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In Honor of Odysseus Elytis

    

      Katerina Anghelaki Rooke and Andriette Stathi reading their texts

 

Odysseus Elytis died on March 18, 1996, so the impact was deeply felt by all the participants, but especially by Katerina Anghelaki Rooke, Andriette Stathi and Hatto Fischer. Katerina and Hatto had been at the funeral. One hour later Katerina wrote this marvellous text with the telling title "The last word". Andriette Stathi, who had done her Ph.D. on Elytis, developed in her paper the question further, whether or not Elytis can be considered to be a Byzantine poet. Hatto Fischer added with a poem of his called in German "Aufstehn", and which he translated into English with the title "Getting up".

All three texts can be found under the following link:

Given the international and European composition of the group, it should be added that the focus was not exclusively on Elytis as a Greek poet, even though he endorsed fully the Greek language, but as Andriette Stathi-Schoorel shows herself, he was a craftsman attempting to shape a new language reminiscent of the past, but also an ongoing translation of the language used by Sappho into what was to become modern spoken Greek, or the common language, after linguistic reforms had been introduced by the PASOK government which came into power in 1981. 

Naturally Elytis stands out because of "To Axion Esti" which relates to WWII and the German occupation, as much as Katerina Anghelaki Rooke's godfather Katzanzakis came to Crete after WWII to write a report for the Greek government about all the damages which had been inflicted by the German occupying force. Crete does have this special memory constellation which includes the Minoan culture, but reaches into the immediate past always present at unexpected moments. It is like a shadow suddenly lurching forward to make sure despite of the blinding sun the person walking at high noon alone through the village can see where he is going.

Hatto Fischer

Athens 31.5.2016

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