GREAT PERSONALITIES

The municipality of Vathi has been the birthplace of prominent Samian figures who took their place in the island’s modern history, distinguishing themselves either for their patriotism or for their contribution to culture and science.

The list of these figures is long. However, it would be impossible to include all of them. The biographies of Captain Constantinos Lahanas and Christodoulos Matakides are related to the years of the Greek revolution in 1821. The biography of the leader of the Samian revolution, Logothetes Lycurgus, is also available, due to his glorious reputation all over Samos and Greece, although he was not born in Vathi. Themistocles Sofoules, the prime mover of the union of Samos with Greece in 1912, as well as the prime minister of Greece later on, was distinguished into a great politician. Among the most noteworthy 19^th century historians were Epaminondas and Nicolaos Stamatiades, while prominent journalists and historians of the 20^th century were Kostas Ptines, publisher of the newspaper Hellas, and Ioannis Vakirtzes, publisher of the newspaper Aegeon (1912-1941). The latter, though born in the village Mytilinii, lived and worked in the port of Vathi. Eleni Svoronou, publisher of the journal Mikrasiatikon Himerologhion (“Diary of Asia Minor”), was an author of great importance. Among the businessmen, reference is made to Alexandros Paschales, not so much for his activities within the tobacco industry, but mostly because he was a major benefactor of the island. He contributed greatly to the building of the Archaeological Museum and the church of Aghios Spyridonas. Last but not least, Emmanouel Vamvouthakes was a distinguished psalm singer, born in Ano Vathi.

Important people of Samos who are still alive are not mentioned.

The web page can be constantly enriched with other biographies of people who were born in the broader area of the municipality.

 Ch. Landros
Translated by Eftychia Landrou