Book reviews and recommendations

[TrueMacedonian]

One book that I read a few months ago was Fred A. Reed's 'Salonica Terminus' and I found it quite revealing as far as the history of Solun and how the Jews were not to pleased to see the "liberators" come in and claim a liberation of Solun from the Turk. The jews in Solun actually had it quite good due to being a majority of the merchant class in Solun.
But the book is not solely based on one particular ethnic group. He goes on to describe how the neo-hellenes re-created Solun into a "hellenic metropolis" after a big fire with the help of a French architect. So in reality Solun was only "Hellenized" , if we must ue a description, in the early 20th century. The traditions and cultures that Solun possessed were eliminated for a new plastic image.
He describes the so-called 'Greek element' in Southern Albania only to explain to the reader that the 'Greeks' were in fact 'Vlachs' who had used the language due to ecclesiastical reasons.
Then he gets to the Macedonians in Macedonia and in Occupied Aegean Macedonia where he describes the feelings of the people as far as the occupation of Aegean Macedonia and so forth.
I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in Soluns history as well as the people in and around it in the balkans.

[Risto the Great]

The Jews of Solun have suffered heavily.
No single ethnicity can lay a greater claim on Solun in the 19th century than these Jews.
By the time they came to claim back their properties after the Nazi's had their way with them and their families, the Turkish christian settlers would not give them their properties back.

Here is some interesting text:

General Georgios Tsolakoglou, who had signed the armistice treaty with the Wehrmacht, was appointed as chief of a new Nazi puppet collaborationist regime in Athens. He was succeeded as Prime Minister of Greece by two other prominent Greek collaborators: Konstantinos Logothetopoulos first, and Ioannis Rallis second. The latter was responsible for the creation of the Greek collaborationist Security Battalions. As in other European countries, there were Greeks eager to collaborate with the occupying force. Some because they shared the National Socialist ideology (for instance members of ultra-nationalist political factions and parties), others because of extreme anti-Communism, and others because of opportunistic advancement. The Germans were also eager to find support from the ideologically-similar Greeks, and helped Greek fascist organizations such as the infamous EEE (Ethniki Enosis Ellas), the EKK (Ethnikon Kyriarchon Kratos), the Greek National Socialist Party (Elliniko Ethnikososialistiko Komma, EEK) led by George S. Mercouris and other minor pro-Nazi, fascist or anti-Semitic organizations such as the ESPO (Hellenic Socialist Patriotic Organization) or the Sidira Eirini ("Iron Peace").

In Nazi ideology, the Greeks were regarded as a German-friendly nation and were above Slavs in their racial scale. Hitler admired the ancient Greek civilization, the Spartan model and Hellenic classicism, which inspired many building and artistics endeavours in Nazi Germany. Hitler had no plans to occupy Greece either, and also resisted to Italy's plans to invade Greece, which in the end was for this reason enacted without Mussolini consulting Hitler. Also the fact that Greece in the 1930s had a fascist regime leaded by the germanophile Ioannis Metaxas placed Greece on Hitler's list of potentially friendly nations. Furthermore, the Italians' failure to conquer Greece after their October 28, 1940 ultimatum and attack gained the Greeks the respect of Germany. For this reason Hitler ordered the Wehrmacht not to take Greek prisoners and allowed them to carry weapons, something no other defeated army was allowed to.

[UnitedForJohan]

Solun is Macedonian, we should only worry about how we can reclaim it.

[Soldier of Macedon]

How would you propose that such a scenario could come about?

[Jankovska]

I think firstly we should concentrate on keeping and growing Macedonia in the borders it is today as well as how to unite the Macedonian diaspora. The should be our aim.

[Soldier of Macedon]

I think firstly we should concentrate on keeping and growing Macedonia in the borders it is today as well as how to unite the Macedonian diaspora. The should be our aim.

I agree, in addition to maintaining and further re-developing links to Macedonians in the neighbouring countries.

[TrueMacedonian]

I finished reading Mark Mazower's 'The Balkans, a short history' a few weeks ago. He gives a very good detailed account about western perceptions of the Balkans. One of which being that every westerner just assumed everyone was a "greek" from th 15th century well into the 19th century. The other thing he mentions is the fact that western perceptions often created a confusing picture as to the reality of the Balkans, and in modern "greece's" case a disappointing picture for philhellenes.

One thing he mentions is how the christians in Cyprus would actually sway back and forth between islamic law and christian church values when it was in that persons vested interest. I will quote from his book a bit later.

