Greece
Greece
Vassilios Tsavaliaris, the First Victim of the Greco-Italian War
It was a few minutes after 5:00 AM on October 28, 1940. The Italian military forces were ordered to launch their first attack in the Greco-Italian War at the Greek-Albanian border in the Pindos Mountains.
Vassilios Tsiavaliaris, a 28-year-old Greek...
Greece
The Women of Epirus: Unsung Heroines of the Greek-Italian War
Most Greeks know about the golden pages of heroism written by the Greek soldiers in the mountains of Northern Epirus, when Greece bravely fended off the Italian attack in the Greek-Italian War of 1940.
Many, however, ignore the contribution of...
Greece
The Greek Jew Who Fought in Crimea, Asia Minor, and Two World Wars
Mordechai Frizis (Μαρδοχαίος Φριζής), who fought in the Crimea and in the doomed Asia Minor campaign as well as the two World Wars, was the first senior officer in the Greek Army to fall on the battlefield during the...
Greece
”Una Faccia, Una Razza”: The Fascinating Story of Greco-Italian Bonds
Greeks and Italians have so much in common, that one would need years to itemize each aspect of the bonds they share.
Greece
August 15, 1940: The Torpedoing of the Warship Elli on Tinos
Times of peace. August 15, 1940, 8:25 a.m. The Italian submarine Delfino fires three torpedoes at the Greek protected cruiser Elli at port on the island of Tinos.
The Elli was anchored at the small Cycladic island to join celebrations...
Greece
Sofia Vembo, the Singer of Greek Victory
Sofia Vembo – The famous Greek singer of the 20th century, became synonymous with the epic Greek victories against the fascist Italian troops in 1940 and 1941 during the Greco-Italian war along the Albanian front.
Born in Gallipoli in Asia...
Greece
OXI: How Greece Delayed the German Attack on Russia
Greece's contribution to World War II was far greater than simply defeating the Italian army and shaming fascist leader Benito Mussolini by saying "OXI," or "no" to his demand to allow Italian troops into the country.
The Greek army fought...
Greece
Heroes Fight Like Greeks: When the World Bowed to the Spirit of Soldiers
Greek soldiers gained fame around the world in modern times for their incredible courage and fierce resistance against the Italian and German invasions in 1940 and 1941 and also during the brutal years under Axis occupation.
Historical figures have long...
Greece
The Greek OXI Was a Message of Freedom to the World
Throughout the history of Greece, "OXI" ("No") was exclaimed to the enemy at various times, most famously on "OXI Day." It was on the lips of Leonidas when he faced the mighty Persian army in Thermopylae many centuries ago....
Greece
Greek Resistance to WWII Axis Forces Longest in Europe
Greek resistance to the Axis powers during the Second World War was the longest of all the nations of Western Europe, with the exception of the UK, which was never occupied outside of the Channel Islands.
According to historical records,...
Greece
Haunting Video Emerges of Greek Destroyer Sunk in 1941
A team of Greek divers recently explored the wreck of Greek destroyer "Hydra," which was sunk by the Germans in 1941 in the Saronic Gulf, south of Athens.
Divers Errikos Kranidiotis and Stelios Stamatakis captured the haunting images of the...
Greece
What if the Greeks Hadn’t Said “Oxi” on October 28, 1940?
"Oxi Day," on October 28th, is a Greek national holiday, but it's establishment as such is not without its share of criticism, as there are those who argue that it commemorates the country's entry into a war instead of...
Art
The Life and Work of Greek Surrealist Nikos Engonopoulos
Greek surrealist painter and poet Nikos Engonopoulos is one of the most well-known modern Greek painters internationally.
He was an important figure in the Generation of the '30s, a prominent group of artists and thinkers in Greece.
This group was fascinated...
Greece
Epidemiologist Sotiris Tsiodras is Greece’s Person of the Year for 2020
Sotiris Tsiodras, the epidemiologist who took Greeks by the hand this year, informing them about Covid-19 and giving the sad daily tally of the virus on TV during the first wave of the pandemic, is Greece's Person of the Year...
Culture
Greek National Opera Begins Streaming Service with Online Debut of Madama Butterfly
The Greek National Opera, with the support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, unveiled its online digital service on Wednesday, November 25, with its landmark production of Giacomo Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly.”
GNO’s groundbreaking 2013 production was directed by Argentina’s Hugo De...