The Contribution of Dimitrios Vikelas to the Revival of the Olympic Games

The contribution of Dimitrios Vikelas to the revival of the Olympic Games

Professor Konstantinos Georgiadis

The revival of the Olympic Games was not the concern of one man, Pierre de Coubertin, but the result of several intellectual currents and multiple factors in many countries. From the middle of the 18th century, the new directions, new ideas and aims of the European intelligentsia - freedom, equality, fraternity, human rights, people’s self-determination and social institutional reforms - had also been embraced by Greek scholars as part of their efforts to achieve the spiritual awakening of the Greek people. Since the 18th century, the time of the Enlightenment, Greek scholars studying the Classics were advocating the preservation of the ancient sports tradition. For them the “Olympic Games”, as well as the theatre, were classical institutions whose revival would lead to the awakening and regeneration of the enslaved Greek nation. After the Greek Revolution of 1821 and the establishment of the modern Greek state (1832), the Greek political and intellectual elite were still looking for its national and cultural identity in classical education. Panagiotis Soutsos’ proposal to revive the “Olympic Games” (in his memorandum of 1834) was fully compatible with the spirit of the times, his objective being to build institutions (economic, political, intellectual) and ties between the Greek people. In 1856, Evangelis Zappas’ offer would lead to the materialization of Soutsos’ inspired proposal. The progress of the “Zappas Olympiads” clearly shows how the ideology of the Greek state had evolved during the second half of the 19th century and now thought of the “Olympic Games” as a political and cultural institution. This fact, in conjunction with the needs of the 1880’s, sparked the wish for multinational Olympic competitions (an idea that had already been proposed by L. Kaftantzoglou in 1880) thus giving to the event a pacifist character that would later be attributed by Pierre de Coubertin to the international Olympic Games. Greek merchants and seafarers created, from their traditional bases, a network of international financial operations that extended across Western Europe, Russia, Asia Minor, Egypt and the Balkans. Key members of this first modern, Greek bourgeoisie would in turn play a leading role in the national awakening and spiritual elevation of the Greek people. This new class of scholars – not concentrated around the Patriarchate in Constantinople, as had been the case in previous centuries – was deeply influenced by the liberal ideas predominant in Europe and by the French Revolution. Dimitrios Vikelas was a spiritual child of that generation and of the ideological movements of that period. Dimitrios Vikelas was born on the island of Syros, on 15 February 1853. His parents were Manuel Bikelas and Smaragda Georgiou Melas, the scions of important merchant families. Because of his father’s business, the family moved frequently. Vikelas was involved in commerce, and through investing the money he made was able to secure a comfortable income. His mother, a considerable influence on his intellectual and literary development, taught him to read and write while his first teachers (a Frenchman and a Swiss) introduced him to French literature. From an early age, Vikelas wrote prose and poetry. The books he published after 1870, the period of his literary prime, were warmly received by European Hellenists, while his book “Loukis Laras” (1879) was translated into many European languages. Vikelas also translated into Greek works by Racine, Shakespeare, Burns, Young Ossian, Goethe, Alifieri, as well as Homer from the original. In 1884, he visited Western Greece and wrote his book “From Nilopolis to Olympia”, in which he describes, in vivid and wonderfully eloquent prose, his journey to the ancient site of Olympia and the Olympic Games. His works and translations placed him among the distinguished Greek authors who were also acknowledged in Europe. Dimitrios Vikelas was also prominently and energetically involved in the liberation struggles of the Greek people. As the descendant of a 19th century family which had fought for the independence of its homeland, he felt that it was his duty to make a personal contribution to the social and national struggles. He raised funds (1862 in support of the Greek government, 1866-1867 in support of the Cretan insurgence and the purchase of ammunition) and wrote numerous newspaper articles on various subjects (national, historical, literary issues, the linguistic controversy in Greece). He took an interest in the Greek community in England and developed a close, friendship with the Greek Prime Minister Harilaos Tricoupis, who sought his advice even in affairs of state. In 1875, Vikelas was awarded the Silver Cross of the Knights of the Royal Order of the Savior “for his nationalist sentiments” in Greece. In December 1886, Dimitrios Vikelas was honoured for his contribution to philology by being awarded the Gold Cross of the Knights of the Royal Order of the Savior of Greece. In 1892, he was honored yet again, this time for