Historical Archive of Refugee Hellenism

The Historical Archive of Refugee Hellenism (HARH) has been operating since 1994, as a Legal Entity under Public Law of the Municipality of Kalamaria. The aim of the institution is to contribute to the rescue, preservation and dissemination of the history of the refugees and the promotion of the historical identity of the refugee Hellenism as a whole.

The main object of interest of HARH is the large refugee stream of the Asia Minor Catastrophe (1922) and the Population Exchange (1923-24) from Pontus, Asia Minor and Eastern Thrace. Research efforts also include the Hellenism of Eastern Rumelia, as well as the Hellenism of Constantinople, Imbros and Tenedos, which were excluded by the Population Exchange Treaty. It also includes Greek Cypriot refugees after the Turkish invasion in 1974 and occupation of 37% of Cyprus, when they were forced to become refugees in their own country. Furthermore, Greek immigrants and expatriates in Europe, America and Australia, as well as populations of Greek origin from the countries of the former Soviet Union and Albania, who settled in Greece in the 1990s and 2000s. The regular activity of the Historical Archive mainly includes the elaboration of research projects, which are implemented by HARH and aim at recording narratives from the entire refugee Hellenism, as well as the collection of archival evidence from private collections. The material collected, once documented by the donor, is reprinted, sorted, archived and then made available to the research public and scholars. Additional activities of HARH are the promotion of this material, which is achieved through publications and events dealing with issues of Greek refugees. At the same time, it maintains cooperation with universities, institutions and associations of common interest in Greece and abroad. Approximately three hundred researchers of various educational levels and scientific disciplines make use of the collections and library of HARH every year.

From its foundation (1994) until 2010, the HARH was housed in a municipal building at 35 Eratyras street in the Byzantium quarter. Since then it has moved to a newly built municipal building at the current address (29A Andreas Papandreou street) in the quarter of St. Ioannis. Its new premises include a library area that functions as a reading room, two archival rooms, offices, an event space and four toilets in a ^first-floor apartment with a total surface area of 430 sq.m. Also, a ground floor room of 50 sq.m. that was made available to the Friends of the HARH, as well as an underground storage area of 90 sq.m. at the same address.

In addition, HARH owns the ‘Propontida’ cultural events hall of 110 sq.m. on the coastal avenue (14 Nikolaou Plastira street). This hall, which is home to the Aretsou-Derkon Progressive Association, is used for a variety of cultural events.