Also known as "Topal Osman", he served for the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) in the Balkans. It was there that he received an injury to his foot which resulted in him being referred to as ‘Lame' or ‘Crippled' Osman. He roamed the Black Sea (Pontus) region with his band and was responsible for numerous massacres and deportations of Greeks. He was a brigand and a Kemalist Military Commander. He had a fanatical loyalty to Mustafa Kemal to whom he served as a bodyguard.  He was made Mayor of Giresun (Kerasus/Kerasund) in 1919 as a reward for his murderous deeds.

On the 23rd of March 1923, he strangled Trabzon Deputy Ali Sukru Bey to death because the Deputy criticized Mustafa Kemal.  He was shot dead in Ankara on the 1st of April 1923 after an exchange of gunfire with the Military Police who had been sent to capture him. His body was hanged in front of the Turkish Parliament and later buried in Giresun.  A statue of him was erected in Giresun which still stands today.

Atrocities committed by Osman Agha in the Pontus region.

While on his way through the village of Kirli having lodged and fed at the expense of the people there, he demanded the dauighter in law of Anastasse Agha, a notable of that village who refused. Osman Agha then ordered Anastasse Agha to be butchered together with his four children and four other men. [1]

On the 20th of December 1921 a band of 100 Turcolazes from Rize enlisted by the Mayor of Kerasund, Osman Agha, landed at Ordu and were received by the Authorities of the town. The following day they surrounded the streets and proceeded to pillage the shops of Christians, taking with them 2 Greeks. The Merchant Michel Macrides of Kerasund was decapitated in a small boat by order of Osman Agha and his body thrown into the sea. Several other notables were also deported causing a severe sense of terror amongst the other Christians. [2]

In 1921 on passing through Amaseia and Tchoroum Osman Agha instructed his men to massacre every Christian man or woman whom they encountered. [3]

In June 1920 at the village of Enayet near Kerasund, .a family of 5 Greeks were murdered by Osman Agha and his followers, and several women and young girls carried off. Houses were robbed and cattle stolen. [4]

In July 1920 Osman Agha massacres 15 Christians in the village of Karali and Kourouk.  Because of the violation of a Muslim woman by a man named Panayoti, 50 Greeks of this name were arrested and beaten and 2 tortured and killed. His followers then extorted large sums from the Christians while he himself threatens to massacre all Christians unless the San Remo decision is modified. [5]

On August 20, 1920 Osman Agha continues to extort money from the Christians and many of the richest have been reduced to poverty.  On the night of the 13/14th of August Osman arrests the whole male population of Kerasund in order to expel them; his followers subsequently entering and pillaging their houses. [6]

In July 1920 Osman Agha arrests and beats the Bishop of Sevasteia. [7]

In March 1921 he compels the inhabitants of the village of Sevasteia to feed him and his 500 band of men for 3 weeks. At Ezboter 2 Greeks and an Armenian are arrested and after having their bare feet shod with horse shoes, they are massacred.  He also orders the massacres of women and children of the villages of Koul-Hisar , Messoudie and Kirik.[7]

On the 25th of February (1922), 20 Greek villages were destroyed by fire in the region of Kerassunde, in the Pontus, by the order of Osman Agha, Major of Kerassunde and Kemalist military commander, and on 1st March the villages of Beislan, Pozat, Topekeny, and Kiavourhiki were also burned down, the inhabitants-consisting only of women and children-who were previously imprisoned in the houses, having completely perished in the flames. [8]

Sources

References

Osman Agha (Topal Osman)

Photo courtesy Wikipedia .