his contribution to literature, by the President of the French Republic with the title of Knight of the “Grande Chancellerie de l’Ordre National de la Légion d ’Honneur”. It is important to stress Vikelas’ interest in education. He believed that the education and character building of young people contribute, more than anything else, to the development of the Greek state. He often encouraged the young Greek students who gathered at his home in Paris to read useful books. In 1880, his book “Loukis Laras” was placed on the list of books approved by the French Ministry of Education for distribution in schools and school libraries. Vikelas in turn assigned the rights of three editions of “Loukis Laras” to the “Association for the Propagation of Greek Letters” in France. During this period, Vikelas’ pedagogical ideas were taking shape within a specific educational context, with particular reference to physical exercise. Vikelas himself writes in his autobiography, “From my education at the Lycée Evangelides, what has remained is my enthusiasm for physical exercise”, while stressing the incentives he was given in England to practice sports, since “letters alone are not enough as a means of livelihood”. Dimitrios Vikelas described admiringly the boat races and ball games organized by the English universities and their impact on spectators. He stressed that newspapers devoted a lot of space to sporting activities, something that foreigners were unable to understand. He compared competitions in England, which were part of the “national life” of the English people, to those of the ancient Greeks. Vikelas proposed the introduction of gymnastics in schools, as part of a national education programme, in line with the motto, “ A healthy body and soul”, which he interpreted with the help of two other precepts, “ Nothing in excess” and the Aristotelian aphorism: “ Excessive training undermines strength”. The above presentation of Vikelas’ activities and views makes clear why the Board of Directors of the Pan-Hellenic Gymnastic Club chose him as their representative at the International Olympic Congress in 1894. This choice was not because Vikelas was recognized as a distinguished man of letters. The Board members were aware of Vikelas’ ideas on physical exercise and education since these had been published in newspapers and magazines. Immediately after agreeing to represent the Pan-Hellenic Gymnastic Club, Vikelas tried to meet Coubertin, as he himself reports. It is clear that the festive programme for the opening ceremony of the Congress was prepared jointly by Coubertin and Vikelas. Vikelas’ close friend, the archaeologist Theodore Reinach, spoke about the “Hymn to Apollo”, which had been discovered the year before, during the excavations at Delphi. A women’s choir sang the hymn in an atmosphere of religious fervor. The entire opening ceremony had a distinctly Greek character. The proceedings of the Congress began on 18 June 1894 with participants divided into two groups. At the very first meeting of the committee which he chaired, Vikelas intended to propose the city of Athens as one of the candidate cities for the hosting the Olympic Games. True, Coubertin wanted the first international games to be staged in Paris, in 1900, on the occasion of the World Fair. However, his meeting with Vikelas made him change his original plans, as can be seen from the Congress proceedings in the days that followed. The two men agreed to propose the city of Athens, instead of Paris, as the venue for a simple celebration of the first international Olympic Games since Athens, aside from historical reasons, already had previous experience through the staging of the Zappas Games. Coubertin would later write that Athens was not part of his original plans because he believed that the newly founded Greek state did not have the resources to organize international sports competitions; his discussions with Dimitrios Vikelas, however, “whose friendship fascinated him from the beginning, made him change his mind”. Moreover, when he referred to that stage of the negotiations, Coubertin stressed the fact that they were encouraging one another in order to achieve their goal. Vikelas thought it proper to singlehandedly take on the responsibility for his proposal, which he worded as follows: “We should not forget that Athens has grown significantly during these last years and now has excellent hotels, monuments, museums of considerable interest…” and went on to say “…it would be better to have a simple opening ceremony for the games instead of something more grandiose…”, adding that “… there is also something else. What we call, if you will, the sentimental aspect. As we are talking about the Olympic Games, doesn’t Greece have some rights to inaugurate them on its soil… the people over there will welcome and honor a favorable decision of the Congress”. After his speech, as Vikelas emphasizes, he expected to hear remonstrations from the congress participants, but they unanimously supported his proposal with acclamation and warm applause. Fully aware of the importance of the objectives and the project he had undertaken, practically on his own initiative, Vikelas approached