1. Friday, 31 October – Sunday 2 November 2014
THE SECOND LEVANTINE SYMPOSIUM IN IZMIR
Friday, 31 October – Sunday 2 November 2014

2. THE SECOND LEVANTINE SYMPOSIUM IN IZMIR
Took Place On Friday, 31 October
It was Hosted by The Izmir Chamber of Commerce
In their Main conference hall. This is a personal review of this event by George Galdies.
Scale model at Izmir Chamber of Commerce Museum

3. Event title:
THE SECOND LEVANTINE SYMPOSIUM IN IZMIR
Date:
Friday, 31 October – Sunday 2 November 2014 (including fringe events and tours)
Main event theme:
WHO WERE THE LEVANTINES?
Research topics:
Where did they live? Who are their descendants? What is their legacy?

4. Focus:
European settlers in the Aegean region, the cities and towns they lived in,
the businesses they created,
their fascinating lifestyles and traditions,
the different ethnic groups they encountered in the Levant,
the unique legacies they left behind.

5. Special emphasis was to be placed on current research into:
the genealogy and social history of families with origins in Genoa, Malta, Smyrna and the Aegean Islands. Event was to be supported by optional tours to old Levantine suburbs of Izmir. To Ephesus, and to Chios and Cesme.

6. By December 2013 it was agreed that the Second Izmir Symposium will be announced on Levantine Heritage Foundation websites.
Conference organisers in no particular order:
George Vassiadis (originally, then withdrew)
Alex Baltazzi (principal moderator)
George Poulimenos
Jacques Caporal
Marie Anne Marandet
Jerome Muniglia (co-moderator)
George Galdies (international co-ordinator and LHF trustee)

7. planning and execution
Originally this was going to be a 2 centre conference
with venues in Izmir and in Chios.
To avoid clashing with the Istanbul conference, Izmir became the only overnight venue, with a day visit to Chios made optional.
The symposium remained focused on the Levantine communities of Izmir and an academicals’ study of Levantine roots in the Aegean Islands.
Eventually some 35 overseas participants came to the meeting from USA, Canada, UK, France, Italy, Greece, and Australia. In total over 100 people signed the register.
20 newspapers reported the event.
As per previous Izmir meeting Karavan Travel provided all logistic support whilst Izmir Chamber of Commerce provided hosting and hospitality. Both perfectly executed.

8. Friday, 31st October 2014
Mr Akdurak reminded participants that Izmir is still a city very much open to the West, and invited foreign delegates to be its ambassadors , and promote tourism and foreign inward investment for the city.
In the Chair : Alex Baltazzi, President of Karavan Travel and prolific contributor to the Levantine Heritage.com website.

9. 15 Conference Speakers in order of appearance

10. Dr Marie Carmen Smyrnelis
« Identités levantines dans le XIXe siècle ottoman « 
Expounded definition of “Levantine”
Alluded to ‘Greasy Levantine’, but also how “Western Traders” felt inadequate/ intimidated/annoyed having to deal through them.
Levantines were not a “coherent”, legally defined group when compared to Greeks, Armenians, Jews …
No communality of language: spoke several languages all at same time
Staunchly held on to their national identities. Several in one same family
Term “Levantine” took a different acceptance in more recent times

11. The life and work of the Reverend Charles Dobson
Joanna Hyslop
The life and work of the Reverend Charles Dobson
Rev. Charles Dobson Anglican Chaplain in 1922 Smyrna: Joanna’s great grandfather
A great insight into the life of a remarkable person
She examines the evidence given by him in London courts
Her research published by Modern Greek Studies Association of Australian and New Zealand
Vivid descriptions of key events during 1922 Fire and destruction
Dobson’s heroic initiatives to save lives securing evacuation of civilians

13. The Murat Family of Bornova
Joseph Murat
The Murat Family of Bornova
Quest to find family roots in Trieste leads to forgotten family records and archives.
Grand Father’s migration from Bornova to Vienna
Family photos and pre-WW1 family links
Telling letters between Bornova and Vienna
WW1 family dramas
Requests more information on the Murat and Great Grandmother’s HadjiKosti (Costi) families

14. Levantines of Smyrna: The Maltese Presence
Dr Henry Frendo
Levantines of Smyrna: The Maltese Presence
Rather little known about Maltese in Izmir to now
Malta in Ottoman days and British Empire days
Arrival of Maltese and sociological insights into their community
Documentary and first-hand narrations of WW1 and effects onto the Maltese
1922 catastrophe, evacuation from Smyrna and refuge to Malta
Return of refugees to Izmir, whilst migration to UK, Australia,…
WW2 and ‘exiles’ to India, Cyprus, and beyond.
Maltese in Izmir today.

