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In the name of God. War in Marathonas. On Sunday 6 July 1824. Athens Printing House.

Single page, 29.8 x 19.5 cm. – Athens Printing House

The first item printed by the Athens Printing House when it was set up at Ampelaki on Salamina Island. It is a single page of news, printed on 8 or 9 July 1824.

Archive of Printed Documents, Ε 176

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Notice. On Salamina, 18 July 1824. G. Psyllas, editor of the newspaper. Athens Printing House. By N. Varotzis.

Single page, 31 x 42 cm. – Athens Printing House

Announcement of the publication of the Newspaper of Athens which was printed at Ampelaki, in Salamina. The chosen motto is the phrase “Publicity is the soul of justice”, because when “citizens are free to speak and write their views about the common good, then we say that this nation is ruled by Freeness of Speech, the Light, the Truth, the Law”.

London Greek Committee Papers, K11.I1

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Proclamation by the Philomuse Society of Athens. Athens, 1 October 1824. The ephors of the Philomuse Society I. Gouras, G. Psyallas, A. Petrakis, D.r.K. Vitalis. The secretary P. Poulos. Athens Printing House.

Single page, 29 x 20.5 cm. – Athens Printing House

The Philomuse Society of Athens announces the restart of its activities and invites whoever wants to support their work with an aim to “enlighten the Greek youth” to contribute financially.

Farmakidis Archive, Φρ 36

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Newspaper of Athens, issue 11. Wednesday, 8 October 1824.

Two pages, 39.5 x 25 cm. – Athens Printing House

Archive of Printed Documents, Ε 245

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Greek Annals, issue 8. Missolonghi, 26 January 1824.

Two pages, 25 x 19.5 cm. – Missolonghi Printing House

The publication of the letter by the Assembly at Missolonghi to the Government was deemed necessary to keep the readers of the newspaper informed.

London Greek Committee Papers, K7.R1

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Greek Annals, issue 10. Missolonghi, 2 February 1824.

Two pages, 25 x 19.5 cm. – Missolonghi Printing House

Among other things, it includes the suggestion by Philhellene Major Stanhope regarding the establishment of a post office in Tripoli, and an article titled “On the freedom of the Press and an examination of the publications through the Press”. This issue also includes a letter by politician and scholar Georgios Ainian to the editor, suggesting the enrichment of the Greek Annals newspaper with articles about geography, which will serve the national cause by creating awareness of the historical continuity of the nation.

London Greek Committee Papers, K7.T1

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Greek Annals, issue 16. Missolonghi, 23 February 1824

Two pages, 25 x 19.5 cm. – Missolonghi Printing House

This copy of issue 16 was sent to Leicester Stanhope. Among the articles of the newspaper, the one that stands out is titled “Greece to the Greeks”, where the mother country incarnate addresses the Greeks in a dramatic tone, trying to prevent the civil war.

London Greek Committee Papers, K7.W1

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Prospectus. The Greek Telegraph. Missolonghi 16 (4) Marzo 1824.

Single page, 25 x 18.8 cm. – Missolonghi Printing House

Ad in English for subscriptions to Telegrafo Greco newspaper, which was to be published the following days in Missolonghi. The same ad with the same date was also published in Italian, while a third ad (in Italian and Greek) with a different text was printed four days after the first issue of the newspaper, on 24 March 1824.

London Greek Committee Papers, K7.B2

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Prospetto. Il Telegrafo Greco. Messolonghi, li 6 Marzo 1824. 

Single page, 24.7 x 18.8 cm. – Missolonghi Printing House

Ad in Italian for subscriptions to Telegrafo Greco newspaper, which was to be published the following days in Missolonghi.

London Greek Committee Papers, K7.C2

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Avviso – Εἴδησις [News]. Messolonghi 24 (12) Marzo 1824. Missolonghi, 12/24 March 1824.

Single page, 19.7 x 14.5 εκ. – Missolonghi Printing House

Ad (in Italian and Greek) for subscriptions and submissions to the Telegrafo Greco newspaper, which had started its circulation in Missolonghi a few days earlier.

London Greek Committee Papers, K7.D2

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Telegrafo Greco. No. 1. Messolonghi li 20 Marzo 1824.

