The house in Asia Minor is collapsing day by day Ayvaliin the historical ones Quinceswhere he was born and lived for many years and until the age of 18, the great Greek writer Ilias Venezis.

Left to its fate by its unknown owners to whose ancestors it passed in implementation of the Treaty of Lausanne, the emblematic house for Asia Minor Hellenism literally “plucks”. With its upper floor falling since, in addition to its more than one hundred years of age, it is weighed down by the fact that it is built according to the anti-seismic method of that time, which was particularly burdened by earthquakes in the region in the second half of the 19th century. With plastered wooden frame light (Baghdati) based on the stone ground floor.

The house Michael Melloof the author’s father, who comes from Kefalonia, and his mother, who is of lesbian origin, (Venezis was the name of Dimitrios’ grandfather on his mother’s side, whose name he used as a literary pseudonym) is located in the upper wide alley of Ayvali, very close to the church of the Holy Trinity which is also collapsing. Inside her, what the author tragically describes in his historical book took place “The Number 31328”. Events concerning the end of Asia Minor Hellenism in the Aivalio State in September 1922, his arrest and his life in the Labor Orders for 14 months until his release together with the few survivors of his fellow countrymen’s hardships.

Ilias Venezis was only 18 years old when he was arrested. Born in Ayvali in 1904, he spent with his family in Mytilini during the years of the first world war and the so-called first persecution. They returned to their state in 1919 and graduated from the historic Kydonia High School, successor to the great Kydonia Academy! After his release from the Labor Orders in the fall of 1923, in accordance with the terms agreed with the Treaty of Lausanne, he returned to Mytilene. There, he connected with the literary company of Stratis Myrivilis, who motivated him to record what he experienced in his captivity. This is how “The Number 31328” was born, which was published for the first time, in sequels in the newspaper “Kampana” of Mytilini, in which Mirivilis was the director. It should be noted that Venezis and Mirivilis (student and teacher that is) shared the first ever State Prize for Prose. Both were candidates in 1956 for the Chair of Literature at the Academy of Athens, to which Venezis was elected.

“Number 31328” was followed by the novels also emblematic for the history of Asia Minor Hellenism “Serenity” and “Aeolian Land»! It should be noted that Venezis was persecuted for his political ideas during the Metaxas dictatorship, while during the Occupation he was arrested on the charge that on the occasion of the anniversary of October 28, he had spoken at a gathering of the staff of the Bank of Greece where he worked. He was imprisoned inBlock C» a fact that was the reason for him to write his only play of the same name. His execution was prevented at the last minute after backlash from the spiritual world.

With a rich literary work, this Greek writer from Asia Minor was nominated twice for the prize Nobel Prize in Literaturein 1960 and 1963.

He died in 1973 and by his order he was buried in the cemetery of Molyvos (Mithymna) in northern Lesbos, opposite his hometown in an anonymous grave on which he himself chose to have only the word “GALINE” written.

The house of Venezis, unknown to many, has been identified since 1970. Then the sister of Venezis visited Ayvali Love Molyviati with her son, the then young diplomat Petros Molyviatis. In fact, they were photographed outside the house.

This photo was published in the November 1972 issue of the magazine “Aeolian Letters” and in 1974 in “New Home”. It ended up in his hands Dimitrou Psarrou author of the monumental work “THE AIVALI” in whose archive it will probably be found. A copy of this photograph was given to the undersigned a few years ago by Anna Venezisdaughter of Ilias Venezis when he had visited Mytilene.

Today, 102 years after the Asia Minor Disaster, for the house of Ilias Venezis, day by day things are getting worse and very soon it will cease to exist. But it can be saved. If initiatives are taken by the relevant ministries and self-governing bodies here and there. The monument house can and must be saved.