Exchanged grandchildren keep the memories of their ancestors alive with the items they keep
In the Türkiye-Greece population exchange implemented in accordance with the agreement signed in addition to the Lausanne Peace Treaty, around 500 families who came to Kocaeli from Drama and Xanthi in 1924 were settled in the Akmeşe, Kızderbent, Bahçecik and Yeniköy regions.
The exchanged grandchildren, who grew up with the stories told by their homesick elders, keep the items left behind by their grandparents, such as coffee grinders, trays, daggers, bowls and jugs, in the corner of their homes as souvenirs.
Former Mayor of Izmit Saraybahçe, 73-year-old Halil Vehbi Yenice, one of the grandchildren of the Drama exchanges, told the AA correspondent that his family migrated from Drama's Kozlu village to Izmit during the population exchange in 1924.
Explaining that their grandfather first came to Istanbul by train and then to Izmit by ship, Yenice said, "They could only take with them daily items such as beds, quilts, dishes and pottery." said.
Yenice stated that his grandfathers were settled in Yeniköy in Başiskele district after coming to Kocaeli, and said, "Those who settled in Yeniköy were given 8 decares of land per population. The Greeks burned their houses here before leaving here. That's why our grandfathers rebuilt Yeniköy. When they first came, They stayed in tents and unburnt houses." he said.
Stating that his family was engaged in trade in Izmit, Yenice said, "I went to primary school in Izmit. If I was a morning person, I would go to the shop in the afternoon, if I was a lunch worker, I would go to the shop in the morning. Both my brother and I continued in the same way until we graduated from university. Our grandfather's determination to work also affected us. We did not suffer financially. But we always knew our account." he said.
Yenice stated that she still keeps the tray that her grandmother brought with her when she came from Drama, and continued as follows:
"My grandmother brings the dowry tray with her. When my grandmother's father dies, her mother marries someone else. When my grandmother reaches the age of marriage, her stepfather goes to Kavala and buys this tray as a dowry. There is also a bed, a quilt and a pot. My grandmother gets married there. When she comes, she brings the dowry tray. "We ate a lot on this tray."
He emphasized that Greece did not give his grandfather a visa because he wrote Drama in his birth certificate, and therefore he could not go to his hometown, and added that his grandfather passed away longing to see his parents' graves.
"We keep the items at home as souvenirs"
Deputy Chairman of the Izmit Western Thrace Turks Solidarity Association, 52-year-old Saffet Cengiz, said that his grandfather, 15, came from the Meşeli village of Xanthi.
Stating that approximately 300 families settled in Yeniköy with the exchange, Cengiz said, "When they came, they brought with them items that could meet their daily needs. They left most of the items there. Most of the items remained there with the expectation that we would return one day. What remained of those items was the wool spinning loom, churn, plates and so on that my grandfather brought to this day." "There are bowls and daggers from the Ottoman period. We have a few items like these and we keep them at home as souvenirs." said.
Explaining that his grandfather was homesick until his death, Cengiz said, "I was with my grandfather until the age of 24. He always talked about it and got emotional. We applied for a visa several times, but he was not allowed to pass because his ID number read Drama. We continue to go whenever we have time, as long as there is no problem with the visa. Association "Most of our members want to go, but we are having trouble getting a visa. If a visa is given, I believe many people would want to go there." he said.
AA
