Περίληψη : Άλλες Ονομασίες. Γεωγραφική Θέση North Black Sea Coast. Ιστορική Περιοχή. Διοικητική Υπαγωγή IΔΡΥΜA ΜΕΙΖΟΝΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ

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1 Περίληψη : Ukrainian town, near the Romanian border. Its river port became pivotal for most of Southern Russia s grain export volume during the first half of the 19 th century. Since the start of the 19 th century, Greek colonists had strong presence in Izmail, which became a base of operations for Filiki Etaireia (Society of Friends). The Greek community was officially founded in 1872, building a church and a primary school. Άλλες Ονομασίες Izmaelio, Izmailio, Ismail, Ismael Γεωγραφική Θέση North Black Sea Coast Ιστορική Περιοχή Southern Bessarabia Διοικητική Υπαγωγή Odessa Oblast 1. Human Geography History This Ukrainian town, only 80 kilometers east of the Romanian Brăila, is situated on the eastern bank of Kilia, a Danube s tributary, near the main river s delta. Under the alternate domination of Ottomans, Russians, Romanians and Soviets, Izmail developed a multiethnic and cosmopolitan character. 1 During the Late Middle Ages, Izmail started as a Genoese merchants port but, around the 16 th century, it fell under the dominion of the Principality of Moladavia. Since the end of the 16 th century, it was under the Ottoman rule. During the 17 th and the 18 th centuries, it almost became the most significant Ottoman fortress in the Southern Bessarabia region, crucial for the defense of the Empire, at first against the Cossacks and then against the Russians. Although the Russian forces conquered and assumed control of Izmail in 1770, 1790 and 1791, they weren t able to retain it; at least not before the Treaty of Bucharest (May 28 th 1812), which ensured the Russian dominion over the whole Bessarabia region. 2 The Izmail region was sparsely populated, without any notable urban centre or developed economies worthy to mention. Even the presence of landowners (boyars), which was extensive in the northern Bessarabian provinces, was limited there. As Russia strengthened its rule over the area and implemented its imperial policy for provincial development in the Black Sea coast, the broader region s economic importance, and especially Izmail s, increased, mainly due to the commerce and the agriculture sectors. The town of Izmail was rebuilt near the old Ottoman fortress and became the administrative center of the homonymous province. 3 The same imperial policy also promoted the establishment of Bulgarian, German and Lipovan settlements, aiming to further develop the agriculture sector. 4 This was probably the cue for the settlement of many Greeks near the port area, who founded significant trading houses, profiting from the increase of grain exports. 5 The Greek traders vigorous presence was proved by their active involvement with Filiki Etaireia (Society of Friends); since its early years, 40 new members had already been initiated. 6 Statistics about the number of Greeks in Izmail during the first half of the 19 th century are few and vague. In around 1850, there were 3,353 Greeks Δημιουργήθηκε στις 14/3/2017 Σελίδα 1/7

