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Mark Mazower
"Thessaloniki is
an authentic city"

Τhe renowned British historian and specialist on Greek
history speaks about his Thessaloniki, the world changing
ideas, and reveals why he decided to tell the story of his
family in his new book. Γιατί ο Βρετανός ιστορικός της
ελληνικής ιστορίας αποφάσισε να διηγηθεί τη διαδρομή της
οικογένειάς του στο νέο του βιβλίο;

by Crystalia Patouli

What prompted you to become in- When studying the history and cul- while, at the same time, many of
volved with history and journalism? ture of Thessaloniki, what might the people who live in the city
Well, I was always interested in his- you want the future readers of your now have the memories of other
tory as a little boy, but I am not sure book “Thessaloniki, City of Ghosts” towns and other villages, where
why. I think I found it was a power- (Alexandria publications) to know? they came from. So, this com-
ful way of understanding who I was I think I want them to understand munity of people is carrying
and where I was from. I think, in gen- what an extraordinary place it is, with around many different places in
eral, that’s something history helps an unrivalled rich history –how many its imagination.
us with. different kinds of people have lived
there, how much history lies behind What is it that you love about
How did you decide to specialise the buildings, behind the plans of Greece? When in Thessalon-
in the history of the Balkans, and the streets– and how through under- iki what places do you usual-
Greece and Thessaloniki, in par- standing this diversity and complexity ly visit?
ticular? What was the deeper rea- you can understand something better Greece has always been the
son that, indeed, prompted you to about what cities are, what amazing country through which I tried to
proceed with writing books? and surprising human achievements. understand Europe and Europe-
I studied Ancient Greek in the uni- an history. And I am very grate-
versity, so I came to Greece and then Can you give us one more example? ful to Greece for allowing me to
I discovered that I like Greece very I think of the fact that despite the do that. It’s been a very close re-
much, the modern country (and not fire of 1917 in Thessaloniki, de- lationship, a sort of love affair
just the ruins), and I got more and spite the wars, despite the Catastro- on my part really, which hasn’t
more interested in it. It seemed to phe, when you walk down Egnatia, ended and I hope will not. His-
me that Greek history had something you are walking down the Roman tory does not stop. Greece at the
very different and it was a big con- road, when you are looking from the moment, for better or for worse,
trast with the country that I knew, Gulf of Thermaikos up to the Ano remains critical as Europe strug-
that I grew up in. I wanted to under- Poli, you are tracing the parame- gles with austerity and pover-
stand that contrast between Greece in ters of the ancient and Byzantine city, ty and nationalism and the ref-
the 1970s-1980s and the England that so one lives the continuity of the ba- ugees. So we continue to try
I know very well. sic structure of the city, of the build- to understand it. We have no
Why did I start from Thessaloniki? By ings, the environments, in a very re- choice.
sheer chance. There was –and still is– markable way. And yet, at the same Thessaloniki, I think it’s a real
an excellent Greek Language Summer time, within these city walls, so many city. Maybe the only one in
School there at the Institute for Bal- different people have come and gone Greece. Athens is a city in a dif-
kan Studies, so I went to Thessaloniki and many of them have left no trac- ferent way, an overgrown vil-
in the summer of 1981 to learn Greek es at all. You have to use your imagi- lage –or better, perhaps, a mar-
and it all started with me falling in nation to explore the different traces ket town. Thessaloniki has its
love with the city! of the people who used to live there, extraordinary historical depth.

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