Another thing about his book that he makes a curious mention of is the fact that the Ottomans did not really have a process for Islamization because christians paid higher taxes than muslims in the empire. He did mention that many christians were trying to convert so that they would avoid paying high taxes but the muslim clerics would not oblige them.

As for Macedonia he makes mention of the fact that some grk traveller passing through Macedonia could not find any ethnic "greeks" in Macedonia. Everyone encountered said they were christians. A label which was held in the highest value not just in Macedonia but in the entire balkans as well. It was a religious identity that mattered most. He gives you a brief detail about certain issues concerning language, religion, and identity all which came together more or less at different times for different nations. I would say that the book is very easy to read and if you're into Balkan history you should be able to crack down on it in no time. Took me a day. My only beef with his book is that, yes it is a short history, but he could have made mention of some Macedonian figures from the IMRO in better detail as to give the reader a bit of a better perspective on what occured in Macedonia during Ottoman rule.

[TrueMacedonian]

From pages 59-60 in Mazower's book 'The Balkans';

Thus Muslim officials helped Christians and Jews settle tax, and commercial and land affairs in accordance with Islamic law. Local Ottoman governors in the 16th and 17th centuries sometimes even intervened to settle local disputes over episcopal appointments within their Christian communities. Muslims, Christians, and Jews were members of the guilds that borrowed from the Byzantine practice of putting themselves under the protection of a protecting saint, sheik, or holy man. Orthodox men and women sometimes used the sharia courts even when no Muslims were involved. "I sold my son a cow," ran the complaint of one Christian peasant from Cyprus before an Islamic judge. "I want the money. He is stalling. I want it in accordance with the sharia."

[Risto the Great]

Thanks for the summary TM.
I would expect most people to swing between whatever laws avail themselves. And am often surprised how pig-headed most races are nowadays as compared to their ancestors. Honestly, I don't think people can get on anymore. It probably is collateral damage from nationalism.

[Bij]

great thread. i love reading these types of books and have been looking to expand my collection.

did you buy these books or borrow them? where did you buy them from?

[TrueMacedonian]

Bookstore. Sometimes ebay if the price is right.

[TrueMacedonian]

A book I finished a week and a half ago is The chronicle of Theophanes: an English translation of anni mundi 6095-6305 By Theophanes (the Confessor), Harry Turtledove(translator).

I got to say that it is more interesting reading from a chroniclers point of view rather than a historian who puts his/her spin on things. The book reads very smoothly. I notice that Theophanes dislikes iconoclasm, Emperors Constantine V, Nikephoros, and Michael Rhangabe due to their intensity on religion (Constantine V) or lack of skill (Nikephoros and Rhangabe) as emperors.

But the rest of the translation makes for an interesting read. Especially regarding the Sklavinian tribes as well as Thessalonike. According to Theophanes Thessalonike was a "Great Illyrian City". Strangely enough the one time the word Illyrian appears in Theophanes text is when regarding Thessalonike (Solun). Further reading into this book I noticed that alot of bishops and discontents were exiled to Thessalonike.

The Bulgars and the time of Krum are interesting. It seems that alot of Roman soldiers under Nikephoros would run to Krums side due to Nikephoros' inadequacies as Emperor. Eventually Nikephoros dies in battle and Krum turns his skull into a drinking cup which was coated with silver. He made the Sklavinians' leaders drink from Nikephoros' skull.

I can go on and on and post a link to some of Theophanes pages here - http://www.macedoniantruth.org/forum...ead.php?t=1947

But it does it no real justice. I recommend this book highly. A good easy read and a good historical reference.

[Bij]

Macedonian Truth Bookclub??

Amazon just emailed me to let me know about a new book coming out,

Demographic history of Macedonia by Frederic P. Miller

Guess I am that predictable???

Anyone own any 'must haves' for the Macedonian historical fan?

PS if any smart arse comes in and tells me I should buy 'Macedonia: 3000 years of Greek History' I already own it. I figure if there's one less copy floating around out there the better for man kind. and besides, i got it at a garage sale for $5

[Prolet]

A must have would have to be the Book by Metodija Hadzi Janev that he wrote about his experience with the Macedonian Soldiers in Iraq.

There are a few books from Aleksandar Donski worth being read, Zlatnata Kniga na VMRO is pretty good so is the White Book of NLA.

[Bij]

i am skeptical about donski and his work. i need more opinions on him!

whats the book by metodija called?