2 in Bessarabia, but this number includes Greeks from Kishinev, the capital of the Bessarabian province, and from another port, Reni. 7 Izmail, as well as the rest of South Bessarabia, was returned to the Principality of Moldavia as a result of Russia s defeat in the Crimean War ( ) 8, which was settled by the Treaty of Paris in Moldavian and after 1859 Romanian regional authorities made efforts towards the development of the town, building schools and a bishopric. It is interesting, however, that Greeks remained hinged to the Imperial Russia s authority, maintaining a kinship with the Russian consul, as they believed that the Romanian government s policies harmed their commercial interests. 9 Besides, Izmail s economy was linked with North Bessarabia and especially Kishinev s, which remained under Russian rule. The treaty in the Congress of Berlin (1878) ended the Russo-Turkish War, which had erupted in 1877, and sealed many changes in Southeastern Europe, one of which was that the Russian Empire would regain authority over the area. 10 From 1878 to 1918, Izmail and the broader region became parts of the Bessarabia Governorate of the Russian Empire. 11 The Russian revolution of 1917 and the turmoil of its events resulted to the collapse of the Russian rule and yet another unification of the region with Romania. 12 Although in many urban centres of Bessarabia, such as in Kishinev and in Cahul, the Greek presence decreased during the end of the 19 th century, in Izmail their number reached 4,000, in a total of 30,000 inhabitants.romanians, Russians, Bulgarians and Jews were the four other non-greek population groups of the town.at the start of the 20 th century the economic decline of Izmail also undermined the Greek community, which during the first Interwar years had very few members. However, the overall Izmail population did not drop, since in 1921 it was around 37, Economy Izmail was one of the most significant ports in the southern Russian provinces, even though it could not be compared with the Odessa port. Since the beginning of the 20 th century, several Greek traders and ship owners had settled in the town, many of who came from the Cyclades. 14 They established trading houses connected through family or business networks to other houses in the Danubian Principalities, in Constantinople and in the Western Mediterranean (Marseilles, Livorno). The gradual decline of the western Ukrainian ports, especially of the Odessa port, in favor of the Azov Sea ports (Taganrog, Rostov), reduced the commercial activity in Izmail. At the end of the 19 th century, according to the Greek journalist Dionysios Metaksas-Laskaratos, Izmail once might have boasted a thriving trade in animals, which made the local grain popular in Europe, but these days the commercial activity is limited in this part of the town and doesn t even worth mentioning Greek community The Greeks in the region, in contrast to their socioeconomic and demographic importance, lacked any proper organization and did not found their community before the last third of the 19 th century. Other Greek communities in the Romanian Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, such as in Brăila and in Galaţi, but even in the Imperial Russia, also lacked any organization, probably due to the de facto meeting of the colonists religious needs, since there were churches at least two in 1856 where Mass was celebrated in the Greek language. The Greek community started facing difficulties when the ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza ( ) prohibited the celebration of Holy Mass in the Greek language, because of his controversy with the Ecumenical Patriarchate over the monasteries that were previously dependencies of the Sinai Monastery, of Mount Athos and of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. This new Romanian policy stimulated the Greeks to properly found a Greek community, placing it under the protection of the Greek state. The community was officially founded in Its primary concerns were education and religion, aiming to build a Greek church. An eleven-member committee was charged with the fundraising for the construction of the church, which was dedicated to the Annunciation. 16 The foundations were laid in the 8 th of March of the following year and the result was a grandiose temple, a vivid portrayal of the power and wealth of Δημιουργήθηκε στις 14/3/2017 Σελίδα 2/7