Two pages, 28 x 20 cm. – Missolonghi Printing House

The first issue of the newspaper.

London Greek Committee Papers, K7.E2

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Telegrafo Greco. No. 2. Messolonghi li 27 Marzo 1824.

Two pages, 28 x 20.5 cm. – Missolonghi Printing House

The second issue of the newspaper.

London Greek Committee Papers, K7.F2

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Telegrafo Greco. No. 3. Messolonghi li 3 Aprile 1824.

Two pages, 28 x 20.5 cm. – Missolonghi Printing House

The third issue of the newspaper.

London Greek Committee Papers, K7.G2

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Eulogy for Lord Noel Byron. Improvised and delivered by Mister Spyridon Trikoupis. Printed on order of the Administration. Missolonghi, 10 April, Thursday of Easter Week. 1824. Printed by D. Mestheneas.

Quarto (23 x 28.7 cm.), 5 +1 p. – Missolonghi Printing House

The “Eulogy for Lord Noel Byron” was spoken by Spyridon Trikoupis, who composed it “over three to four hours” (as stated in the pamphlet itself). It was printed “on order of the Administration” and first circulated as a supplement to issue 31 of the newspaper Greek Annals on 16 April 1824. The same newspaper had announced the death of the poet through its 9 April issue. This eulogy was republished by other newspapers at the time too.

London Greek Committee Papers, K7.R2

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Telegrafo Greco. No. 6. Messolonghi li 24 Aprile 1824. 

Two pages, 28 x 20 cm. – Missolonghi Printing House

The sixth issue of the newspaper which announced the death of Lord Byron, hence the use of the black frame in mourning.

London Greek Committee Papers, K7.I2

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Greek Annals, issue 34. Missolonghi, 26 April 1824.

Two pages, 25 x 19.5 cm. – Missolonghi Printing House

This issue includes a letter by L. Stanhope to the people of Psara Island, where he mentions that he is sending them “a printing press” and asks them to use it “to enlighten the inhabitants of the Archipelago”. The printing equipment finally reached Psara along with a group of Philhellene technicians. Their leader was lost together with the equipment when the Ottomans destroyed the island in June 1824.

London Greek Committee Papers, K7.Y1

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Second Period, No 30. Provisional Government of Greece. In Argos on 27 April 1824. Reprint is ordered. In Missolonghi, 22 May 1824. Printed by D. Mestheneas. 

Single page, 31.5 x 21.5 εκ. – Missolonghi Printing House

A reprint of the document containing the decisions of the Parliamentary Body regarding the first loan from abroad. The document had been first printed by the printing house in Hydra right after it was signed in late April 1824.

London Greek Committee Papers, K10.N

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Telegrafo Greco. No. 10. Messolonghi li 22 Maggio 1824. 

Two pages, 28 x 20 cm. – Missolonghi Printing House

The funeral oration by Spyridon Trikoupis for Lord Byron, as republished in Telegrafo Greco newspaper, issue 10.

London Greek Committee Papers, K7.M2

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Greek Annals, issue 42. Missolonghi, 24 May 1824.

Two pages, 26 x 19.4 cm. – Missolonghi Printing House

This issue includes news regarding “the triumphs of our Administration against the anti-patriots”. Among the “anti-patriots” were Kolokotronis, Plapoutas and Nikitaras (page 2), while Karaiskakis was called a “troublemaker” (page 3). The civil war is raging, and the Greek Annals in Missolonghi support one of the two sides.

London Greek Committee Papers, K7.Z1

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Greek Annals, issue 43. Missolonghi, 28 May 1824.

Two pages, 22 x 17.5 cm. – Missolonghi Printing House

This is one of the issues where page 4 at the bottom features a sort of colophon with the name of J. J. Mayer as editor and Dimitrios Mestheneas as printer.

London Greek Committee Papers, K7.A2

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Greek Annals, issue 58.    Missolonghi, 16 July 1824.

Two pages, 25.5 x 19.4 cm. – Missolonghi Printing House

In an op-ed about the political situation in Greece, published in this issue, to strengthen his argument the journalist also quotes a speech by legendary Simon Bolivar, whom he extolls as an exemplary military leader who behaves as a sensible citizen.