15. Mark Ransome – Sally Elliott
THE WALKERS OF SMYRNA 
An introduction to the family and their ancestral home of Aziziye
Ancestor’s arrival to Smyrna in 1860 and family properties portfolio
Expansion of Walker industrial enterprises
“Veuve Prokopp” brewery
Walker- Issigonis and Simes families connections
Evacuation to Malta and return to Izmir
Many hitherto unseen photographs

16. The Webber Family in Smyrna and Canada
Brian Webber
The Webber Family in Smyrna and Canada
Talk prepared in collaboration with his cousin Joyce Medcalf
Intersections with Levantines families from pre-1914 to recent times in Canada
Several references to cousins, railroads, former properties in Paradise, Smyrna
Smyrna’s ‘comfort foods’
Joyce’s searches into family archives and revelations of roots back to 19th Century Smyrna

17. Oh look! There’s Dr Philip Mansel !
Lunch Break

18. Dr Sandra Origone
The relationships between Smyrna, Genoa, the Knights of St John and other Latin presences, analysing documentary sources.
14th Century Asia Minor
Arrival of the Genoese and trade with Governorate of Aidin
Genoese, Venetians, and the Knights
Smyrna suppliers to the Knights in Rhodes, and non-patrician merchants
The Giustinianis, Reccanello, and notable Smyrna names in 14th Century

20. Dr Ioanna Koukounis
‘Furrowing routes of trade in the Mediterranean: The Chiots from Genoa to the Levant’
Names of Chiot commercial houses in 18th Century Smyrna
Depiction of Chiot noble families, and the Chiot-Genoese
‘economy intermarriages’
Chios’s riches
Chios as a clearing house for Anatolia’s agricultural produce and raw materials
Smyrna’s language and frangochiotika

21. Dr. Altug Akin “Ghosts at the Heart of the Empire”: Levantines of Smyrna in Contemporary Novels
Ghosts from Smyrna’ a novel by Loren Edizel
“In the Heart of the Empire”; an historical novel by Spiros Gogolos
Compares the two novels, and touches non-Moslem origins of each author
Emergence of “multi-cultural” or “cosmopolitan” genres since 1980s
Defines Smyrna Quay: “ Luxury, money and hedonism”
Comparison between Athens and Smyrna

22. Dr Kalliopi Amygdalou
‘From the Ottoman Empire to the Nation-State: Izmir’s architectural and urban transformation.’
The rebuilding of Izmir in the 1930s
Analysis of period photos of reconstruction
Controversies and alterations in planning process
State interventionism in urban environment
Several rarely seen photos
“post-Ottoman modern condition in Izmir”

23. Doç. Dr.Hâle OKÇAY
İZMİR’DE LEVANTEN MİRASI:
MEZARLIKLAR ÜZERİNE SOSYOLOJİK BİR YAKLAŞIM
A Levantine legacy in Izmir: A sociological approach on the cemeteries
Levantine community of Ottoman Smyrna – Catholics and Protestants
Rites and customs
Description of ‘Levantine Tombs and Graves’
Introduction of new legislation in 2005 grating official status to Christian cemeteries
Slides and comments on Christian cemeteries of Izmir and suburbs
Comparisons between Moslem and Christian cemeteries
“Christian consecrated graves: lasting reminders of past lives

