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Post by Administrator on May 2, 2011 9:37:50 GMT 10
Manlio,
Thank you so much for posting these four fantastic images.
The first is a superb photo of the Kavos precinct of the town before its destruction in WWII. The second shows the bombs landing near the Aheres, the old Ottoman water cisterns located in the saddle between the main harbour and the Limenari. The third shot is an aerial view of the bombing along the foothills of the Paleocastro, the ancient acropolis of the island (not to be confused with the island's 14th century Crusader castle) where the Italian forces had retreated after the British commandos had first landed.
As you say, the fourth image just shows a glimpse of the HMS Ladybird which had arrived to assist the commandos in their taking of the island. In the face of the Italian bombardment, ithe Ladybird was to retreat after being struck.
Please keep me informed of the progress of your article. In case you haven't seen it, I have here a copy of the diary of Giavanni Fresu who was present on the island as a radio operator when the British landed. If you would like to see it, please do let me know. I also have quite a large amount of material from the British side and, thanks to another good friend of this Forum from Italy, Antonio Vecchi, photos of the memorial services held on the island in honour the Italian dead in November 1941.
Thank you again for this marvelous addition to this Forum.
Regards, Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Apr 4, 2011 17:45:52 GMT 10
Amanda,
The last figure I saw cited was 359 and this was a few years back.
Regards, Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Mar 7, 2011 16:22:09 GMT 10
Nick, Some information for you on the Paltapasis clan from the dowry archive: - Irini Yeorgiou Stavrou N Paltpasi married Kyriakos Evangelou Tattis in January 1900;
- Florou Mihail Paltapasi married Mihail Nikolaou Passaris on 10 February 1902;
- Florou Stavrou Paltapasi married Andrikos P Karayeorgiou on 23 February 1907;
- Yeorgia Ioannou Paltapasi married Ioannis Symatos on 17 February 1910; and
- Despina Stavrou N Paltapasi married Kostas Diamanti Palonis in February 1910.
Also, we have a record of Mihail Ioannou Paltapasis dying of meningitis on 18 February 1903. Hope this helps. Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Aug 18, 2010 13:20:42 GMT 10
Zowie,
Both versions of the name originate from the Greek word for 'watermelon'.
The Castellorizian version of the name normally ends with '-is'. The name normally appears elsewhere with the '-as' ending.
Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Aug 13, 2010 15:25:53 GMT 10
Nick,
Yes, you are correct about your great-grandparents, Yeorgios Ioannou Sergis and Panagiota Theodosiou Atherinou, who married on the island on 22 January 1917.
Yeorgios' father was definitely Ioannis Sergis who was also known as 'Yiannifos'. The family owned and operated a cafe in the central square of the island for many years, something I am sure you have heard through your family.
If I find anything about Ioannis' wife's family, I will let you know via this Forum.
Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Aug 5, 2010 17:34:15 GMT 10
B,
The marriage I have referred to took place on 5 July 1925 and there survives in the registry in Rhodes the original dowry contract.
The groom, Diamantaris, George's younger brother, is described in the dowry contract as a shoemaker. His bride, Panagiota Stavrou Pantazi, received by way of dowry a house on the island that comprised part of her mother's dowry (from 1894), and her brother, Kyriakos, paid to the groom 120 English pounds plus a further 30 by way of promissory note that matured in two years.
As was typical, the dowry also comprised jewellery (including 'an Australian bracelet'!) and the traditional clothing, mattresses, furniture and copperware. The witnesses to the marriage were Vlasios Antonas and Mihail Mihalakis.
I hope this is of interest.
Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Aug 4, 2010 8:20:54 GMT 10
Here is a crop of a larger image that shows the square at the turn of the twentieth century: The two waterfront buildings on the left are, respectively, the cafes of Yiannifou (Sergis) and Hatzikomninou (Hatzikomianou). Opposite them sits the cafe of Mazemas which doubled as a billiards room during the Italian years. Around the square, and in the laneways leading from the square, were numerous other cafes and commercial establishments. Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Aug 2, 2010 8:20:47 GMT 10
B,
It's not quite what you are looking for, but we do know that George's younger brother, Diamantaris, married Panagiota Pantazi on the island in 1925.
Let me know if you'd like to know more about this union.
Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Jun 15, 2010 16:50:55 GMT 10
Carol,
Delighted that your trip to the island was so magical for you.
The two old photos you refer to are of great interest. If you are happy to share them (either on this Forum or privately through good scans) I may be able to assist you in identifying those pictured. In particular, I should be able to tell you whose wedding it is, if it is a pre-War photo.
Please let me know if I can be of assistance. You may use info@castellorizohistory.com for private communications.
Regards, Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Jun 1, 2010 11:39:25 GMT 10
Connie,
Between 1913-1915, the island's international status was uncertain, though the provisional Greek authorities on the island did issue some travel documents that permitted limited movement overseas.
Prior to the overthrow of the Ottoman authorities in March 1913, the islanders were Ottoman subjects with rights of free travel. They were issued with Ottoman passports from at least 1839 and these are the documents that were used for migration to Australia and elsewhere during the Ottoman period.
Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Mar 24, 2010 10:03:50 GMT 10
Nick,
Are you certain that this is the precise surname because I am not aware of any such family name from Castellorizo?
Other similar names are Limiou or Limniou, Leondis, Leontidhou...
Let me know if you have further information.
Ioannis Sergis, also known as 'Yiannifos', owned a cafe in the central square of the town. Is this who you refer to here?
Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Mar 3, 2010 10:09:38 GMT 10
Cristian,
The photo is a little small. Would it be possible to post it in larger format so that we may have a closer look?
Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Feb 3, 2010 7:52:59 GMT 10
Cristian,
Thank you for your kind words.
Castellorizo was part of the Ottoman Empire until its revolt in March 1913. Rhodes was also part of the Empire, but only until May 1912 when it was occupied by Italy.
Spyrides' death in Kalamaki (Kalkan) is not surprising - he and his extended family had extensive business and familial connections to the mainland.
And to answer your last question - all people born on Castellorizo until 1913 were citizens of the Empire.
Best wishes, Nicholas
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Antonas
Jan 18, 2010 12:11:53 GMT 10
Post by Administrator on Jan 18, 2010 12:11:53 GMT 10
Anthony,
I have e-mailed you today an extract from the piece I refer to above.
There are more extracts, if you want to see them. Let me know after you have read this first section.
Regards, Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Dec 23, 2009 7:54:56 GMT 10
Allan,
I am happy to report that I recently came upon a copy of this interesting document while trawling through the papers of the first Greek military administrator of the island, Nikos Kravaritis.
It's dated 19 October 1947 and lists 692 residents of the island at that time (306 permanently resident males, 357 permanently resident females and 29 temporary residents) by surname, first name, father's name, mother's name and year of birth. The document is type-written in the Greek language and is 16 pages in length.
I propose to translate the document into English in due course and to publish it here, much as we did with the cemetery transcription (see Cemetery post). It will definitely be a useful, though somewhat limited, resource for those seeking to trace their family's connection to the island.
Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Dec 16, 2009 9:42:03 GMT 10
Here is another previously unpublished shot of the aftermath of the quake: Fifth from right in the top row is the then governor, Salvatore Tringali. At far right, in uniform, is municipal policeman Eleftherios Kaperonis. Nicholas
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Antonas
Dec 10, 2009 16:21:33 GMT 10
Post by Administrator on Dec 10, 2009 16:21:33 GMT 10
Anthony,
You referred above to Dimitrios Antonas' connection to Myra and, in particular, to the church of St Nicholas there.
