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Anti-Hellenism (Greek: Ανθελληνισμός) is hostility toward the Greek people, culture and country. However, the degree to which actual anti-Hellenism exists is disputed. When compared with apparently similar phenomena (like Anti-Semitism), anti-Hellenism seems to be, at least in its contemporary form, more of a deliberate misperception or a sort of conspiracy theory than an actual hate movement.

Contents 1 Origins of anti-Hellenism 1.1 International mass media 1.2 The true anti-Hellenists 1.3 Henry Kissinger as an anti-Hellenist 2 Anti-Hellenism in Judaism/Israel 3 Anti-Hellenism in UK 4 Does anti-Hellenism really exist? 4.1 Detractors 4.2 Demonization 4.3 The "Ethnos Anadelfon" concept 5 What is, ultimately, 'anti-Hellenic'? 6 Consequences of anti-Hellenism 6.1 Dedicated press 7 See also 8 External links

Anti-Hellenism, to certain people and some international press, seems to lack a racial and cultural basis (unlike anti-Semitism), and appears to be mostly based on geopolitically oriented reasons, as well as diplomatic and strategic interests closely related with the modern state of Greece.

On the other hand, some consider anti-Hellenism to spawn from a purely racial and cultural basis, describing it as the hate or antipathy towards what the Hellenic or Greek civilization represents for a person as a belief system and way of life. People who believe this may assert that the object of hate is independent of residence or ethnicity, much like anti-Semitism, in which hate is directed at all Jews and not only toward the modern state of Israel or its residents.

The latter group often holds that pure racial and cultural hate are the only reasons for direct hate toward Greece instead of considering such feelings to be a reflection of various contemporary diplomatic tensions. Individuals in this group may claim that the Cyprus dispute and especially the Annan Plan for Cyprus are two recent examples of anti-Hellenist behavior.

A famous example of this is an international research paper published in August 2002 before being dropped and ridiculed due to its flawed research. It was devised by researchers (the team included some Macedonian Slavs) at the Department of Immunology and Molecular Biology in the Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain and claimed that Greeks (and Japanese) were shown to have genetic origins in Africa as opposed to Europe. Despite being initially published, the research was finally dismissed in the journal Nature by leading geneticists Neil Risch, Alberto Piazza, and L. Luca Cavalli-Sforza:

The limitations are made evident by the authors' extraordinary observations that Greeks are very similar to Ethiopians and east Africans but very distant from other south Europeans; and that the Japanese are nearly identical to west and south Africans. It is surprising that the authors were not puzzled by these anomalous results, which contradict history, geography, anthropology and all prior population-genetic studies of these groups. Surely the ordinary process of refereeing would have saved the field from this dispute. Nature 415, 115 (10 January 2002) © Macmillan Publishers Ltd.

Ironically the Macedonians in the dropped research were found to be a pure race decended directly from the Ancient Macedonians. It is similar aggressive writing and fictional research with no basis which has fueled the belief in anti- Hellenism.

Those who assert that anti-Hellenism is present in international mass media maintain that, unlike other kinds of racial or ethnic prejudice, anti-Hellenism is not officially based on a concrete ideology (like Mein Kampf against Jews), nor that it is present in an organized form or society (such as the Ku Klux Klan against African Americans), but that it usually manifests itself under the form of a negative image promoted by a part of the international mass media. This allegation seems to be levelled particularly against some (mainly Anglo-Saxon) journalists.

Such television reporters, journalists, and newspapers are in fact frequently accused of negative propaganda against the modern state of Greece. The Olympic games of Athens 2004 are a prime example, to the point that many of those newspapers and TV broadcasters apologized to Greece for having been too critical of Greece's competence in organising the games and maintaining security. Whether it be claiming Greece's victory at Euro 2004 was a fluke or Greeks in general are a disorganised people, this more than another phenomenon fuels the belief in Anti-Hellenism.

There are, however, a few declaredly anti-Greek organizations, such as the Turkish Grey Wolves and some extremist Balkans based political parties. The goal of these organizations is declaredly the territorial possession of Greece and of the whole of Cyprus, with no particular racial or cultural ideology behind them. While such stances ostensibly include the desire to rid Greece and Cyprus of Greeks, they apparently do not call for a worldwide 'Greek Holocaust'.

An alleged statement attributed to Henry Kissinger, was widely circulated in Greece to support the theory of an existing, global anti-Hellenism [1]. The so-called statement surfaced on the February 1997 issue of the Greek magazine Nemecis, and was alleged to have been made by Henry Kissinger on a 1994 speech. The magazine's editor-in-chief Lianna Kanneli, claimed that the "statement" was published on "Turkish Daily News", but failed to provide a copy of the newspaper when asked to do so, and insinuated that there had been a global conspiracy to destroy all relevant issues of said newspaper. Some persons have appeared in television to claim they had been witnesses to that statement, despite the incoherency of Kissinger divulging that he intended to eliminate Greek civilization, in front of a Greek audience. It was later discovered that this statement had again circulated 8 years before its supposed "first uterrance", in a reader's letter to the newspaper Eleftherotypia in 1987, at that time attributed to Henry Kissinger in 1973.

