Tracing the History of The Greek Community in Egypt P 1 by Rana Atef

 

Title: Overview: Tracing the History of the Egyptian Greeks in Egypt

Caption: Class of Egyptian Greek School in Egypt, 1956 (Photo Courtesy: Mouftah Website)

By: Rana Atef


After the closing of "Nostos - The Return" program that kicked off on April 30, this article shall attempt introducing simple, and clear overview for the history of the Greek Community in Egypt.

Introduction: What is the "Nostos – The Return" program

The "Nostos – The Return" program is a week of cultural and social activities dedicated to Egyptian Greeks, and Egyptian Cypriots who immigrated from Egypt after Nationalism movements after July 23, 1952 Revaluation, according to an official press statement by the Egyptian Minister of Immigration and Expatriate Affairs.

Kicking off on April 30th, the activities of the "Nostos – The Return" will take place in different Egyptian cities such as Alexandria, and Sharm El Sheikh, the statement indicated.

President of Egypt Abdel Fattah Sisi, President of Greece Prokopis Pavlopoulos , and president of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades attended, and gave wonderful speeches during the opening ceremony of the program in Alexandria, Egypt to reflect the depth of the trilateral ties between the three countries.

  Caption: Egyptian Minister of Immigration and Expatriate Affairs, Nabila Makram with the Greek Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Terens Quick, and the Cypriot Commissioner for Overseas Cypriots, Fotos Fotiou at the Greek legendary historical site Acropolis in Athens, Greece (Photo Courtesy: Al Ahram Gate)



Egyptian - Greek Relations History

     Obviously, the Greek People is the dearest European ethnic and the warmest blood to the Egyptians, due to major similarities between both; The Aegean, the Nile, and The Mediterranean witnessed 2 of the greatest and most influential civilizations: Ancient Egypt, and Ancient Greece.

The Greek Mythology and the Egyptian one have bilateral connections, even before Alexander the Great lifetime. One of the proofs is; the employment of Ancient Egyptian myths within legendary ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus' writings, according to the Egyptian researcher Talaat Radwan.

Radwan explained in his article published on Hadarat website, supervised by Al Ahram, prominent Greek historian Herodotus visited Egypt in the 5th BC and documented what he witnessed on the lands of the pyramids.

Caption: The Ancient Lighthouse, Alexandria (Photo Courtesy: Pinterest)

      Regarding Herodotus documentary and the link between Greek mythology, and the Egyptian one, in the prologue of her translation of "Helen" play by legendary ancient Greek playwright Euripides, Professor Mounira Karawan underlined "Many researchers think that Helen myth is not originally Greek, but it may come from the lands of the Orient through Crete."

She added, Herodotus revealed Helen didn't go to Troy, but she was in Egypt during Trojan War, which Euripides also underscored in his "Helen" play.

The Earliest Foreign Community in Egypt  

        The Greek community was the earliest foreign community inhabited the lands of river Nile, alongside Egyptians. As, a Part from the Egyptian history is mutual with the Greek one; here referring to Egypt as a part from the Hellenistic Empire including Alexandria construction, according to a report published on "Al Mosawer" Magazine in 1956.

 Caption: Graeco-Roman Museum in Alexandria (Photo Courtesy: Wikipedia)

Professor Ezzat Zaki Hamed underscored in his book "The Arts of Ancient Alexandria" (2006) Alexandria was essential destination for Art, Literature, Knowledge, and  philosophy seekers, and it was a brighten educational center for the whole Mediterranean coast, plus it influenced the rest of major Mediterranean cultures and civilizations. Moreover, Egypt is full of Graeco- Roman antiquities, and tombs.

The presence of the Greeks continued influencing the Egyptian society during the Turkish invasion of Egypt, and after including Egypt to the Ottoman Empire, also, a number of Muslim Cretan Greeks resided Egypt. Surely, the Greek and Turkish residents  in Egypt merged socially in the Egyptian society through marriage, social communication, along side trade.

Muslim Cretan Greek merchants had several stories with a number of remarkable historical buildings for example The House of the Cretan Woman which is currently known as Gayer Anderson museum.

The museum originally consists of two separated houses one of them belonged to a Muslim Cretan Greek woman who worked as a merchant, also when Anderson started restoring the houses, the latest servant of the Cretan woman who was Egyptian Greek lived with Anderson and participated in the restoring processes, according to Cairo 360 Website.

Caption: Gayer Anderson Museum /The House of the Cretan Woman (Photo Courtesy: Cairo 360)



      During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Greek community in Egypt wrote a new chapter in its history, as Muhammed Ali's reform programs, and enlightened thoughts encouraged different foreign communities to enhance their presence in Egypt, especially the Greeks according to "Al Mosawer" Magazine report.

The report indicated "Egypt was introduced to the presence of the Greeks during the modern era in the beginning of the 17th century. Moreover, Greeks played a vital role in boosting the European culture in Egypt, especially during Egypt's renaissance in the 19th century. Besides, they contributed in the Egyptian trade, and industrial fields starting from 1840 which encouraged the Egyptians to welcome, and accept the Greeks in the society."

Egyptian journalist Dalia Assem discussed through her article on "Al Sharq Al Awsat" newspaper, published in 2010, that the number of Greeks in Egypt recorded more than 37.000 in 1882, while in 1917, the number increased to 56.000.

The Head of the Greek Community in Cairo, Christo Cavallis expressed through his TV interview with Amr Abdel Hamid in November 2017, the number of Greeks in Egypt became more than 400.000 until 1950s, and 1960s.

Caption: Dionysios Kasdaglis, ethnic Greek Egyptian tennis player at the Athens Olympics in 1896 (Photo Courtesy: Wikipedia)

While, The head of the Greek Community in Alexandria Edmond Cassimatis revealed in his interview with popular Egyptian actor Hussein Fahmy back in 2016, the Greeks in Egypt expanded their presence not only in major cities as Alexandria and Cairo but also in whole Egypt governorates.

 Furthermore, Cavallis explained the Greeks also settled in Delta and Upper Egypt. They interact perfectly with the Egyptian people and they became well-merged within the Egyptian society.

Also, the interaction between the Egyptians and Greeks resulted new generations of Egyptian Greeks, and sharing different social traditions and customs.

Caption: Cassimatis and Cavallis with members of Egyptian Greek community in Egypt (Photo Courtesy: Raseef 22)

Mutual history, exchanged cultures between both since the earliest times, the great similarities in weather, and social traditions, and the mood of acceptance helped the Greeks and the Egyptian to build consistent bilateral social and humanitarian connections, according to Cavallis.

Caption: Christo Cavallis, the Head of the Greek Community in Cairo during his interview with Amr Abdel Hamid, TEN TV

The Contributions of the Greeks in Egypt

      Mary Cavaros, Egyptian Greek works at Greece Consulate in Alexandria told Assem, "Greeks activity in Alexandria started in 1843, and they established their first community (association) outside Greece in Alexandria, then they established another one in Cairo in 1856."

Cavaros added that Egypt witnessed the existence of 32 active Greek gatherings in different parts of Egypt as Tanta, Portsaid, Suez, etc, also they founded a huge number of banks, factories, corporations in different industries such as Cotton, Cigarettes, Glass, Alcoholic drinks, and paper.

Egyptian journalist Ahmed Taimour explained in his article published on Archive Egypt website in 2017, the Egyptian Greeks founded full industrial lines such as Corn, Corn Starch, and Glucose in Egypt, which helped the Egyptian Economy to be better.

In his book "Sanaieeiet Masr" (Egypt's Builders), Egyptian author and journalist Omar Taher reviewed in his book some figures who contributed in Egypt's industrial history, and he mentioned Tommy Christo, the founder of the earliest Egyptian chocolate brand Royal and Corona.

Furthermore, the Greeks had impressive impact on the Egyptian cuisine as they added different kinds of ingredients like new kinds of cheese, biscuits, salt, soda and oil.

They also founded in Egypt the earliest trade markets in Cairo; in addition to the earliest stock exchange market in Alexandria in 1910, according to Cavaros.

Regarding the Greek Community in Alexandria, Hesham Makeen discussed in his article, published in 2018 on Raseef 22 website "The Greek Community in Alexandria was the first Greek association to be founded outside Greece, and it was founded in 1843 as an initiative from the first consul for Greece in Alexandria Michaíl Tositsa."

