The Pontic Greek Genocide

The Pontic Greek Genocide, also known as the Greek genocide, refers to the systematic extermination of Pontic Greeks in the Ottoman Empire and Turkey during World War I and its aftermath (1914-1923). This persecution involved massacres, forced deportations, death marches, and destruction of religious and cultural sites.

The Pontic Greeks were an ethnically Greek population residing in the Pontus region, located on the southern coast of the Black Sea in what is now northeastern Turkey. For centuries, they had maintained a distinct cultural identity, language (Pontic Greek), and traditions, primarily practicing Orthodox Christianity.

The genocide unfolded in several phases. Beginning in 1914, Ottoman authorities implemented discriminatory policies against Greeks, including property confiscations, economic boycotts, and forced conscription into labor battalions where they were often subjected to harsh conditions and death. The outbreak of World War I provided a pretext for escalating violence.

The systematic killings and deportations intensified after 1919, during the Turkish War of Independence under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Greek communities were targeted by Turkish nationalists, irregular militias, and soldiers. Massacres were widespread in towns and villages throughout the Pontus region. Deportations were particularly brutal. Greeks were forcibly removed from their homes and marched into the interior of Anatolia, often without food, water, or adequate clothing. Many perished from starvation, disease, exhaustion, and violence along the way. Women and children were frequently subjected to sexual violence.

Estimates of the number of Pontic Greeks who perished range from 300,000 to 360,000. These figures are based on pre-war population statistics and demographic analyses that account for the loss of life due to massacres, deportations, and other forms of persecution.

The Turkish government denies that the events constituted a genocide, arguing that the deaths were a result of wartime conditions and intercommunal violence. However, scholars and many international organizations recognize the Pontic Greek Genocide as a deliberate and systematic attempt to eliminate the Pontic Greek population from the region.

The memory of the Pontic Greek Genocide remains a sensitive and important issue for the Greek diaspora and the Republic of Greece. It serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of ethnic and religious intolerance and the importance of recognizing and preventing genocide.

Recognition efforts continue to be pursued internationally to acknowledge the historical reality of the Pontic Greek Genocide and to honor the victims.