Tag Archives: Markos Drakos (Μάρκος Δράκος)

Markos Drakos (Μάρκος Δράκος) statue

Μάρκος Δράκος (2)n

Artist: Andreas Savvides

Location: Markos Drakos square, opposite the Paphos Gate, Nicosia. Nicosia district

Material: Brass

Dimensions: 2.10 meters (the statue)

Category: ΕΟΚΑ 1955-59, Workers’ movement

Photography: Evangelia Matthopoulou

The initiative for the memorial was taken in 1962 by the Cypriot Workers Confederation (SEK) who coordinated the fundraising. The unveiling took place on October 28th 1962. The 28th of October is a National holiday for Greece, known also as the “Ohi” (Όχι, No) day, and commemorates the start of the World War II for Greece, when it rejected the Benito Mussolini’ ultimatum demanding access to Greek territory.

Markos Drakos was an active member of the Workers Confederation and a fervent EOKA fighter. On the marble pedestal is written the familiar dictum: “freedom requires morals and boldness” (Θέλει αρετήν και τόλμην η ελευθερία). A year later, in December 1963 a bomb was thrown by unknown citizens and caused extensive damage to the monument. Possibly during the restoration works the statue was placed on its pedestal in a changed orientation, overlooking the southeast part of the city.

Selected sources:
~ Αλήθεια (Alithia), October 29, 1962, p. 1, 6.
~ Θάρρος (Tharos), October 29, 1962, p. 6.
~ Μάχη (Mahi), October 28, 1962, p. 1, 8.
~ Μάχη (Mahi), December 6, 1963, p. 6.
~ Χαραυγή (Haravgi), July 28, 1971, p. 2.
~ Χαραυγή (Haravgi), December 5, 1963, p. 1, 6.
~ Φιλελεύθερος (Fileleftheros), September 6, 1961, p. 6.
~ Ιστορικό Αρχείο ΣΙΜΑΕ (Historical Archive of the Board for the Historical Memory of the EOKA 1955-59 struggle), 17.2009.10, document April 16, 2009; Meeting Minutes May 7, 2009.
~ Matthopoulou, Evangelia. 2012. «Μνημεία, Προτομές και Ανδριάντες στο Δήμο Λευκωσίας» (“Monuments, busts and statues in Nicosia Municipality”), Φιλολογική Κύπρος 2009-2011 (Philoloyiki Kypros 2009-2011), Nicosia: Hellenic Intellectual Association of Cyprus.

Κeywords:

The EOKA 1955-59 guerrilla fighter statue and heroes’ busts

Andreas Karyos n Evagoras papachristoforoun
Andreas Karyos                                                 Evagoras Papachristoforou 

Fotis Pittasn Georgios Karyosn
Fotis Pittas                                                       Georgios Karyos

Kyriakos Matsisn Markos Drakos n
Kyriakos Marsis                                                 Markos Drakos

Michail Giorgallasn Memorial to the 1955-59 political prisoners (2)n
Michail Giorgallasn

Memorial to the 1955-59 political prisonersn The detention campn The EOKA 1955-59 guerilla fighter statue (2)n The EOKA 1955-59 guerilla fighter statuen xn xxn

 Artist (for the statue): Giorgos Mavroyenis

Material (of the statue): Bronze

Dimensions (of the statue): Life size

Constructor (for the statue): GBAS Constructions Ltd

Busts: Andreas Karyos (Ανδρέας Κάρυος)

Georgios Karyos (Γεώργιος Κάρυος)

Evagoras Papachristoforou (Ευαγόρας Παπαχριστοφόρου)

Kyriakos Matsis (Κυριάκος Μάτσης)

Michail Giorgallas (Μιχαήλ Γιωργαλλάς)

Markos Drakos (Μάρκος Δράκος)

Fotis Pittas (Φώτης Πίττας)

Artist: Leonidas Spanos

Dimensions: 135 cm (+ 22 cm the pedestal) x 45 cm x 45 cm

Kokkinothrimithia detention camp was the place where many of the EOKA 1955-59 fighters were imprisoned and some of them executed. According to the Historical Archive of the Board for the Historical Memory of the EOKA 1955-59 struggle (SIMAE), the number of detained EOKA fighters was more than 3000. The detention camp closed in 1959, when the EOKA guerilla war ended. Until November 1955, when the camp opened, the prisoners were kept at Nicosia central prison and at Kerynia Castle.

The guerrilla fighter statue was donated in 2011 by the artist Giorgos Mavroyenis as homage to the EOKA struggle.The memorial to the 1955-59 political prisoners was commissioned by SIMAE, the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Association of Political Prisoners. The unveiling took place on November 2nd 2002. 

The initiative for all the busts was taken by the Association of Political Prisoners. SIMAE commissioned those of Andreas and Georgios Karyos, and Fotis Pittas. In the cases of Evagoras Papachristoforou and Kyriakos Matsis, family members (Panayiota Papachristoforou and Yiannakis Matsis, respectively) funded the busts. Faneromenis’ church commissioned Michail Giorgallas’ bust and the Cypriot Workers Confederation (SEK/ΣΕΚ) commissioned Markos Drakos’ bust.

The unveiling of Andreas Karyos, Michail Giorgallas and Markos Drakos busts took place in October 2008, when for the others the official ceremony followed a year later, on November 1st 2009.

Selected sources:
~ Ιστορικό Αρχείο ΣΙΜΑΕ (Historical Archive of the Board for the Historical Memory of the EOKA 1955-59 struggle), 17.2008.9, documents June 6, 2008; January 11, 2008.
~ Ιστορικό Αρχείο ΣΙΜΑΕ (Historical Archive of the Board for the Historical Memory of the EOKA 1955-59 struggle), 17.2009.10, documents June 6, 2008; October 9, 2008; November 14, 2008; Meeting Minutes May 7, 2009; October 9, 2008.
~ Ιστορικό Αρχείο ΣΙΜΑΕ (Historical Archive of the Board for the Historical Memory of the EOKA 1955-59 struggle), 17.2009.11, document May 12, 2009.

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