Damianos Kyriazis
Encyclopedia
Damianos Kyriazis was a Greek politician
, industrialist, collector
, and benefactor from a Kissos
family, in Mt Pelion
, who left a significant legacy of important historical documents.
. His mother Maria (Marilita) Ritonides was from a rich ship-owner family. He had four sisters (Euterpi Kolas, Elena Aliveratos, Euthalia Naoum, Ioanna Leon Melas) and one brother (Costadinos) . He was born in Cairo
, but grew up in Volos
, Greece, where he was first educated. Kyriazis married Angela Synnefia and had one daughter, Maria Kyriazis-Spenza. Damianos Kyriazis was a first cousin of Dr Neoclis Kyriazis
another collector of historical documents.
and Zurich
. In 1914 (or 1916) was awarded a Diploma (PhD) in Politics and Law from the School of Philosophy in Leipzig
. He returned to Greece and was employed as a senior director of the department of Industry at the Ministry of National Finance. He was a Member of Parliament
and in 1932 he briefly became Minister of Finance. . One of his works was a study on ‘the development of handicraft in today’s Greece' (in German), but he wrote several other essays or books. Kyriazis was a member of several political, cultural and scientific organisations including local musical societies.
He continued working at his family’s cigarette factories (Kyriazi Freres
) and, together with his brother Costadinos, opened custom-built factories in Amsterdam
and Hamburg
. When he became a Finance Minister of Greece he relinquished his position at the Kyriazi Freres board.
. He donated many of his possessions to the National Archaeological Museum of Greece. However, a large number of his books and manuscripts were donated to the Damianos Kyriazis wing of the Benaki Museum
in Athens. Another donation to the Gennadeion Library included important papers of Ali Pasha
, 41 rare manuscripts, 860 books and others. Certain items from this collection were displayed in New York City and at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London . In addition, in his will he left funds for the construction of the Public Library in Volos, where he also left substantial numbers of his book and document collection .
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, industrialist, collector
Collecting
The hobby of collecting includes seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining whatever items are of interest to the individual collector. Some collectors are generalists, accumulating merchandise, or stamps from all countries of the world...
, and benefactor from a Kissos
Kissos
Kissos is a village that is part of the municipal unit of Mouresi, in the eastern part of Magnesia, Greece. it is located about 6 km NW of Tsagkarada...
family, in Mt Pelion
Pelion
Pelion or Pelium is a mountain at the southeastern part of Thessaly in central Greece, forming a hook-like peninsula between the Pagasetic Gulf and the Aegean Sea...
, who left a significant legacy of important historical documents.
Family
Damianos Kyriazis was the first-born son of Ioannis Kyriazis (1853-1919), one of five brothers from Kissos, Greece, who founded the cigarette empire Kyriazi FreresKyriazi freres
Kyriazi Freres was a cigarette manufacturing company established in 1873 in Egypt...
. His mother Maria (Marilita) Ritonides was from a rich ship-owner family. He had four sisters (Euterpi Kolas, Elena Aliveratos, Euthalia Naoum, Ioanna Leon Melas) and one brother (Costadinos) . He was born in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, but grew up in Volos
Volos
Volos is a coastal port city in Thessaly situated midway on the Greek mainland, about 326 km north of Athens and 215 km south of Thessaloniki...
, Greece, where he was first educated. Kyriazis married Angela Synnefia and had one daughter, Maria Kyriazis-Spenza. Damianos Kyriazis was a first cousin of Dr Neoclis Kyriazis
Neoclis Kyriazis
Neoklis Kyriazis b.1877 Nicosia, Cyprus – d. August 1956 was a historian and member of the National Council of Cyprus who made significant contributions to the history of Cyprus. He was also a medical doctor.-Family:...
another collector of historical documents.
Career
He studied at the Universities of AthensAthens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
and Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
. In 1914 (or 1916) was awarded a Diploma (PhD) in Politics and Law from the School of Philosophy in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
. He returned to Greece and was employed as a senior director of the department of Industry at the Ministry of National Finance. He was a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
and in 1932 he briefly became Minister of Finance. . One of his works was a study on ‘the development of handicraft in today’s Greece' (in German), but he wrote several other essays or books. Kyriazis was a member of several political, cultural and scientific organisations including local musical societies.
He continued working at his family’s cigarette factories (Kyriazi Freres
Kyriazi freres
Kyriazi Freres was a cigarette manufacturing company established in 1873 in Egypt...
) and, together with his brother Costadinos, opened custom-built factories in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. When he became a Finance Minister of Greece he relinquished his position at the Kyriazi Freres board.
Collections and Donations
Kyriazis was an avid collector of books and manuscripts relating to the BalkansBalkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
. He donated many of his possessions to the National Archaeological Museum of Greece. However, a large number of his books and manuscripts were donated to the Damianos Kyriazis wing of the Benaki Museum
Benaki Museum
The Benaki Museum, established and endowed in 1930 by Antonis Benakis in memory of his father Emmanuel Benakis, is housed in the Benakis family mansion in downtown Athens, Greece...
in Athens. Another donation to the Gennadeion Library included important papers of Ali Pasha
Ali Pasha
Ali Pasha of Tepelena or of Yannina, surnamed Aslan, "the Lion", or the "Lion of Yannina", Ali Pashë Tepelena was an Ottoman Albanian ruler of the western part of Rumelia, the Ottoman Empire's European territory which was also called Pashalik of Yanina. His court was in Ioannina...
, 41 rare manuscripts, 860 books and others. Certain items from this collection were displayed in New York City and at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London . In addition, in his will he left funds for the construction of the Public Library in Volos, where he also left substantial numbers of his book and document collection .