akritas
04-06-2008, 08:04 AM
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Tellos was the nickname of, Sarantis-Tellos Agapinos (Greek: Σαράντης-Τέλλος Αγαπηνός), an officer of the Hellenic Army who played a prominent role during the Greek Struggle for Macedonia.
Early Life
Agras was born in Nafplio in 1880, but he originated from Messenia from an important family of that region, members of which had participated in the Greek War of Independence. He entered the Hellenic Military Academy from where he graduated as lieutenant of the Hellenic Army in 1901.
Macedonian Struggle
The increasing presence of Bulgarian VMRO guerrilla troops in Ottoman-held Macedonia and their actions against the followers of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and generally against the Macedonian Greek population concerned Greek public opinion in Athens, which led to the creation of some underground organizations financed by wealthy Greeks, initially without official support, with the intention of establishing Greek military bands in Macedonia to confront the threat. Agras entered one of these organizations, the Macedonian Committee in 1904, after the death of Pavlos Melas.
In September, 1906 he entered Macedonia leading a 14 men band with the mission to protect Macedonian Greek villages in Giannitsa Lake (called O Valtos, i.e. "the Swamp" by locals) from the attacks of VMRO members that controlled the northern part of the lake. With the help of local Macedonian Greeks such as the wealthy tradesman Zafeiris Loggos and Antonis Mingas from Naoussa, in only three months he managed to limit Bulgarian presence in the Swamp. But on November 14, 1906 Agras was seriously injured after an unsuccessful attack against the leader of the Bulgarian guerrilla troops, Apostol Petkov ,near the village of Zervochori and was recalled to Thessaloniki to be healed. He continued his activity in the area for some months but his health deteriorated by his continuous presence and fights in the lake, resulting in his infection by malaria. The coordinator of the Greek forces, Konstantinos Mazarakis-Ainian, concerned for his life, ordered Agras to withdraw to Naoussa in April 1907, where he started recruiting locals to man the band of his substitute Captain Amyntas, alias Lieutenant Doumpiotis.
Agras had settled in Naousa for recuperation since late February 1907. He stayed in the house of Diamantes Biles, where he was visited regularly by the pharmacist Philippos Arnes who had under*taken his treatment by order of the Naousa Committee. Even undergoing treatment, he did not cease to direct the struggle in his area, while many mes*sengers from nearby villages visited him in order to receive orders and sub*mit their requests and information. Agras was a leader of unflagging fighting spirit, and despite his impaired health and his injuries, he continued to pursue his duty although he could have requested an imme*diate return to free Greece. His faith in the struggle and love for Macedonia, however, would allow no such act, which he considered as an abandonment of the struggle.
When the Thessalonica Consulate decided, in April 1907, to replace the tried and exhausted leaders and guerrillas, it included Second Lieutenant Agapenos as well. He was to be replaced by Sergeant Nikolaos Doumpiotes (Amyntas), who left Athens for Naousa in mid-May, leading a strong band. At the time the morale of the Bulgarian bands, and of the followers of Romanian propaganda, operating in Naousa, was very low, due to the activities of the Greek guerrillas and the expansion of the organization of the latter. Guerrilla leader Agapenos was constantly receiving information of the fall of the Bulgarian bands' morale and even was informed from time to time that many Bulgarian Committees cadres were showing a tendency to sever their ties to them and join the Greek struggle. The strongest desire was manifested by Vojvod Zlatan of Golesiani (Leukadia), who had attended a Greek school, spoke fluent Greek and was connected to many Greeks of Naousa. His intention was therefore not unprecedented. Besides, many leaders and mem*bers of Bulgarian bands had joined the Greek forces at the time, and had since distinguished themselves in the Greek struggle. Such defections were approved of by the Thessalonica Consulate, which through its instructions urged the troops to draw away Bulgarian band followers.
When Vojvod Zlatan made his intentions known and submitted, through acquaintances of his in Naousa, specific proposals of joining along with followers of his, Agras gladly accepted and started negotiations with him. He wished, before leaving Macedonia, to seal his manifold activity there with a spectacular defection of a large portion of komitadjis to the Greek struggle, which would of course be the climax of Greek accomplishments at the time.
