Abstract
In 1922, the once-cosmopolitan city of Smyrna—modern-day Izmir—was engulfed in flames, marking the end of a centuries-long Hellenic presence in Asia Minor. The catastrophe, which followed the Greco-Turkish War and occurred amidst the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands and the displacement of hundreds of thousands more. In his 2022 book Salty Silk, Greek author Petros Pourliakas recounts the tragedy, focusing on the humanitarian heroism that emerged in the midst of horror. I spoke with Pourliakas about his research, the moral complexities of recounting a national trauma, and the legacy of a Japanese captain who defied orders to save lives.
First Page
59
Last Page
62
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5038/1911-9933.19.1.2045
Recommended Citation
Pourliakas, Petros
(2025)
"Arts & Literature: The Destruction of Smyrna in 1922: A Conversation with Petros Pourliakas, Author of Salty Silk,"
Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal:
Vol. 19:
Iss.
1:
59–62.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5038/1911-9933.19.1.2045
Available at: https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/gsp/vol19/iss1/9
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
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