In Kavala, Drama and the wider area of eastern Macedonia, with the exception of the island of Thassos, there were no revolutionary movements against the Turkish yoke in 1821. For more than five and a half centuries, from 1325 to 1913, the Ottoman power was the dominant military and political power in these regions. However, many Greeks from parts of eastern Macedonia rushed to offer their services to rebel Greece.
BY V. Lolidis
SOURCE:APE-ME
Unfortunately, not all names have been preserved, with very few exceptions. Among them, the name of Hatziiorgis Metaxas from the Theologian of Thassos, who took the lead in starting the revolutionary movement on the island, has a special place. An equally important figure in the struggle was the learned Archimandrite Kallinikos Stamatiadis, also from the island of Thassos. Cavalier hero Hilarionas Karatzoglou is the only one from the region who is mentioned several times in the memoirs of general Makrygiannis. Important aspects of the hero's struggle and contribution have been preserved, but there is no information about his life and family roots, and there are no elements that reveal his personal characteristics.
Thassios Hatzigiorgis Metaxas
The soul of the revolution in Thassos was the provost Hatzigiorgis Metaxas. Speaking to APE-MBE, professor and historian Constantinos Chionis emphasizes, "Hatzigiorgis stirred up his compatriots in an area where there was no other armed action, due to the presence of large units of the Turkish army. The revolution in Thassos took place at the end of June 1821. Captain Canelos' dismounted battalion, with the local body of Hatzigiorgis, beat the Turks in Potos. Those Turks who escaped fled to Kazaveti, where they joined the rest of the Turks from the other villages. They all then went to Kavala together. The Thasians did not massacre Turks. Their leader himself was arrested and taken to Kavala, leaving him free".
"The initial enthusiasm for the easy victory", continues Mr. Chionis, "quickly turned into anxiety among the inhabitants, when they were informed about the number of Turks who had gathered on the opposite coast and were preparing to land. The islanders realized the danger they were in and sent envoys to Psara to ask for help. The revolution in Thassos did not last for a long time". The revolutionary movement of 1821 in Thassos must be considered a personal achievement of Hatziiorgis Metaxas.
"Without him," adds Mr. Chionis, "who was the soul of the whole project, the presence of the Psarians would not have been able to drag the Thasians into their movement, which was condemned by things. And he took this initiative not in his youth, but in advanced age. Alone in eastern Macedonia, isolated and distant from the rest of the revolutionary centers, he decided to sacrifice the continuation of the yoke of slavery. The most important thing is that when the revolution was forgotten, he assumed all the responsibility of the movement so that none of his compatriots would be harmed and like another hero he preferred exile (initially in Tinos and Syros and then in Egypt) for the salvation of the island" .
The learned Archimandrite Kallinikos Stamatiadis
He was born in Kazaviti, Thassos around 1792, to wealthy farmer parents, and spent his childhood there. "His restless spirit and thirst for learning", as Thassis philologist, professor Dimitris Theodoridis, points out in a book, "is evident from the fact that at the age of nine and during the Turkish occupation, he went to Mount Athos to study at the famous Athoniada School. There, he remained for twelve years, until 1813. During these years he acquired a great education, learned about the glorious past of the enslaved race and began to envision the freedom of his homeland".
At this time, when the liberating air of the Friendly Society reached Mount Athos, Kallinikos Stamatiadis willingly accepted to become a member and work for the dissemination of its aims, offering his services in the preparation of the revolutionary struggle, both in Halkidiki and and in his special homeland, Thassos. In the period from 1813 to 1830, Kallinikos moves between Thassos, Mount Athos and Kassandra, Halkidiki, serving the needs of the Nation.
The contribution of the archimandrite to the struggle of 1821, and specifically his action, both in Halkidiki and in Thassos, was highly appreciated by the free Greek state, since King Othonas awarded him with the Silver Coin Medal. Kallinikos Stamatiadis served as vicar in Serres, Athens, Crete, Vienna and Munich, where he demonstrated a rich and multifaceted spiritual, social and patriotic activity.
In 1856, Otto awarded him the Silver Cross of the Knights of the Royal Order of the Redeemer, for his long-term fulfillment of his duties as vicar of the Greek church of Munich, and for his selfless and tireless efforts in the religious education of Greek Orthodox children. of Munich. Later, in 1863, he was also honored by the Tsar of Russia, Alexander II. In April 1877 Kallinikos Stamatiadis died in Munich. His only property was fifty gold coins of foreign countries, a few valuable utensils and his books, which he gave to his patriots.
