Hellenic Net

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ Odysseas Dimitriadis (July 7, 1908 – April 28, 2005) was a Greek, of Pontic descent, born in the Soviet Union (later Georgia) classical music conductor. During his 70-year career, Odysseas conducted many of the world’s top orchestras and served as the chief conductor of Georgia, the Soviet State Orchestra, and the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra. In 1980, he conducted at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Moscow Olympic Games. He received numerous distinctions and titles, such as Ambassador of Hellenism, National Artist of the Soviet Union, and the Gold Medal of Athens. Dimitriadis was born in Batumi into a family of Pontic Greeks. His father was Achilleas (who came from Trabzon to Batumi in 1886), and his mother was Kalliopi Efremidou. His passion for music began before he turned five years old when he attempted to play his favorite melodies on the piano without any knowledge of musical notation. His formal music study began in 1918, when the young Odysseas became a student ...

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ Adamantios Diamantis (Nicosia, January 23, 1900 – Nicosia, April 28, 1994) was a Cypriot painter, one of the leading figures in Cypriot art. He is considered the father of modern Cypriot painting, having left a profound impact on both the artistic and cultural landscape of Cyprus. Biography He was born in the old medieval city of Nicosia and grew up in his father's carpentry workshop, where he first encountered art and the materials of creation. In 1919, he moved to London to study painting at the Royal College of Art, where he was awarded the First Prize in Drawing in 1923. During his time in England, he was exposed to the major artistic movements of the era, drawing influences from artists such as Pablo Picasso and Wassily Kandinsky, gradually developing his own artistic style. Upon returning to Cyprus in 1926, he took up a position as an art teacher at the Pancyprian Gymnasium in Nicosia, a role he held continuously for almost four decades, until 1962, influencing gener...

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ Vasilis Argyropoulos (Paros, 1894 – Athens, April 28, 1953) was a prominent figure of modern Greek theatre: an actor, leading performer, theatre company director, translator, stage director, and theatrical entrepreneur. The son of Spyridon Argyropoulos, he completed his secondary education at the Varvakeio School in Athens. His passion for theatre led him early onto the stage: in 1910, he made his debut at the "Nea Skini" (New Stage) theatre with the troupe of Marika Kotopouli. In 1912, he also collaborated with the troupe of Kyveli. In 1914, he enlisted in the military and, during World War I, was taken prisoner in 1916 as a member of the 4th Army Corps in Görlitz, Germany, where he remained until 1919. Upon his return to Greece, he rejoined Kotopouli’s troupe, taking on leading comedic and dramatic roles until 1924. During this time, he also engaged in translating foreign plays, enriching the Greek theatrical repertoire. In 1921, he married actress Giota Laskari, ...

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ Georgios Remoundos (March 3, 1878 - April 27, 1928) was one of the most significant figures in Greek mathematics, whose work left an indelible mark on the history of Greek and international science. Born in Athens on March 3, 1878, Remoundos was the product of an exceptionally privileged academic career, which led him from the classrooms of the Varvakeio School to the highest echelons of the international mathematical community. He graduated from the Varvakeio School and continued his studies at the University of Athens, where he obtained his degree in 1900 and his doctorate in 1905. His remarkable academic journey led him to France, where he received a scholarship from the Greek government and studied at the prestigious École Normale Supérieure and Faculté des Sciences in Paris. His scientific presence in the heart of Europe crowned his career with his dissertation, for which he was awarded a doctorate from the University of Paris in 1906. In 1904, upon returning to Greece, h...

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ Ioannis Makrygiannis (Krokyleio, Phocis, 1797 - Athens, April 27, 1864), an important figure of the Greek Revolution of 1821 and a general during the early years of independence, was born in January 1797 in the village of Avoriti, near Lidovriki in Phocis, and passed away on April 27, 1864, in Athens from excessive exhaustion after years of struggles and adventures. He was buried with honors at the First Cemetery of Athens, recognized as one of the heroes of the National Uprising. Family Background of Ioannis Makrygiannis Ioannis Makrygiannis married Aikaterini (Katigo) Skouze, daughter of Khatzis Georgantas Skouze, and together they had twelve children, six sons and two daughters survived. Makrygiannis and Katigo married in 1825, and from their union came a large family. The first four of his children were given ancient Greek and family names: the first child, Leonidas (1826), the second, Dimitrios (named after Makrygiannis' father), the third, Giorgis (1844-1873), and t...

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ Michail Arniotakis (1841-1910) was a prominent Greek actor, director, playwright, and drama teacher. He was born in 1841 in Athens and studied law at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He was the husband of actress Eleni Arniotaki and the father of actresses Rozalia Nika and Kiki Arniotaki. He retired from the theater in 1907 due to hemiplegia and passed away on April 26, 1910, in Athens. Initially, he worked as a secretary at the Athens Peace Court until 1865, while also participating in amateur theater troupes. After being encouraged by Pantelis Soutsas, he left his position in the judicial system to dedicate himself professionally to theater, joining Soutsas' theater troupe. His first official theatrical appearance took place on March 12, 1866, when he played Aipytos in the play Meropi by Dimitrios Vernardakis. He later toured cities in Greece, Turkey, Romania, and Russia, either with his own troupes or with those of Soutsas, Tavoulari, and Alexiadis. H...

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ Konstantinos Paparrigopoulos (Konstantinople, 1815 – Athens, April 14, 1891) was a Greek historian, recognized as the "father" of Greek historiography and the founder of the concept of the historical continuity of Greece from antiquity to the modern era. He studied law and political science but dedicated his life to the study and teaching of history, primarily at the University of Athens, where he established the tripartite division of Greek history into ancient, medieval, and modern periods. Through his work, especially the five-volume History of the Greek Nation (1860–1872), he sought to overturn the prevailing views of the time that regarded the Byzantine Empire as a period of decline, instead restoring it as an integral and vibrant part of Greek history. His contribution was crucial in shaping the national identity of modern Greek society, as he defended the notion of historical continuity and the unbroken Greek spirit through the centuries. Konstantinos Paparrig...

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ Adamantios Korais (Smyrna, April 27, 1748 – Paris, April 6, 1833) was a Greek philologist with a profound knowledge of Greek culture. He is considered one of the most important figures of the Modern Greek Enlightenment and is remembered, among other things, as a pioneer in the publication of works from ancient Greek literature. He is also known for his linguistic views, particularly his support of a moderate form of katharevousa (a purified version of the Greek language), aiming to cleanse the language of the people from numerous foreign words. The house at Voorburgwal 65, where Adamantios Korais lived in Amsterdam during the 1770s Childhood and Teenage Years Adamantios Korais was born in Smyrna on April 27, 1748. His father, Ioannis Korais, was a successful silk merchant from Chios who had turned to trade at a young age due to being orphaned. Within the Greek community of Smyrna, Ioannis often served as a community elder or trustee of institutions, including the Metochion of ...