History and national narratives in Greece
Greeks are people who have experienced numerous conflicts throughout their history. In school, we are not taught about all the civil wars, making it easier to discuss conflicts in other regions like the civil war in Syria rather than addressing our own. As adults, many of us pursue higher education, read books, and eventually delve into our own history.
Like all countries, Greece has constructed collective myths to shape its national identity and foster unity. In this article, I will focus on a particular myth prevalent in Greece.
From a young age, we are taught that during the Ottoman Empire era, Greek schools were prohibited. As a result, Greek children clandestinely attended schools (often churches) at night to learn the Greek language, with priests acting as their teachers. As a nation, we take pride in the notion of the ‘secret school.’ However, I believe the issue lies not in its fictional nature but rather in our choice to favor this myth over the more accurate historical account. During the Ottoman Empire, the Greek language held significant influence, and Greece boasted the highest number of schools among the Balkan nations. While the average Greek person was illiterate during that time, there existed educated individuals who had connections with intellectuals across Europe. Additionally, numerous Greek schools were established in Europe. Some well-known greek schools were located in: Chios, in Mitilini and Samos island, in the city of Yiannena, in Serres, in Buchurest, in Arta, in Adrianoupoli, in Pilio etc. In these schools went not only greeks, but general orthodox kids from the Balkans, as they were perceived as the best schools in this period.
We choose to believe that the secret school existed rather than feeling proud of our education (limited as it may have been, it held significant importance during that period). We choose to construct our identity by designating the Turkish nation as our common enemy. In 1837, the first University of the East Mediterranean was built with financial support from the Bavarian king and Othona, along with significant contributions from Greeks through charity and Panhellenic donations. It is disheartening that we often overlook the achievements that could bring us genuine pride.