Australia. I came here 9 years ago and I already see the changes in my culture. I wouldn’t imagine to eat pizza with pineapple nine years ago. And probably my Australian neighbour wouldn’t imagine to eat olives and fetta at breakfast. Cultural exchange is a two way process. For the Anatolia, Asia Minor, Western Armenia whatever you call, after living 1000 years together how can we deny mutual exchange of cultures. I tell my daughter, if somebody asks about her nationality, tell them you are 25% Armenian, 25% Greek, 25% Kurd and 25% Turk. Yes Avery, I believe that we are all Armenians, Greeks, Turks and Kurds. This our destiny Avery and we can’t escape from it. As Robert said before in another discussion, truth will free us. I want to share a mournful song about an Armenian, Kasap (butcher) Misak who was executed after 1909 Adana Armenian Massacres. It is in Turkish and sing by a Greek singer.

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zwffvPDE3Q

7. Dear Avery,
   I did not know that you could flare up this wise!!oh my God! please, easy easy does it.Tell them great Turkey people that we have been so far the downtrodden Ermenis,but now you may expect anything from us.Like shoring up a Big National investment Trust that will outbalance your propaganda machine.
   Next tell them , we are there to strike deals with your elitye, if latter condescend and fullu undeerstand that we are no longer what 30/40 yrs ago yoiur elite thought we were. Fact is we ,the Armenian World Congress that convened its second Convention in Lausanne ,exactly 60 yrs after the infamous Treaty of same name,we declared that Treaty as a piece of …we denounced it on the ground that when that Euro Turkish Treaty was signed, we had bearly emrged from the Ashes…on our way to ..you know the rest. We are now in a position (viz. 1983) to declare in the same Hall of the Beau Rivage Hotel,where our 2 person delegations Boghos Nubar and Avedis Aharonian were denied entry….we now are DIFFERENT!!!!!
   Tell them you are to face the k u r d i s h tsunami soon, unless you please become more understanding and come to watch another football match in Yerevan and officially declare acknowledgement of the Genocide you committed upon our people, beg forgiveness and promise to make amends…First and Foremost BLOOD MONEY…….

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