The Historical Archive of the National Bank of Greece, faithful to its mission of preserving the Bank’s historical past and our national memory, is organizing the exhibition “Refugees after the Treaty of Lausanne. The National Bank contributes to their integration into their new homeland.” The exhibition marks the centenary of the signing on May 5, 1925, of the “Agreement between the Greek State and the National Bank of Greece on the management of the properties in Greece of the exchanged Muslims.”

The resettlement of refugees from the Asia Minor Catastrophe, although underappreciated, was one of the greatest successes of the Greek state in the 20th century. Despite many economic and organizational difficulties, the Greek state undertook the settlement of the Asia Minor refugees in rural areas and cities throughout Greece.

The population exchange was decided by the Treaty of Lausanne (January 30, 1923) and provided for the forced transfer of approximately 1,200,000 Greeks from Turkey to Greece, while approximately 400,000 Turkish residents of Greece followed the opposite course.

The mass arrival of refugees created an acute humanitarian problem that had to be addressed by the Greek state and the international community.

The National Bank played a central role in this effort, primarily by taking over the management of Muslim properties in exchange and, at the same time, paying the “bourgeois” refugees the temporary compensation provided for by the state.

The Historical Archive of the National Bank utilizes the rich archival material of the period, registers, certificates, photographs, committee minutes, and other documents to highlight important aspects of history in the exhibition, such as the identity of the refugees, the issue of their housing, business support, and their settlement abroad. The exhibition narrative is enhanced by works from the Bank’s Art Collection and selected documents, loans from third parties and institutions, in physical or digital form.

Information:

Free Admission

13 December 2025 – 19 April 2026 

Mikro Chrimatistirion  (Pesmazoglou  1)

Visiting hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Thursday, Friday 12:00 p.m.

By Giannis Loukas

Historian