ΤΟ ΝΟΥΜΕΡΟ 31328 / THE NUMBER 31328
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Autor:
ILIAS VENEZIS
Country:
Greece (GR)
Book Theme:
Classic novels and Authors representing your country culture
Publisher:
ESTIA
Publishing Year:
2002
Ilias Venezis was a prominent Greek novelist, best known for works that vividly depict the experiences of Greeks in Asia Minor. Born in Ayvalık (then part of the Ottoman Empire), he survived the harrowing ordeal of forced labor during the Greco-Turkish War, an experience he recounted in his acclaimed novel Number 31328 (1931). His literary career includes notable works such as Aeolian Earth and Tranquility, which explore themes of displacement and resilience. He was elected to the Academy of Athens in 1957 and received two nominations for the Nobel Prize in Literature, in 1960 and 1963. Venezis’s contributions have left an indelible mark on modern Greek literature.
National Award for Children’s and Young People’s
Abstract
The number 31328 (Το νούμερο 31328), first published in 1931, is a harrowing autobiographical novel by Ilias Venezis that chronicles his experiences as a prisoner during the Greek genocide in Asia Minor. The story follows the young protagonist, based on Venezis himself, who is captured by Turkish forces in 1922, along with thousands of other Greeks from Smyrna (modern-day Izmir). Branded with the dehumanizing number 31328, he endures forced labor, starvation, brutality, and the constant threat of death as he marches through the harsh Anatolian landscape.
Through vivid and unflinching descriptions, Venezis exposes the horrors of war and the suffering of the Greek prisoners. The novel is not only a personal testimony but also a powerful indictment of violence and inhumanity. Despite the darkness of his experiences, moments of resilience and solidarity among the captives offer glimpses of hope.
Blending realism with emotional depth, Number 31328 stands as a significant historical and literary work, shedding light on the forgotten tragedies of the Asia Minor Catastrophe. It remains a moving and essential read, capturing the devastating impact of war on the human spirit.
