OCTOBER 27 , 2018 The National Herald T H D E L N A AT ER www.thenationalherald.com IONAL H 2 Oxi Day Special THE NATIONAL HERALD, OCTOBER 27, 2018 Commemorating Oxi Day, When Greece Gave the World Hope s one by one the nations Expecting an easy victory, pecially those in the United of Europe fell under the they underestimated the Greeks States, and for the entire world. TOP LEFT: The Federation of By Eleni Sakellis Aheel of Axis oppression, and were pushed back. Greece gave hope to all the Hellenic Societies of Greater no one expected Greece, a rela - News of Greece’s victory nations that had fallen under New York Oxi Day Parade tively small nation, to stand up against the fascist Italian forces Axis oppression, forcing Hitler last year in Astoria. The commemoration of Oxi Day is as significant today and derail the enemy forces. in the mountains of northern to change his plans, delaying the On October 28, 1940 at 3 Greece and Albania spread invasion of Russia (then-Soviet TOP RIGHT: Holy Trinity-St. as it was during World War II, and perhaps even more AM, the Greek Prime Minister quickly via radio and soon cov - Union), and essentially turning Nicholas Greek School faced the demand for Greece’s ered the front pages of newspa - the tide of the war. Principal Anastasia Mantas so now, when we see the continuing oppression and surrender and gave the one- pers around the globe. The vic - The valiant effort by the with students with the word answer, Oxi, and in a mat - tory was not just for the people Greeks inspired the now famous students, left to right: persecution of people around the world. ter of hours, the Axis forces de - of the Hellenic Republic but also quote from Winston Churchill, Stamatis Mallas, Georgios scended on Greece. for Hellenes of the diaspora, es - “Hence, we will not say that Perakis, Maria Bacalexis, Greeks fight like heroes, but that Alexandra Doyle, Manolis heroes fight like Greeks.” Vlastakis, and Christos Greek-American children Grigoriou at the Oxi Day grow up learning about the celebration on Staten Island. meaning of Oxi in Greek school with the annual celebration, the CENTER: St. Demetrios songs and the plays, and espe - Greek Afternoon School in cially the poems we memorized Astoria Oxi Day celebration. and practiced over and over again. BOTTOM LEFT: The Oxi Day The story was a profound celebration at the Stathakion one and made us proud of our Center in Astoria. heritage, but the fact that more people, outside of the Greek BOTTOM RIGHT: The community, do not know about students of the William Oxi Day is a shame. Thankfully, Spyropoulos School of St. there are individuals and orga - Nicholas in Flushing during nizations trying to solve this the Oxi Day celebration in problem. Sarantakos Hall. The Washington Oxi Day Foundation hosts a series of PHOTOS: TNH/KOSTAS BEJ events each year to honor the & TNH/MICHALIS KAKIAS Greatest Generation and com - memorate Oxi Day and all those who fight for freedom and jus - tice around the world. As noted on the foundation’s website, “Today’s heroes around the world who – in the spirit of Oxi Day – courageously battle Go - OXI DAY liaths for freedom and democ - OCTOBER 28, 1940 racy are nominated by America’s policymakers and opinion lead - ers to be honored before inter - national and national leaders convening in Washington, DC each October for the Annual The Washington Oxi Day Washington Oxi Day Celebra - tion.” The Washington Oxi Day Foundation Foundation is dedicated to in - forming American policymakers celebrates the profound role and the public about the pro - found role Greece played in bringing about the outcome of Greece played in bringing about World War II and celebrating modern day heroes who exhibit the same courage as the Greeks the outcome of World War II did in continuing to fight to pre - serve and promote freedom and and honors today those whose democracy around the world. AHEPA’s Oxi Day Commem - oration takes place on October David vs. Goliath courage, 27 at Ellis Island. Lectures by Anna Koulouris, the communi - like the Greeks in WWII, cations advisor and journalist for the Patriarchate of Jerusalem who will speak about Religious can alter history and Persecution in the Holy Land, and Vassilios Chrissochos, preserve freedom and democracy. AHEPA District 6 Director of Hellenism, on the Historical Sig - nificance of Oxi Day. A screening of The 11th Day, the story of the men, women, and children of the Cretan civilian Resistance movement and the relentless battle against Nazi occupation Andy Manatos, President forces from 1941 to 1945 will www.OxiDayFoundation.org also be held. More information Mike Manatos, Executive Director is available at oxiday.com. In