of the Republic of Turkey R. T. Erdogan
November 23, 2016
CC: Members of United Nations,
Members of European Parliament,
Media
Dear President Erdogan,
Recently, you have launched an often repeated and relentless campaign referring to “your heart’s borders”, as you perceive them, borders which are not identical to the present natural borders of Turkey. You have done so in order to include into these borders all your neo-Ottoman, expansionist aspirations. Indeed, quite often, we are informed that you are delivering to us all “history lessons”.
But we know very well that these “history lessons”, as you call them, are lessons of dangerous populism conveyed to those uninformed people who are ignorant of history and who naturally do not know what you ought to know yourself!
Every educated man, Turkish, Greek or of any other ethnicity, certainly takes it as a joke when he hears you refer to the Greek Aegean islands by claiming that “on these islands we have our history, our monuments, our mosques!”
All rudimentarily educated people throughout the world know that since the dawn of history, the Aegean Sea, was and has remained Greek. Occasional conquerors never were, nor ever will be able to change this in the future.
As you seem interested in history, perhaps we need to remind you that the word Aegean – according to the immortal Greek mythology which has been studied across the planet for thousands of years – has its origins in the name of Theseus’ father and king of Athens – Aegeus -who fell and drowned in the sea waters of the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion.
Let us remind you of the following: that for at least 3,000 years the Protohellenic peoples like the Ionians, Achaeans, Aeolians and others developed Asia Minor into a region of political and cultural Hellenism; that the fait accomplis of violence and genocide that were used by your ancestors and unfortunately by many of your contemporaries like you personally, cannot alter history.
If nowadays you are desperately looking for “evidence” to justify your blatant expansionism in mosques built by temporary occupants in just a few of the 6,000 islands and islets located in Greece, what should we say about the World Heritage Monument, the Church of Saint Sophia of God built in the City of Constantine ten whole centuries before the appearance of your ancestors as conquerors?
What should we say about the Byzantine Church of Saint Sophia in Nicaea of Bithynia where the first Ecumenical Council on 20 May 325 and the eighth Ecumenical Council in the year 787 were held or about the Church of Saint Sophia in Trebizond, which was built between 1238 and 1263 by Emperor Manuel adorned with invaluable and unique mosaics and sculpted adornments?
What should we say about the Monastery of Sumela, the religious symbol of Pontian Hellenism for nearly seventeen centuries, which was established by Athenian monks Barnabas and Sophronius in the inaccessible mountains of Pontus in 386 CE? What should we say about the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the ruins of which are admired today by crowds flocking from around the world, or about Cappadocia which was a center of Hellenism starting in the first century BCE?
Should we remember perhaps the ancient Nicomedia of Bithynia, which recorded its Greek presence in 712 BCE? Or Smyrna, one of the oldest cities in the Mediterranean which was inhabited by Greek populations for thousands of years – until recently?
Do you remember Alikarnassos, Prusa, Ikonion or Eastern Thrace where the Greek myth of Iro and Leandros takes place in the ancient city of Sestos known for thousands of years?
What should we say about the tortured Cyprus, the island of Aphrodite, pure Greek since the time of the Trojan War? What should we say about Imvros and Tenedos, currently with only 1% Greek population compared to over 90% when they were delivered to Turkey as a “gift” by the Treaty of Lausanne, a treaty you are not fond of today?
Dear President Erdogan,
You must finally understand that strewn across the entire modern day Turkey is irrefutable evidence that Greek civilization flourished thousands of years before conquerors started appearing in the region – your ancestors.
Which history exactly are you talking about Mr President? About the history of genocide, massacres, violence and greed for loot? Because this is exactly your authentic history!
Perhaps it would be useful for you to learn about the borders of our own heart.
But first try to understand, however difficult it may seem to you, that the boundaries of timeless Hellenism from antiquity until today, have absolutely no geographical limit. Because the Greek spirit embraces, and will always embrace every educated man, in every corner of our planet.
Regarding the geographical boundaries of today’s Hellenism, if they give you the impression of an easy prey to blatant and manifest expansionism, well think again. Because you should know that the borders of the hearts of the Greeks will always be reaching for the Red Apple Tree, the places where you will find yourself someday, because as our traditions say: and again in times, with the seasons, they will again be ours!
Written by Leonidas Koumakis, IHA Member, Hellas, Translated by Prof. Ellene Phufas-Jousma, IHA Member, USA
SOURCE: International Hellenic Association (USA)
This was such a good letter and said all the things that were true. I wonder if it will have any effect on the barbarians.
Opos to ipate i varvari ti kserun yia na andidrasun se ena amorfoto lao paradigma o erdogan
ON THE BARBARIAN TURKS
Great letter well said .