London Greek Committee Papers, K11.D

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Greek Annals, issue 59. Missolonghi, 19 July 1824.

Two pages, 24.8 x 19.2 cm. – Missolonghi Printing House

The man who sent the issue has noted the recipient (Englishman Lord John Russel in London) top right, and bottom right the printer, Dimitrios Mestheneas (Stampe[ria] D. Mestené).

London Greek Committee Papers, K11.E

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Greek Annals, issue 61. Missolonghi, 26 July 1824.

Two pages, 25 x 19 cm. – Missolonghi Printing House

This issue is of particular interest because it includes an article about the freedom of the Press, titled “Does one have to speak the truth in newspapers?”, and because it provides information about a network of free distribution of the newspaper in the area of Western Mainland Greece on order of the Kountouriotis government.t

London Greek Committee Papers, K11.F

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Telegrafo Greco. No. 20. Messolonghi il 31 Luglio 1824.

Two pages, 29 x 20.5 cm. – Missolonghi Printing House

The first text printed in this issue is the diplomatic note sent by Grand Vizier Mehmet Sait Galip Pasha to the British ambassador, Mr Strangford, on 9 April 1824, protesting against the contradicting statements by England, on one hand about its long-lasting friendship with the Ottoman Empire and on the other hand that its citizens have the right by national law to support the Greek Revolution in a variety of ways.

London Greek Committee Papers, K11.A

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Proclamation. To the inhabitants in Akarnania and Aitolia. On 4 August 1824. Ligovitzi Monastery. Alexandros Mavrokordatos.

Single page, 30.8 x 21.2 cm. – Missolonghi Printing House

Proclamation by Alexandros Mavrokordatos addressed to the inhabitants in Akarnania and Aitolia, where he asks emphatically their men to hasten to Greek military camps to effectively counter the Ottoman army, and sternly refers to threats of future penalties for those who ignore the plea.

Archive of Printed Documents, Ε 177

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No 66. Provisional Government of Greece. The General Commissioner of Western Mainland Greece. 4 August 1824. Ligovitzi Monastery. A. Mavrokordatos. 

Single page, 30.2 x 20.8 cm. – Missolonghi Printing House

Decree by Alexandros Mavrokordatos regarding measures in view of the enemy invasion in Aitolia and Akarnania.

Archive of Printed Documents, Ε 178

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P. Nikolaidis, Ἱστορική καὶ Κριτικὴ Σύνοψις, τῶν ἐν Κρήτῃ διατρεξάντων ἀπὸ τῆς πτώσεως τοῦ πρώτου διοικητοῦ ταύτης Ἀφεντούλιεφ μέχρι σήμερον [Historical and Critical Synopsis of the events in Crete from the fall of its first governor Afentoulief to this day], Missolonghi. Printed by Dimitrios Mestheneas. 1824. 

Octavo (22.3 x 31.7 cm.), 19 p. – Missolonghi Printing House

This pamphlet was printed in about 500 copies. 75 subscribers had pre-purchased 315 copies, and around 200 copies were distributed free of charge by the author to “impecunious colleagues”. The copy exhibited here had been offered by printer Dimitrios Mestheneas to Philhellene Major Leicester Stanhope. On the title verso there is a hand-written dedication.

London Greek Committee Papers, K11.R

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Provisional Regime of Greece. And a Draft Structure of its Provinces. Both corrected and validated by the Second National Legislative Assembly of the Greeks in Astros. Attached are the Political Constitution of Britain and the United States of America.   With their Texts translated from English and French by A. Polizoidis. 

Quarto (22.8 x 30 cm), 4 without numbers + ς’ [7] +132 p. – Missolonghi Printing House

This edition of the Provisional Regime in Missolonghi is accompanied by the translation of the British and American Constitutions by Anastasios Polizoidis. The translations of the constitutional texts are annotated with comments and footnotes.

Rare and Valuable Books Collection, ΝΟΜ-2213

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Provisional Regime of Greece. And a Draft Structure of its Provinces. Both corrected and validated by the Second National Legislative Assembly of the Greeks in Astros. Attached are the Political Constitution of Britain and the United States of America.   With their Texts translated from English and French by A. Polizoidis. 

