The timing was perfect: on Thursday morning, on the day of the 80th anniversary of the most symbolic act of sabotage during the occupation on Greek soil, the Napoleon Zerva House Museum opened its doors from the Military Museum, the product of a donation by the second wife of the leader of EDES (National Democratic Greek Association) Catherines, as well as the mobilized leadership of the Military Museum under the leadership of former Deputy Minister Anastasios Liaskos.

“The explosion of the Gorgopotamos bridge was the culmination of a united national resistance and the only one that united in one meter the two leaders of the most important resistance organizations, ELAS and EDES, Ari Velouchiotis and Napoleon Zervas.” , – emphasized the President of the Military Museum at the opening ceremony in the presence of the Minister of National Defense Nikos Panagiotopoulos and the Mayor of Athens Kostas Bakoyannis.

All speakers spoke about the unifying spirit of the initiative, and also that we have another space at our disposal, where an additional aspect of the rich anti-occupation action in our country is presented, while at the same time unfolding the hitherto unknown story of the central figure of the resistance struggle. Napoleon Zervas (1891-1957) failed for many years to enjoy the house-museum at Callergi 9, tucked away in a tiny lane in Metaxourgio. But thanks to the determination of his second wife, who donated the house, the objects and his entire personal archive, and the close collaboration with his two daughters, Evantia and Vasiliki, this modest 1905 two-story house with a neoclassical façade and a small patio takes us on a journey through history, as well as aspects of Athenian life that are completely lost. Restoration work on the building and its transformation into a museum progressed quickly thanks to a valuable donation from the shipowner, Athanasios Martinos. Personal effects, weapons, jewelry, historical documents, abundant photographic material, videos and, above all, the excellent image of Zerva’s office make up a universe that every friend of history will love and some will be touched by.

The latter category definitely includes the two daughters of Napoleon Zerva, who “attended” Thursday’s inauguration. One of them, Eva, came from Sweden, where she lives permanently. Do they really remember their father, who died when they were little girls themselves? Eve is few and far between, the youngest, Vicky, insignificant. “Only fragmentary scenes, like pieces of yellowed film,” Eva recalls. “I will never forget his laugh. I never remember him being “heavy”, always with a smile on his face.” What was bequeathed to him more as a story than an experience was his famous generosity, his willingness to help. “That’s why he died” on the carpet “and left the family on the verge of poverty,” adds Vicki. The common “legacy”, not always positive, is the prejudices of ideological “opponents”, with which both of them had to fight even in difficult school years, since they bore a politically engaged name. “For a while, I stopped giving my last name to avoid unpleasant situations,” Eva Zerva tells me. And he adds: “What they say that history is written by the winners is not always true.”

Information: The New Museum can be visited by contacting the 4th Ephorate of the Military Museum (210-72.44.464).