An obscure article I have found includes a series of letters addressed to him (described as epistatis of the church), and to his son Yeorgios, in the context of works done in and around the church and tomb of St Nicholas in the second half of the 19th century.
One document lists a number of transactions between 1860 and 1862. Another is a letter to him from 1867 and relates to dealings that occurred at the time with Russian authorities who had acquired large tracts of land around the monastery. Another is a letter from the then Russian consul in Rhodes who was involved in these works, and there is also correspondence with the then mayor of Castellorizo, Dimitrios Papalazaros, and the Metropolitan of Pissideia (Kaisarios) regarding a dispute about who had authority over the site.
From these letters it is possible to deduce that Dimitrios died in 1867.
Let me know if you want to see a copy of the article.
Nicholas
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Xanthis
Dec 10, 2009 13:22:57 GMT 10
Post by Administrator on Dec 10, 2009 13:22:57 GMT 10
Nicholas
Many of the Castellorizian surnames have their origin in place names of nearby islands or, just as commonly, from the names of towns on the opposite mainland to which people could trace their origins. Basically, their nickname (paratsoukli) on the island (ie the person from Isparta - 'o Spartalis') became their surname over time.
There are many such examples beyond the one I have just cited: Mouglalis (Mugla), Livissianis (Livisi), Finikiotis (Finika) and Alayiallis (Alanya) are just a few. The same could apply with your family name given the island's proximity to Xanthos, located as it is between Livisi/Makri (Fethiye) and Antifilo (Kas). However, it is more likely, in my opinion, that the name stems from a descriptive appellation of an ancestor. As you know, 'xanthis' means 'fair' (feminine) and it may be that one of your female forebears was so fair in skin or eye colour that her description became the family name over time (the Castellorizian name 'Sarinas' stems from the Turkish equivalent). 'Xanthi' is also a female first name in many parts of Greece, though not all that common on the island. This may be another reason it was adopted as a nickname on Castellorizo.
By the way, the Castellorizian writer, Achilleas Diamandaras, writing in the late 1890s, refers to a wine merchant in Myra (modern 'Demre') by the name of 'Nikolas tis Xanthis'. He comments that the name was a reference to his mother's name and that the practice of taking a mother's name as a surname or middle name was a Lycian habit dating back centuries (he cites Herodotus). So the real answer may lie somewhere in between the two theories!
Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Dec 8, 2009 10:38:48 GMT 10
A French naval officer, Eugene Fichou, snapped this casual shot of a group of Castellorizian women arriving for a church service at the Cathedral of Sts Constantine & Helen in 1918. Note the newly-married woman (centre-left), complete with bridal popazi (hat), being escorted by two other women in the centre of the second group. At rear is the girls' school or parthenagogeion and the bell tower of the Cathedral. Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Dec 8, 2009 9:25:19 GMT 10
Further to my earlier post, here is an image that shows clearly where the hamam is to be found. Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Dec 8, 2009 8:15:19 GMT 10
In what was the old Turkish quarter of Castellorizo, just near the foot of the castle, there still stands a small domed hamam, or bath-house, that dates form the late 17th/early 18th centuries. This is one of only 60 such surviving hamams in Greece. Somewhat ironically, the hamam is now used by the Greek military as an observation post across to Turkey. Those who have taken a look inside the small chamber may have noticed some WWII Italian graffiti on the walls from a time when the hamam was used as a lookout for Allied attack. Here is an example: The words 'credere, obbedire, combattere' ('believe, obey, do battle') were a common battle-cry among the Italian military in WWII (the words were first used by Mussolini himself) and are a poignant reminder today of the wartime experiences of Italian servicemen on the island. Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Nov 30, 2009 12:31:22 GMT 10
Thanks again to this Forum's good friend in Italy, Antonio, for this interesting postcard from Castellorizo's French occupation: The image probably dates from December 1915. Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Nov 5, 2009 7:59:55 GMT 10
Brian and Chrystallo,
Neither name you mention appears to have a Castellorizian connection according to available records.
Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Nov 5, 2009 7:55:30 GMT 10
Jim,
Hopefully, the image should now be back - apologies!
Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Oct 14, 2009 7:57:12 GMT 10
Antonio,
In addition to the modern grave you refer to (Gerard Roulleau who drowned while visiting the island in 1974), there is also one surviving grave from World War One - the grave of Hacop Artinian, an Armenian member of the Legion D'Orient who was killed on the island in 1917 during offensives against the Turks.
For more details, please refer to the transcription of the entire cemetery on the History Board.
Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Oct 11, 2009 8:25:39 GMT 10
Please provide me with more details of the precise information you seek here.
Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Oct 11, 2009 8:23:03 GMT 10
If you have a look at 'The Cemetery of Castellorizo' post on the History Board you will note that there was a section of the island's cemetery in Niftis set aside during the First World War (when the island was occupied by the French navy) for French troops killed in action.
This area was later used by the Italians for their own dead during their occupation of the island (1921-43). This small section of the cemetery remains segregated from the main part of the site to this day, though only one French grave remains. For further details of the French occupation, please refer to 'Near Eastern Dreams' on the Literature page.
Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Sept 22, 2009 14:30:31 GMT 10
George,
Mihail Konstandinou Veorgis (spelt with a Greek 'B') married Theodora Konstandinou P Haitta on 11 February 1907.
The name Haitta is fairly obscure and there are only a few recorded examples of it. We do know that Theodora had a sister Evangelia (who married Paraskevas Apostolou Mayiafis in 1905), but we know little more about that family. It is also possible that Theodora's father, Konstandinos, had a brother Stavros.
Regarding the alternate spelling of 'Beorgis', it was not uncommon in Greek for 'Mp' to become 'V' - so 'Mpeorgis' became 'Veorgis', as is the case here. Interestingly, while Mihail signs with a 'x' (not uncommon), his witness (Ioannis Theoharis) writes Mihail's name in the more correct form despite the fact that the document is headed by the more colloquial spelling.
Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Sept 3, 2009 9:31:21 GMT 10
Michele,
Thank you for joining our Forum and please spread the word in Brazil for us.
Firstly, I assume you have a copy of Paschaol Pitsica's excellent book on the Castellorizians of Florianopolis entitled Memoria visual da Colonia Grega de Florianopolis published in 2003. If you don't, I suggest you obtain a copy because it contains some details about your family.
Your great grandparents, Jorge & Maria (Yeorgios Theodosiou Atherinos & Kezala Economou Palassi) married on Castellorizo on 11 May 1919. Their marriage was a double wedding: Yeorgios' brother, Kyriakos, also married on the same day (to Zoe Komninou Hatzidoulou).
You will note that your great grandmother was named 'Kezala' and not 'Maria'. Her mother was actually called 'Maria' and I assume that she adopted her mother's first name instead of her own. Have you heard of the name 'Kezala' for her before?
The house given by the Palassis family on the marriage was a house on the island in the precinct that was destroyed in the Second World War. Let me know if you would like further details.
Nicholas
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Post by Administrator on Aug 25, 2009 13:46:55 GMT 10
Allan,
The only references to a Yeorgios Christofis that I can find in the dowry archive are from 1914 and 1918 respectively. In the first, he is a witness to another marriage, while in the second the house given as dowry is described as adjoining his home.
Also, I do not know of a first name for a female by the name of 'Kyra' - this is normally an abbreviation for 'Kyria' which means 'Mrs' and it may have become a sort of respectful nickname for this particular woman. Additionally, many Greek names, when transliterated into Portuguese in the process of migration to Brazil, changed considerably, not unlike our own 'Greek' names in Australia (Con, Stan, Jim etc). I suspect in this case that 'Kyra' is a colloquialisation and that the woman's given name is in fact something else.
Initial thoughts only...
Nicholas
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