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Kostas Georgakis (Greek: Κώστας Γεωργάκης) ( 23 August 1948 Corfu, Greece – 19 September 1970 Genoa, Italy), was a Greek student of Geology, who set himself ablaze in Genoa, Italy as a protest against the Greek military junta of 1967-1974.
The events
Georgakis was a third year Geology student at the University of Genoa and a member of the Center Union party since 1968.[1] On 26 July 1970, he anonymously gave an interview to a Genoan magazine, during which he revealed that the military junta's intelligence service had infiltrated the Greek student movement in Italy.[1] In the interview he denounced the junta and its policies and claimed that the intelligence service created the National League of Greek students in Italy and established offices in major university cities.[1] A copy of the recording of the interview was obtained by the Greek consulate and the identity of Georgakis was established.[1] Soon after he was attacked by members of the junta student movement.[1]
Fearing for his family in Greece, he decided that he had to make an act to raise awareness in the West about the political predicament of Greece.[1] In the early hours of 19 September 1970, Georgakis set himself ablaze in Matteotti square in Genoa to protest against the dictatorial regime of Georgios Papadopoulos.[2] In the eyewitness accounts of local street cleaners who happened to work in the area when Georgakis set himself on fire it is mentioned that he was running while ablaze shouting "Long Live Greece" and "I did it for my Greece."[3] According to an account by his father who went to Italy after the events, Georgakis's body was completely carbonised from the waist down up to a depth of at least three centimetres in his flesh.[3]
In Matteoti square where he died, a marble column stands with the inscription in Italian: Greece will remember him forever[4]
His last words were: Long Live Free Greece.[5] He is interred in Corfu city's municipal cemetery.[3]
Letter to his father
Monument of Kostas Georgakis in Corfu. The inscription reads in Greek: Kostas Georgakis Student Kerkyra 1945-1970 Genova He self immolated in Genoa Italy on 19 September 1970 for Freedom and Democracy in Greece. In the lower part his words are inscribed: I cannot but think and act as a free individual.
In his final letter to his father Georgakis wrote:[3]
My dear father. Forgive me for this act, without crying. Your son is not a hero. He is a human, like all the others, maybe a little more fearful. Kiss our land for me. After three years of violence I cannot suffer any longer. I don't want you to put yourselves in any danger because of my own actions. But I cannot do otherwise but think and act as a free individual. I write to you in Italian so that I can raise the interest of everyone for our problem. Long Live Democracy. Down with the tyrants. Our land which gave birth to Freedom will annihilate tyranny! If you are able to, forgive me. Your Kostas.
Letter to a friend
In a letter to a friend Georgakis mentions:
I am sure that sooner or later the people of Europe will understand that a fascist regime like the one based on Greek tanks is not only an insult to their dignity as free men but also a constant threat to Europe. ... I do not want my action to be considered heroic as it is nothing more than a situation of no choice. On the other hand, maybe some people will awaken to see what times we live in.
[1]
Place in history
| “ |
I cannot but think and act as a free individual |
” |
| |
— Kostas Georgakis
|
Georgakis is the only known junta opponent to have committed suicide in protest against the junta and he is considered the precursor of the later student protests, such as the Polytechnic uprising.[2] At the time his death caused a sensation in Greece and abroad as it was the first tangible manifestation of the depth of resistance against the junta. The junta delayed the arrival of his remains to Corfu for four months citing security reasons and fearing demonstrations while presenting bureaucratic obstacles through the Greek consulate and the junta government.[2][1][3][4]
On 18 January 1971 a secret operation was undertaken by the junta and his remains were finally buried in the municipal cemetery of Corfu. A single police cruiser accompanied the Georgakis family which transported to the cemetery by taxi.[3]
Recognition
| ...you were the bright summary of our drama...in one and the same torch, the light of the resurrection and our mourning by the gravestone... |
| Nikiforos Vrettakos in his poem I Thea tou Kosmou about Georgakis |
The Municipality of Corfu has dedicated a memorial in his honour near his home in Corfu city. His sacrifice was later recognized and honoured by the new democratic Hellenic Government after metapolitefsi.[2]