The close friend of Makrigiannis, Hilarionas Karatzoglou
As the Kavaliot historian and researcher Kyriakos Lykourinos emphasizes, "Makrigiannis himself refers to the Kavaliot Hilarion Karatzoglou who met him in Hydra. It must have been in 1824, after the terrible disaster of Psari, when the revolutionary government wanted to strengthen the defense of the island. He then sent 5000 men to Hydra, among them the body of Makrygiannis and forces of the Macedonian fighter Tsamis Karatasos, with his first lieutenant, Cavalier Hilarion Karatzoglou. The two men became close friends and this relationship lasted for many years".
Since 1828, when Kapodistrias came to Greece and the disorderly revolutionaries were organized on the French model, Hilarion stayed out of the army. Disappointed, the Cavalry fighter thought of becoming a thief again. However, Makrygiannis restrained him and convinced him to join the fight for the liberation of the unredeemed Greek countries and first of all Macedonia.
"The name of Hilarion reappears after 1836," Mr. Lykourinos points out and continues:"Then, with Russian instigation, the Philorthodox Society was founded in Greece and movements were made for the liberation of Thessaly, Epirus and Macedonia. As can be seen, the goal of Russian policy was the creation of a separate Thessalonian Macedonian state with a Russian ruler. The organs of Russia, after failing to recruit Makrygiannis, turned to Hilarion, with tempting offers. But Makrygiannis informed his friend about the Russian machinations and he withdrew.
"The Macedonian fighter realizes the danger and flees to Egypt, near Kavaliotis, where Mehmet Ali is from. He asks his compatriot for help to start a movement in Macedonia, but he wants to use him for his own benefit and sends him to Crete to consolidate his rule. Mehmet Ali himself defeats the sultan's forces near the Euphrates. In the daze of his triumph he forgets Hilarion in Crete. Disappointed, he returns to Athens, near his friend. He tells Makrygiannis about his adventures and shows him Mehmet Ali's letters.
"From Athens he again took the road to Macedonia, but there he found himself in the midst of civil conflicts and political revenges. Some friends of Tsamis Karatasos, with whom Hilarion had been misunderstood, betrayed him to the Turks and the Cavalry fighter was imprisoned in Constantinople. He was released from prison after the actions of Makrigiannis, but he did not enjoy his freedom. After a while, the Turks killed him, motivated by a Russian finger".
Initiation into the aims of the Philiki Etairia
In the area of Drama and in general in cities of eastern Macedonia, the news about the start of the Greek Revolution comes through the announcement of the establishment of the Philiki Etairia. According to what the writer Vassilis Paschalidis reports (newspaper "Morning Press", October 16, 2012), "an emissary of the organization arrives in the area, who indoctrinated the Greek residents in the aims of the Company.
It is about the doctor Evangelos Mexikos, originally from Epirus, who as an emissary of the Philic Society visited both Drama and the monastery of Eikosifonissa, which at that time was perhaps the largest spiritual center of eastern Macedonia, with the so-called "Hellenic School" to operate in it. In addition, the abbots of the famous monastery had close contact with great figures of the national liberation struggle in the region, such as Serraios Emmanuel Papas. From written as well as oral testimonies that have been saved, three are the faces of the Drami heroes who are mentioned to have participated in actions of the Greek Revolution. They are:Municipality of Nikolaos, Dimitrios Dramalis and Nikolaos Dramalis.
Nicolaou Municipality
He was born at the end of the 18th century, in Drama. He participated together with other fellow citizens and his relatives, in the revolutionary actions of Macedonia. After the failure of the revolutionaries there, he went to southern Greece, where he participated in many battles. He fought from 1821 to 1829 in Thebes, Nafpaktos and elsewhere, first as a soldier and then as a non-commissioned officer. In a certificate from 1843 signed by the chiefs of the fight, his actions, the bravery and valor he displayed are confirmed. After the end of the Revolution, he settled in free Greece, where he faced difficulties for the maintenance of his family.
Dimitrios Dramalis
He was born at the end of the 18th century, in the area of Drama. He participated with his body in the revolutionary actions of Macedonia. After the failure of the revolutionaries there, he went to southern Greece where he participated in many battles. In 1823 he was put in charge of a body of Macedonian warriors, which campaigned in Crete in order to capture the stronghold of the castle of Gramvousa. There, Dimitrios Dramalis was put in charge of a corps consisting of a total of 2000 men.
The operation took place on 11 December 1823, when the rebels unsuccessfully tried to enter the fort using makeshift stairs, but were spotted by the Ottoman garrison inside, so the operation failed. Dimitrios Dramalis settled in the free Greek state and remained an officer in the regular army. He reached the rank of major, while in 1836 he was honored by Otto for his contribution to the homeland.