Tobacco in Eleftheroupolis

Tobacco producers distributed tobacco processors throughout the region, making it possible 

to see old tobacco rooms and warehouses in the cities of Kavala, Xanthi,  Drama, Eleftheroupoli,

Doxato. In relation to the city of Eleftheroupolis, the climatic conditions of the area 

favored the cultivation of tobacco. This is sown in March, and from  July to September there 

is a sequential rupture of the leaves, which pass to a hanging chain to dry. In January they 

are packaged, and finally in April they are delivered to tobacco merchants for processing. 

Once the processing is finished, they are exported from the ports, including Kavala. Only 16 

kilometers from Kavala, the city since the ninth century is a crossroads, has favored the 

economic development of this city. The first warehouses were three stories and were built in 

the 1880s by Fanitsa Constantino and Kostopoulou Basmatzi. Reasons such as this have made 

Eleftheroupolis companies such as "America" ​​of the Allatini family to open stores of their 

tobacco company in the city of Eleftheroupolis. Although in 1920 this family retired from 

the tobacco business and most of the management of that company  fell to Henry Misdrachi, 

however during the first world war these warehouses were bombarded by english plans, as they 

were thought to keep bulgarian ammunition. Among the families who had the tobacco business, 

were the Papachristidis who had the tobacco company under Vasilios Papachristidis, until it 

went bankrupt due to the economic crisis of 1930.

During the war in the Balkans, there was a great disaster in the financial system, after that 

around 75-80% happened to be in the hands of American and Jewish companies. Since 

19916-1918, after two black years in the city, where typhus, hunger and persecution hurt the

city, the economy was revitalized. Since 1919, with the increase of sales of tobacco to foreign 

markets, Eleftheroupolis (Pravi) saw during the interwar period an economic boom. 

This economic prosperity lasted until 1929, since with the economic crisis many traders saw 

their businesses destroyed, and therefore the workers lost their jobs. As in the other cities, 

in 1933 the way of treatment of tobacco leaves was changed, which produced that there were 

many strikes,  since while the women retained their jobs, the men were dismissed.

Warehouse extensions were made at the beginning of the 20th century. The warehouses at 

Eleftheroupolis consisted of a nave, which can have two to five floors, and the basement, 

all connected  by an interior staircase. The walls are made of granite stone and plaster. In the 

basement, to avoid humidity, the columns are made of stone. On the first floor was the tobacco

to ferment, where special  care was taken not to illuminate the tobacco to avoid mold. 

The halls on the top floor had their windows open to work with sunlight. In this space is where

the workers packed tobacco. Today there are warehouses that have no use, and although parts

of these buildings are repaired, they generally need repair.

You can visit Eleftheroupolis, from Kavala by bus. The bus stop is located in the center of this 

village, and from there you can see all the old tobacco warehouses.