The Center for Hellenic Studies of Harvard University is organizing, in collaboration with the Philhellenism Museum, a Workshop titled “Philhellenism across the Ages”. The aim of the workshop is to analyze the philhellenic spirit as a timeless phenomenon and to highlight the philhellenic movement during the Greek Struggle for Independence.

The Workshop will last two days and will examine the history of Philhellenism from antiquity to the present day, its relationship with nineteenth-century revolutionary movements, and the influence of the philhellenic spirit on the formation of new ideologies and currents in nineteenth-century art.

Philhellenism Museum will host the workshop, giving participants the opportunity to learn about the Museum’s rich collection of philhellenic exhibits (paintings, sculptures, letters, public documents, literary publications, personal belongings of Philhellenes, porcelain and clocks with philhellenic subject matter, etc.) and to come into direct contact with objects of particular historical and artistic value.

Dr. Christos Aliprantis, Research Scholar in Philhellenism for Young Researchers 2022-23 at the Center for Hellenic Studies, will oversee the academic coordination of the Workshop. The Workshop will take place on Saturday, March 18 and Sunday, March 19, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit the following link for further details and to register.

On the occasion of the speech on German Philhellenism by the author, curator of the Philhellenic Library and member of the Advisory Committee of the Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism, Mr. Konstantinos Papailiou, the Museum of Philhellenism had the pleasure of hosting the Greek-German Association “Philadelphia”, on January 14, 2023.

After the speech, the President of the Museum, Mr. Konstantinos Velentzas, guided the members of the Association through the Museum’s collections, highlighting the under-lit parts in the history of the Philhellenic movement.

The Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism (SHP) co-organized with the Municipality of Nikolaos Skoufas-Peta, the ceremony for the 200th anniversary of the historic battle of Peta. SHP participated with a keynote speaker, an honorary ceremony of 10 Philhellenes re-enactors, and the Dresden Philhellenic choir, which was conducted in the 19th century by the German Philhellene Elster, who participated as a volunteer in the battle of Peta. During the event, SHP honored Paul Graf von Normann-Ehrenfels, a descendant of the great German Philhellene General Normann, the leader of the Greek Regular army in the battle of Peta, with the Lord Byron Medal.

The coat of arms of the first Regular Army of Greece.

The Philhellenism Museum enriched its collections with a very rare object.  

The coat of arms of the first Regular Army of Greece which participated in the Greek Revolution.  

The Regular Army of Greece was founded in 1821 on the initiative of Dimitrios Ypsilantis, by the Philhellene French officer Joseph Baleste who undertook its training. Then, in 1822, German General Normann took command, leading the expedition to Epirus, Kompoti and Peta. Later, the Regular Army was taken over by Colonel Fabvier.  

The Regular Army was attended by Greeks from the diaspora and the Ionian Islands, and mainly volunteer Philhellenes from all over the world. The Regular Army was always on the front line on all battlefields and contributed decisively to the liberation of Greece.  

The coat of arms is made of bronze and has a diameter of 11.5 cm. The figure of goddess Athena dominates imposingly and confirms that Greece owes its freedom to the classical education of the western world. 

SHP and the Philhellenism Museum honor the thousands of Philhellenes who offered valuable services from Europe and the USA to Greece during the Greek War of Independence and fought for its freedom. In 1821, Philhellenism laid new foundations for human rights, international solidarity and turned Greece to a beacon of Western civilization.

On April 19, Greeks and Philhellenes honor the great romantic poet Lord Byron, who first envisioned that “Greece might still be free again” and the thousands of volunteers who sacrificed their lives on the battlefields and in the Greek seas.

The Philhellenism Museum has formed a group of enactors who wear the exact uniforms of Philhellenes of the time and carry their authentic weapons.

The uniforms and weapons are part of the Museum’s collection and are exhibited in it.

The photos are by the photographer Elias Pergantis.

Admission to the Museum is free.

Philhellenism Museum

Zisimopoulou 12, 11524, Athens

For information:

Email: info@phmus.org

Tel. 210-8094750