Chapter 6: Population of Peramos

Original Text by Gregory Augerinou Sgouridi
December, 1968

Translated loosely from Greek by Chris Steve Manitsas,
with commentary on the history of the Manitsas and Kalpakis families
Editing and Web Design by Steve Chris Manitsas

(Comments are highlighted in green)

Index

Table of Contents

Image Archive

Kyzikos Connections

Bibliography

Chapters: Introduction | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15

This page is maintained by Steve Chris Manitsas. Send comments to Manitsas@aol.com
It was last updated February 21, 1998, and is continuing to undergo revision.

In 1914 the population was about 5,000. This figure was given in 1921. The population in 1914 is on a date that is important in the history of Peramos. It marks the end of the good years and the beginning of the travails and problems of Peramos. First was the "giagma", the invasion of Turkish refugees who were leaving the Balkan Peninsula after the War of 1912-1913 and their rejection. They flooded into the Christian towns of Asia Minor after the fire of 1915 and the exile of the Greek population on the coastal cities to the east. From 1915 the inhabitants of Peramos began dispersing. Whoever had relatives in Constantinople went there and others, those that managed to leave before Turkey entered the war (Turkey sided with Germany in World War I), thus closing the borders, left for other lands.

In 1905 -- (the year my mother Evanthia was born)

The records of the Patriarchate in Constantinople describe Peramos as a small town of 3,400 inhabitants having 3 central churches named Agia Theotokos, St. Dimitrios and St George, and 11 chapels with 7 priests and one preacher and one grammar school with 200 students and three teachers and one nursery school teacher with 80 small children. The community was governed by 12 elders one of which was Fotis Manitsas). Descriptions are given from various years as to population and characteristics.

All the inhabitants of the town and the Peninsula were Greek (exception was about 60 homes about two hours from Peramos, Arminehori, a small town of Armenians). The women and children did not speak Turkish. Description of Peramos by others are as follows:

The inhabitants of Peramos differ from their neighbors in being vivacious, temperate, and of playful character. The women are renown for their unusual beauty. They are industrious and hospitable. They resemble those of the surrounding of Constantinople.

This was written by Constantine Makris, a physician from Artaki, investigating the history of Kyzikos.

Earlier in 1879 the Italian archeologist and explorer Titus Carabella writes the following:

Peramos is a town of 500 houses on the southern coast of the Peninsula of Kyzikos about 11 kilometers northeast of Kyzikos. The inhabitants are Greek Orthodox and cultivate vineyards, olives, and wheat, but their greatest source of income, silk production has been lost in recent years because of the sickness that has befallen the silk cocoons. The people of Peramos are plain, measured, and industrious. In general, those of the surrounding areas are fearful of them and remark on their manliness and their proud spirit and their independence. The Turkish authorities are powerless in Peramos although oppress in other areas. The Peramians even with the misfortune that affected them from the damage to the silk industry are considered superior to their neighbors. (The problems with the silk worms must have been temporary since in my mother Evanthia's time silk production was an active industry.)

These were the opinions of others regarding those of Peramos but we should not be over impressed with ourselves since we also had our more or less bad side and sometimes narrow mindedness from ignorance and also had the usual animosities present in all towns and communities.