the King, hoping to obtain his royal support. The Royal family’s “patronage” of the Games would certainly ensure their success since this would now also be a matter of royal prestige. Before Vikelas’ arrival in Athens, the decision of the 1st Olympic Congress in Paris had been enthusiastically received by public opinion and the press in Greece. Newspapers wrote that the Congress had chosen the best place for the celebration of the first International Olympic Games. Simultaneously, however, the Greek government, a debtor “in default” to the big European countries, did not dare give even the slightest indication that it was supporting this whole project. The country’s dire economic situation affected the Prime Minister’s attitude, not simply because there was no money but also because, after the declaration of bankruptcy, Vikelas had hastened to publicly condemn Tricoupis’ economic policies, which, not surprisingly, affected their relationship. When he finally met Tricoupis on the 5th of October 1894, he was told that, because of the continuing economic crisis, the Prime Minister would prefer not to have to deal with the Olympic Games. Greek officials failed to convince Vikelas who did not appear to share their concerns. On the contrary, he continued to believe that the whole project could be used to offset the country’s “problems”. The first benefits of the unexpected “favorable reaction” were already visible in the unanimous support which the press had given to the proposal of the Olympic Congress. Vikelas felt that the people’s reaction must be right and could be relied upon as an ally for his project. The people, fighting to overcome the hardships they faced, found refuge and a source of strength in their glorious past, something of which they could be proud. For Hellenism, during this historic period, the revival of the Olympic Games, over and above the aspirations of Coubertin and the other Europeans at the Olympic Congress, represented a now peaceful confirmation of its efforts to exist as a nation after the long, bloody liberation struggles. The efforts of Coubertin, who also visited Athens, did not bring the expected results either. The newspaper “Acropolis” published a damning article entitled “The gutless should withdraw”, stressing that “It would be unthinkable to reject the proposal to inaugurate the International Olympic Games in our country”, and indicating that the Greeks were always eager and “ready to embrace any great idea, especially when it affected our national pride”. The new caretaker Prime Minister, Nicolaos Deligiannis, who had lived in France for many years, was among the first to react favorably to the proposal of the Paris Congress, and he was well-acquainted with Dimitrios Vikelas. Nicolaos Deligiannis looked positively on the idea of reviving the Games and believed that it was possible to organize a major sports event in Greece. Now that the political leadership had given its consent, it was time to take decisive initiatives and give a new impetus to the cause of the Games, breaking the stalemate that had existed after the presentation of the mandate by the Games Support and Organization Committee. After the establishment of the Hellenic Committee for the Olympic Games, Vikelas felt that he had personally done all he could for the revival of the Olympic Games in Greece and that now it was time for the specialists to deal with the staging of the Games. Nevertheless, he continued to offer his services in order to overcome various problems that arose, such as the participation of English and German athletes, the participation of amateur athletes only, the construction of venues, the generous donation from George Averof and, more generally, the overall organization of the Games. And all this at a time when Coubertin had just become engaged to be married and could no longer devote the necessary time to the project.

Ladies and Gentlemen, With amazing determination and wisdom, D.Vikelas succeeded in realizing the idea of reviving the Olympic Games, a perennial dream of the Greek nation. When the Olympic Games were over, he settled in his new home in Athens and devoted himself to good causes. On his initiative, in addition to the “Society for the propagation of useful books” (1889), the “School Museum and the School Library” (1903) and the “Model Shooting School” (1906), the “Home for the Blind” (1907) and the “Sevastopoleios Workers’ School” were also founded; these institutions continue their charitable work to this day.

By way of conclusion I would like to end this presentation with something written by Vikelas himself: “I envy the Greeks who will live in a free Greece”, expressing the vision of his own generation, as well as his exhortation perhaps to younger generations to respect and safeguard this freedom that his generation has given them after so many sacrifices. Finally, I want to mention the answer his mother, Smaragda Mela, gave, when he told her that he was to become involved in the Olympic Games. She wrote to him, “Blessed are those who are involved in their country’s civic affairs”. Two short phrases which reveal something of the vision, the erudition and the nobility of Vikelas’ soul.