The negotiations began in early May with schismatics Metses Pesios and Georgi Gotses of Sermarinovo (Marina). On 15 May, Vojvod Zlatan and Agras themselves met in Naousa, where they decided to meet again in the Monastery of Prodromos along with their men for the final decisions. Zlatan and his men, however, did not appear at this meeting. On 31 May Pesios and Gotses came again, explaining the cancellation of the meeting at the Monastery of Prodromos and arranged for a new meeting on 3 June at the position of Gavran (Vrachos Korakon), eighteen kilometers north-west of Naousa. It was decided that the two leaders would arrive at the meeting unarmed and without their men.
To the fatal meeting on 3 June, he was escorted by seven men: the two schismatic emissaries Pesios and Gotses, Apostolos Apostolou or Tolios with his son Georgios -who would act as interpreter-, Naousa industrialist Zapheirios Longos (an acquaintance of Zlatan's) as well as trusted messenger Antonios Mingas.Agras was wearing his military uniform and carried a revolver, while several kinds of food and drink for the meal in honor of those joining Hellenism had been loaded onto a mule.
The Death
Agras and his escort left Naousa in the morning on 3 June and, after a three-hour march, reached Osliane (Agia Photeine) It picked up Nikolaos Pegios as its guide there, and after a half-hour march the entire escort reached the area of Gavran Kamen.
There, despite the agreement, they met an eighteen-member armed band of Bulgarians and followers of Romanian propaganda under koutsovlach Dinos Chadoures of Livadia Karatzova (Almopia). The treachery was obvious, but the Greek officer, judging from the friendly welcome he received by Chadoures, disregarded the breach of the agreement and conceded to be led to the position of Touvaritse, where they assured him he would meet Vojvods Kasaptse and Zlatan. The meeting with the vojvods, who, despite the agree*ment, were escorted by about fifteen armed men, was indeed conducted in Touvaritse. The vojvods feigned delight at the arrival of Agras and received him with warm compliments. All of this assured Agras and a joint meal imme*diately followed, during which Zlatan dropped his gun to the ground, in a show of laying down arms, and Agras did the same with his only revolver. Then, however, Kasaptse started accusing Agras of co-operating with the Turks and insulting the Greek race. At the same time, after a pre-arranged signal, his men arrested Agras and his escort and tied them with a rope. Zla*tan complained of Kasaptse's behavior and his attitude during those moments showed that he had honestly desired to join, but had been forced to act in this way after being blackmailed by his superior Kasaptse.
In the afternoon, the komitadjis freed the rest and kept only Agras and Mingas, to lead them to the village of Ano Grammatiko. Their purpose was to display the captured Greek leader to their terrified followers in the vil*lage in order to boost their morale. To the same purpose they paraded them through the villages of Giougovo (Vryta), Patotsin (Patema), Ano and Kato Radovo (Koryphe) and made a 24 hour pause in Sarakinovo (Sarakenoi), the komitadji hide-out. They constantly tortured the captives, but Agras' attitude was haughty; he was ceaselessly insulting his torturers, calling them cowardly and craven and spitting in their faces. From Sarakinovo, they led the captives to Potsef (Margarita) and Kroutselovo (Kerasies) and finally they took them to Techovo (Karydia) where they hung them from a tall walnut tree, between Techovo and Vladovo (Agras). The hanging of Agras shook the Greeks in the area. The deceitful komitadji act enraged the guerrillas and, instead of terrifying the Greek ele*ment in the area, made them indignant and disgusted on the dishonest Com*mittee vojvods. The struggle continued with greater intensity and the Greeks gained more victories
References
Dakin, Douglas: "The Greek Struggle in Macedonia 1897-1913" Thessaloniki, IXMA, 1966
Vakalopoulos, Apostolos: "History of the Greek Nation 1204-1985"
Archives of the Macedonian struggle of Penelope Delta, Thessaloniki, 1959
Mazarakis-Ainian, Konstantinos: "The Macedonian Struggle"
Macedonian Struggle and the Thrace Events, DIS, 1978
Tellos was the nickname of, Sarantis-Tellos Agapinos (Greek: Σαράντης-Τέλλος Αγαπηνός), an officer of the Hellenic Army who played a prominent role during the Greek Struggle for Macedonia.
