Dumanlı

Dumanlı (Greek Σάντα - Santa) is a mid-size town in the border of Trabzon and Gümüşhane in Pontos. It consist of seven villages[1]:

Inhabitants of Dumanlı mostly Christians (51%) or Crypto-Christians (49%).[2] After 1857 with Hatt-ı Hümayun they changed their statue to Christian instead of Crypto-Christians. Most of the Greek pontians were forced to leave their houses and find other place to live during 1877-78 Russo-Turkish War. Most of the citizens of Santa moved to the Republic of Georgia, Armenia and southern part of Russia. Their primary language is Pontic Greek and lived in the region up until the population exchange

During the World War I the Greeks of Santa did try to organize armed resistance against Turkish army. Pontian guerrilla bands had appeared in the mountains of Santa as early as 1916 with leadership Euklidis Kourtidis and successfully resisted against Turkish attack in 6 September 1921. After population exchange, they settled in Macedonia and Thrace. The town of Nea Santa was founded by them in the Kilkis Prefecture in Central Macedonia.

Notes

  1. ^ Özhan Öztürk. Karadeniz Ansiklopedik Sözlük. 2005. Istanbul pp.1009-10011
  2. ^ BRYER, A. (1988), People and Settlement in Anatolia and Caucasus 800-1900. Variorum Reprintis. London

See also