Our friends at the General State Archives of Greece, Sparta office, have a spacious new office. It is located at on the 3rd floor of 61 Gkortsologou, 1/2 block from the Dimarcheion and the plateia, in the same building as the Dimos.

The interior is bright and airy, and there is room for cabinets and storage. One section has a raised platform with a large, flat screen monitor. Visitors can sit at a conference table and have space to work comfortably.

In-person researchers will complete a form to ask for specific information. Those who are distant can send an email to: mail at gak.lak.sch.gr (use the@ sign). Genealogical information can be accessed specifically for direct-line ancestors, due to European privacy laws (GDPR). Please be sure you state your relationship to the family whose information you are requesting. The staff will conduct the research for you, and send you an email with digital images of the information requested. Materials that can be requested include Male Registers, Town Registers, Notary Files and many others. When you ask the staff what you are seeking, they will direct you to the appropriate records.

I am extremely grateful to the archivists, Pepi Gavala and Michail Sovolos, and their kind and helpful staff for all the assistance they have given me over the years. Without their help, I would not have been able to write two books about my grandparents and their ancestors. I donated copies to the archive office and hope others will do the same. Having these volumes in the land where my ancestors originated is one way to ensure that their story can be found and studied by future researchers.

I wish the staff much happiness in their new venue, and continued success in the years to come. Συγχαρητήρια και τις καλύτερες ευχές!