Farewell to Iakovos Kambanellis

Iakovos Kambanellis, one of the most prominent figures of post-war Greek literature, died yesterday at the age of 89.

Kambanellis was born on the island of Naxos and studied design in Athens. During the Nazi occupation of Greece in WW2 he became actively involved in the Resistance movement. He was arrested by the German occupying forces in 1943 and was sent to Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp, from which he was liberated by the Allied Forces in 1945.

His legendary Mauthausen novel, which describes his experience as a concentration camp survivor, was set to music by Mikis Theodorakis and became one of the most influential works in Greek culture.

He wrote more than twenty plays and twelve film scripts, including Stella by Michael Cacoyannis and The Dragon by Nikos Koundouros. In an announcement, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism expressed deep regret for Kambanellis’ passing, noting that the deceased defined the style of post-war Greek theatre, adding that his works were deeply loved by the Greek audience, as they soberly and truthfully depicted the reality of life in Greece, its difficulties and joys.

ERT Digital Archive: Iakovos Kambanellis – Part 1& Part 2 (in Greek) [VIDEO]
(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

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October 28, Greece commemorates its Entry into World War II

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)    The Athens Municipality’s Melina Mercouri Cultural Centre (in Greek) is hosting an exhibition tribute to the Greek resistance at the Albanian front (winter of 1940-41) during WWII. Having fought at the war front, painter and draughtsman Alexandros Alexandrakis (1913-1968) found time to document the harsh life of soldiers up on the Pindos mountains.
The exhibition comprising 149 works will run until November 16. Melina Mercouri Foundation: www.melinamercourifoundation.org.gr
                                                                 Tributes to WWII
On October 28, Greece commemorates its entry into World War II. On that day in 1940, Italy invaded Greece through Albania. Several exhibitions pay tribute to the Greek resistance, such as the one of the Tribute to the Greek Resistance, 1940-1944 that is on display until November 30 at the Memorial Leclerc – Museum Jean Moulin in Paris. Foundation of the Hellenic World: Greece and the Second World War (1940-1945)

A Tribute to the Greek Resistance at WWII

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  The exhibition “Tribute to the Greek Resistance, 1940-1944” will be presented in Memorial Leclerc – Museum Jean Moulin in Paris from October 1 to November 5, 2008. The exhibition is organised by the Hellenic Foundation for Culture and the National Gallery of Athens – Museum Alexandros Soutzos in the framework of the French presidency of the European Union. The event is under the aegis of the Greek Embassy in Paris. These works of art are to be presented to the French public for the very first time. These works of art were assembled after Milliex couple’s initiative: in 1945, Roger Milliex (1913-2006), scholar, writer and former director of the French Institute in Athens and his spouse, writer Tatiana Gritsi-Milliex (1920-2005) had asked French intellectuals and artists for an honourary donation to the Greek people and their heroic resistance during World War II, 1940-1944.   Foundation of the Hellenic World: Greece and the Second World War (1940-1945)