3 the community. The members of the community tried to make arrangements with the Greek vice consul so that the temple would be placed under the protection of the Greek state. During the same period, the Greek community of Giurgiu, a small Danubian town in Wallachia, also tried to dedicate the church they have built to the Greek state. However remarkable for their simultaneity were the endeavors of the Greek communities, they remained fruitless, since the communities were not able to retain the de facto possession of the temples they built. 17 The Greek community remained autonomous even after the town s integration with Imperial Russia in However, the Russian ecclesiastical authorities oppressed the Greek community, applying their centralized policy, which aimed to control the orthodox temples of every ethnic group in their provinces (Romanian, Bulgarian and Greek). An example that illustrates these efforts is the Russian archbishop of Kishinev, who tried to impose some sort of ecclesiastical tax. The measure proved ineffective, since the community authorities answered by invoking the Treaty of Berlin and particularly the articles that defended the privileges of all religious communities. 18 It is notable that the rest of the community members did not accept wholeheartedly the community decisions; they frowned upon the obedience both towards the Russian authorities and towards the Romanian ones, after 1918, that contributed to their de-hellenization. However, it was these very circles that that constantly expressed a sense of grievance towards the Greek vice consuls, whom they considered incompetent for the office they held. 19 Bessarabia, including the town of Izmail, became part of the Great Romania after 1918, which allowed the reorganization of the Greek community in 1921 and the voting of a new charter on May According to the new charter, an elected five-member committee with two years of service would administrate the community. Every Greek was eligible for the community records, if they could afford a paid subscription. The community s main objective was to take care of the Greek church, but its ambition was to build a Greek school, a public library and a reading room. 21 The Greek community of Izmail dissolved, probably after the integration of the broader region with the Soviet Union in Education Associations Few details are known for the Greek schools of the town or for the education in Izmail during the first half of the 19 th century. It is confirmed that in 1824 there was a Greek school, where a teacher named Fokianos provided elementary education to the Greek traders children. 23 In around 1840, the Greeks of the town founded a school that was supported by fundraisings. This school boys-only, of course survived until Education flourished only after the founding of the Greek community, at the start of the 1870-decade. The contribution of the various Greek vice consuls, such as Epameinondas Mavrommatis and Alexandros Leonardos, was notable. Besides, the national government showed a lively interest for the Greek education in colonies and regions that were not yet liberated. Proof of this was the intense activity of the Association for the Promotion of Greek Letters (ΣύλλογοςπροςΔιάδοσινΕλληνικώνΓραμμάτων), in close collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 25 It is worthy to mention that even though Greek language was already taught in two local schools since 1865, in a boys school and a girls school, both under the control of the local traders association, many of whom were Greeks, the Greek consul considered that the Greek education offered was weakly organized, because Russian, Romanian and French were also taught in these schools. According to the consul s writings, the school was a true Babylon ; the consul accused the colonists for absence of fierce patriotism due to being Russian-friendly. The consul emphasized that the Greek complaints against the Romanians were reasonable, but that this resulted to being easily influenced by the Russian consul. 