The orphans of 1821: Stories of American philhellenism

Item

Title

Online

Subject - keywords

Documentary series

Philhellenism

Date

11 July 2021

18 July 2021

25 July 2021

1 August 2021

8 August 2021

15 August 2021

22 August 2021

29 August 2021

5 September 2021

12 September 2021

19 September 2021

Date Issued

2021

Abstract

As part of its 1821 bicentenary program, ERT screened the documentary series “The orphans of 1821: Stories of American philhellenism”. The documentary series aspires to illuminate a lesser known side of the Greek Revolution, to talk about the heritage of the orphaned Greek children, but also the history of their descendants until today. The rebirth of 1821 and American philhellenism compose the canvas on which the tumultuous life of the orphaned Greek children, who were transferred to American cities, were brought up with care and studied successfully. Many of them, growing up, evolved into one of the first cells of the Greek community in the US. Their case is another link that connects the two peoples, the Greek and the American. This is a largely unexplored case with a profound humanitarian, ideological and political sign for both countries, under the scientific supervision of professors Iakovos Michailidis and Manolis Paraschos. Filmed in mainland and island Greece (Peloponnese, Macedonia, Epirus, South and North Aegean, etc.), in North American states (Boston, Virginia, Washington, Connecticut), in European cities (Paris), and in the Balkans (Iasi, Istanbul), the eleven episodes are interspersed with the speeches of distinguished historians, scientists. With rich archival material, with interviews with American officials (Doukakis, Maloni, Pyatt, etc.), the series wants to connect the struggle for the birth and establishment of the Greek state, with the personal stories of the orphans of 1821.

(Edited and translated description from organiser’s website)