Greeks in Uzbekistan
Encyclopedia
There are approximately 9,000 ethnic Greeks in Uzbekistan. The community is made up of Greeks
from Russia
who were deported by force from that country to Uzbekistan
in the 1940s, and political refugees from Greece
. About 30,000 Greeks lived in the country before World War II and a further 11,000 arrived after the Greek Civil War
. Their numbers have dwindled from a high of some 40,000 in the 1960s. The main reason is emigration to Greece
after the end of the Cold War
when laws allowed the return of all ethnic Greeks who had been exiled for political reasons after the Greek Civil War. The biggest Greek community in the country is in the capital city of Tashkent
where most of the Greek political refugees were relocated by the Soviet authorities. In ancient times the south of the country was part of the Hellenistic Seleucid Kingdom but the few Greek communities there have since assimilated.
The most important organization representing ethnic Greeks is the Greek Cultural Association of Tashkent. The activities of this organization include Greek language
instruction (19 classes with a total of 571 students, classes for adults) and the teaching of Greek dances and music.
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
who were deported by force from that country to Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
in the 1940s, and political refugees from Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. About 30,000 Greeks lived in the country before World War II and a further 11,000 arrived after the Greek Civil War
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War was fought from 1946 to 1949 between the Greek governmental army, backed by the United Kingdom and United States, and the Democratic Army of Greece , the military branch of the Greek Communist Party , backed by Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania...
. Their numbers have dwindled from a high of some 40,000 in the 1960s. The main reason is emigration to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
after the end of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
when laws allowed the return of all ethnic Greeks who had been exiled for political reasons after the Greek Civil War. The biggest Greek community in the country is in the capital city of Tashkent
Tashkent
Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was about 2.2 million. Unofficial sources estimate the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.-Early Islamic History:...
where most of the Greek political refugees were relocated by the Soviet authorities. In ancient times the south of the country was part of the Hellenistic Seleucid Kingdom but the few Greek communities there have since assimilated.
The most important organization representing ethnic Greeks is the Greek Cultural Association of Tashkent. The activities of this organization include Greek language
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
instruction (19 classes with a total of 571 students, classes for adults) and the teaching of Greek dances and music.
Notable people
- Evangelos GoussisEvangelos GoussisEvangelos Goussis, is an Australian former boxer and kickboxer from Geelong, Victoria, and is a multiple murderer, guilty of the murders of two victims of the Melbourne gangland killings...
, Australian kickboxer - Vassilis HatzipanagisVassilis HatzipanagisVassilis Hatzipanagis is a retired football attacking midfield. He played for Iraklis FC in Greek Alpha Ethniki and Pakhtakor Tashkent in the Soviet Top League...
, footballer for Iraklis in the 1970s and 1980s