The speech allegedly consisted of the following:

"The Greek people are anarchic and difficult to tame. For this reason we must strike deep into their cultural roots: perhaps then we can force them to conform. I mean, of course, to strike at their language, their religion, their cultural and historical reserves, so that we can neutralize their ability to develop, to distinguish themselves, or to prevail; thereby removing them as an obstacle to our strategically vital plans in the Balkans, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East."

So much has this urban legend been ingrained into the Greek collective mind, that Henry Kissinger himself proceeded to deny ever making it (magazine Politika Themata, 13.6.1997).

Nonetheless, the statement continues to be circulated and used as evidence of an alleged global conspiracy against Hellenism. At the same time, however, to a part of the Greek public, the "Kissinger statement" serves as a reminder of what they perceive to be certain Greeks' obsession with constantly portraying themselves in the light of a "perpetually persecuted" people, a modern Greek paranoia, so to speak.

The anti-Hellenism in Judaism is usually associated with the celebration of Hanukkah.^{[citation needed]} For many Greeks the celebration of the Hanukkah is an excuse for the Jews to express their anti-Hellenism. This claim is fueled by an article of the extremist Rabbi Ahron Lopiansky, who associates Greece with darkness, and by the writings of the late Israeli-American rabbi and politician Meir Kahane. Also, this claim is supported by the behavior of some Jews towards Greece ever since the Hellenistic period to modern times.[2]. On the other hand, some Jews, such as novelist and popular historian Howard Fast, have expressed a strong admiration for Greek culture and particularly its relative lack of anti-Semitism as compared to many other European nations.^{[citation needed]}

The Greeks protest long time ago about the way British historians write Greek history and they understand it as an act of anti-Hellenism. Even if the protests include ancient history too, most is against the way modern Greece and its history is depicted. According to their claims, the British role in the Greek War of Independence is overated, the Pontian Greek Genocide is forgotten and Greece's role as an ally of Britain in the crucial 1940-1941 years is hushed. This is not a new issue, since in the '50s the British historian Arnold Joseph Toynbee had created much controversy and anger in Greece. In recent years the persistent refusal of several British historians to accept the European identity of Greece (like Anthony Pagden) is again considered an extreme act of anti-Hellenism. In later years, the continuous refusal of the British government to return back the stolen Parthenon marbles is again described as anti-hellenic. Greeks who subscribe to anti-Hellenism hold the BBC particularly responsible, whether it be the negative press to the Athens Olympics or the lack of enthusiasm when a Greek athlete/ football team succeeds or indeed commenting negatively on the return of the Elgin Marbles or Cyprus issue.

Anti-Hellenism, as a concept, seems to be controversial in Greece itself but it is not. Some Greek people firmly believe that there is an underground international conspiracy aimed at destroying Greek language and culture. Proponents of this idea believe that this can be seen in international politics toward Greece mainly in the 20th century, the Cyprus dispute being a such a recent example.

Detractors (most of them Greek) of the idea that anti-Hellenism is a real phenomenon, on the other hand, claim that anti-Hellenism is merely a handy excuse and an excellent scapegoat for labelling and demonizing all actual or imaginary "enemies" of the Greek nation or even for justifying insuccesses and failures from national to personal levels, and that in reality Greece and Greeks are regarded as no worse or better than any other democratic country and its citizens. These same people also feel that some facts are exaggerated by the mass media and by some politicians for their own purposes.

Generally, those who label something as 'anti-Hellenic', or feel that there is some major anti-Greek conspiracy behind international and regional political acts are Greeks themselves. This leads some to posit that Greeks who maintain that anti-Hellenist activity exists would suspect anyone opposing Greek interests in any area of being 'anti-Hellenic', a demonization of perceived enemies.

Halfway between popular belief and historical reality lies the concept of the Έθνος Ανάδελφον (Ethnos Anadelfon), which translated literally means 'Brotherless Nation'. This probably referred to the historical, linguistical and cultural isolation of Greece from other nations, and also to the large number of wars and conquerors attracted to Greece, due its strategic geographical position in the Mediterranean.

Detractors of anti-Hellenism argue, however, that Ethnos Anadelfon also refers to a "nation whose people are not brotherly to one another," and that the first ones accountable for the problems faced by Greece are the Greeks themselves and their attitude toward one another, traditionally considered to be characterized by a lack of mutual trust.