In his monument a plaque is inscribed with his words in Greek. The monument was created gratis by sculptor Dimitris Korres.[6]
Poet Nikiforos Vrettakos in his poem I Thea tou Kosmou (The View of the World) wrote for Georgakis: ...you were the bright summary of our drama..in the same torch at once, the light of the resurrection and our funeral cry... [4]
On 18 September 2000 in a special allnight event at Mateoti square, Genoa honoured the memory of Georgakis.[7]
Film
- Once Upon A Time There Were Heroes, Direction: Andreas Apostolidis, Screenplay: Stelios Kouloglou, Cinematography: Vangelis Koulinos, Created by: Stelios Kouloglou, Production: Lexicon & Partners, BetacamSp Colour 58 minutes.[8]
- Reportage without frontiers: documentary Title: "The Georgakis Case" Director: Kostas Kouloglou
Books
- C. Paputsis, Il grande sì, Il caso Kostas Georgakis, Genova, Erga Edizioni, 2000.[5]
See also
Citations and notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h CEDOST Centro di documentazione storico politica su stragismo, terrorismo e violenza politica (Historical Documentation Centre on campaigns of violence, terrorism and political violence) from Internet Archive Quote: Kosta Georgakis attended the University of Genoa in 1968 and was writing all'Ek-Edin (Youth Democratic Greek) body of the Centre belonged to which, among others, Alexandros Panagoulis and Andreas Papandreou. His intolerance for the dictatorship of the colonels led him to issue July 26, 1970 an interview to a magazine Genovese, a symbol, which, anonymously, not only denounced the crimes of the dictatorship, but made public the news that some people, pretending students, had formed an association called Esesi (National League of Greek students in Italy), with offices in major university towns Italian who worked for the Greek secret services (Kyp) and The recording of this interview came to the Consulate greek where Kostas was recognized and a few days after he was allegedly attacked by a all'Esesi of belonging. The political activity in the antidittatoriale is usually on ripercuoteva families remained in Greece and this is Georgakis showed very worried. He decided then that the only significant gesture that could be done without causing retaliation was to burn and had him shouting "Long live free Greece" on September 19, 1970 in Piazza Matteotti. and He left written to a friend: I am sure that sooner or later the people of Europe understand that a fascist regime like the one based on greek tanks is not only an insult to their dignity as free men but also a constant threat to Europe. ... I do not want my action is considered heroic as it is nothing more than a situation of no choice. On the other hand, maybe some people will awaken to which will see times that we live. (C. Paputsis, big yes, Kostas The case Georgakis, Genoa, Erga Editions). For four months his remains were insepolte because of bureaucratic obstacles that the Consulate and the greek government opposed carrying Corfu. (Translation by Google)
- ^ a b c d Story of Kostas in Corfu City Hall website. Quote: During the years of dictatorship in Greece (1967-1974) many Corfiots were enlisted in resistance groups, but the case of Kostas Georgakis is unique in the whole of Greece. The 22years-old Corfiot student of geology with an act of self-sacrifice and a spirit of dynamic protest, which could not bear to see Greece under the military regime, set himself on fire the first morning hours of 19th September 1970 in the Matteoti Sq. in the Italian city of Genoa. For security reasons his body was buried in Corfu four months later, his self-sacrifice though, a rare event for that time, caused international sensation and was considered as one of the most important resistance acts of that period. Later the Hellenic State and his homeland Corfu honoured the man, who with his life became a symbol of resistance and patriotism, herald of the students' sacrifice in Polytechnion in 1973
- ^ a b c d e f To Pontiki: Κώστας Γεωργάκης: Η τραγική θυσία που κλόνισε τη χούντα. (Kostas Georgakis: The tragic sacrifice which shook the junta) (In Greek) Link not working but kept for historical purposes. Use working link below
Mirror of Pontiki article retrieved 17 March 2010 Quote:"«Αγαπημένε μου πατέρα. Συγχώρεσέ μου αυτή την πράξη, χωρίς να κλάψεις. Ο γιος σου δεν είναι ένας ήρωας. Είναι ένας άνθρωπος, όπως οι άλλοι, ίσως με λίγο φόβο παραπάνω. Φίλησε τη γη μας για μένα. Μετά από τρία χρόνια βίας δεν αντέχω άλλο. Δε θέλω εσείς να διατρέξετε κανέναν κίνδυνο, εξαιτίας των δικών μου πράξεων. Αλλά εγώ δεν μπορώ να κάνω διαφορετικά παρά να σκέπτομαι και να ενεργώ σαν ελεύθερο άτομο. Σου γράφω στα ιταλικά για να προκαλέσω αμέσως το ενδιαφέρον όλων για το πρόβλημά μας. Ζήτω η Δημοκρατία. Κάτω οι τύραννοι. Η γη μας που γέννησε την ελευθερία θα εκμηδενίσει την τυραννία! Εάν μπορείτε, συγχωρέστε με. Ο Κώστας σου»."