The Greek Community (Association) in Alexandria is credited from the Egyptian government, after Egypt participation in "Montreux Convention" in 1949, according to Makeen.

They also formed different cultural, social, and entertaining institutions such as cinemas, restaurants, cafes, bars, cultural centers, schools, clubs, churches, hospitals, etc, according to an article published on Al Bayan Website in 2002.

Assem mentioned in her article that the Greek cultural center in Alexandria contains a huge library for the public and it has different Arabic, and Greek writings, besides exhibition halls. Also, a big number of Egyptians learn Greek language in the center. In addition, the center still holds different cultural, and entertaining events in cooperation with Egyptian and international institutions.

Caption: The official flyer of international Greek singer Alkinoos Ioannidis' concert at Sayed Darwish Theater, Alexandria Opera House, Alexandria, Egypt (Photo Courtesy: Event official Facebook page)

Michel Arsenalides, the owner of Odeon Cinema told Assem, the cinema was founded in 1953, and it used to display two films: Egyptian and Indian or Egyptian and European one, then it moved to display an American one because it invaded the world cinema in 1970s.

He added, the Greek community was one of the well-organized foreign communities in Egypt, and it established huge number of institutions in Egypt. Also, a number of Greek newspapers and magazines were published in Egypt.

Caption: Greek Newspaper, published in Portsaid (Photo Courtesy: Archive Egypt)

Caption: An old photo for the Greek Hospital in Alexandria (Photo Courtesy: Archive Egypt)

The lands of Egypt was not only a platform of communication between Egyptians and Greeks, but also was a platform for the communication between different European ethnics.

Egyptian journalist Dina Ezzat expressed in her article about the Slovenian Community in Egypt, published on Al Shorouk newspaper Website in 2016, Madam Maria who is old Slovenian lady who married to an Egyptian Greek man told Ezzat, that Alexandria was a beautiful, warm, and amazing place for different European communities, and mainly the Greek, and Slovenian communities who used to form mutual families and social relations.

Partners in Resistance

The Egyptian Greeks confirmed their love to Egypt, and considering it as their homeland. They participated with the Egyptian in Portsaid against the triple occupation (Israel, France, British Empire) against Egypt, according to Taimour.

He continued that the Greeks denoted with their bloods, money and souls alongside the Egyptians.

Caption: A part from article about Greeks participation in resistance (Photo Courtesy: Egypt Archive)

    Besides, Egyptian Minister Nabila Makram told Amr Abdel Hamid that the Greek guides played honorable role in keeping the work rates in Suez Canal stable, as after declaring Suez Canal nationalizing, the whole of the foreigner guides left the company, except the Greeks who stayed with the Egyptian ones guiding the passing ships.

Caption: Members of Greek community volunteered in hospitals in Portsaid (Photo Courtesy: Egypt Archive)

Sources, and References

Articles

اليونانيون المصريون هوية خاصة و دور اقتصادى بارز , جريدة البيان , 2002

https://www.albayan.ae/five-senses/arts/2002-09-12-1.1348655

اليونانيون فى السينما المصرية , موقع الأهرام , 2003

http://www.ahram.org.eg/Archive/2003/6/25/ARTS12.HTM

الجالية اليونانية ..رائحة خاصة فى تاريخ مصر , داليا عاصم , موقع الشرق الأوسط, 2010

http://archive.aawsat.com/details.asp?issueno=11700&article=596355#.WtOpA9RubIU

متحف جاير اندرسون..بيت الكريتلية المسحور و المستشرق المهووس, موقع كايرو 360, 2011

https://www.cairo360.com/ar/article/%D9%81%D9%86-%D9%88%D8%AB%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%A9/%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%AD%D9%81-%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%A3%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%B3%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AA%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%AD/

مقاهى الأسكندرية ثقافة اليونان و مصر فى عناق عذب رقيق , دينا حسن, جريدة البيان, 2013

https://www.albayan.ae/paths/art/2013-01-06-1.1797726

بالصور مدافن الجالية اليونانية تاريخ يحتضنه الأسكندرية , نيرمين ابراهيم , بوابة فيتو , 2014

http://www.vetogate.com/739845

عن الجالية اليونانية فى أم الدنيا, عزة سلطان , موقع جريدة الحياة,2015

http://www.alhayat.com/Articles/7999230/%D8%B9%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A3%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7



