The 200Th Birthday of Evangelos Zappas

THE 200TH BIRTHDAY By Dr. Karl Lennartz OF EVANGELOS ZAPPAS return from Greece fed with positive How did Greece commemorate the 200th birthday of Zappas? Anyone who expected a big celebration, I impressions, but nevertheless organised by the Hellenic Olympic committee or by disappointed. On May 2nd in Athens the organisation committee of the games of 2004, the 200th birthday of Evangelos was thoroughly mistaken. It was a private-man, Zappas was commemorated. Who was Georgis Dolianitis, who made the invitation, certainly Evangelos Zappas? a man highly respected in Olympic circles and universally known as a collector of Olympiaka. He He was a Greek merchant and patriot, living in probably owns the largest archives concerning the Romania. In 1856 he made the proposal to the Greek Zappas games. Dolianitis had invited several friendly foreign minister to renew the Olympic Games. He colleges: Manfred Bergmann from Switzerland, the promised to pay the cost with his fortune. Instead, Ukranian Oleg Vorontsov, who lives in Spain, the Greek government asked him to the Italian Maurizio Tecardi, the finance a trade and agricultural Norwegian Halvor Kleppen and exhibition, which should include Roberto Gesto de Melo from Brasil. marginal sportive competitions. The Cologne sport-historians Thus, it was hoped, the young, Wolfgang Decker and Karl underdeveloped Greek state Lennartz responded to his call would be enabled to too. Together with Dolianitis approach European -- on the occasion of the Standard in the industrial 100th year celebrations of domain. Zappas agreed; the Olympic movement -- so in 1859, 1870, 1875 they had prepared an and 1888 four so called exhibition, shown in "Olympien" were held. At Cologne and Thessaloniki. these events, the best performances in the fields To a certain extent of agriculture and trade as Dolianitis was in the well as in the range of music, tradition of Zappas, because theatre and sports were he financed the flights as well awarded by prize money, medals as the lodging and stay of his and diplomas. guests. But why did the NOC and the OC leave this date unheeded? No By financial means of the foundation a one could understand it. huge exhibition hall - the Zappeion - was build in 1888 in the centre of Athens; this was 23 Imagine, at the German "Turnfest 2002" — 150 years after the death of Zappas. Today it is still a very years after the death of Zappas -- not one representative building. In 1896 the Zappeion was the representative of the "Deutscher Turnerbund" would location, where the fencing competitions of the first at least say a few words concerning the "Turnvater"! Olympic Games were held (a second time in 1906). On the occasion of this date one would have Moreover, foreign athletes were housed in the expected a ceremonial act in the Zappeion together Zappeion, the first Olympic village so to speak. with notable representatives from the domain of sports and politics, completed by a congress exploring 26 JOURNAL OF OLYMPIC HISTORY - SEPTEMBER 2000 The Zappeion, above, and Evangelos Zappas, left (with thanks to Mr. Dolianitis) pre-Olympic Games. But nothing of the sort between persons in Athens, preparing the 2004 happened. Olympic Games, or, what Samaranch had blamed two weeks before, one amongst plenty of other In fact, it have been the Greek Olympic ideologists, failures. who have accentuated up to now, that the modern Olympic movement had begun with the Olympien of It was a decent celebration in a small hall of the Zappas, long before the age of Baron de Coubertin. Zappeion with about 80 guests, whom Dolianitis had Was it the scruples regarding the wardens of the holy invited. Dolianitis, who delivered a short speech, grail in Lausanne, who might fear a scratch on showed valuable exhibits of the Zappas games on 20 Coubertin's memorial? The supreme representative panels. Decker appreciated the historical significance of the IOC, president Juan Antonio Samaranch, of the Olympien. himself, knew what was appropriate. He took the And one important representative of the Greek patronage of the celebrations and charged Dolianitis' sport-scene was present and spoke in the name of the collegue Bergman to address regards from the Greek athletes: Ioannis Melissanidis, gold medal president of the IOC. The "oblivion" of this date winner in floor exercises in Atlanta. probably was - once more - a question of authority JOURNAL OF OLYMPIC HISTORY - SEPTEMBER 2000 27.

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