Evangelos Averof, letters to Mikhail Tositsa (1938-1948)
science ed. Evantis Hatsivasileu, published by the Hellenic Parliamentary Foundation for Parliamentarism and Democracy – Evangelos Averof Foundation, 2022, P. 465

Letters may no longer be the primary means of communication, but they are still a valuable source of literature. As the title suggests, the book contains letters from Evangelos Averof to Mikhail Tositsa. These letters, written in French, cover one of the most important decades (1938-1948) of Greek and world history. The letters were translated into Greek by Maria Kulis, and this elegant edition is accompanied by photographic material. The book is edited by Anna Karapanou and is accompanied by forewords by the President of the Hellenic Parliament Konstantinos Tassoulas and the President of the Evangelios Averof-Tosits Foundation Tatiana Averof-Ioannou. It included texts by Evanti Hatzivasileu (“The Early Evangelios Averof-Tositsas: Spiritual Origins, Social References and Correspondence with Mikhail Tositsas”) and Lykourgos Kurkuvelas (“Locality, Nation and Internationalism in the Thoughts of Evangelios Averof-Tositsas”).

Correspondence between Evangelos Averof and Mikhail Tositsa mainly concerns the strengthening of the common place of origin of the two men, Metsovo. The creation of the Tositsa Foundation, the promotion of buildings and the stimulation of the economy of Metsovo and the region as a whole are discussed in detail. It is obvious that the desire of the two men (especially Mikhail Tositsa, who lives abroad) to preserve their roots and honor their origin. As Simon Weil so aptly pointed out, the “rhizome” (starting from the point of origin) is the most important and overlooked need of the human soul.

“Our best projects are the ones we did knowing we wouldn’t enjoy them. But how will future generations be happy?”

The book is interesting for everyone, and not only for the inhabitants of Metsov and Epirus. Its pages reveal important aspects of Greek and world history during the Second World War and the first post-war years. It also reveals the identity of Evangelos Averof, a very important and active politician who constantly wanted to make a difference (when he was overcoming his health problems). As he characteristically stated in his letter dated January 22, 1943 to Mikhail Tositsa, “for a healthy and active person, there is nothing worse than torture by inactivity.”

Evangelos Averof, along with other important representatives of his generation, left us a valuable legacy: a combination of patriotism with cosmopolitanism, national with an international element. As Evantis Hatsivasiliou notes, “The main characteristic of this generation was the dynamic combination of nationalism with internationalism and, above all, with Europeanism. (…) In practice, the liberal intellectuals of Averov’s generation, along with him, believed that in order to be a full-fledged Greek, one must participate in a dynamic, democratic and supranational Europe. They were Greeks, Europeans and citizens of the world.” That is why they themselves did not consider tradition and modernization to be opposites, as they often mistakenly do today. Their position in relation to religion and the Church is characteristic. Although many of them are rather skeptical of church institutions, they respect religious expression as a valuable element of cultural continuity. Therefore, it is no coincidence that Konstantinos Tsatsos writes “Dialogues in the Monastery” or that Evangelos Averof in his work “Voice of the Earth” tells about the old man in the atmosphere of the monastery.

Of course, Averov’s characteristic feature was his sharp anti-communism. But it is good not to judge the past through the eyes of the present. As Lykourgos Kurkuvelas notes, it was “essentially an anti-communist alliance of Atlantic proportions, which included all non-communists, from socialists to the right.” In addition, Averov does not hesitate to talk about emergency military courts of the Civil War: “These are cheap trials. Not allowed. Now they are undergoing technical and economic tests. And we fight for freedom, for justice, for equality.” And in his letter to Mikhail Tositsa dated February 9, 1947, he refers to the “fratricidal war.”

Today, neither Evangelos Averof nor Mikhail Tositsas live among us. The President of the Greek Parliament, Konstantinos Tasoulas, reminds us of the following statement by Evangelos Averof: “Our greatest deeds are those that we did, knowing that we would not be able to enjoy them. But how will future generations like it? We do not see them alive, but they prolong our life after death.

* Mr. Spyros Vlahopoulos is Professor of Law at the Hellenic Academy of Sciences.