Turks on Castellorizo

[morosini]

Nick,

I have always wondered just how many Turks lived on Castellorizo. There were obviously quite a few for a mosque to be built, but do we know how many there actually were and what they did on the island? Also, when did they leave?

Finally, are there any other surviving buildings that are connected with the Turkish community of the island?

morosini

[Administrator]

Until the island's revolt from Ottoman authority in 1913, there was always a small, but clearly recognisable, Turkish presence on Castellorizo. This is best preserved in the 18th century mosque that still adorns the Kavos promontory at the entrance to the harbour. But there are also other reminders of a Turkish presence on Castrellorizo.

The small domed hamam, or bath-house, close to the castle, is one of a number of similarly styled bath-houses in the Dodecanese. It catered for the small Turkish population which predominantly lived in and around the castle throughout the nineteenth century. Further along, one can still see the foundations of the small Turkish primary school (just near the windmill) which was partially financed by Loukas Santrape, the island's principal benefactor most famously known for his endowment that led to the erection of the boys' school in the Horafia.

Perhaps the most evocative reminder of a Turkish presence are the fragile remains of the Ottoman cemetery not far from the church of Ayia Paraskevi. While there has been some unfortunate damage done here of late, there are still Islamic headstones visible in the dense undergrowth that recall another time when local Greek and Turkish populations co-existed.

The Ottoman census of 1881-82 records that there were 225 adult Turks on the island, probably equating to a total Turkish population of around 400. Other texts, including the writings of the headmaster of the Turkish school on the island, refer to '50 Moslem families', a figure not inconsistent with the above estimate.

Aside from one Turkish family that remained on the island until the 1930s, the bulk of the Turkish population was evicted in 1913. The few that remained departed with the compulsory exchange of populations in 1923-24.

Nicholas

[morosini]

Can you give us more details of the Turkish family that stayed on the island 'until the 1930s'?

What did they do on the island and what was their relationship with the locals like?

Do we know what happened to them?

morosini

[Administrator]

The only Turkish family that lived on Castellorizo in the 1920s and 1930s was the Demi Kesimbey family. The father was the anti-Kemalist former kaimakam (governor) of Antifilo and he took refuge on the island with his wife and daughter after 1922. They remained on the island until the late 1930s.

Nicholas

[kalkankiki]

My Husbands grandfather was born on Castellorizo before moving to Antiphellos/Antifilo, modern day Kaþ and Kalamaki, modern day Kalkan, where he lived for the majority of his long life. His first wife died on Castellorizo and I guess is buried in the Ottoman cemetery there.
Another family member has a great aunt who was born on the Island and is still alive in Izmir. They are all interested to know more about their ancestors history.
Other family members came to Kalamaki from Rhodes, but not all the family came to Kalamaki as my husband can remember family members coming across from Rhodes to visit when he was young, in the 60's/70's.
What I have always wondered was whether the all the Greek population in Kalamaki and Antifilo left to the Ýslands and whether all the Turks on the Islands absolutely had to leave?
In fact any further info regarding the Turkish families that were on the island would be welcome.

[Administrator]

Thank you for your very interesting post.

I have long sought information on the Turkish population of Castellorizo. Are you able to tell me more about your husband's grandparents and the great aunt you refer to? Among other things, I would be fascinated to learn more about their names, the work they did on the island, where they lived and when precisely they left for the mainland.

The Ottoman census of 1881-82 recorded that there were 225 adult Turks on the island at the time. A very rare history of Turkish settlement on Castellorizo published in 1911 on Rhodes cites the following principal family names: Karagul, Tchomez, Kodja Mustapha, Youssouf Khavadja, Madmudlar Wallahdji, Achdji, Hadji Assan, Redwan Deli Suleiman, Kopouk, Kara Khalil, Kodja Khalil. Are any of these names familiar?

I would also be greatly interested to know if any photographs from the island still exist in your husband's family. Our forthcoming photo history of the island will include a number of images of the pre-1913 period that show members of the island's small Turkish community. If you have any more, I would be delighted to see them.

Thank you again for making contact via our Forum.

Nicholas