Quarto (22.8 x 30 cm), 4 without numbers + ς’ [7] +132 p. – Missolonghi Printing House

This edition of the Provisional Regime in Missolonghi is accompanied by the translation of the British and American Constitutions by Anastasios Polizoidis. The translations of the constitutional texts are annotated with comments and footnotes.

Rare and Valuable Books Collection, ΝΟΜ-2213 α

 

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Provisional Regime of Greece. And a Draft Structure of its Provinces. Both corrected and validated by the Second National Legislative Assembly of the Greeks in Astros. Attached are the Political Constitution of Britain and the United States of America.   With their Texts translated from English and French by A. Polizoidis. 

Quarto (22.8 x 30 cm), 4 without numbers + ς’ [7] +132 p. – Missolonghi Printing House

This edition of the Provisional Regime in Missolonghi is accompanied by the translation of the British and American Constitutions by Anastasios Polizoidis. The translations of the constitutional texts are annotated with comments and footnotes.

Rare and Valuable Books Collection, Mavrokordatos-Baltatzis Library, ΝΟΜ-2213 β

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The Friend of the Law, newspaper of Hydra Island, issue 1. Hydra, 10 March 1824.

Two pages, 27.7 x 21.3 cm. – Hydra Printing House

The first issue of the newspaper The Friend of the Law, typeset with somehow clumsily designed printers’ type engraved and cast in Hydra, as were all the other issues until no 14.

London Greek Committee Papers, K10.V

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The Friend of the Law, newspaper of Hydra Island, issue 2. Hydra, 14 March 1824.

Two pages, 27.7 x 21.7 cm. – Hydra Printing House

London Greek Committee Papers, K10.W

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The Friend of the Law, newspaper of Hydra Island, issue 3. Hydra, 17 March 1824.

Two pages, 27 x 21.7 cm. – Hydra Printing House

London Greek Committee Papers, K10.X

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The Friend of the Law, newspaper of Hydra Island, issue 5. Hydra, 24 March 1824.

Two pages, 26 x 20.4 cm. – Hydra Printing House

London Greek Committee Papers, K7.Q2

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Supplement No 13 of the newspaper The Friend of the Law. George Eulogy for Lord Noel Byron. Delivered by Mr Spyridon Trikoupis in Missolonghi on 16 April 1824.

Single page, 28 x 21.5 cm. – Hydra Printing House

The funeral oration by Spyridon Trikoupis for Lord Byron, as republished in two parts (on 28 April 1824 and on 2 May 1824) as supplements to issues 13 and 14 of the newspaper The Friend of the Law.

London Greek Committee Papers, K10.J1

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The Friend of the Law. Newspaper of the Administration and Hydra Island. Issue 14. Hydra 2 May 1824.

Two pages (accompanied by a single page supplement), 28 x 21.5 cm. – Hydra Printing House

The second part and the end of the Eulogy for Lord Byron is reprinted in the supplement.

London Greek Committee Papers, K10.K1

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The Friend of the Law. Newspaper of the Administration and Hydra Island. Issue 15. Hydra, 5 May 1824.

Two pages, 29 x 21.5 cm. – Hydra Printing House

The 15th issue of the newspaper The Friend of the Law and the only one printed with the new printers’ type donated by the French publisher and printing house Didot to the revolutionary Greeks.

London Greek Committee Papers, K10.L1

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The Friend of the Law. Newspaper of the Administration and Hydra Island. Issue 16. Hydra, 9 May 1824.

Two pages, 28 x 21.5 cm. – Hydra Printing House

The last page of issue 16, at the end of which Italian Philhellene Iosif Kiappe, the publisher of the newspaper, asks subscribers to settle their first half-year subscription “if they want the newspaper to be sent to them”.

London Greek Committee Papers, K10.M1

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The Friend of the Law. Newspaper of the Administration and Hydra Island. Issue 17. Hydra, 12 May 1824.

