Theodorakis
- Chronology (I)
Childhood
and Youth 1925-1941
by
Guy Wagner and Asteris Koutoulas
Based
on Ole Wahl Olsen
Structure
and pictures: Guy Wagner
1922
During
the war between Greece and Turkey (1919-1922), the Greek troups
are defeated by the soldiers of Kemal Atatürk. It is this the »Catastrophe
of Asia Minor«. The Peace Conference of Lausanne (1923) forces
1,5 millions of Greeks to leave their homeland on the Asiatic continent
(Smyrne, Oriental Thrace ...). They bring the Rebetiko music to
the European continent.
Rebetes in Piraeus 1937
But already
before the signature of this agreement, thousands of Greeks, - among them
Aspasia Poulakis, Mikis Theodorakis' mother and her family - flew
to the Greek Islands. King Constantin resignes.
1924
25.03.
Proclamation of the Republic.
1925
29.07.
Mikis (in fact Michail) Theodorakis is born on the island of Chios.
His father comes from the village of Galata in Crete, his mother
from Tschesme. Yorgos Theodorakis, an admirer of Elefteros Venizelos,
is moved from post to post as often as the governement changes.
During the same year, the family settles in Mitilène, the
county town of the island of Lesbos.
1928
Venizelos
is again Prime Minister (until 1932). The Theodorakis family moves to
the island of Siros in the Aegean Sea.
1929
The Theodorakis
family goes to Athens.
1930
Yorgos
Theodorakis is forced to move to Ioannina (Ianena, Epirus)
1932
Mikis'
brother Yannis is born. Venizelos is defeated in Septembre. The
Popular Party of Tsaldaris forms the governement.
Mikis at 8 with his family.
On the left, his father
1933
June:
Yorgos Theodorakis has to settle in Argostoli (island of Cephalonia
in the Ionian Sea). Theodorakis goes to school (4th - 6th class), learns
to sing Byzantine hymns and, thanks to his parents, grand parents and
aunts, he gets to know the varied tradition of Greek folk song.
1935
Putsch.
Restoration of the monarchy. George II becomes king.
1936
Mikis father
has to go back to Ianena for some months.
09.05. The police and the gendarmerie kill thirty people and wound
several hundreds during a meeting in Thessalonika. This prompts Yannis
Ritsos to write a series of poems entitled »Epitafios«.
04.08. King George II grants dictatorial power to General Ioannis
Metaxas. Yorgos Theodorakis must go back to Argostoli.
Mikis on August 4, 1936, when Metaxas started
to be a dictator
1937
June:
Yorgos Theodorakis is moved to Patras, the biggest city of the
Peloponneses.
Mikis begins his secondary education, sing in the choral an gets his first
violin. He writes his first compositions.
1939
His family
settles in Pirgos, south of Patras.Theodorakis becomes member of
Metaxas'National Youth Organisation. He forms an harmonica orchestra.
He feels more and more concerned by music.
1940
Summer:
The family Theodorakis moves to Tripolis, the county town of Arcadia
on the Peloponneses.
©
Guy Wagner & Asteris Koutoulas, 1996-2002. Pictures © Archives
FILIKI and Mikis Theodorakis
|
You are here:
