Ottoman Balkans and Greece

OTBA 033

Three vintage postcards of Jews of Salonica. B

Price: $90.00

OTBA 032OTBA 032

Collection of 33 postcards of ethnic Turks in Macedonia and Salonica before and during World War 1. B

Price: $800.00

OTBA 032

OTBA 031OTBA 031

Two views of Sarajevo pre-World War 1. B

Price: $50.00

OTBA 030

Four vintage postcards of Greek islands when they were under the control of Turkey or Italy. Shown are Mitylene Island, Coo, Leskovici and Kos. B

Price: $140.00

OTBA 029

Postcard of Crete stamped by the Distaccamento Militare Italiano. B

Price: $40.00

OTBA 028

Two vintage postcards published by Italian catholic missions in Albania and Montenegro. B

Price: $50.00

TRE 014

Vintage Russian print formerly housed at the Bibliotheque Militaire entitled 'Information from Constantinople - Taking Plevna'. (43,5 x 50), repair on back. M

Price: $400.00

TRE 013

Vintage Russian print formerly housed at the Bibliotheque Militaire entitled 'Announcing the fall of Edirne to the Sultan'. (43,5 x 48), repair on back. M

Price: $400.00

OTBA 023

GREEK POSTER OF THE BATTLE OF DOMOKOS, MAY 17, 1897. Size: 40 x 61 cm. M

Price: $800.00

Note: Officially, war between Greece and Turkey (the first time they had fought each other since the War of Independence in 1821) was declared on April 18. Heavy battles occurred between April 21-22 outside the town of Tyrnavos and Larissa fell on April 27, while the Greek front was reorganized behind the strategic lines of Velestino, in Farsala. On May 5, three Ottoman divisions attacked Farsala forcing an orderly withdrawal of Greek forces to Domokos. At Domokos, the Greeks assembled 40,000 men in a strong defensive position, joined by about 2,000 Italian "Red Shirts" volunteers under the command of Ricciotti Garibaldi, son of the famous General Garibaldi. The Turks had a total of about 70,000 troops, of whom about 45,000 were directly engaged in the battle. On May 16, the attackers sent part of their army around the flank of the Greeks to cut off their line of retreat but it failed to arrive in time. The next day the rest of their army made a frontal assault. The Turks were held at bay by the fire of the defending infantry until their left flank defeated the Greek right. The Ottoman formation broke through forcing a renewed withdrawal. Antonio Fratti, an Italian parliamentarian, died in the fighting. The Greeks were ordered to stand their ground at Thermopylae but on May 20 a ceasefire came into effect. The Ottoman Empire defeated Greece but lost Crete due to international pressure. Greece was forced to cede minor border areas and to pay heavy reparations. In order to pay the latter, the Greek economy came under international supervision. The forced armistice was a humiliation for the Greeks, highlighting the unpreparedness of the country to fulfill its national aspirations of uniting Greeks under Ottoman rule (Megali Idea). This awareness laid the seeds for the revolution of 1909 which called for immediate reforms in the army, economy and society. Eventually, Eleftherios Venizelos would come to power and as a leader of the Liberal party, he would instigate a wide range of reforms which would transform the Greek state leading it to the victorious Balkan Wars four years later. This is the only battle I am aware of where Garibaldi Red Shirts fought alongside the Greeks. I thought you might be interested because it combines your Turkish, Greek and Italian interest, in regards to Turkish history. This print is NOT held within the Getty Museum.

EPM 189