A historical evaluation of factors relating to the problem of Western Thrace: 1877-1995

The main purpose of this study is to expose how the Turks of Western Thrace have been reduced to a minority and to show how hard the struggle of living as a Turkish minority in Western Thrace has been between 1877 and 1995. The first part will be allotted to the difficult period tainted by the 1877-78 Russo-Ottoman War, Balkan War and the Greek rule. In the second part, the hardships that Turkish minorities have faced in Greece will be analysed. Literature review is used as a research method. This study shows that the Turkish minority of Western Thrace suffers from a wide range of problems with economic, social, political and educational facets. Dealing with these problems will lift the living standards of the Turkish community up to a decent level which will eventually have positive effects on the political relations between Greece and Turkey.