The Research Institute for Mezalim provides financial support for research projects in the field of mezalim research. Under this heading you will find current projects supported by the FEM.
“Greek war crimes in Anatolia according to Italian sources (1919-1922)” by Prof. Dr. Mevlüt Çelebi, Ege University.
Project description
The aim of this research project is to examine, document and analyze the war crimes and massacres committed by the Greek armed forces against the Turkish civilian population in the archives of the Italian Foreign Ministry and Army Archives in Rome on the basis of reports by Italian military and civilian officials who were in Western Anatolia from 1919 to 1922. Some Italian journalists were on the ground at the time of the Greek invasion and witnessed the occupation of the port city of Izmir and published their impressions in the newspapers in Italy. In order to examine these reports more closely, research is being carried out in seven newspaper archives and libraries.
Schedule
For the purpose of researching the aforementioned period, a visit to the aforementioned archives in the Italian capital is planned from July 3 to September 29, 2023.
Background
Although Italy and Greece were allies at the time, Italian officers, soldiers, civil servants, journalists and civilians recorded war crimes committed by the Greek army against the Turkish-Muslim population, as Rome itself occupied the coastal region from Kuşadası to Antalya. During the First World War, Italy fought alongside Great Britain and France and agreed in two secret treaties on April 26, 1915 (London) and August 8, 1917 (San Giovanni di Moriana) to occupy the present-day Croatian city of Rijeka and the Turkish city of Izmir. After the American-British-French agreement on the Greek occupation of Izmir, Italy was unable to realize its plans to occupy Izmir.
Aim of the project
The results of the research work, based on original archive documents (reports, minutes, recordings) from Italian military and civilian personnel and journalists, will be compiled and published as a monograph in the first half of 2024.