At an international conference organized in Lechaina Ilia by the friends of the Municipal Library of Lechaina, the region of Western Greece and the municipality of Andravidas – Kyllini Ilias on the topic: “Andreas Karkavitsas and his era. Literature, language, politics”, on the theme: “Andreas Karkavitsas: a symbolic “pragmatist” and “idealist”, the former President of the Republic and Honorary Professor of the Faculty of Law of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mr. Prokopios Pavlopoulos, spoke. Greek prose” and pointed out, among other things, the following:

I am with you to pay “homage” to Andreas Karkawice together and at the same time to protect his memory – which, unfortunately, is threatened with a dangerous “fading” due to the quasi indifference to our true Spiritual People and her the resulting “advanced” ignorance of their timeless offering – as it befits him. That is, as befits that of our great prose writer, who, together with Alexandros Papadiamantis and Georgios Vizinos they constitute – and I am not exaggerating in the least – a “triptych” of the main representatives of at least an ethnographic novel in our Place.

Andreas Karkavicas was born here in Lechaina Ilia on the 12th March 1865 and was one – the eldest – of his eleven children. Dimitriu Karkavitsa and Anna Karkavitsa, Skalts family. He finished primary school in Lechin and secondary school in Patras. From From 1883 to 1888 he attended the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University in Athens. The then competition stories “Hestia” led him to the field of ethnography and, mainly an ethnographic story, to which he agreed resolutely and parallel intellectual-literary association with some of the great writers of those years, especially with Kostis Palamas, Grigorios Xenopoulos and Konstantinos Hatsopoulos. Together with Kostis Palamas and Grigorios Xenopoulos was a member of the “liberation” “National Society”. He collaborated with many newspapers and magazines, incl. “Citadel”, “Estia”, “Asty”, “Numas”, “Seven”, “Art”, “Time”, etc., publications in addition to many stories and vignettes, but and articles of folklore, historical and social content.

In the composition and progressive development of his literary work after graduation in The medical school is his professional direction.

In particular, initially and after the end of military service in Messolonghi he was hired as a doctor, in 1891 on a steamship “Athens”, with whom he traveled to the coast of Asia Minor, in Mediterranean, but also to the Hellespont, and finally to Maury Sea. It was these trips that inspired him to participate in sea ​​story and leave us, through the above his experiences, the prose of the shining “pearls” of his sailors short stories.

From April 1896 to 1921 he served in this position. permanent officer in the Greek army, reaching up to rank of Colonel General of Surgeon. And throughout it all period of time he traveled extensively, performing continuous official duties permutations, which he himself probably sought to satisfies his innate tendency to “run away” as he pleases he calls his deepest inclination for “adventure”. Her “adventure” for the purpose of constant and continuous knowledge of places and above all people and, therefore, empathize with them their unknown worries, innermost desires and “passions”, as highlight of their lives.

With such characteristics of his personality, it is not paradoxical as it may seem, he, of course, was indirectly connected with politics as well. Participated in an expeditionary detachment against Crete. revolution of 1897, was a member of the “Military associations” since 1909, participating in the movement in Goody, where led to the emergence of Eleftherios Venizelos. He fought on Balkan Wars 1912-1913 Later, in 1916 the military doctor became a member of the National Defense movement. But in the end, and for purely ideological reasons, he turned against Eleftherios Venizelos. Died October 24, 1922 from tuberculosis of the larynx. He probably contributed to this outcome. and sadness caused by the final collapse of the “Great Idea”, which he fervently served in his youth, – after the tragedy of the Asia Minor Catastrophe and the terrible Hellenistic genocide of Asia Minor by barbarians Turkish hordes.

Evaluating all his work, Andreas Karkavicas characterized by literary circles usually as a master representative of the ethnographic story, as well as naturalism in our prose. For reasons I will explain then a little wider I “borrow” from the irresistible Bones Palama named the terms “pragmatist” and “idealist”. very briefly describe the main prose contribution Andreas Karkavitsa.

Trying to be as concise as possible – and largely because of this, unfortunately elliptical or even somewhat conventional – a description of his work Andreas Karkavitsa, I must start with his stories which are rooted in his maritime travels. I would say based on the foregoing, in its marine “eufugia”.

