Metadata: Archive of the Chania Municipal Library
Collection
- Country:
- Greece
- Holding institution:
- Chania Municipal Library
- Holding institution (official language):
- Δημοτική Βιβλιοθήκη Χανίων
- Postal address:
- 30 Ipsilanton Str., 731 35, Chania, Greece
- Phone number:
- 0030 28213 41662
- Web address:
- https://www.librarychania.gr/
- Email:
- library@chania.gr
- Title:
- Archive of the Chania Municipal Library
- Title (official language):
- Αρχείο της Δημοτικής Βιβλιοθήκης Χανίων
- Creator/accumulator:
- Chania Municipal Library
- Date(s):
- 1927/2015
- Language:
- Greek, Modern (1453-)
- Type of material:
- Textual material
- Physical condition:
- Good
- Scope and content:
- The archive of the Municipal Library of Chania has two files about the Jews of Crete, with the title "Jews of Crete A" and "Jews of Crete B." They contain over 100 press clippings on the history of the Jews of Crete, memoirs of local intellectuals, folklore texts, and historical narratives about the destruction of the Jewish community of Chania during the Second World War, as for example the sinking of the Tanais. Many of the articles date from the 1990s onwards and concern the renovation and reopening of the Etz Hayyim Synagogue in Chania. The files contain many antisemitic articles against the reopening of the synagogue, as well as articles about the arson of the synagogue in 2010. The indexing comes mainly from the local newspapers Haniotika Nea, Kiryx, Agonas tis Kritis, Alithia gia tin Kriti, Haniotiki, Esperinos , Ellotia (magazine), Kritiki Epitheorissi, Agonas tis Cretes. Two antisemitic proclamations are also included.
- Archival history:
- The archive of the Chania Municipal Library contains hundreds of thematic files on various historical issues related to the island. They mainly contain clippings of the local press but also other written documents. The collection of the clippings was started by Michalis Grigorakis. A piano of the Minervo family, one of the most distinguished Jewish families in the city of Chania, has been donated to the library and placed at the entrance.
- Administrative/biographical history:
- The Chania Municipal Library was founded in 1953. Michalis Grigorakis was the head of the library; he was also a journalist at Chania News, a writer, and a folklorist. He lived in Nea Chora, and carried out constant research about his neighborhood, including the Jewish cemetery that existed there.
- Access, restrictions:
- Free access following communication with the collector.
- Yerusha Network member:
- Jewish Museum of Greece
- Author of the description:
- Eleni Kouki; Jewish Museum of Greece researcher; 2022
