Historical Background Reality of Western Thrace and Western Thrace Turks in Europe and Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe
The suppression and assimilation policies, started against the Western Thrace Turks in 1960s and grew in intensity through 1970s, brought out a mass emigration wave from the region. The policies put in place by Greek authorities with motivations of intimidation of the respective minority have manifested themselves as "dissolution" of the Minority and eventually leaving territories by means of "forced migration".Besides the non-constitutional denaturalization policy due to Article 19 of the former Greek Nationality Code, which provided room for the removal of citizenship from Greek citizens who are ethnically not Greek and do not belong to Greek Orthodox Church in case of leaving country with no intention of return, the forced emigration policy essentially aimed at deterioration of the economic situation of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority members. Being threatened at multiple dimensions of their lives; be it social, political, economic and cultural spheres, the Western Thrace Turks were forced to migrate. While the vast majority of migration wave was towards Turkey, some groups chose to migrate to European countries, in particular to Germany. Today, including the third generation, population of Western Thrace Turks in Germany amounts to 30.000. Except overseas like Australia, the United States of America and Canada, there is a considerable number of Western Thrace Turkish population living dispersed in other EU Member States, such as the Netherlands, England, Sweden, France, Belgium and Austria.The need to keep alive their socio-cultural values and maintain solidarity in their host countries led the Western Thrace Turks to summon under collectively created associations.In Germany, the first Western Thrace Turks Association was established on 1 January 1978 in the city of Giessen of the state Hessen.
This was followed by foundation of other Western Thrace Turks Associations in Stuttgart, Homburg/Saar, Munich, Düsseldorf, Kelsterbach and so on. The dramatic rise in the number of associations established by the Western Thrace Turks living in Europe has been a response to Greece's assimilation policies pursued towards the Minority in the region.In the beginning of 1980s, despite being accessed to the EU as a fully member, the successive Greek governments have not given up from their suppression policy against minority groups, primarily to the Western Thrace Turkish Minority. At that stage, initial reactions were raised through the Western Thrace Turks' associations established in Germany. Western Thrace Turks Associations in Germany, whose number were on a constant increase, have established Coordination Committees aimed at advanced cooperation and increased solidarity. The efforts invested on this way gave its fruits on 28 February 1988 with official establishment of Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Germany co-founded by seven member associations.
By establishment of the new federation in Germany, Western Thrace Turks attained a large sphere of representation, which assured the political, social, cultural, educational and other problems of the Minority to be voiced on international arena as well as coordination and cooperation between other associations established by the Western Thrace Turks.
With its increasing number of member associations, Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Germany has become Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe in 1996 by receiving Association of Western Thrace Turks in the UK on board.
Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe currently operates as an umbrella organization far reaching territories with its 30 member associations divided into three organization units and keeps up international representation of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority for its democratic and legitimate struggle to restore its rights and freedoms.
Representing Western Thrace Turks as their spokesperson in international for a since its establishment, Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe has had several achievements regarding the advocacy of the Minority at the European Parliament, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the United Nations.
Being in charge of the coordination of member associations for maintaining the social and cultural values of the Western Thrace Turks, Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe is the founding member of the Permanent Secretariat of International Council of Western Thrace Turks, an upper entity established for synchronization and cooperation of works among organizations created by Western Thrace Turks living worldwide.