24. View of the northern pathway, Karabaglar

25. Dr. Ahmet MEHMETEFENDİOĞLU
[My summary from an 11 page document in Turkish]
Dr. Ahmet MEHMETEFENDİOĞLU
İZMİR LEVANTENLERİ İÇİN ÖNEMLİ BİR DÖNEM VE İSİM: BİRİNCİ DÜNYA SAVAŞINDA LEVANTENLER VE İZMİR VALİSİ RAHMİ BEY
An important name and period for the Izmir Levantines: the Levantines during the First World War and Rahmi Bey, the Governor of Izmir 
Rahmi Bey’s early life and political career.
His position in “Unity and Progress” movement; appointment as Vali of Izmir
The refugees problems arising from Balkan War defeats
WW1 and his good will towards the Levantine community.
WW1 Britain, the Dardanelles, and his refusal of surrender to the British.
25 October 1918 resignation from post of Governor
Kidnapping of his son Alpaslan by rebel Cerkez [Circassian] Ethem
Exiled to Malta in 1919, emigrated to Italy, then Germany, return to Turkey in , alleged implication in the 1926 Izmir terrorist attack and escape abroad and return in Died in 1947

26. Digital Reconstruction of the Smyrna Quay
George Poulimenos
Digital Reconstruction of the Smyrna Quay
“The Quay”: iconic symbol of Smyrna
Exploration of the constituent parts of the Quays
The planning and preparation of the digital files
Talk is illustrated with many slides showing various stages of reconstructing digitally
A final panorama showing what more than 200 buildings would have actually looked before 1922
A few buildings are shown as exemplars resulting from the work
A truly forensic investigation and reconstruction; the results of which will be published in a book.

27. Yeni Asir 1 November 2014
Dünyanın birçok ülkesindeki Levantenleri bir araya getiren 2. Uluslararası Levanten Sempozyumu, İzmir Ticaret Odası'nda (İTO) yapıldı. Sempozyum 2010'da yapılan ilki gibi yoğun ilgi gördü. Sempozyuma, aileleri eskiden İzmir'de yaşamış olan çok sayıda Levanten ile Amerika, Malta, Fransa, İngiltere, Fransa, Yunanistan gibi çeşitli ülkelerden gelen yaklaşık 40 yabancı konuk katıldı. Açılışta konuşan İTO Meclis Başkanı Rebii Akdurak, sempozyuma gösterilen ilgiden duyduğu memnuniyeti dile getirerek, "Bildiğiniz üzere, İzmir'in ekonomik tarihinde Levanten tüccarların çok önemli bir yeri var. Ama sadece ekonomik hayatımızda değil, İzmir'in sosyal hayatının gelişmesinde de Levantenlerin büyük katkısını biliyoruz. İzmir'in bugünkü kentsel kimliğinin oluşmasında, yüzlerce yıl burada yaşayan Levantenlerin rolü büyük oldu" dedi İzmir'e yatırım çağrısı Akdurak, şöyle konuştu: "Bugün aramızda bulunan Levanten konuklarımızı bu sempozyum ile yeniden İzmir ile bağlantılarını güçlendirmeye, ekonomik, ticari ve kültürel işbirliklerini arttırmaya davet ediyorum. Sizler hem yurt dışında İzmir'in elçiliğini yapabilir, hem de İzmir'de yatırım ve ticaret ortaklıkları kurarak kentimiz ile yeniden sıkı bağlar kurabilirsiniz" ifadelerini kullandı. Dr. Marie Carmen Smyrnelis'in 19. Yüzyıl Osmanlı İmparatorluğu'nda "Levanten Sosyal Kimlikler" adlı sunumuyla devam eden sempozyumda İzmir'in ticari hayatına bir dönem etkili olan Levanten ailelerle ilgili bilgi verildi. KADİR KEMALOĞLU

28. Some of the fringe events

29. Dr Philip Mansel’s book signing day launching his “LEVANT” published in Turkish

30. Music was provided by the excellent Turkish choir of the Cathedral.
Multi-confessional Mass said in Latin, Italian, Turkish, English, and Greek at the Basilica Cathedral of St John Apostle & Evangelist, in celebration of All Saints Day.
Music was provided by the excellent Turkish choir of the Cathedral.
[The “New Levantines of Izmir”? ]

31. Our visitors to Chios were welcomed by the Mayor of Chios, as reported by Chios municipal news: ‘Polistischios.gr’
Mgr. Franceschini and George Galdies greeting members of the some 60 - strong congregation