26 The sole solution that seemed viable to the Greek consul was the foundation of an independent Greek school. The Greek Institute (Εκπαιδευτήριον), which was boys-only, was founded in 1876, and in 1878 had only two teachers, while its students were The next Greek consul, A. Leonardos, contributed to the foundation of a Greek association, which established a Δημιουργήθηκε στις 14/3/2017 Σελίδα 3/7

4 reading room. 28 Beside the Greek schools, there were also Romanian elementary schools, a gymnasium and a girls school offering middle grade education. Because of the town being a bishop s see, a seminary was also founded in Izmail. 29 Many of the schools of Izmail were private and this was due to the great number of foreigners in the town. In 1878 there were five elementary Jewish boy schools, though only one of them was properly established. There were also an Armenian and a Lipovan elementary school and a Catholic girls school. 30 There is little information on Greek education during the late 19 th century. Most probably the community sustained a Greek elementary school but nothing more notable. Particularly in 1900 there was a Greek school with 50 Greek children. 31 Some years later, it is mentioned that the community sustained a mixed-gender primary school, in a building funded by the Zachariadis brothers. The school was supported with funds of the colonists and had around students (not only Greeks, but also Jewish and Russians). In this school, the Greek language was taught by the priest and the chanter of the community, and the Russian language was taught by a native speaker woman from Russia. 32 The school stopped accepting students in 1922 and, although the community aimed to reinstate it, this was never possible See Μεταξάς Λασκαράτος, Δ., Ελληνικαί παροικίαι Ρωσσίας και Ρωμουνίας (Βραΐλα 1900), p. 108 and Κωνσταντινίδης, Θ., «Ισμαήλιο», Μεγάλη Ελληνική Εγκυκλοπαίδεια 13 (Athens s.a.), p Part of Bessarabia is in the modern independent Republic of Moldova, while some other regions now belong to Ukraine. On the integration of Bessarabia in the Imperial Russia see Hitchins, K., The Romanians, (Oxford 1996), p. 52, and in more details Jewsberry, G.F., Anexarea Basarabiei la Rusia: (Bucureşti 2003, 1 st ed. in English Boulder 1976). 3. See Jewsberry, G.F., Anexarea Basarabiei la Rusia: (Bucureşti 2003, 1 st ed. In english Boulder 1976), pp , 84 85, See Jewsberry, G.F., Anexarea Basarabiei la Rusia: (Bucuresti 2003, 1 st ed. in english Boulder 1976), pp More on the Bartlett phenomenon, R.P., Human Capital: The Settlement of Foreigners in Russia (Cambridge 1979) Herlihy, P., Odessa: A History (Cambridge Massachusetts 1991), pp Καρδάσης, Β., Έλληνες ομογενείς στη Νότια Ρωσία, (Athens 1998), pp Cf. Κρεμμυδάς, Β., Έμποροι και εμπορικά δίκτυα στα χρόνια του εικοσιένα ( ). Κυκλαδίτες έμποροι και πλοιοκτήτες (Athens 1996), pp Χασιώτης, Ι. Ξανθοπούλου Κυριακού, Α. Αγτζίδης, Β. (ed.), Οι Έλληνες της Ρωσίας και της Σοβιετικής Ένωσης. Μετοικεσίες και εκτοπισμοί. Οργάνωση και ιδεολογία (Θεσσαλονίκη 1997), pp Χασιώτης, Ι. Ξανθοπούλου Κυριακού, Α. Αγτζίδης, Β. (ed.), Οι Έλληνες της Ρωσίας και της Σοβιετικής Ένωσης. Μετοικεσίες και εκτοπισμοί. Οργάνωση και ιδεολογία (Θεσσαλονίκη 1997), pp. 537, table During the Crimean War, England and France joined forces with the Ottomans to oppose the Imperial Russia. The end of the war that found Russia defeated was sealed with a peace treaty signed in Paris. 9. See Ιστορικό Αρχείο Υπουργείου Εξωτερικών, φάκ. 77/3, 1873, Υποπρόξενος Ισμαηλίου Επ. Μαυρομμάτης, αρ. 257, 21 Ιουνίου 1872, προς Γενικόν Προξενείον Βουκουρεστίου. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 14/3/2017 Σελίδα 4/7

