Presentation of the book “The Adventures of Daniel Elster in Greece in 21”

The presentation of the book “The Adventures of Daniel Elster in Greece in 21” by Kostas Papailiou and Regina Manousakis by Parisianou Publications took place on Wednesday 5/31/23 at the Philhellenism Museum. This is the fifth book of Parisianou Publications’ multi-volume “Philhellenic Library”, which was launched two years ago to honour the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution. This original series continues, thanks to the meticulous dedication of Kostas Papailiou and Parisianou Publications, bringing to light rare documents and hard-to-find archive material, so expanding the relevant bibliography with infrastructure works.

Daniel Elster, a German Philhellene, joined the Philhellenic Order as a physician in 1822, and after surviving the disastrous Battle of Peta and many adventures, he returned to his hometown and became a renowned musician. He penned voluminous memoirs with his companion the romantic writer Ludwig Bechstein, in which his chaotic life is portrayed in minute detail. Elster’s book contains thorough details of crucial events like as the Battle of Peta, as well as important figures of the Greek Revolution of 1821 such as Kolokotronis, Androutsos, Nikitaras, and Mavrokordatos.

The book was addressed by Konstantinos Velentzas, president of the Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism (SHP), Thodoris Koutsoyiannis, curator of the Hellenic Parliament’s Collection of Works of Art, and Kostas Papailiou, author and editor of the series. Speakers referred to the importance and editorial excellence of the Philhellenic Library, praising the authors’ zeal and research, while Kostas Papailiou vividly narrated Daniel Elster’s life, presenting slides from the book’s rich illustrations. Actor Iordanis Kalesis read from Daniel Elster’s diaries, while musician Vangelis Konstantinopoulos accompanied the readings with his guitar.

Following the presentation, the audience posed questions to the speakers, sparking a lively debate that continued in the Museum’s courtyard, accompanied by beverages and food. Before the event began, the public was able to explore the Museum and view the rare exhibits from the Philhellenic collection.

Follow the link to watch the event.