32. Levantine Heritage Foundation
Open register of members for specific research projects. Started 7 November 2014
TOPIC and INTEREST
INITIATOR name and address
Participants to Topic (contact details)
families, cultural history of Izmir and Bornova in particular Seeking specific help with: Translation of 19th century Greek and Ottoman script documents, identification of signatures, locations, dates etc.
(telephone calls or Whatsapp messaging only
Genealogy, Photography, Videology, Cadoux family, de Hochepied family, MacAndrews and Forbes and the Forbes family
Wallis Kidd
          1922, Rev Charles Dobson and the communities he worked with at this time: The Anglican Church in Smyrna; Levantine Families; various other churches and priests of Smyrna, especially Agia Photini and St John's Orthodox Church; The English Nursing Home; The Ottoman Ayden Railway station; The British Consulate.     
Joanna Hyslop
Any information on the Micro Asiatic League?
Joanna Hyslop
railway research; Smyrna Aidin and Smyrna Cassaba Railways information, history and personnel.
Alan Prior
Tracing my mother's (Castelberg-Koulma)family connections and genealogy in old Smyrna.
Mary Castelberg-Koulam
Research Topics: Sociological and Historical.Collective Memory.
 - Interests: Walker, Stengel, Prokopp, Pohl, Crespi, Giudici, Issigonis families. Smyrna to Aydin Railway, Stengel/Prokopp Brewery, Issigonis Engineering Works.
Mark Ransome
 - Specific Topics: I don't know how we could ever organise a rescue effort on such a major scale, but Grace Williamson's English Nursing Home at 646, Ataturk Caddesi is now in a very sorry state of disrepair. One wonders who it belongs to now and whether anything can be done to save it, in the way of some sort of grant(?) - preferably from the Izmir town council (or equivalent)!
•         Interests (families, themes, research topics): Smyrnian Levantines, contemporary discourses about Levantines, media and communication as it relates to Levantines
Altug Akin
The BADETTI family comes from the first Genoan families installed in Chios and I am personnaly interested in the history of Genoans in the mediterranean sea and generally in the bizantine links with Christianism.
LOREDANA BADETTI
I am also several times per year in Chios where I rent a house all year long.
I fluently speak and write Italian, French, Turkish, English I speak also Greek but read it only in the great letters
Levantine history, family history, Izmir/Ayvalik, archaeology
•         Seeking specific help with: As a resident of Ayvalik I am particularly interested in this town and am eager to find an old map of Ayvalik with Greek street names etc
Frances Thesiger
Please apologize for my langugae, but I`m a french citizen.
This person was my Grandfather Ferdinand PROSSEN from Marseille.
PROSSEN Claude
If you have other document about my fa mily, please feel free sending them to me !
o Your Name Prof. Michel B ALARD
o Affiliation (e.g. university or private individual)Professor
emeritus University Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne
o Interests (families, themes, research topics)History of the
Medieval Mediterranean
o Seeking specific help with: please name the topic or topics.
• I consent for my details to be entered into the confidential
register, but not into an open circulation list.
Thanks for the organization of the Symposium and best wishes.
Your Name: Altug Akin
• Affiliation (e.g. university or private individual): Faculty of Communication at Izmir University of Economics •
• Interests (families, themes, research topics): Smyrnian Levantines, contemporary discourses about Levantines, media and communication as it relates to Levantines
• Seeking specific help with:
• Yes I consent that my details may be entered only into the LHF confidential register: X

