“Athanassios Psalidas: Archival Speech” – NEOI AGONES EPIRO – 2024-04-04 14:45:46

On the occasion of the celebration of the Greek revolution, the new edition of Dr. Eleni Kourmantzis is released, with the support of the Onassis Foundation, which illuminates the work of the leading Neo-Hellenic enlightener, Athanasios Psalidas. His multifaceted personality unfolds through evidence from the period 1786-1829, highlighting at the same time the philosophy of Humanism and the ideas of the Enlightenment.

Thanks to the publication “Athanassios o Psalidas: “Archive Logos””, with the scientific editing of Dr. Eleni Kourmantzis, the public has the opportunity to get to know the work, action and thought of this leading teacher, scholar and writer of the Neo-Hellenic Enlightenment. Athanasios Psalidas is a historical figure who has been identified with the formation of education, radical thought and political-revolutionary action for the upliftment of the “peptokotos genus” of the enslaved Greeks.

The aim of this edition is to present to the public a series of documents, divided into the respective sections: Private Life, Public Life, Teacher, Political Life, Publications & Writings and Poetics, allowing the transfer of authentic historical information to the present day. The publication presents a representative sample of the multifaceted presence of Athanasios Psalidas, as it emerges, in terms of manuscripts, through documents from his Archive, which are contained in the “Collection of Stamatios Krinos”, which is located in Athens, at the Central Service of the Generals Archives of the State and, as for the writings, through the volumes of his work hosted in the Onassios Library.

The publication is a continuation of the two successful exhibitions of books and manuscripts by Athanasios Psalidas held in 2019 at the Onassios Library, in Athens, and in 2020 at the G.A.K. (Historical Archive of Epirus), in Ioannina.