Guide of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace

Kostas Thrakiotis (1909-1994) was born in Alexandroupolis and died in Athens. His real name was Thalis Prodromou. He studied philology in Athens and worked as an educator. He wrote poetry (21 poetic collections), theatrical plays, a short history of Modern Greek literature (1000-1965), translations of the works of ancient Greek tragedy writers, aesthetic and folklore essays. He is considered to be one of the most important representatives of the 1930s’ generation and the first one who complained about Hitler through poetry, sang for the victims of the Hold and hymned the opposition, dreaming for freedom, piece and humanity.
Some important works of him are: “Den tha vadisoume” [We won’t pace] -1933 (poems), “Anemizoume simea mas tin anixi” [We wave the flag as a symbol of spring] -1955 (poems), “Simfonia gia to orphiko rodo” [Symphony for the rose of Orpheus] -1957 (poems), “O anthropos tou erota kai tis stachtis” [The man of love and ash] -1963 (1964 National poetry award), “I techni sti zoi kai tin epochi mas” [The art in our life and age] -1976, “Laiki pisti kai latria sti Thraki” [Popular belief and worship in Thrace], “Chartaeti” [Kites] -1983 (narratives), “Thrakikes istories” [Thracian stories] 1988, “Ena pedi stin katachnia” [A child in the mist] 1984 (novel) etc.
His bonding with homeland, Thrace, is proved by his references to the popular rituals and his papers published in local journals. A very interesting study of his was published at the first volume of Thrakika Chronika in 1960: “The myth of monks and Kiopek Beis in the ‘Ichneftes’ of Sofoklis related to Greek tragedy”. It was republished in Thrakiki Prosegisi (issues 75-76, 2000).