5 10. Among the results of the treaty was the establishment of the independent hegemony of Bulgaria, the recognition of the independence of Romania and Serbia and the annexation of Dobrudja to Romania. For the terms of the treaty that affected Romania, see Hitchins, K., Rumania, (Oxford 1994), pp See Χασιώτης, Ι. Ξανθοπούλου Κυριακού, Α. Αγτζίδης, Β. (ed.), Οι Έλληνες της Ρωσίας και της Σοβιετικής Ένωσης. Μετοικεσίες και εκτοπισμοί. Οργάνωση και ιδεολογία (Θεσσαλονίκη 1997), pp For more on the course of these political events see Hitchins, K., Rumania, (Oxford 1994), pp , Κωνσταντινίδης, Θ., «Ισμαήλιο», Μεγάλη Ελληνική Εγκυκλοπαίδεια 13 (Αθήνα s.a.), p See Κρεμμυδάς, Β., Έμποροι και εμπορικά δίκτυα στα χρόνια του εικοσιένα ( ). Κυκλαδίτες έμποροι και πλοιοκτήτες (Αθήνα 1996), for details on Markos Kalogeras, a trader in Izmail, who came from Mykonos Island. 15. Μεταξάς Λασκαράτος, Δ., Ελληνικαί παροικίαι Ρωσσίας και Ρωμουνίας (Brăila 1900), p See Ιστορικό Αρχείο Υπουργείου Εξωτερικών, φάκ. 76/1β, 1875, Υποπρόξενος Βραΐλας Επ. Μαυρομμάτης, αρ. 191, 28 Μαΐου 1875, προς Υπουργείον Εξωτερικών, for details on the foundation of the Greek community in Izmail. 17. More on the efforts of the Greek community of Gurgiu, see Κοντογεώργης, Δ.Μ., «Σύσταση και οργάνωση ελληνικών κοινοτήτων στη Ρουμανία. Η περίπτωση του Τζιούρτζιου και της Τούλτσεας (βʹ μισό 19ου αι.)», Μνήμων 28 ( ), pp See Ιστορικό Αρχείο Υπουργείου Εξωτερικών, φάκ. 43/5, 1921, Υποπρόξενος Ισμαηλίου Ν. Κυριέρης, αρ. 42, 7/20 Αυγούστου 1921, προς Πρεσβείαν Βουκουρεστίου, and υπόμνημα Μιχ. Θ. Κωνσταντινίδου, δημοσιογράφου εν Θεσσαλονίκη, 26 Σεπτεμβρίου 1920, προς Ν. Πολίτην, Υπουργόν Εξωτερικών. For the policy of the Russian ecclesiastical authorities on the whole, see Hitchins, K., Rumania, (Oxford 1994), pp Ιστορικό Αρχείο Υπουργείου Εξωτερικών, φάκ. 43/5, 1921, υπόμνημα Μιχ. Θ. Κωνσταντινίδου, δημοσιογράφου εν Θεσσαλονίκη, 26 Σεπτεμβρίου 1920, προς Ν. Πολίτην, Υπουργόν Εξωτερικών, as well as υπόμνημα Π. Δημόπουλου, Θεσσαλονίκη 20 Μαΐου 1921, προς Πρωθυπουργόν Δ. Γούναρη. 20. Αρχείο Ιεράς Συνόδου, Εκκλησίες Εξωτερικού Ρουμανία Βουκουρέστιον, φάκ. 11/ , Πρεσβευτής Ελλάδος εν Βουκουρεστίω Π. Πανάς προς Υπουργείον Εξωτερικών, αρ. 2350, 22 Νοεμβρίου 1921, και Κανονισμός της εν Ισμαηλίω ελληνικής κοινότητος 1923 (s.l., s.a.), pp Κανονισμός της εν Ισμαηλίῳ ελληνικής κοινότητος 1923 (s.l., s.a.), pp For the region s annexation to the Soviet Union, see Hitchins, K., Rumania, (Oxford 1994), pp Κρεμμυδάς, Β., Έμποροι και εμπορικά δίκτυα στα χρόνια του εικοσιένα ( ). Κυκλαδίτες έμποροι και πλοιοκτήτες (Athens 1996), pp Ιστορικό Αρχείο Υπουργείου Εξωτερικών, φάκ. 77/3, 1873, Υποπρόξενος Ισμαηλίου Επ. Μαυρομμάτης, αρ. 257, 21 Ιουνίου 1872, προς Γενικόν Προξενείον Βουκουρεστίου. 25. Cf. Μπελιά, Ε., «Ο Ελληνισμός της Ρουμανίας κατά το διάστημα (Συμβολή στην ιστορία του επί τη βάσει των ελληνικών)», Δελτίον της Ιστορικής και Εθνολογικής Εταιρείας της Ελλάδος 26 (1983), pp Ιστορικό Αρχείο Υπουργείου Εξωτερικών, φάκ. 77/3, 1873, Υποπρόξενος Ισμαηλίου Επ. Μαυρομμάτης, αρ. 257, 21 Ιουνίου 1872, προς Γενικόν Προξενείον Βουκουρεστίου, and αρ. 38, 7 Φεβρουαρίου 1873, προς Γενικόν Προξενείον Βουκουρεστίου. In his second Δημιουργήθηκε στις 14/3/2017 Σελίδα 5/7