Early Life
Agras was born in Nafplio in 1880, but he originated from Messenia from an important family of that region, members of which had participated in the Greek War of Independence. He entered the Hellenic Military Academy from where he graduated as lieutenant of the Hellenic Army in 1901.
Macedonian Struggle
The increasing presence of Bulgarian VMRO guerrilla troops in Ottoman-held Macedonia and their actions against the followers of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and generally against the Macedonian Greek population concerned Greek public opinion in Athens, which led to the creation of some underground organizations financed by wealthy Greeks, initially without official support, with the intention of establishing Greek military bands in Macedonia to confront the threat. Agras entered one of these organizations, the Macedonian Committee in 1904, after the death of Pavlos Melas.
In September, 1906 he entered Macedonia leading a 14 men band with the mission to protect Macedonian Greek villages in Giannitsa Lake (called O Valtos, i.e. "the Swamp" by locals) from the attacks of VMRO members that controlled the northern part of the lake. With the help of local Macedonian Greeks such as the wealthy tradesman Zafeiris Loggos and Antonis Mingas from Naoussa, in only three months he managed to limit Bulgarian presence in the Swamp. But on November 14, 1906 Agras was seriously injured after an unsuccessful attack against the leader of the Bulgarian guerrilla troops, Apostol Petkov ,near the village of Zervochori and was recalled to Thessaloniki to be healed. He continued his activity in the area for some months but his health deteriorated by his continuous presence and fights in the lake, resulting in his infection by malaria. The coordinator of the Greek forces, Konstantinos Mazarakis-Ainian, concerned for his life, ordered Agras to withdraw to Naoussa in April 1907, where he started recruiting locals to man the band of his substitute Captain Amyntas, alias Lieutenant Doumpiotis.
Agras had settled in Naousa for recuperation since late February 1907. He stayed in the house of Diamantes Biles, where he was visited regularly by the pharmacist Philippos Arnes who had under*taken his treatment by order of the Naousa Committee. Even undergoing treatment, he did not cease to direct the struggle in his area, while many mes*sengers from nearby villages visited him in order to receive orders and sub*mit their requests and information. Agras was a leader of unflagging fighting spirit, and despite his impaired health and his injuries, he continued to pursue his duty although he could have requested an imme*diate return to free Greece. His faith in the struggle and love for Macedonia, however, would allow no such act, which he considered as an abandonment of the struggle.
When the Thessalonica Consulate decided, in April 1907, to replace the tried and exhausted leaders and guerrillas, it included Second Lieutenant Agapenos as well. He was to be replaced by Sergeant Nikolaos Doumpiotes (Amyntas), who left Athens for Naousa in mid-May, leading a strong band. At the time the morale of the Bulgarian bands, and of the followers of Romanian propaganda, operating in Naousa, was very low, due to the activities of the Greek guerrillas and the expansion of the organization of the latter. Guerrilla leader Agapenos was constantly receiving information of the fall of the Bulgarian bands' morale and even was informed from time to time that many Bulgarian Committees cadres were showing a tendency to sever their ties to them and join the Greek struggle. The strongest desire was manifested by Vojvod Zlatan of Golesiani (Leukadia), who had attended a Greek school, spoke fluent Greek and was connected to many Greeks of Naousa. His intention was therefore not unprecedented. Besides, many leaders and mem*bers of Bulgarian bands had joined the Greek forces at the time, and had since distinguished themselves in the Greek struggle. Such defections were approved of by the Thessalonica Consulate, which through its instructions urged the troops to draw away Bulgarian band followers.
When Vojvod Zlatan made his intentions known and submitted, through acquaintances of his in Naousa, specific proposals of joining along with followers of his, Agras gladly accepted and started negotiations with him. He wished, before leaving Macedonia, to seal his manifold activity there with a spectacular defection of a large portion of komitadjis to the Greek struggle, which would of course be the climax of Greek accomplishments at the time.
