İzmi̇r In Flames – The Scorched Homeland Exhibition

İZMİR IN FLAMES – THE SCORCHED HOMELAND EXHIBITION

As part of the Erasmus+ project titled "Beyond Borders: People," our school visited the Ahmet Piriştina City Archive and Museum (APİKAM) in İzmir.

At the exhibition, which focuses on the fires that took place in İzmir and Western Anatolia during the War of Independence, we witnessed history by examining previously unseen photographs, documents, and objects related to the fires that occurred in the final days of the National Struggle.

SECTION 1: THE DEVASTATION OF WAR

The Greek army landed in İzmir on May 15, 1919, marking the beginning of the occupation. Throughout this period, Greek forces committed war crimes such as looting, forced migration, and the destruction of settlements through arson.

On September 9, 1922, İzmir’s three-year-long occupation finally came to an end thanks to Mustafa Kemal Pasha and his troops. However, the city was still not free from the effects of war. On September 13, Greek soldiers set fires in various parts of the city, turning İzmir into a massive firestorm.

SECTION 2: THE GREAT FIRE

As the Greek forces withdrew from İzmir, they set fire to the city, looted buildings, and left the local Greek population behind as they fled. Not only İzmir but also Eskişehir, Manisa, Uşak, and Aydın were ravaged by fire. Factories, schools, places of worship, shops, bridges, and train stations were burned down, leaving entire cities in ruins.

"This was how they returned Anatolia: as if it were the first day of creation; nothing but stone, nothing but earth."

SECTION 3: RELIEF EFFORTS

One of the most significant witnesses of the İzmir Fire was Paul Grescovich, the Chief Fire Officer of İzmir. Born into an Austrian family, Grescovich became a Turkish citizen in 1932. During the fire, he showed extraordinary efforts to combat the flames, and the reports he wrote afterward became key evidence in international insurance cases.

Ali Rıza Bey, the chief firefighter, played a crucial role in leading the fire suppression teams and preventing the flames from spreading further.

In response to the fire, the Red Cross provided aid to approximately 15,000 people daily to support the 250,000 refugees in İzmir.

The French also took measures to help put out the fire, organizing efforts to contain the flames.

SECTION 4: ESCAPE FROM İZMİR

The communities most affected by the fire were the Greek and Armenian populations of İzmir. Even before the fire, many had already begun fleeing the city due to the arrival of the Turkish army.

After the fire, many Greeks and Armenians left Turkey, migrating to Greece and other countries. The docks were crowded with refugees, and both Turkish and Greek boatmen tried to transport people to Chios Island. This migration was later formalized by the 1923 Lausanne Treaty through the population exchange agreement.

SECTION 5: A CITY RISING FROM ITS ASHES – İZMİR

Since the fire destroyed a large part of the city, the government initiated a reconstruction project. In 1924, a new urban planning project was developed to modernize İzmir. During the reconstruction, a more organized city layout was adopted.

**SECTION 6: A JOURNEY THROUGH