Multi-ethnic Thessaloniki than and today

Thessaloniki

• Good strategic position, at the crossroads of the East

and the West

• Mediterranean and Europe with Asia

• The turbulent history, wars and migrations brought

people of different nations, cultures, religions and

mentalities to the city that was not only known as

“the mother” of the Greeks, but also of all those

people who were forced to leave their homes and

find a new home there (Lilic, 2012).

• In the Byzantine period, it was the Empire’s second

most important city.

• After the fall of Byzantium in the 15th century, the

city fell into the hands of Ottoman Turks

• In the 17th century the first Jews came to

Thessaloniki, organized the city, founded schools,

hospitals, synagogues etc.

In 1923, with the population exchange between Greece and

Turkey, Christians remained in Greece, while Muslims returned

to Turkey, the Jews went to America and France, but for the

majority Thessaloniki remained their home.

In April 1941 the Germans occupied Thessaloniki.

Thousands of Jews were persecuted by the Nazis and their

community (counting 60,000 members) was destroyed.

• The presence of Muslims, mostly Turks, is very noticeable in the art, cuisine, music

and language of the city.

• Most of the Muslims came to Thessaloniki after the fall of Constantinople and lived

their lives next to Christians and Jews. They had their own community, school,

organization.

• After the Asia Minor Catastrophe in 1922 and due to the exchange of populations,

they were sent to Turkey, which they could not consider home since they were born

in Thessaloniki, but unfortunately the exchange was based on the religion and not

the origins and the language. Equally difficult was for the Greeks to leave Asia

Minor and come to Thessaloniki and start a new life (Iwannou 1964).

• The element of refugees is also very important. The city, also known as the

“Capital of refugees”, accepted all those without homeland and hope, and

“hugged” them like a mother. They made this city their new home. They

managed to adjust, but most of them, longing for their homeland, tried to

keep their roots and their heritage, their tradition, their dialect and music.

The refugees brought something new, another “air”, and influenced the

culture, the lifestyle and the mentality of Thessalonians. These refugees

had first roles in the short stories of the writers who considered them an

important part of history and culture of the city (Kyriakidou 1988).

• The occupation of the Germans is something that is written

with black letters and remained in the dark history of the city.

In their stories we see one different Thessaloniki, of different

colour and atmosphere, so dark and negative.

• The Germans, who practiced violence and sowed fear, are

described as cruel and ruthless, and their countless crimes

have been described in many books and short stories (Lilic,

2012).

All the books I used for my research describe Thessaloniki as a

distinctive city, unique in the Balkans owing to its history and

culture, but also to all the nations, which left their mark.

Despite of that they had passed through different wars and

atrocities, they lived for a long time in peace and mutual respect.