The negotiations began in early May with schismatics Metses Pesios and Georgi Gotses of Sermarinovo (Marina). On 15 May, Vojvod Zlatan and Agras themselves met in Naousa, where they decided to meet again in the Monastery of Prodromos along with their men for the final decisions. Zlatan and his men, however, did not appear at this meeting. On 31 May Pesios and Gotses came again, explaining the cancellation of the meeting at the Monastery of Prodromos and arranged for a new meeting on 3 June at the position of Gavran (Vrachos Korakon), eighteen kilometers north-west of Naousa. It was decided that the two leaders would arrive at the meeting unarmed and without their men.
To the fatal meeting on 3 June, he was escorted by seven men: the two schismatic emissaries Pesios and Gotses, Apostolos Apostolou or Tolios with his son Georgios -who would act as interpreter-, Naousa industrialist Zapheirios Longos (an acquaintance of Zlatan's) as well as trusted messenger Antonios Mingas.Agras was wearing his military uniform and carried a revolver, while several kinds of food and drink for the meal in honor of those joining Hellenism had been loaded onto a mule.
The Death
Agras and his escort left Naousa in the morning on 3 June and, after a three-hour march, reached Osliane (Agia Photeine) It picked up Nikolaos Pegios as its guide there, and after a half-hour march the entire escort reached the area of Gavran Kamen.
There, despite the agreement, they met an eighteen-member armed band of Bulgarians and followers of Romanian propaganda under koutsovlach Dinos Chadoures of Livadia Karatzova (Almopia). The treachery was obvious, but the Greek officer, judging from the friendly welcome he received by Chadoures, disregarded the breach of the agreement and conceded to be led to the position of Touvaritse, where they assured him he would meet Vojvods Kasaptse and Zlatan. The meeting with the vojvods, who, despite the agree*ment, were escorted by about fifteen armed men, was indeed conducted in Touvaritse. The vojvods feigned delight at the arrival of Agras and received him with warm compliments. All of this assured Agras and a joint meal imme*diately followed, during which Zlatan dropped his gun to the ground, in a show of laying down arms, and Agras did the same with his only revolver. Then, however, Kasaptse started accusing Agras of co-operating with the Turks and insulting the Greek race. At the same time, after a pre-arranged signal, his men arrested Agras and his escort and tied them with a rope. Zla*tan complained of Kasaptse's behavior and his attitude during those moments showed that he had honestly desired to join, but had been forced to act in this way after being blackmailed by his superior Kasaptse.
In the afternoon, the komitadjis freed the rest and kept only Agras and Mingas, to lead them to the village of Ano Grammatiko. Their purpose was to display the captured Greek leader to their terrified followers in the vil*lage in order to boost their morale. To the same purpose they paraded them through the villages of Giougovo (Vryta), Patotsin (Patema), Ano and Kato Radovo (Koryphe) and made a 24 hour pause in Sarakinovo (Sarakenoi), the komitadji hide-out. They constantly tortured the captives, but Agras' attitude was haughty; he was ceaselessly insulting his torturers, calling them cowardly and craven and spitting in their faces. From Sarakinovo, they led the captives to Potsef (Margarita) and Kroutselovo (Kerasies) and finally they took them to Techovo (Karydia) where they hung them from a tall walnut tree, between Techovo and Vladovo (Agras). The hanging of Agras shook the Greeks in the area. The deceitful komitadji act enraged the guerrillas and, instead of terrifying the Greek ele*ment in the area, made them indignant and disgusted on the dishonest Com*mittee vojvods. The struggle continued with greater intensity and the Greeks gained more victories
References
Dakin, Douglas: "The Greek Struggle in Macedonia 1897-1913" Thessaloniki, IXMA, 1966
Vakalopoulos, Apostolos: "History of the Greek Nation 1204-1985"
Archives of the Macedonian struggle of Penelope Delta, Thessaloniki, 1959
Mazarakis-Ainian, Konstantinos: "The Macedonian Struggle"
Macedonian Struggle and the Thrace Events, DIS, 1978