The systematic Turkish persecutions of Pontic Hellenism by the Ottoman Empire began in 1915, as the Pontic Greeks vigorously fought back for months. The Armistice of Mudros (October 1918) improved the situation temporarily, however after the Greek Army landed at Smyrna (May 1919) to liberate the Greek populations and protect the minorities until the signing of the final peace treaty, the living conditions of the Pontic Greeks worsened. A great genocide of Pontic Hellenism took place, with villages being set on fire, churches and houses being rummaged, mass assassinations, deportations, torments and endless processes in the desert being performed, all of which led 353.000 Pontic Greeks to the death, while 100.000 migrated to Russia, to meet with other Pontic Greeks there.

After the October Revolution (1917), the situation of the Pontic Greeks in South Russia (Batum) constantly deteriorated, leading to them asking help from the Greek state. The Greek delegation gathered statistical information on the Greek population of Russia and, once it looked after the deprived persons, it transported – from May 1920 to February 1921 – nearly 53.000 Greeks in Thessaloniki. On 19 May, the day Kemal Ataturk landed in Samsous at Pontos (19 May 1919), a memorial service is performed every year at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, with the participation of Pontic associations.

#ΕλληνικόςΣτρατός, #HellenicArmy