Φιλολογικά Απομνημονεύματα

by Kostas Varnalis, Κώστας Βάρναλης

Τα Φιλολογικά Απομνημονεύματα του Κ. Βάρναλη «σχηματίστηκαν» από το σύνολο μιας σειράς κειμένων που δημοσιεύτηκαν με τη μορφή επιφυλλίδων στην εφημερίδα «Ανεξάρτητος» στο χρονικό διάστημα από 17 Φεβρουαρίου μέχρι 11 Αυγούστου 1935 (. . .). Την αφορμή για ν’ αρχίσει να γράφει αυτές τις επιφυλλίδες αποτέλεσε ένα αφιέρωμα που του έγινε από το περιοδικό «Νέοι Πρωτοπόροι» τον Φεβρουάριο του 1935, ορισμένες βιογραφικές πληροφορίες του οποίου θέλησε να συμπληρώσει και άλλες να διορθώσει. «Όσο σωστές και να είναι οι βιογραφικές πληροφορίες, που δίνουνε για μένα οι «Νέοι Πρωτοπόροι», - γράφει αρχίζοντας - δεν εξαντλούνε την. . . ιστορία μου. Αφήνω, πως μερικές είναι και λαθεμένες. Γι’ αυτό αποφάσισα να ιστορήσω μονάχος μου τα διάφορα περιστατικά της ζωής μου και μάλιστα της ψυχολογικής και πνευματικής μου εξελίξεως, όσα θα μπορούσανε να έχουν ενδιαφέρον και για τους αναγνώστες». (. . .) (ΑΠΟ ΤΗΝ ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΕΚΔΟΣΗΣ)

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Kostas Varnalis (Κώστας Βάρναλης) was born in Burgas, Bulgaria, in 1884. As his name suggests, his family originated from Varna. He completed his elementary studies in the Zariphios Greek high school in Plovdiv and then moved to Athens to study literature at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. While there, he became involved in the language dispute, taking the side of the demoticists over the supportres of the katharevousa. After his graduation in 1908 he worked for some time as a teacher in Burgas, before returning to Greece and teaching in Amaliada and Athens. During the next years, he worked as a teacher and part-time journalist, also engaging in translation work. In 1913, he took part in the Second Balkan War.
In 1919 he gained a scholarship and travelled to Paris where he studied philosophy, literature and sociology. It was during his Parisian studies that he became a Marxist and reviewed his ideas on poetry in theory and in practice. His political alignment resulted in his being barred dismissed from his teaching position at the Paedagocical Academny in 1926, and to be barred from any state employment. Varnalis thus took to journalism, a profession he practised until the end of his life. In 1929, he married the poetess Dora Moatsou. In 1935, he participated in the Soviet Writers' Conference in Moscow as Greece's representative. Under the 4th of August Regime, he was sent to internal exile in Mytilene and Agios Efstratios. During the German Occcupation of Greece, he took part in the resistance movement as a member of the National Liberation Front (EAM). In 1959, he was awarded the Lenin Peace Prize. Varnalis died in Athens on 16 December 1974.