Turkish Policy towards Greek Education in Istanbul: 1923-1929

Abstract

Despite recent interest in historical accounts concerning the Greek community in Istanbul, research on Turkish policy towards Greek schools and education after the Treaty of Lausanne of 1923 remained sparse until the late 1980s. This was perhaps the natural outcome of a dwindling community that had to focus on its survival and the upkeep of its distinct cultural identity as well as its existing educational institutions. Even though Greek schools, churches and hospitals (among other institutions) continued to function after the Treaty of Lausanne, the well-planned 'assimilate or leave' strategy of the Turkish government ensured a steady flow of Greek emigrants from Istanbul after 1923. With the decrease in population and the measures taken against non-Muslim minorities, their hope for a viable future in Turkey weakened dramatically in the ensuing years. It was not until the early 1980s, with future prospects for the dwindling Greek community in Istanbul imminently bleak, that the history of its cultural institutions and schools began to attract the attention of scholars'. The present study attempts to provide an insight into the immediate effects of Turkish nationalist policy towards Greek cultural and educational life in Istanbul.