The Greek association of Odessa : nationalist politics on two fronts

Abstract

The Greek Benevolent Association of Odessa (GBAO) represents the
crowning achievement of Greek civil society in Late Imperial Russia. Between
1871 and 1917 the GBAO supported a number of philanthropic organizations
such as the School for Boys, the School for Girls, the Church of the Holy
Trinity, and the Home for the Elderly. The activities of the GBAO were part
of the greater phenomenon of private charity in Russia, which came into
existence as the Great Reforms, instituted in the 1860s, were being implemented
throughout the empire.
While the organization’s stated goals were strictly charitable, many of its
actions were political. At the time the Russian government was pursuing a
policy of russification, which was in direct opposition to the goals of the Greek
community. Through education of its members and behind the scenes lobbying,
the GBAO was able to avoid the most onerous provisions of the russification
laws. The purely political/national activities of the GBAO demonstrate that
while the tsarist regime had a well-deserved reputation for political repression, an organization could pursue political goals provided it was protected by wealthy and or powerful individuals and did not openly antagonize the regime.