Ottoman Turkish Population Exchange Property Declaration Migrants Greece Thessaloniki İzmir

Ottoman Turkish Population Exchange Property Declaration (Tasfiye Talepnamesi) – İzmir / Thessaloniki Origin (1925)

Description:

This Ottoman Turkish document is titled “Taahhütname Regarding the Procedure Carried Out Pursuant to the Law Dated 16 April 1340” and represents a Tasfiye Talepnamesi (Property Liquidation Declaration) issued within the framework of the population exchange between Turkey and Greece following the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne.

Such documents were official declarations prepared by exchange migrants to record in detail the movable and immovable properties they were forced to leave behind. These records include houses, fields, vineyards, livestock, and household goods, along with their locations, sizes, usage, and estimated values. The primary purpose was to ensure that migrants would receive equivalent or fair compensation in their new country of settlement.

This particular document belongs to Emin kızı Güllü Hanım, whose photograph is attached to the document, adding a rare and highly personal dimension. She migrated from Bağcılar village in the Avrethisar district of the Thessaloniki province. The household population is recorded as one, indicating that she had no immediate family members such as a spouse or children. The document explicitly notes that she could not be formally settled due to her lack of family support.

Her recorded address in Anatolia places her in İzmir, in the Eşrefpaşa area, residing temporarily in Sultaniye Mahallesi, opposite Kalafat Tekke, in house number 505. This detail provides a vivid glimpse into the immediate post-migration living conditions of displaced individuals.

Under the section for real estate and land, the document records 26 separate parcels of farmland totaling 123 dönüms, each valued at 37 lira, with a total estimated value of 851 lira. It is also noted that 3 of the title deeds for these parcels were lost, while 23 remained in her possession at the time of declaration.

Dated 15 June 1341 (15 June 1925), the document bears official stamps and seals confirming its administrative validity. With its large format (43 × 33.5 cm), integrated photograph, and detailed inventory, it stands as both a legal record and a deeply human historical artifact.

For collectors, this is an exceptional piece tied directly to one of the most significant demographic and political events of the early 20th century. It offers rare insight into the personal realities of population exchange, particularly highlighting the experience of a single, unaccompanied woman navigating displacement and property loss. The inclusion of a photograph further elevates its rarity and emotional resonance, making it highly desirable for those interested in migration history, Ottoman-to-Republic transition, and social documentation.

Key Features:

• Type: Property liquidation declaration (Tasfiye Talepnamesi)

• Date: 15 June 1341 (15 June 1925)

• Language: Ottoman Turkish

• Owner: Emin kızı Güllü Hanım

• Origin: Thessaloniki province, Avrethisar district, Bağcılar village

• Residence (Anatolia): İzmir, Eşrefpaşa – Sultaniye Mahallesi, opposite Kalafat Tekke, house no. 505 (temporary residence)

• Household Population: 1 (no spouse or children recorded)

• Settlement Status: Not formally settled due to lack of family support

• Property Details: 26 parcels of farmland totaling 123 dönüms

• Valuation: Each parcel valued at 37 lira; total 851 lira

• Title Deeds: 23 present, 3 reported lost

• Historical Context: Population exchange between Turkey and Greece following the Treaty of Lausanne

• Physical Features: Large format (43 × 33.5 cm), includes photograph, official stamps and seals

• Collectible Significance: Rare personal record of a female exchange migrant with photograph; strong historical and emotional value