Two pages, 27.2 x 21.5 cm. – Hydra Printing House

This issue includes a document of the Assembly of the representatives of Mainland Greece addressed to the revolutionary government. It lists the significant decisions taken by the local political and military leaders in 1824, regarding local authority and its subsuming into the central government.

London Greek Committee Papers, K10.N1

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The Friend of the Law. Newspaper of the Administration and Hydra Island. Issue 20. Hydra, 23 May 1824.

Single page, 28 x 21.5 cm. – Hydra Printing House

This issue includes the article titled “On Real Freedom. Freedom does not exist where the Law does not prevail”.

London Greek Committee Papers, K10.Q1

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The Friend of the Law. Newspaper of the Administration and Hydra Island. Issue 22. Hydra, 30 May 1824.

Single page, 27 x 22 cm. – Hydra Printing House

The main news in this issue is the philhellenic event that took place in New York, with the participation of high society and the aim of raising money to support the Greek Struggle. A bust of Markos Botsaris was presented at the venue, “crowned […] by a prepared laurel wreath” by the speaker.

London Greek Committee Papers, K10.S1

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Provisional Government of Greece. The Ministry of Justice to the People. In Nafplio, 9 September 1824. Minister of Justice Ioannis Theotokis. General Secretary of the Ministry, D. Negris. 

Single page, 33 x 21,5 cm. – Hydra Printing House

Circular by the Provisional Government of Greece, attached to the publication Code of Laws. Book A. Compilation of Crimes. By the Second National Assembly of the Greeks. Hydra Printing House, 1824.

Archive of Printed Documents, Ε 179

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Greeks! Hydra, 15 November 1824. The patriot Georgios Kountouriotis.

Single page, 44.2 x 33 cm. – Hydra Printing House

Typical documentation of the warfare during the second civil war. Georgios Kountouriotis, the favourite of the British Party, signs a text that morally condemns his political rivals.

Archive of Printed Documents, Ε 180

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Law of Epidaurus. The Provisional Regime of Greece. In Astros on 13 April 1823 and third year of Greek Independence. In Hydra, 22 August 1824 and fourth year of Independence. 

Octavo (18.2 x 23.5 cm), 54 p. – Hydra Printing House

This issue includes the Proclamation of the First National Assembly in Epidaurus, the Provisional Regime of Greece, as shaped in the Second National Assembly in Astros and other legislative acts.

 

Rare and Valuable Books Collection, ΝΟΜ-2006-QHE

The Athens printing house

Stanhope’s role had been influential for the creation of a printing house in Athens as in Missolonghi. Initially, the printing press sent by the Philhellenic Committee in London, which Stanhope had brought himself, operated in Salamina. On 18 July 1824, the first print was titled Εἰδοποίησις [Notice], announcing the publication of the newspaper Ἐφημερίς Ἀθηνῶν [Newspaper of Athens], edited by Georgios Psyllas and printed by Nikolaos Varotzis. The first issue was published on 20 August 1824. The printing house moved to Athens in the end of that month. It was housed in a building granted by the community and continued to operate regularly until May 1825, when it was again moved to Salamina, due to fears of an imminent attack by the Turkish army. Later, it returned to Athens and operated until April 1826, when it closed permanently.

The main product of the printing house was the Newspaper of Athens. Its singularity lay in the fact that its content was not limited only to news about the war, as in the case of the other newspapers published by the printing houses of the Revolution; this one included various articles about political theory, texts promoting education, even news about everyday life in Athens and its problems. The rest of the production was small and comprised proclamations of the Philomuse Society, decrees by Fabvier and pamphlets for the needs of the Struggle. Special note should be made about the book Τὰ Λυρικὰ καὶ Βακχικὰ [Lyrical and Bacchic Poetry] by A. Christopoulos, which was singled out due to its content among the typical publications of other printing houses during the Revolution.

