The following is a collection of photos of the men and women of Pontus who risked their lives to protect the helpless men, women and children from persecution during the period 1914-23.
Anastasios Papadopoulos, better known as 'Gotsa Nastas' was the General in charge of protecting the thousands of men, women and children who fled to the the mountain Toptsam.
Euclides Kourtidis was born in Santa of Pontus in 1885, and died in Nea Santa, Kilkis (Greece) on the 10th of February 1937 when he fell from his carriage and was trampled on by his horses. He is regarded as one of the most famous of freedom fighters in the region of Santa and Pontus as a whole. He first appeared as a freedom fighter during the Russian occupation of Pontus (1918) at a time when battles on the mountains of Santa were difficult. He influenced a generation of men who have now become legend.