34. Son Dakika Friday, 31 October
Uluslararası Levanten Sempozyumu
İZMİR (AA) - İzmir Ticaret Odası (İZTO) Meclis Başkanı Rebii Akdurak, levantenlerle aynı mahallelerde, aynı okullarda bir arada yaşamanın mutluluğunu tattıklarını, ekonomik ilişkileri de güçlendirmek istediklerini söyledi.
İZTO Toplantı Salonu'nda İzmir'de yaşayan levantenler, bazı yabancı misyon temsilcileri ve fahri konsolosların katılımıyla 2. Uluslararası Levanten Sempozyumu düzenlendi. 
İZTO Meclis Başkanı Rebii Akdurak, sempozyumun açılış konuşmasında, İzmir'in batıya açık kimliğinde geçmişten bu yana levantenlerin büyük payı olduğunu belirtti. 
Levantenlerin devletler arası anlaşmalara bağlı olarak ticaret yapma ayrıcalığına sahip Avrupalı tüccar anlamına geldiğini kaydeden Akdurak, "İzmir'de Frenk Mahallesi'ne yerleşip özel serbest bölgeler yaratan levantenler ticarete büyük katkılarda bulunmuştur" dedi.
Önce Ceneviz ve Venediklilerin daha sonra diğer Avrupalıların benzer ticari ayrıcalıklara kavuştuğunu söyleyen Rebii Akdurak, İzmir'in de ticari gelişmelere bağlı olarak hızla büyüdüğünü ve güçlü bir ticaret kenti haline geldiğini söyledi. 
İzmir'de  yılları arasında Kordon ve Pasaport'taki liman inşa edilince sahil kesiminin levanten mahalleleri ile dolduğunu anlatan Akdurak, konuşmasını şöyle sürdürdü:
"Levanten mahalleleri kentimizin mimari dokusu üzerinde de önemli izler bıraktı. Bornova ve Buca'da o zaman kurulan köşkler bu mimari mirasın güzel örneklerini oluşturuyor. Levantenlerle aynı mahallelerde, aynı okullarda bir arada yaşamanın mutluluğunu tattık, şimdi ekonomik ilişkilerimizi güçlendirmek istiyoruz."
Rebii Akdurak'ın konuşmasının ardından sempozyum Dr. Marie Carmen Smyrnelis'in 19. Yüzyıl Osmanlı İmparatorluğu'nda Levanten Sosyal Kimlikler adlı sunumuyla devam etti.
Sempozyumda ayrıca, İzmir'in ticari hayatına bir dönem etkili olan levanten ailelerin hayatı da anlatıldı. 

35. talks synopses by G Galdies Longer formats

36. Joanna Hyslop
Joanna Hyslop is a professional artist, teacher and researcher.
Her examination of the evidence given by her great-grandfather, Charles Dobson, on the destruction of Smyrna, published by MGSAANZ (Modern Greek Studies Association of Australia and New Zealand) in 2014, forms part of her research for his biography.
 At the Izmir Symposium, she described Charles Dobson’s character through key events, including some of his bold initiatives as Chaplain in Smyrna during the catastrophe of September 1922.
Joanna’s talk recounted Rev. Dobson’s courageous deeds to secure the evacuation of as many residents as possible, including some British subjects who in the midst of chaos and massacre, as reported by the refugees, had not received timely notice from their Consul-General.
Mrs Hyslop has been invited to give a presentation of her work in a future LHF gathering in London in 2015.

37. Marie Carmen Smyrnelis
Delivered in French. My transcript and translation below is an approximation and not literal.
Marie Carmen Smyrnelis
« Identités levantines dans le XIXe siècle ottoman « 

38. Wallis Kidd The MacAndrews & Forbes Company as the Forbes family
Wallis Kidd recounted how how mainly the Forbes family had been responsible for the creation of that company in Smyrna and what was the subsequent legacy of that family, sadly however due to time constraints he was unable to complete his talk for which he offered his apologies.
Wallis wants us to know that on the upside; he did get to meet a very nice couple in Seydiköy/Gaziemir who knew of his family’s ‘the de Hochepied mansion’ just next to their house, and whom he says, were able to help him considerably in his research. He also visited the now partially restored Forbes House in the now grounds of the Buca Hospital, see photo.
His own further ongoing research is into the company MacAndrews and Forbes (producers and exporters of liquorice), the Forbes family, the Cadoux family and the de Hochepied family. Mr Kidd is available for assistance to any other person who wishes help in their research

42. Brian Webber
Reginald Webber with Mother & Paternal Grandparents Bayaraklı - c. 1912
Brian talked about the Webber family in Smyrna and Canada. In collaboration with his cousin Joyce Medcalf they prepared this talk which focused on the Webber family and their intersections with other Levantine families from pre 1914 Smyrna through to more recent times in Canada. It referred particularly to several family cousins, and also referred to railroads, former properties in Paradise, Smyrna, with mentions of Smyrna’s compelling comfort foods. Brian explained that Living and working in Turkey in enticed him to know more about those distant roots. His cousin Joyce keenly took a close look at her mother’s archives of the family's Smyrna connections. They surprisingly discovered that their ancestors’ roots in Smyrna go back to 1830, nor that their great grandfather had lived there from about 1890 until he died in 1921.

