@article{article_813416, title={The September Events: The Anti-Greek Riots of 1955 in İstanbul}, journal={Uluslararası Medeniyet Çalışmaları Dergisi}, volume={2}, pages={51–63}, year={2017}, author={Sarıoğlu, Irini}, keywords={Anti-Greek riots,Greek minority of Istanbul,1955 events}, abstract={In recent history the time between 1954 and 1964 has been recorded as a period of persecutions and extreme nationalistic behavior against the Greek community of Istanbul. In spite of an increase in US contributions towards sustaining the expansion of Turkey’s military defense capability throughout 1955, the Turkish government’s economic affairs continued to deteriorate. The financial crisis of the time coupled with the anti-minority sentiment that was being stirred up by the Turkish press induced the leadership of Turkey to conceive and design the practical details of the anti-Greek events of 1955 with catastrophic consequences, both material and psychological, primarily for the Greek population but also for Turkey itself. Once again the Greek minority of Istanbul was used as a bargaining chip for the demands of Turkey in Cyprus, but also as leverage in the ongoing talks concerning the Muslim minority of Greek Thrace. During that time the sentiments that were aroused were so strong that the “threats against the ‘infidel’ continued for a long time after the ‘events.’” In addition, according to the British representative in Istanbul, it was “unfortunately true that the recent ‘events’ had intensified the preexisting religious fanaticism and intolerance of the Turkish nation.”}, number={1}, publisher={Hakan YALAP}