Searching for a Brother Lost in Albania's Gulag

The Greek American community has lost one of its clearest inspirational voices, Dr. Nicholas Stavrou, Professor Emeritus at Howard University in Washington, D.C.  As a champion of Hellenism and a leading Balkan expert he was a spokesman for the rights of the Greek minority in his native Northern Epirus. Born in the village of Griazdani, his family was targeted and persecuted by the regime of communist dictator, Enver Hoxha. They fled to Greece through the mine filled mountains arriving in Ioannina, Greece after enduring terrible hardships. His older brother Grigorios (left)  decided to play an active role in the struggle against the Albanian communists, fighting to free Northern Epirus and his Greek brothers who lived there.

Eventually he was betrayed by a close family relative after returning to Albania despite the warnings he received from his commanding officers in Greek Intelligence that the Albanians had set a trap for him. He was eventuallly wounded and captured after a six hour battle. Despite repeated torture and a show trial Grigorios remained defiant, ridiculing the regime and angering the judges.  Standing before the judges he shouted: "I know, that you will execute me, but you cannot execute Hellenism."  He was thereafter summarily executed.

Nicholas Stavrou later immigrated to the United States, simultaneously working three jobs and attending college, earning a doctorate in political science.  He swore that he would not die until he found his brother’s bones and buried them alongside his parents’ in Greece. 

Unfortunately, despite his herculean efforts and exhausting all the means at his disposal he was never able to recover his brother's remains.  He wrote a beautiful article relating his brother's story, a story of bravery, patriotism and tragedy that will stand as a lasting testament to both men.

I have embedded the entire text of that article in this post. Press the first button at the bottom of the page to enlarge.

Petro-loukas Halkias - Skaros

ΒΟΡΕΙΟΣ ΗΠΕΙΡΟΣ

Searching for a Brother Lost in Albania's Gulag-Mediterranean Quarterly 2008-N Stavrou

Comments

[Simon Baddeley]

Stavros. 'For brave men any land can be their grave.' Indeed. What an astonishing moving story. I feel privileged to have read this account by the late Professor Stavrou. I wish my late father, John Baddeley CMG, a very junior MI6 officer in 1949 stationed in Athens (having been severely wounded fighting in northern Europe), could have read this. He died in 1972. For obvious reason's we know nothing about his work, then or since 1949, but my friends say he spoke 'mountain Greek' , He was married in the little church Hermou Street to Maria Roussen, so I enjoy four Greek half-siblings. I know he, with none of the devastating implications for Grigorios Stavrou, was also betrayed by Philby. Often when I'm in beloved Greece, in Corfu (where I shall be in a few days) I gaze across the straits towards Saranda, below it's snow covered mountains. Now I will know that 'in some corner of that foreign field' under that cruelly sullied soil, there's 'a richer dust concealed'. Simon Χρόνια Πολλά

[Stavros]

Simon,

Thucydides was right of course but it remains up to us to remember and honor their deeds. I have been itching to see this moving account more widely disseminated not only because of what it says for a man like Grigorios but what it says about the present day political situation.

Memory eternal to them all.

[Simon Baddeley]

I think of Prof Stavrou's tears. They recall words of Shakespeare
MALCOLM Dispute it like a man.
MACDUFF I shall do so; But I must also feel it as a man: I cannot but remember such things were, That were most precious to me. Did heaven look on, And would not take their part?
http://www.shakespeare-navigators.com/macbeth/T43.html

The usefulness of Philhellenes is that they want to know. They listen. They learn. This story is as complex and yet as simple as a classic tragedy. Perfidy, Honour, treachery, murder, betrayal, perfidy, grief. As yet no catharsis. This is an individual series of events unique to individuals, specific places and a moment in recent history - yet it contains universal witness to the heights and depths of the human spirit.