NEW BUCA: THE NEW HOMELAND OF THE GREEKS OF BUCA

In September 1922, as the Turkish Army was advancing towards Izmir, the Greeks of Buca, like hundreds of thousands of Greeks, were in a hurry to leave Buca, fearing that there might be retaliatory attacks. On September 9, when the news that the Turkish army had entered Izmir was received, some Greeks from Buca rushed to the Izmir dock. Those who did not go in the direction of Izmir sought refuge either in the American College in Kızılçullu or in the Barff and Baltazzi Mansions in Buca. The American College was run by a Canadian clergyman and the American flag was hung on its door to prevent the entry of the Turkish Army and irregular militia. Similarly, the Greek Orphanage in Baltazzi Mansion hung an American flag over the door, hoping to avoid possible Turkish reprisals. On September 10, the victorious Turkish Army headed towards Buca after a minor engagement at Kızılçullu. A compromise was reached with the Greek civilians, and the Turkish Army took control of Buca, mostly without resistance, except for a minor conflict. Now, order was established in Buca, and like hundreds of thousands of Greeks, migration routes were seen for the Greeks of Buca. In fact, the Greeks of Buca, who had nothing to do with the war and largely lived on farming, were also a small part of the Anatolian Greeks, who were victims of the adventurous and fanciful policies of the Greek government.

There is no reliable information about what happened to the Greeks of Buca in the first years. Some Greek sources say that some Greeks from Buca were deliberately deported to Anatolia, and many died of starvation and misery. It does not seem possible to confirm whether this information is true or not. Apart from this, it can be said that some of them went to the Greek Islands in the early days, and probably most of them went to Athens in the following months. Of course, there must be Greek Cypriots who went to the USA and possibly to countries such as Canada and Australia in the following years, as did the Buca car manufacturer billionaire Issigonis.

In 1952, the Greeks of Buca settled in the northeast of Athens, 26 km from the capital Athens. They established a settlement called Neos Voutzas (Νέος Βουτζάς) on a 2000 hectare forest area in the Rafina region. Yeni Buca Construction Cooperative had purchased this area belonging to Dau Pentelis Monastery to establish Yeni Buca. The founders of New Buca were largely composed of immigrants who immigrated to Greece from the Buca district of Izmir in 1922. Apart from the people of Buca, other Greeks from different parts of Asia Minor were among the founders of this place, and these people aimed to preserve their national and religious traditions and keep their memories alive. For this purpose, Yeni Buca Construction Cooperative was officially established on 6 April 1952 under the leadership of Buca lawyer Antonios Athinogenis.

The first management committee consisted of Apostolos Hadjipostolos, Ioannis Menadakis, Nikolaos Aggelinos, Georgios Raisis and Ioannis Margetis, all of whom were born in Izmir Buca. The establishment of Yeni Buca was completed in 1955 and it was opened in the same year with a magnificent ceremony. A column excavated during a visit to the Agios Ioannis Church in Buca in 1953 by the Greeks of Buca was placed as an honor stone on the foundation of the Aya Yani Church in Yeni Buca. This event also shows how important the Greek Orthodox Church of Yukari Aya, Buca, was for the Greeks of Buca in the past. Today, Aya Yani Church in Yeni Buca is still standing and represents the tradition of the Anatolian Greeks of Buca.

The Greeks of Buca gave the same name to the churches they had built in Greece as the church their ancestors used in Turkey.

The original Aya Yani Church in Izmir Buca was in the upper neighborhood (Greek: Apano Mahala, now Yaylacık Mahallesi) and was built in 1796 by the Izmir Metropolitan Patriarch Gregory, who would later come to the fore with his nationalism and was hanged by the Turks in 1821. Today, only the entrance gate remains. The original church was demolished in 1961 and a school was built in its place, but it is known that the church was used by the few remaining Christians (and probably mostly Orthodox) until the 1950s.

Neo Voutzas (New Buca) is one of the favorite places in Greece today and stands out with its rich nature. It hosts basketball, volleyball and tennis competitions and the training needs of the campus are met by the gymnasium of Nea Makri Municipality. The Holy Agia Triada Monastery is located on the border of Yeni Buca. There are three clubs in Yeni Buca and, in addition, the religious committee of the Aya Yani Church.

Yeni Buca is administratively part of the Rafina region and is adjacent to the Nea Makri campus, founded by the Greeks from Fethiye.

Additional Note: Unfortunately, the Yeni Buca campus was badly damaged in the forest fires that took place on 23-26 July 2018 in Greece.

- Sources -

levantineheritage.com/testi21.htm

levantineheritage.com/testi31.htm

mikrasiatis.gr/o-mpoutzas-tis-smyrnis/

Candlesticks, Vol I, no. 6 - Boudja Past and Present, Hilda Voltera Barff, 1951-52 Winter