44. Dr Michel Balard LES LEVANTINS DE GÊNES : de l’Ancienne à la Nouvelle Mahone de Chio (The Levantines of Genoa: from the Old to the New Maona of Chios) Dr Balard starts by asserting that the Maona of Genoa is one of the most original financial institutions that the Middle Ages have bequeathed us. He traces a Latin presence in the Aegean from 1346 to 1566 quoting the Genoese and members of the Maona attracted mainly to Chios by the unique product of mastic and alum. It was not long before these settlers became orientalised. An account is given of the various protagonists in the history of Chios and the fortunes of the Maonas, ‘new’ and ‘old’. Balard goes on to explain the nature of the creators of these Maonas, their installation on Chios and the establishment of a Genoese identity. Details are given of the trading of Maona shares between families and partners, amongst which was going to emerge leading figures. A clear description is given of the parameters in which they could operate and of their varied activities into the Anatolian lands. They were bound by contract to reside on Chios for determined periods. These were eventually to become permanent, giving rise to a number of Latin names still carried on the islands. By the second half of the 14th Century a process of orientalisation was to take place, and lands and property were assigned to members of Maonas and their new immigrants to the detriment of some locals. This orientalisation or ‘levantinasation’ as Dr Balard puts it, was to lead to inter-communal marriages with the local Greek population. With Genoa being under French rule in 1410, from then several edits and legislations from Europe lead to the Genoese settlers becoming Hellenized and therefore joining the rest of what we came to call the Levantines.

45. Ioanna Koukounis

46. Dr. Altug Akin “Ghosts at the Heart of the Empire”: Levantines of Smyrna in Contemporary Novels
Dr Akin gave us an excellent presentation supported by 21 PowerPoint slides. He used his opening slide to enter into the subject matter drawn from the titles of 2 novels: ‘Ghosts from Smyrna’; a novel by Loren Edizel, a Levantine, former citizen of Izmir, and “In the Heart of the Empire”; an historical novel by Spiros Gogolos; who is quoted ‘as a cosmopolitan: A part of his family relates to Izmir and Torbali’.
Onur Akin compares the two novels to analyse the way Levantines are represented, the motivations and responses to such representations, as he calls them.
Two recent books (2008, 2013) by two authors who are descendants of non-Muslim groups of Izmir (Levantine, and Greek).
We are then taken on a visit to the way Levantines were seen in Turkish Literature during the Ottoman period, followed by descriptions of people and places and languages by contemporary Turkish writers.
He establishes that from the year 2000, to now at least 15 novels were published with Levantine content, or even “about Izmir with Levantine as a major component”. Tracing this genre to 1980s, he says such novel were to be called: “multi-cultural” or “cosmopolitan”.
Like others we have heard during this Symposium, he too enumerates the multi-ethnicity, and the diversity that weaved the fabric of cosmopolitan Smyrna as found in these novels, quoting several salient passages from each book. He sums up such description as “Three words to define Smyrna Quay is (sic): Luxury, money and hedonism”.
There follows a comparison between Athens and Smyrna, where Smyrna emerges as the more modern city, notwithstanding the political and social undercurrents, as described, lying below its surface. Dr Akin notices that in her book, Loren Edizel does not include a single ‘Levantine’ word in the text. Yet he concludes that these novels, perhaps thanks to the fact they were written not by firsthand experience, but rather through academic and other forms of research, give a fair and credible perspective of Izmir’s past.
[ I wish to add here that up until the late 1960s, the term ‘Levantine’ was seldom used in Izmir, and if so, only with reference to the people living in The Levant.]