- ^ a b c sansimera.gr Quotes: "Ο μεγάλος μας ποιητής Νικηφόρος Βρεττάκος απαθανάτισε τη θυσία του με τους στίχους από το ποίημά του «Η Θέα του Κόσμου»: «…ήσουν η φωτεινή περίληψη του δράματός μας…στην ίδια λαμπάδα τη μία, τ' αναστάσιμο φως κι ο επιτάφιος θρήνος μας…»" "Στο σημείο της θυσίας υπάρχει σήμερα μια μαρμάρινη στήλη με την επιγραφή στα ιταλικά: «Η Ελλάδα θα τον θυμάται για πάντα». Η Χούντα αποσιώπησε το γεγονός κι επέτρεψε τη μεταφορά της σορού του στη γενέτειρά του με καθυστέρηση τεσσάρων μηνών, φοβούμενη τη λαϊκή αντίδραση. Η πράξη του αφύπνισε τη διεθνή κοινή γνώμη για την κατάσταση στην Ελλάδα, που στέναζε κάτω από την μπότα των Συνταγματαρχών."
- ^ a b Italian book archive quote: la storia del ventiduenne greco che nel settembre del 1970 si diede fuoco in piazza Matteotti a Genova al grido di "Viva la Grecia libera". Era iscritto al terzo anno di Geologia all'università di Genova (2000- ed. Erga, Genova) ristampa . Translation by Google: The history of the greek ventiduenne that in September 1970 he gave fire in Piazza Matteotti in Genoa shouted "Long live Greece free." He was entered in the third year of Geology at the University of Genoa (2000 - ed. Erga, Genoa) reprint.
- ^ Simerini: Memory of a brave lad. Thursday 11 September 2008. (Μνήμη ενός γενναίου παλικαριού ΡΕΠΟΡΤΑΖ: Κώστας Σπηλιωτόπουλος Πέμπτη 11 Σεπ 2008)
- ^ Reportage without frontiers Documentary Title: "The Georgakis Case" Quote: "Τίτλος : ΥΠΟΘΕΣΗ ΓΕΩΡΓΑΚΗ Θέμα : ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΚΑ Τριάντα χρόνια μετά, στις 18 Σεπτεμβρίου του 2000, η Γένοβα ξενύχτησε. Στο κέντρο της πόλης, στην πλατεία Ματεότι, έγινε μια ειδική εκδήλωση αφιερωμένη στον Κώστα Γεωργάκη.Το ντοκιμαντέρ του Στέλιου Κούλογλου φέρνει στην επιφάνεια μια υπόθεση η οποία ακόμη και μετά την πτώση της δικτατορίας έμεινε για πολλά χρόνια στο αρχείο." (In Greek)
- ^ Greek Film Festival Quote: Costas Georgakis was a student at the University of Genoa in Italy. On September 18 1970, Georgakis, then barely 22 years old, chose death by self-immolation, in order to protest the dictatorship in Greece. Although his act was concealed by the Greek state, it aroused international public opinion and turned the world's attention to Greece's military regime. This documentary reconstructs the main facets of the life of Costas Georgakis, his childhood and adolescence in Corfu, his spiritual and political concerns, his participation in the struggle against the dictatorship, his decision to sacrifice his life in an ultimate act of protest against the dictatorship. People who knew Georgakis are interviewed, including his family, his childhood friends, his professors, his comrades in the resistance movement, but also Genovese, for whom Georgakis is a part of history and a symbol of democracy. This film was screened to an audience of students from the University of Athens, who are the same age as Georgakis was when he made the big decision, and their reactions were also filmed. How do the young people of today view Georgakis' act? Do they consider it useless or pointless? For which issues would they be prepared to sacrifice their own lives?
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