TNT History Archives: Greek Occupation of Izmir - Ottoman Customs Chief's Travail (May 1919)/Part II

//Ed. note: Ottoman Customs Chief Agah relates 

his first hours in the hands of the Greek occupation 

forces in Izmir on 15 May 1919.//

Punta İskelesi (Point Pier, now Alsancak) is at upper 

right.  There are two 'customs houses' on the shore, left-

center.

We, of course, agreed but since the two soldiers left to guard us had

already seen that there was more money in the safe I guessed that 

they would try to break into it at night.  So I asked the officer whether

or not I could take my own money with me.  In response, he said 

"take it.  I assume responsibility."  In this way, I was able to grab a

few of my own things and some money, and together with my

colleagues, we went out onto the street.

But no sooner were we outside then we saw that everything had 

changed.  A group of Greek soldiers attacked us, grabbed and 

ripped up our fez (Ottoman hats), made us raise our arms and shout

"Long Live Venizelos!", as we alighted on the pier.  In the pouring

rain, there were other (Ottoman) officials present who had been 

brought from the government building and they were shouting "Long 

Live Venizelos!" with their heads bare, too.  

As we passed by the grain exchange the rain stopped but because

the other (Ottoman) officials in the grain exchange were blocking

the way we had to stop for an hour.  At this time, we saw column

after column of Ottoman officers, with their arms raised and being

made to shout "Long Live Venizelos!", marching by, urged on by 

the rifle butt blows administered by the Greek soldiers. 

Here and there the rifle butt blows were accompanied by bayonet

stabs.  In fact, we later learned that six (Ottoman) soldiers and officers 

were shot dead by Greek soldiers as they passed by the nearby Şark 

Kompanyası (East Company) building.  In any event, when the rain

began anew we were made to run, rather than walk, and corpulent 

types like me and other weak links were continually prodded on by 

rifle butt blows.   

                        The Italian Girls School in Izmir.

In this way, we proceeded in front of the (Greek) coffeehouses to the

sound of the civilians' vile curses and degrading taunts.  We turned

the corner at the Italian School, as the rain came down worse than I

had ever seen in my life, onto a narrow street.  Here, the soldiers 

guarding us took anything and everything we had from us, even 

lowering themselves to take our tobacco boxes and cigarette lighters.

To make sure they had gotten everything we had they ripped up our

clothes to find anything we might have hidden.  Soon, we were back

at the pier, where we were again forced to raise our arms and shout

"Long Live Venizelos!"  as we were made to run, under rifle butt

blows and fists, to the Aydın Railroad Company pier, which they

called the Ponta Pier (now Alsancak). 

At this point we were completely exhausted.  Cashier Nazım Efendi,

who was in front of me, fell to the ground because of a blow to his

ear.  They bayonetted him to death.  Most of my other colleagues 

were wounded, as well.  At the Ponta Pier, the officers and soldiers

who had brought us there turned us over to the naval officers and

left.  The other (Ottoman) officials we had seen earlier had already

arrived.

           Izmir-Aydın railroad pier at Punta (Alsancak).

//END of PART TWO//