Constantinople Greek community targeted in 1955 pogroms

The September Events of 1955 refer to the organized pogroms launched against the Greek community in Constantinople on September 6 and 7. Orchestrated under the direction of the Turkish government led by Prime Minister Adnan Menderes, the violence targeted the prosperous Greek and Armenian populations, as well as other non-Muslim minorities.

The unrest was fueled by rising nationalism and tensions regarding the Cyprus issue. Following claims by Menderes that Greek Cypriots were planning massacres of Turkish Cypriots, the Turkish press disseminated inflammatory reports. The immediate catalyst for the violence was a reported bombing at the birthplace of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in Thessaloniki, Greece, an event used by the government to incite crowds.

The long-term impact of these pogroms was the drastic reduction of the Greek population in Constantinople, which fell from approximately 100,000 in 1955 to just over 2,000 today.