this special issue, we com - memorate that historic day and hope to continue to honor the memory of those who sacrificed all for freedom. THE NATIONAL HERALD, OCTOBER 27, 2018 Oxi Day Special 3 We proudly celebrate "OXI DAY" JOHN CATSIMATIDIS, Jr. ΖΗΤΩ Η 28η ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟΥ 1940 4 Oxi Day Special THE NATIONAL HERALD, OCTOBER 27, 2018 Remembering Oxi Day and a World at War By Nikolaos A. Stavrou Dramatic events disturbed the bucolic life of Griazdani, my birthplace in Northern Epirus, on a sunny October day of 1940 he village elders advised all inhabitants to stay in - Tdoors, except for a com - mittee of volunteers that would assemble in the town square and pretend life was normal. There was nothing normal about it. Hordes of Albanian and Italian fascists were marching through the village heading for deployment on a battle front that stretched from the Mour - gana Mountains to the town of Konispoli. Dark clouds of war against Greece were gathering and fear marked the lives of Northern Epirotans. Though adults made valiant efforts to keep children free of fear, fear was walking in front of my house, dressed in the na - tional colors of Albanian war - riors, leading Mussolini’s army to the Greek borders. I could not fathom then the significance of Greek forces in Korytsa (e.g. bring firewood upstairs, he Gheghs marching against Document No. 122, June 29, would intone. It turns out, he Greece. A lifelong study on 1939) reveal the purpose of knew about my father’s service Balkan affairs would eventually these units: they were designed as a draftee in the Greek army clarify matters: the smartly to operate outside the parame - in 1914-16 and a friendship was dressed Albanians were ele - ters of the laws of war, carry out established between the two ments of the infamous Tomori intimidation forays against the men. Though stern and profes - Division, a military outfit that Northern Epirotans, cause de - sional, he would always take had asked the Italian High Com - population of Greek villages and time to run his hand over my matarcha and he would address My hero had the same first killed by an Albanian sniper in mand for the honor to cross the ultimately change the demogra - hair and thank me for the fire - my father as Barba Thanasi. name as my father, Athanasios. the village of Nivitsa; and that Greek borders first. phy of Epirus. wood. Fifty-nine years later, I acci - He hailed from the village of was part of my 1953 essay. On the night of October 27, The Chams were a central When I ended up in Ioannina dentally discovered the major’s Nikita, Halkidiki, and was com - However, it makes no difference a ferocious battle commenced component in Mussolini’s as a refugee to escape Enver name and picture and memories mander of the 3rd Battalion of which version of his heroic in the Mourgana-Filiates front grandiose Balkan schemes as Hoxha’s gulag, I wrote a short of a heroic age came alive. the 12th Infantry Regiment, the death is correct. Major Karalis that became my introduction to well. In anticipation of the Ital - story for a class assignment ti - While on a visit to Greece in unit that liberated my village was a hero. war at age five. The tenacious ian invasion, and in close coor - tled My First Greek Hero. The 1999 to give a lecture on the and became a legend. A cousin I do not know whether a resistance by the Greek forces dination with the Tirana gov - philology professor of Zosimea New World Order and the of mine, Dimitrios Stavrou, had statue or monument honors his against the Albano- Italian in - ernment of Shefqet Verlaci, they Gymnasium, Grigorios Balkans at the invitation of the composed a song about him memory anywhere. I only know vasion, kept us awake at night had formed a brigade of their Tzomakas, thought the essay Mayor of Papagos, Admiral with terribly prophetic title … that my family cherishes the and hopeful for the day of our own that operated as a Trojan was worthwhile to be shared Vasilios Xydis, a booklet listing And if by Chance I Fall in Battle. honor of having being his host, freedom. There were nights horse behind Greek lines. Com - with the class and instructed me fallen Greek officers in World (Parenthetically, Dimitrios and albeit so briefly, and never for - when small groups of men, my mander of the Brigade was Tahir to read it. But I am not good for War II (and a silver plaque) was my great uncle and sake, Niko - got Major Athanasios Karalis, father included, would cross Demi from Filiates with his such occasions. I broke down in presented to me by the host. laos Stavrou, were burned alive son of Dimitrios, born in 1896, over the Spara ridge into cousin Petrit as his deputy.