The political micro-economy of the Armenian Genocide, 1915-1922

Abstract:

After the end of World War I, Armenians who survived the genocide began to return to their homeland by 1918. During this period, concrete steps were taken in terms of legal and administrative measures to return movable and immovable properties deported Armenians were forced to leave behind.

Following the government of the CUP, necessary legal mechanisms were introduced to ensure both the return of Armenians from their deportation points and the restitution of movable and immovable properties. However, to what degree these mechanisms were implemented on the local level is disputable.

This article attempts to reveal the implementation process of administrative regulations regarding the restitution of Armenian properties at the local level. It specifically examines how Armenian properties were restituted to their rightful owners who returned to the districts of Cebel-i Bereket and Osmaniye in Adana Province, located in the Cilicia region (today known as southern Anatolia).