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Asa Jennings

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American Methodist minister (c. 1877-1933)
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Asa Jenings
Monument in Volos, Greece
dedicated to Asa Jennings in 2016
Bornc. 1877
New York
Diedc. 1933
OccupationPastor
Known forCommanding the evacuation of 350,000 refugees during the Great Fire of Smyrna
Awards Order of the Redeemer
Medal of Military Merit

Asa Kent Jennings (c. 1877–1933) was a Methodist pastor from upstate New York and a member of the YMCA. In 1901 he became the membership secretary of the Utica, New York YMCA: he would later become the general secretary for the Carthage, New York, YMCA. In 1904, while in his twenties, Jennings was struck down by Pott's disease, a type of tuberculosis which affects the spine. As a result of his tuberculosis, he stood not much taller than 5 foot and with a noticeable hunch back. He began international work in 1918, as a regional secretary for the YMCA in France and Czechoslovakia.

In 1922, he commanded the evacuation of 350,000 helpless Christian refugees from the shores of Smyrna (today İzmir) in Turkey following the Great Fire of Smyrna. For his work, Greece awarded Jennings its highest civilian honour, the Order of the Redeemer, and the highest war honour, the medal of Military Merit.

In 1945, MGM Studios made a 10-minute short film based on the life of Asa Jennings.

In 2022, a documentary featuring Asa K. Jennings and his heroic efforts was produced by Mike Damergis. Smyrna - Paradise is Burning, The Asa K. Jennings story, was awarded Best Historical Film by Cannes World Film Festival (May).

References

  1. ^ "Stitzer YMCA Center at Springfield College". spfldcol.edu. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  2. Ureneck, Lou (2015-05-12). The Great Fire. New York, NY: Ecco. p. 18. ISBN 0-06-225988-1.
  3. "How Jennings rescued the Christians of Smyrna". greece.org. Archived from the original on 26 April 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  4. "Jennings - One Man Changed Greece and Turkey Forever". unc.edu. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  5. "Doubly honored by Greece" (PDF). The New York Times. December 28, 1922.
  6. "Strange Destiny (1945)". IMDb. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  7. "Asa Jennings, the Hero of the Smyrna Catastrophe". YouTube. Retrieved 2024-03-14.

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