Although there is no clear definition of what makes something or someone 'anti-Hellenic', there are some possible clues:

• Territorial claims and disputes connected with the modern state of Greece: Maybe the most realistic of all anti-Hellenic fears, since there are actually Turkish and other Balkan extremist groups (such as the Grey Wolves) who claim part or all of Greece's territory.
• Publications and articles which criticize Greece and Greeks to various extent. These include:
  • Traveller guides, especially if they broach the existence of terrorism or are perceived to contain too many negative warnings and stereotypes.
  • Newspaper articles, especially if they are about the Cyprus dispute, paint the 2004 Olympic Games in a negative light, claim undocumented connections with international terrorism or merely report actual negative statistics and promote stereotypical ideas about Greece. Also, any article showing interest or positively promoting one of Greece's "enemies" may be promptly labelled as anti-Hellenic.

Perceptions of anti-Hellenism in Greece are also fueled by (and fuel in turn) a flourishing market of Greek publications promoting nationalism. The arguments treated by those publications are:

• The supposed absolute superiority of the Greek culture and language.
• The importance of Greek soil, olive oil, etc. in creating Greek culture and thought.
• The existence of several international conspiracies aimed at destroying the Greek culture and language by any means.
• Sometimes ideas about an eternal rivalry with the Jews for the place of the "chosen race," which can dwell into anti-Semitism.
• The existence of secret societies, namely Epsilon Team, fighting for Greece, her culture, and her political interests.

Examples of such press dedicated, in part or in whole, to treating or alleging anti-Hellenism and promoting nationalism may include:

• Hellenorama (Ελληνόραμα)
• Third Eye (Τρίτο Μάτι)

• Anti-Armenianism
• Conspiracy theory
• Epsilon Team
• List of anti-ethnic and anti-national terms
• Megali Idea
• Nationalism

• Hellenism: Who Cares. Virulent Antihellenism articles by Rabbai Shimon Apisdorf
• Contemporary Antihellenism

Allegations of Antihellenism in History. Based on historical data from P.K. Christou's book: Hoi peripeteies ton ethnikon onomaton ton Hellenon, («Οἱ περιπέτειες τῶν ἐθνικῶν ὀνομάτων τῶν Ἑλλήνων»), 4th ed. Kyromanos ed., Athens 1993; 1st ed. 1960:

• Antihellenism of the barbaric east (5th c. B.C. and after)
• Antihellenism of the early Romans
• Antihellenism of Judaism and early Non-Greek Christianity
• Antihellenism of the Teutono-Francish Roman-Catholic West

Greek sites debunking international antihellenic activities

• American Hellenic Media Project A highly-respected grass-roots, non-profit think tank that confronts anti-Hellenic discrimination and bias in the media, and encourages independent, ethical and responsible journalism.
• Antibaron (Ἀντίβαρον) Reliable and quality resources about Hellenic-interest national issues and anti-hellenic acts and policies.
• Noitike Antistasis (Νοητικὴ Ἀντίστασις) (Very rich in resources and information site about hellenic-interest issues, anti-globalization and anti-"new world order" oriented, especially where this "new world order" is anti-hellenic.)
• Innernet The forum of "Trito Mati" etc publications, with many resources and contributors.
• Antidogmatismos (Ἀντιδογματισμός) Forum created by well-known writers and contributors of several conspiratorial publications.
• Christos Sartzetakis The site of the former President of the Hellenic Democracy, Christos Sartzetakis, concetrating on debunkink antihellenic activities.
• Get Christodoulos An article concentrating many alleged hints of antihellenism during the last 50 years.
• The Anti Hellenic Bias of Human Rights Watch An article by Greek-American activist Theodore Karakostas, published in Hellenic News Of America, exposing Anti-Hellenism in the Human Rights Watch organization.

Writers-researchers of "conspiratorial" Greek publications

• Thanasis Vembos (Θανάσης Βέμπος) Writer and contributor of several "conspiratorial" magazines. (Usually well documented.)
• Christos Morfos (Χρῆστος Μόρφος) Contributor of several "conspiratorial" magazines. (Usually well documented.)
• Ioannis Fourakis (Ἰωάννης Φουράκης) Forum of supporters of a Greek writer of several conspiratorial and UFOlogical books.

International resources aknowledging (some of them expressing sorrow) for antihellenic activities or biases in the modern era.

• Terrorism Unlimited by Time magazine: an article which may be considered an example of anti-Hellenism
• A sincere apology by The Times online, a British media outlet, which may be construed by some as admitting to anti-Hellenism
• A sardonic apology by Sports Illustrated writer Rick Reilly, over what may be considered an anti-Hellenic smear campaign in the media. The content itself could also be construed as anti-Hellenic in nature.