(abstract from the book ‘The Greek community in Tunisia’)
The Greek community in Sfax and Djerba, which was formed in the 1860s, ranged from 500 to 1000 people between 1890 and 1930. Since the Greek presence was connected to sponge fishery, almost 3000 divers moved to Sfax on a temporary base. Between 1910 and 1940, a few members of this community became successful entrepreneurs with great economic power. They took advantage of the wider changes in the sponge industry and became connected to the international trade networks. Their contribution to the local economy was significant since they were the major sponge exporters of Tunisia. During the 1930s and 1940s, the main sponge merchants of Sfax were Panagiotis Balourdos, Emmanuel Ambelas, Michael Arfaras, Spyros Vouvalis, Charalambos Galanos, Kostas Katsaras, Michael Kindynis, Emmanuel Korfias, Nomikos Koutouzis, Antony Kolettis, John Malamatos, John Balourdos, Nick Ntantakos, Theocharis Tataris, Kostas Tzathas, Michael Tsagaris, Nick Tsagaris and John Kindynis. These Greek merchants owned more than 3,000 sponge units and they controlled the local economy for more than two decades.
The Greek community in Sfax and Djerba, which was formed in the 1860s, ranged from 500 to 1000 people between 1890 and 1930. Since the Greek presence was connected to sponge fishery, almost 3000 divers moved to Sfax on a temporary base. Between 1910 and 1940, a few members of this community became successful entrepreneurs with great economic power. They took advantage of the wider changes in the sponge industry and became connected to the international trade networks. Their contribution to the local economy was significant since they were the major sponge exporters of Tunisia. During the 1930s and 1940s, the main sponge merchants of Sfax were Panagiotis Balourdos, Emmanuel Ambelas, Michael Arfaras, Spyros Vouvalis, Charalambos Galanos, Kostas Katsaras, Michael Kindynis, Emmanuel Korfias, Nomikos Koutouzis, Antony Kolettis, John Malamatos, John Balourdos, Nick Ntantakos, Theocharis Tataris, Kostas Tzathas, Michael Tsagaris, Nick Tsagaris and John Kindynis. These Greek merchants owned more than 3,000 sponge units and they controlled the local economy for more than two decades.