The Missolonghi printing house

Due to the fact that Missolonghi was one of the most important centres of the Greek Revolution, it was essential to have a printing house there to meet the relevant political and military needs. The role of three significant people decisive for the creation of a printing house there: they were Lord Byron, British Colonel Leicester Stanhope and Alexander Mavrokordatos. In December 1823, Stanhope arrived at Missolonghi, sent by the Philhellenic Committee in London to organize a post office, a healthcare service, and a printing house. He focused on the publication of a newspaper, whose title had already been determined as Ἑλληνικὰ Χρονικὰ [Greek Annals] even before the printing equipment reached the town thanks to the Philhellenic Committee of London. Johann Jacob Meyer, Swiss Philhellene, became the editor of the newspaper and on 18 December 1823 printer Dimitrios Mestheneas published the announcement for the circulation of the newspaper, using a makeshift printery that pre-existed. The printing house continued to operate during the siege of the city and its staff died while fighting during the Exodus.

The Greek Annals published proclamations and announcements of the Greek government, domestic news, and news from abroad, military communiques as well as information about the movements of the Turks and the Greek army and navy. Moreover, the newspaper often included literary articles and fiction, letters from subscribers, translated excerpts from European and American newspapers, especially those related to the Greek Struggle, and articles by Mayer about the basic principles and ideas of the Enlightenment. Finally, thanks to the presence of Lord Byron, Colonel Stanhope and Pietro Gamba, Byron’s friend and secretary and publisher of the foreign-language newspaper Τelegrafo Greco, and many other Philhellenes, the Greek Annals presented news, information and interesting pieces from the philhellenic movement.

Beside the Greek Annals, in 1824 the printing house also published a foreign-language edition titled Telegrafo Greco with articles in Italian, English, French and German, to promote the Greek cause abroad. A series of other publications also circulated in Missolonghi, such as single-page leaflets, pamphlets and books, whose subject matter comprised the health of the armed forces, prose or poetry about events of the Revolution, various political and administrative regimes. The Hymn to Liberty written by Dionysios Solomos was also first published on Greek soil in Missolonghi in 1825.

The Hydra printing house

Iakovos Tompazis already operated a small makeshift printery on the island since 1822, printing pamhlets for the needs of the administration as well as other similar publications. During the first months of 1824, two new printing presses arrived, one of them donated to the Greek nation by A.F. Didot, French Philhellene. The arrival of a fully modern printing equipment helped to make the wish for the publication of a newspaper a reality. On 25 February, Italian Iosif Kiappe who had been living in Hydra from May 1820 published the Προκήρυξιν τῆς ἐφημερίδος τῆς Ὕδρας ἐπιγραφομένης ὁ φίλος τοῦ Νόμου [Announcement of the publication of the newspaper of Hydra titled The Friend of the Law] and on 10 March 1824 the first issue circulated, edited by himself and printed by K. Tompras. Kiappe aimed for the newspaper of Hydra to become a Government Gazette and for his printery to become a sort of Administration Printing House where all the essential government publications would be printed. This was the state of things until the mid-1825, when the new Administration Printing House started to operate in Nafplio. The printing house in Hydra continued to operate individually until 1827, when it closed.

Beside the newspaper Φίλος του Νόμου [Friend of the Law], proclamations and decrees of the Provisional Government were also published, as well as documents needed for daily administrative tasks and services, such as administrative orders, certificates for warships and merchant ships, “passports” and “residence permits” etc. The printing house in Hydra also published the Law of Epidaurus, which was the Provisional Regime of Greece as revised in Astros, and the Letter of Greek Women to Philhellene Women, written by Evanthia Kairi and signed by thirty-one more Greek women, to raise awareness for support of the Greek Revolution by women in Europe. The publications of this printing house also included a small number of books for the needs of the Struggle and the future Greek State, such as Ἀλφαβητάριον Μεθοδικόν [Method for an Alphabet] by N. Varotsis, printer in Athens,  Πολιτικὴ Κατήχηση εἰς χρῆσιν τῶν Ἑλλήνων [Political Indoctrination for the Greeks] and Συλλογὴ τῶν ἀρχῶν τοῦ δικαιώματος γιὰ τὶς θαλάσσιες λεῖες καὶ τὴν οὐδετερότητα [Compilation of the Principles of the Original Rights regarding Marine Prey and Neutrality based on the European Treaty of the Rights of Nations] by  A. Palma, Italian Philhellene. Finally, in 1827 Kiappe also published a French-language newspaper titled L’ Abeille Grecque (Greek Bee) to inform the European public about the Greek Struggle.

Exhibits