Great letter to be used in all the media.
THE BARBARIAN ERDOGANS IGNORENCE 5.000 YEARS OF GREEK HISTORY
It is incredible that even the opposition parties say nothing about this barbarian Sultan, Erdogan!
What is the matter? Are they afraid? I congratulate once more the open letter and Professor-PhDs.com for making it known to as many people.
This is indeed a wonderful and , most of all, historically true answer to this megalomaniac and insane barbarian. My great concern is that all our so called “allies” did not find a comment against the insane and totally insulting against Western civilization claims of this barbarians.
Congratulations for this wonderful initiative.
A wonderful letter to teach these Barbarians a little history. Congratulations! Where are our Democratic Allies?
That shows how free they are to speak the historical truths.
The letter is great and I would like to thank all involved. As far as “where are the Allies”, one thing I know through out our history, we need to learn to stand on our own two feet. No Ally is greater than ourselves. So many times our “allies” HAVE LEFT US ALONE, one of the reasons we lost the Minor Asia, currently called Turkey. All the “allies” have their own interests in mind and the sooner we understand this the better off we will be to take care of our own. We need to get together from all over the world to see what we will do with our mother land. My heart bleeds daily when I see and hear what is going on in Hellas (Greece). The Government is even against its people and the EU has taken over period, Greece lost the autonomy and God only knows what else is coming.Time is running out and we cannot rely on any one else to do it for us.
Been there seen our history trampled by the Turks. Excellent letter.
Leonidas Koumakis γειά σου,
Συγχαρητηρια γιά τήν επιστολή σου.
Σού εύχομαι ολόψυχα ΚΑΛΗ ΧΡΟΝΙΑ τό 2017,
μέ υγιεία, χαρά και ΕΥΔΑΙΜΟΝΙΑ. Κάθε καλό.
stavretta
http://stavretta.blogspot.gr/
Σας εύχομαι καλή χρονιά και χρόνια πολλά. Εύχομαι επίσης την καινούργια χρονιά να μπορέσουμε να συσπειρωθούμε όλοι οι Έλληνες και να βρούμε πραγματικά πατριώτες πολιτικούς και να Σκέπτονται την χώρα και όχι την τσέπη !
Καλή χρονιά σέ όλους.
Συμφωνώ απόλυτα, αυτή είναι καί ή επιθυμία όλων τών Ελλήνων τού εξωτερικού, συσπείρωση τών απανταχού Ελλήνων, ενότητα, αμοιβαίο σεβασμό ό ένας Έλληνας πρός τό άλλον ανεξαρτήτως πού κατοικεί νά προβάλουμε όλα τά καλά τών Νεο- Ελλήνων δίπλα μέ τήν λαμπρότατη κληρονομιά μας από τούς αρχαίους Έλληνες πού κατά τήν γνώμη μου έχει αγνωηθεί κατά πολύ καί οί άλλες χώρες προσπαθούν νά τά πάρουν όλα δικά τους καί νά μάς πούν ότι δέν είμαστε άξιοι τής αρχαίας μας κληρονομιάς, καί από μιά μεριά καταλαβαίνω διότι οί πολιτικοί τής Ελλάδος δέν ενδιαφέρονται καθόλου γιά τήν Ελλάδα τούς Έλληνες καί ότι δήποτε Ελληνικό παρά μόνον γιά τήν τσέπη τους καί αυτό είναι πάρα πολύ λυπηρόν. Εμείς οί Ελληνες τού εξωτερικού πονάει καί κλαίει ή ψυχή μας καθημερινώς γιά τά όσα ακούμε γιά τήν πολυαγαπημένη μας καί πολυτημωριμένη μητέρα Ελλάδα καί πώς αντέχει ακόμα μέ τόσες κακουχίες από βαρβάρους καί όχι μόνο αλλά τά ρεζιλήκια από τά παιδιά της τούς πολιτικούς πού έχουν φέρει τόν Έλληνα καί τήν Ελλάδα πού φώτησε όλον τόν κόσμο στό πιό κατώτερο επίπεδο πού θά μπορούσε ένας λαός νά φθάσει. Μεγάλη ντροπή καί δέν ξέρω πώς έχουν τό σθένος τό θράσος καί τά μούτρα νά ζητούν δεύτερη εκλογή από τόν Ελληνικό λαό. Ό Έλληνας δέν πρέπει νά τούς τήν δώση παρά νά καταλάβη τήν βουλή καί νά κυβερνήση ό Ελληνας καί όχι οί ξένοι όπως μάς κυβερνούν οί ξένοι μιά ζωή. Οί ξένοι είναι γιά τά δικά τους συμφέροντα καί ό Ελληνικός λαός καί οί Έλληνες πολιτικοί πρέπει όλοι νά κοιτάξουν τά δικά τους συμφέροντα καί νά δουλέψουν μέ ζήλο, σεβασμό, αγάπη, αξιοπρέπεια, γιά τήν Ελλάδα καί νά αφήσουν τήν καλλίτερη κληρονομιά στίς επώμενες Ελληνικές γενειές. Τά λέγω όλα αυτά μέ αγάπη καί πόνο γιατί δέν είναι λίγο νά ζής μακριά από τήν αγαπημένη σου πατρίδα καί νά βλέπης νά τήν καταπατούν. Αγαπώ πολύ όλους τούς απανταχού Έλληνες καί άς μήν τούς ξέρω προσωπικά καθώς επίσης καί αυτούς πού αγαπούν τό Ελληνικό πνεύμα καί τήν Ελληνική κουλτούρα.
