The Greek Community of Melbourne will present an online lecture by Professor Vangelis Karamanolaki on 1 June who is renowned for his expertise in historiography, Prof. Karamanolakis will delve into the world of social and political belief files used in post war Greece to survey Greek citizens.

From the era of the Metaxas dictatorship to the post-colonisation period of 1974, Greek society was shrouded in a veil of intrigue cast by the files of social and political beliefs. These meticulous archives, maintained by security forces, contained extensive dossiers on individuals deemed “suspicious” due to their political leanings. The certificates affirming social beliefs became a prerequisite for vital aspects of life, including public sector employment, university enrollment, driver’s license issuance, and emigration.

Functioning as instruments of surveillance and control, these files provide crucial insights into the magnitude of social monitoring imposed by the state. Tragically, a significant portion of these historical records was consigned to oblivion when a coalition government set fire to millions of files in 1989, forever erasing valuable pieces of Greece’s past.

In his upcoming lecture, Prof. Karamanolakis will emphasise the urgent need to revisit and reassess the surviving files in order to gain a deeper understanding of the era’s history and social climate. Moreover, he shines a spotlight on the files’ role in suppressing and manipulating society while unveiling stories of human resistance and the struggle for freedom that lie within their pages.

With his extensive research and contributions to the field, Prof. Karamanolakis has solidified his reputation as a leading authority in the history of the theory of history. He has dedicated considerable time and effort to recovering and analysing the history concealed within these files, illuminating an era of surveillance in Greece. His notable achievements include edited volumes exploring topics such as the seven-year dictatorship (1967-1974), the paths of Greek youth in the 20th century, the relationship between Greek and French historiography in the 1940s, the brief post-colonisation period (1974-1975), and the conceptualisation of collective designations like “Greek-Roman-Greek.”

His latest book, “The Unwanted Past: The Files of Social Ideas and Their Destruction in the 20th Century,” by Themelio Publications, garnered acclaim from the esteemed Academy of Athens. Prof. Karamanolakis continues his scholarly pursuits with an ongoing study titled “History in Exile: Marxist History in Greece through the Example of Yanis Kordatos.”

The lecture will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube, ensuring accessibility for the all.

For information on attending visit this link.