When, after 1891, he served as a doctor on the steamer Athens. he collected his relevant experiences in his travelogue diary, which he called “East and West”. A diary it was the same “womb” from which a wonderful collection was “born” from his short stories published under the title “The Words of the Bow” (1899). Stories that, fortunately, are included in textbooks were a kind of “guiding star” of our young years and, thus they had a profound effect on our earliest literary knowledge and “worried”. And it is a pity that the above tradition is not continued with the same intensity for the younger generations, who, as therefore, they have less and less ideas about its “roots”. our vernacular – in its moderate version, which rejected extremes – and our prose at the end 19th-early 20th century.

The ethnography stricto sensu of Andreas Karkavitsa is also expressed represented, in particular, by his novels. First “Beggar” (1897), based on his impressions of miserable conditions, which he experienced at Messolonghi during the war tenure. It was preceded by the literally impressive Ligeri. (1896), which, according to some accounts, was inspired by an unsuccessful his love for Iolanti Vasiliadis. i stay a little longer in The Archaeologist, a work published in 1904. translated into English by Joanna, American Greek Khaninka and published in the Penguin Classics series in 2021. this work by Andreas Karkavitsa is the starting point of a later about his studies in writing textbooks, thus emphasizing his inclination to actually serve her Nea Genia to get the supplies you need Greek education. In short, the “Archaeologist” seeks, with exceptional penetration and success, relationship development modern Greeks with the ancient Greek spirit and, therefore, Ancient Greek civilization. And it is worth noting that “Oh Archaeologist “determined everything later, until the end of his life, his writing steps as he now devoted himself to writing school textbooks that he finished with support of Epaminondas Papamichael.

I return to the prosaic characterization of Andreas Karkavitsa, throughout his work, and I repeat that: not being able I reject—primarily as incompetent—characteristics that they were attributed to him as “the playwright, his main representative Greek naturalism”, I prefer the terms of Kostis Palamas which they quite aptly attribute to the author Andreas Karkavitsa has the qualities of “pragmatist” and “idealist”. In particular, resorting to the reflections of Kostis Palamas himself without changing them – how could I and would I dare at all – I briefly justify this “credit” choice of mine:

Andreas Karkavicas is a “pragmatist” because he deduces his prose inspiration “from the empty mine around about the nature of speech, manners, customs, precautions, character of the Greek people. Briefly, always according Kostis Palamas, Andreas Karkavitsas were not supported solely in his imagination at the time of writing, but “bowed down” with respect before his written and unwritten monuments Our people.

Finally, Andreas Karkavicas is an “idealist” because he writes without to be “fixed” in the prosaic reality of everyday life their “heroes”. But, on the contrary, starting with them their features “raise”, in the end, to the level of “poetic past” and on the verge of “heroic”. Again, according to Kostis Palamas, Andreas Karkavitsas are also “idealists” because often tight” the heroes of this go beyond the real the atmosphere that surrounds them, and they are also simplified they are enlarged and universalized and seem to be more perfect.” Inside this “ideal” context includes intense, numerous once the critical position of Andreas Karkavitsa towards him state mechanism in the absence of elementary social sensitivity and authoritarian tendencies towards citizens, in some phases of the turbulent period, especially after 1916.

In conclusion, I assure you that it is a great honor for me Your invitation to pay tribute to Andreas Karkavitsa is here in Lechaina’s hometown. Thanks a lot for, as I must confess to you with great emotion, you gave me the opportunity to return to the past and remember what I owe, how man and as a Greek, in the priceless reading of stories Andreas Karkavitsa. For example, “Words of the Sails” remain always – and will remain until the end of my life – “good wind” in the “bow” of my general spiritual contemplation while I breathe. And do not consider this an exaggeration, this is the truth, which is not. they do not change the “anniversary” flashes in the least. But I need I end my thoughts trying to share it with you melancholy and my reflections on the perspective of the spiritual exaltation of our children and grandchildren: While the “tray” is empty their spiritual resources from the works of Andreas Karkavitsa, both the more painfully they become the “roots” of their spiritual and cultural descents and their horizons. Also, ignoring and the prose legacy of Andreas Karkavitsa, no doubt that the greatness of the Greek language is less and less perceived by them language and Greek education, on the other side of this our culture.”