Καλή χρονιά καί πάλι σέ όλους.
Εξαιρετική επιστολή πλήρως τεκμηριωμένη ιστορικά που δεν μπορεί να αμφισβητήσει κανένας πολιτισμένος άνθρωπος.
Ο κύριος Ερτογάν να μάθει επιτέλους τη δική του ιστορία. Απόγονος μογγολικών νομάδων που ξεκίνησαν από την Μογγολία πριν από 1000 περίπου χρόνια και κινήθηκαν δια μέσω των αιώνων δυτικά προς την Κασπία θήλασα, δημιούργησαν την δυναστεία των Σελτζούκων και μετά δυτικότερα προς την σημερινή Ευρώπη.
Τι έκαναν και τι έδωσαν στην ανθρωπότητα κατά την διάρκεια των μετακινήσεων και εισβολών τους προς στην Ευρώπη?
1. Πόλεμο, σκοτωμούς, λεηλασίες, κατακτήσεις λαών.
2. Μουσική και χορό για αγρίους, και αναπαραγωγή της φυλής τους, όταν σταματούσαν την λεηλασία των λαών.
3. Μία κουζίνα μίγμα ανατολικών και δυτικών γεύσεων.
4. Τίποτε άλλο.
Αλήθεια ακούσατε ποτέ όνομα τούρκου συγγραφέα, ποιητή, μουσικού, καλλιτέχνη, επιστήμονα, εξερευνητή, ΠΑΓΚΟΣΜΙΑΣ ΕΜΒΕΛΕΙΑΣ, που να έχει βραβευτεί με NOBEL ή άλλο βραβείο που απονέμουν ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΕΝΑ κράτη? Δεν υπάρχει επιτέλους ένας τούρκος που να μορφώσει τον κ. Ερτογάν?
I agree with you 100%. I just hope that the other European countries and the Western world sees Turkey for what really is and stop investing for cheap labor in Turkey. The Western world needs to do more to stop Erdogan. He is only taking advantage of Germany, Europe and who ever else gives him a chance to become a decent human being. Erdogan and his world has no idea what this all about., one has to be extremely careful when dealing with Erdogan. He says one thing and does another. You are his friend as long as you give him 6.5 billion Euros and then with this money will try to kill you too.NO TRUST WHEN IT COMES TO ERDOGAN AND HIS WORLD. I just hope the Universities will always teach the truth and true history.
Κύριε Κουμάκη,
Συχγαρητήρια για την την αλήθεια που εκφραζει η Επιστολή σας
Καλό θα ήταν για τον πρόεδρο της φίλης μας Τουρκίας να τον αποκαλούσατε ΡΕΤΖΕΠΗ. Τούτο διότι στην τουρκοοθωμανική ιστορία ποτέ δεν υπήρξε καταξιομένο πρόσωπο αποκαλούμενο Ρετζέπης. Γρήγορα θα έλθουν μέρες που οι καλοί μας γείτονες θα ντρέπονται για τον τούρκο πρόεδρο που λέγεται Ρετζέπης και θέλει να ανοιξει σελίδες πολέμου και εκδίκησης εις βάρος των γειτόνων του.
This letter is more relevant now and must be re-circulated all over the net in order to counter attack this fake and over ambitious bully despot.
There is no historian or educated human being on this planet who can challenge the truths in this letter.
Let’s all of us share and forward now this letter to every society of our planet
Wonderful letter with all the historical truths, however we need to extend this to the whole world via the media that the masses watch like CNN BBC etc and we need to ask Greek Government to hold an open conversation with all of our so called”allies” and ask them where they stand on this issue.
Yes, I fully agree to expose this Totalitarian and dangerous man to all people who love Democracy and peace.
Europe should stay away from him and isolate him. Greece also should straingthen its défense against this foul dictator
Thank you