1443
The Corfu Archive Repository is founded, containing documents from the years 1500–1864.
About Us
The establishment and operation of the General State Archives of Greece (GSA) are closely associated with the writer, folklorist and historian Giannis Vlachogiannis (27.07.1867 – 23.08.1945). His engagement in collecting archival material—unprecedented in scope and persistence—enabled him to assemble a vast and, in practice, unique collection of archival remnants. Thanks to his passion for research on the history of 1821 and the history of the modern Greek state, Giannis Vlachogiannis rescued from loss a highly significant part of the archives of these periods and incorporated it—through the General State Archives and beyond—into the archival memory of the nation.
A. Papakostas describes Vlachogiannis’ collection as follows:
“Vlachogiannis’ Archives have a distinctive and personal character. They include archival items, i.e., public and private documents and manuscripts of the same nature. They are further complemented by countless personal materials, i.e., research notes that he intended, but did not manage, to use, and hundreds of thousands of related index cards.”
In 1893, during the liquidation of the archives of the Court of Audit—which included Archives of the Struggle (those that had not been removed and transferred to the Hellenic Parliament in 1855)—Vlachogiannis managed to save part of these archives. By supplementing them with other material he had gathered over time, he paved the way for the creation of a state archival service that would put an irreversible end to state neglect of archives.
The General State Archives were founded in 1914, following his recommendation to Eleftherios Venizelos, as well as the encouragement of Spyridon Lambros. Venizelos appointed Vlachogiannis Director of the newly established Service, a position he held until 1937. Later, Vlachogiannis donated his invaluable collection to the General State Archives.
The state archival service in Greece was established in 1914, during the premiership of Eleftherios Venizelos, under the name General State Archives of Greece (GSA). The founding of the GSA came with considerable delay compared to other European states, which already had organised archival services and were already engaged with the issue of free scholarly access to their archival holdings. Systematic document production for what would later become the Greek State begins with the proclamation of the Revolution of 1821, when the first state structures were created. Although archives were kept at every level of administration—civil and military—during the years of the struggle, substantial measures for archival organisation were instituted during the period of governance of Ioannis Kapodistrias.
The establishment and operation of the General State Archives of Greece (GSA) are closely associated with the writer, folklorist and historian Giannis Vlachogiannis (27.07.1867 – 23.08.1945). His engagement in collecting archival material—unprecedented in scope and persistence—enabled him to assemble a vast and, in practice, unique collection of archival remnants. Thanks to his passion for research on the history of 1821 and the history of the modern Greek state, Giannis Vlachogiannis rescued from loss a highly significant part of the archives of these periods and incorporated it—through the General State Archives and beyond—into the archival memory of the nation.
A. Papakostas describes Vlachogiannis’ collection as follows:
“Vlachogiannis’ Archives have a distinctive and personal character. They include archival items, i.e., public and private documents and manuscripts of the same nature. They are further complemented by countless personal materials, i.e., research notes that he intended, but did not manage, to use, and hundreds of thousands of related index cards.”
In 1893, during the liquidation of the archives of the Court of Audit—which included Archives of the Struggle (those that had not been removed and transferred to the Hellenic Parliament in 1855)—Vlachogiannis managed to save part of these archives. By supplementing them with other material he had gathered over time, he paved the way for the creation of a state archival service that would put an irreversible end to state neglect of archives.
The General State Archives were founded in 1914, following his recommendation to Eleftherios Venizelos, as well as the encouragement of Spyridon Lambros. Venizelos appointed Vlachogiannis Director of the newly established Service, a position he held until 1937. Later, Vlachogiannis donated his invaluable collection to the General State Archives.
The state archival service in Greece was established in 1914, during the premiership of Eleftherios Venizelos, under the name General State Archives of Greece (GSA). The founding of the GSA came with considerable delay compared to other European states, which already had organised archival services and were already engaged with the issue of free scholarly access to their archival holdings. Systematic document production for what would later become the Greek State begins with the proclamation of the Revolution of 1821, when the first state structures were created. Although archives were kept at every level of administration—civil and military—during the years of the struggle, substantial measures for archival organisation were instituted during the period of governance of Ioannis Kapodistrias.
1443
The Corfu Archive Repository is founded, containing documents from the years 1500–1864.
16th century
Archival services operated in the Ionian State, the Sami State and the Cretan State. Specifically, the following archive repositories were in operation: Zakynthos, Ithaca, Corfu, Kefalonia, Kythera, Lefkada, Paxos and Samos.
1821-1823
The “Administration”, the “State Chancellery” and the “Ministries” (later “Secretariats”) are established to exercise legislative, executive and judicial functions.
1829
The “Archive Repository of the State” is founded, aiming to collect the public archives of the “Ministries” and to receive the archives of the “Secretariats”.
1833
The “Archive Repository of the State” is dissolved, and each “Secretariat” retrieves the archives it had deposited.
1834
The National Library, as the principal central public body with objectives related to those of the GSA, is granted a legal basis through the Royal Decree of 1834 and intensifies its policy of collecting archival material.
1836
The archives of the Court of Audit are organised, and public archives are gathered and kept there.
1846
The archives of the National Assemblies are gathered at the Hellenic Parliament.
1855
The publication of the Archives of the National Regeneration (Greek War of Independence era) is announced.
1864
With the union of the Ionian Islands (Heptanese) with Greece, the operating archive repositories of Corfu, Paxos, Lefkada, Kefalonia, Ithaca, Zakynthos and Kythera come under the Ministry of the Interior.
1882
The Historical and Ethnological Society of Greece (HESG), a private-law legal entity, sets as its purpose “the collection of historical and ethnological material and objects contributing to the illumination of medieval and modern history and literature, the life of the language of the Greek people, and the establishment of a Museum and Archive including such monuments of national life.”
1914
Law 380/1914, “On the establishment of a state archives service,” is passed under the government of Eleftherios Venizelos, thanks to the efforts of Professor Spyridon Lambros and the historian-researcher Giannis Vlachogiannis. Its purpose is “the collection and supervision of all public archives containing documents dating more than fifty years back.” The first Director of the General State Archives of Greece (GSA) is Giannis Vlachogiannis, who donates his valuable collection to the GSA, and the first Chair of the Supervisory Board is Nikolaos G. Politis. The existing archives of the Ionian Islands, Crete and Samos are placed under the Service.
1939
Law 2027/1939, “On the reorganisation of the General State Archives service,” is passed.
1991
Law 1946/1991 establishes the legislative framework governing the operation of the GSA (until the adoption of the new Law 4610/2019). Under this law, the Central Service is structured into Departments and Archives are established in the seats of those Prefectures where none previously existed.
2003
Relocation of the GSA Central Service and inauguration of the new building (10.11.2003).
2005
The previously autonomous public service “Archives of the Prime Minister, Ministers and the General Secretariat of the Government” (founding law 2846/2000) is brought under the GSA Central Service through Law 3391/2005.
2011
National Conference, under the auspices of the President of the Hellenic Republic, for shaping the new Archival Policy and Library Policy and drafting a White Paper.
2014
100 years since the founding of the General State Archives of Greece (GSA). The exhibition “100 Years of the General State Archives, 500 Years of History” is held. (Press release. See the exhibition catalogue.)
2019