6 report he refers extensively to the Bulgarian propaganda against the Greeks. 27. Ministeriu de Interne, Oficiu Central de statistica, Statistica din Romania. Cultele pe anu 1878 si invețămentulu pe anu scolar (Bucureşti 1879), p See Μπελιά, Ε., «Ο Ελληνισμός της Ρουμανίας κατά το διάστημα (Συμβολή στην ιστορία του επί τη βάσει των ελληνικών)», Δελτίον της Ιστορικής και Εθνολογικής Εταιρείας της Ελλάδος 26 (1983), pp. 37. For more details, see Ιστορικό Αρχείο Υπουργείου Εξωτερικών, φάκ. 77/3, 1876, Υποπρόξενος Ισμαηλίου Αλεξ. Λεονάρδος, αρ. 6, 9 Ιανουαρίου 1876, προς Υπουργείον Εξωτερικών. 29. Ministeriu de Interne, Oficiu Central de statistica, Statistica din Romania. Cultele pe anu 1878 si invețămentulu pe anu scolar (Bucureşti 1879), pp , Ministeriu de Interne, Oficiu Central de statistica, Statistica din Romania. Cultele pe anu 1878 si invețămentulu pe anu scolar (Bucureşti 1879), p Μεταξάς Λασκαράτος, Δ., Ελληνικαί παροικίαι Ρωσσίας και Ρωμουνίας (Braila 1900), p Ημερολόγιον των Εθνικών Φιλανθρωπικών Καταστημάτων του έτους 1905 (Constantinople 1904), p Κανονισμός της εν Ισμαηλίω ελληνικής κοινότητος 1923 (s.l., s.a.), p. 3. Βιβλιογραφία : Χασιώτης, Ι. Ξανθοπούλου-Κυριακού, Α. Αγτζίδης, Β. (επιμ.), Οι Έλληνες της Ρωσίας και της Σοβιετικής Ένωσης. Μετοικεσίες και εκτοπισμοί, οργάνωση και ιδεολογία, Θεσσαλονίκη 1997 Καρδάσης Β., Έλληνες ομογενείς στη νότια Ρωσία , Αλεξάνδρεια, Αθήνα 1998 Ημερολόγιον των Εθνικών Φιλανθρωπικών Καταστημάτων του έτους 1905, Κωνσταντινούπολις 1904 Jewsberry G.F., Anexarea Basarabiei la Rusia: , Bucureşti 2003 Κρεμμυδάς Β., Έμποροι και εμπορικά δίκτυα στα χρόνια του εικοσιένα ( ). Κυκλαδίτες έμποροι και πλοιοκτήτες, Ναυτικό Μουσείο Αιγαίου, Αθήνα 1996 Μπελιά Ε., "Ο Ελληνισμός της Ρουμανίας κατά το διάστημα (Συμβολή στην ιστορία του επί τη βάσει των ελληνικών)", Δελτίον της Ιστορικής και Εθνολογικής Εταιρείας της Ελλάδος, 26, 1983, 5-62 Δικτυογραφία : Ismail Πηγές Αρχείο Ιεράς Συνόδου της Εκκλησίας της Ελλάδος, Εκκλησίες Εξωτερικού Ρουμανία Βουκουρέστιον, φάκ. 11/ Δημιουργήθηκε στις 14/3/2017 Σελίδα 6/7

7 Ιστορικό Αρχείο Υπουργείου Εξωτερικών, φάκ. 77/3, Ιστορικό Αρχείο Υπουργείου Εξωτερικών, φάκ. 76/1β, Ιστορικό Αρχείο Υπουργείου Εξωτερικών, φάκ. 77/3, Ιστορικό Αρχείο Υπουργείου Εξωτερικών, φάκ. 21/5, Ministeriu de Interne, Oficiu Central de statistica, Statistica din Romania. Cultele pe anu 1878 si invețămentulu pe anu scolar (Bucureşti 1879). Μεταξάς Λασκαράτος, Δ., Ελληνικαί παροικίαι Ρωσσίας και Ρωμουνίας (Βραΐλα 1900). Ημερολόγιον των Εθνικών Φιλανθρωπικών Καταστημάτων του έτους 1905 (Κωνσταντινούπολις 1904). Κανονισμός της εν Ισμαηλίω ελληνικής κοινότητος 1923 (χ.τ. χ.χ.). Παραθέματα Extract from the charter of the Greek community in Izmail Ἄρθρον 1ον Ὁ σκοπὸς τῆς ἐν Ἰσμαηλίῳ Ἑλληνικῆς Κοινότητος εἶνε: α) Ἡ συντήρησις καὶ διοίκησις τοῦ δαπάνῃ τῶν ὁμογενῶν οἰκοδομηθέντος ὑπ αὐτῆς ναοῦ Ὁ Εὐαγγελισμὸς τῆς Θεοτόκου. β) Ἡ σύστασις, συντήρησις καὶ διοίκησις φιλανθρωπικῶν ἱδρυμάτων καὶ ἡ ἐν γένει ἀνασύνταξις καὶ ἀνασύστασις τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς Κοινότητος. γ) Ἡ σύνταξις ἀναγνωστηρίου καὶ βιβλιοθήκης. δ) Ἡ σύστασις Ἑλληνικοῦ σχολείου καὶ ἡ συντήρησις αὐτοῦ. ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ Β. Ἄρθρον 2ον Πᾶς Ἕλλην δύναται νὰ ἐγγραφῇ ἐν τῷ Μητρῶῳ τῆς Κοινότητος ὡς μέλος αὐτῆς. Ἄρθρον 3ον Ἕκαστον μέλος ὀφείλει νὰ πληρώνῃ ἐτησίως εἰς τὴν Κοινότητα συνδρομὴν ἀπὸ λέι 1200 ἕως 300 κατ ἐλάχιστον ὅριον ὁρίζει δὲ αὐτὴν ἰδιοχείρως ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τῶν συνδρομῶν. Κανονισμός της εν Ισμαηλίω ελληνικής κοινότητος 1923 (s.l. 1923), pp Δημιουργήθηκε στις 14/3/2017 Σελίδα 7/7