لقاء رئيس الجالية اليونانية بالأسكندرية مع حسين فهمى , بوابة الفجر ,2016

http://www.elfagr.com/2154304

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M700RJRABBc

مطعم ديليس , أسماء على بدر, اليوم السابع, 2016

https://www.youm7.com/story/2016/6/2/%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%B3-%D9%84%D9%87-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%85%D9%87-%D9%86%D8%B5%D9%8A%D8%A8-%D8%A3%D9%82%D8%AF%D9%85-%D8%AD%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%89-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%B3%D9%83%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%88%D8%B5%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%B9/2745783

ماذا قال هيرودوت عن مصر , طلعت رضوان ,  موقع الحضارات (الأهرام للفنون و الأدب و التراث), 2016

http://hadarat.ahram.org.eg/Articles/%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AB/%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B0%D8%A7-%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%87%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%AF%D8%AA-%D8%B9%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B1%D8%9F-291116

الجالية السلوفينية فى مصر.. صفحة منسية من التاريخ الجميل, دينا عزت, الشروق, 2016

https://www.shorouknews.com/news/view.aspx?cdate=08122016&id=f71b4fc8-a6d0-41ee-b04f-2f246368b692



لقاء رئيس الجالية اليونانية بالقاهرة مع عمرو عبد الحميد, 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yks2DESLHQI

اليونانيون حكاية أكبر جالية أجنبية أحبت مصر و شعبها , أحمد تيمور , أرشيف مصر , 2017

http://www.archivegypt.com/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%AD%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A3%D9%83%D8%A8%D8%B1-%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A3%D8%AC%D9%86%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A3%D8%AD/

اتينيوس تعرف على اسرار مقهى المتحف التوثيقى , جورجيت شرقاوى, الاهرام الكندى  , 2017

http://www.ahram-canada.com/120752/

In Depth: 3 generations of Greek Alexandrians Tell the story of The Forgotten Community , Moustafa Daly , Cairo Scene , 2017

http://www.cairoscene.com/In-Depth/3-Generations-of-Greek-Alexandrians-Tell-The-Story-of-Their-Forgotten-Community

Kotsiras, Greek Singer re-crafts Alexandrian Beauty, Rana Atef, Egypt Today, 2017

https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/33204/Kotsiras-Greek-singer-re-crafts-Alexandrian-beauty



الجالية اليونانية فى مصر ..حينما كانت الأسكندرية كوزموبوليتينة و ساحرة ,  هشام مكين, رصيف 22, 2018

https://raseef22.com/life/2018/01/08/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B1-%D8%AD%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5/

وزيرة الهجرة من الأكروبوليس باثينا: انطلاق أسبوع الجاليات 30 ابريل, محمد خير الله, بوابة الأهرام, 2018

http://gate.ahram.org.eg/News/1894112.aspx

بالصور و الفيديو متحف كفافيس جوهرة تراثية فى محطة الرمل بالأسكندرية,محمد تهامى زكى, اليوم السابع, 2018

https://www.youm7.com/story/2018/2/27/%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%88-%D9%88%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%AD%D9%81-%D9%83%D9%81%D8%A7%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%B3-%D8%AC%D9%88%D9%87%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AB%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%89-%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%B7%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D9%85%D9%84-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%B3%D9%83%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9/3669639

Trilateral Meeting between Greece, Egypt and Cyprus in preparation for the "Nostos – The Return" program, Official Announcement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, 2018

https://www.mfa.gr/en/current-affairs/news-announcements/trilateral-meeting-between-greece-egypt-and-cyprus-in-preparation-for-nostos-programme-athens-12-april-2018.html

Greeks in Egypt, Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greeks_in_Egypt



Books:

أحياء القاهرة المحروسة, عباس الطرابيلى, 2003

فنون الأسكندرية القديمة, عزت زكى حامد, 2006

مسرحية هيلين, يوربيديس, ترجمة منيرة كروان, 2015

صنايعية مصر, عمر طاهر, 2017

الطوائف اليونانية و اليهودية فى مصر..النشاط الاقتصادى قبل ناصر, نجاة عبد الحق