Published in Greek: October 2009, Published in English: August 2012
Pages.: 708• Shape: 17 X 24 cm
ISBN: 978-960-6863-86-8• Price of English Edition: 24,90€
The definitive biography of Aris Velouhiotis
Aris was the military genius of Elas
C.M. Woodhouse, British Colonel in WW II
Of all the Elas leaders that I met—and I met many—only Aris impressed me. He was strong, thoughtful and composed.
Adolfo Infante, Italian General in WW II
A monster with leadership and organizational abilities, truly superhuman.
Napoleon Zervas, Greek General and an adversary of Aris
Aris Velouhiotis, the celebrated resistance leader and military genius, the Greek Che, is the most compelling figure in modern Greek history. Uncompromising in his positions, this visionary created ELAS, the biggest volunteer army in Greek history and let the Greek resistance in World War II. Now, a half-century after Velouhiotis committed suicide at the age of 40, the acclaimed Greek writer Dionyssis Charitopoulos offers the first complete portrait of this enigmatic personality.
Aris, is the result of more than three decades of research and is based on hundreds of interviews with the ELAS commander’s friends and foes. As part of his exhaustive research, Charitopoulos visited the rebel’s hideouts, followed their trail through the mountains, and spoke with the people whose lives were touched by Velouhiotis. Drawing on official sources and documents, including many previously unpublished, the author also offers readers a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the workings of the Greek resistance movement.
Charitopoulos approaches his subject with the precision and objectivity of a scholar, but weaves his narrative with the flair of a master storyteller. He has created a monumental work and a gripping biography of a man who became a legend in his own lifetime.
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