66 years have passed since March 14, 1957, the date on which the colonial British authorities in Cyprus led the eighteen-year-old student and poet Evagoras Pallikaridis to the gallows.
Evagoras was only 15 years old, on 1η June 1953, when he took part in the pandemic protests that were taking place in Paphos and took down the English flag from the propylaea of the "Jacobius Gymnasium". It was the beginning of his heroic journey. In January 1955, on the coast of Chloraka, the ship "Agios Georgios" fell into the hands of the Police, carrying armaments for the Struggle which the Greeks of Cyprus were preparing with extreme secrecy. A few days later, the crew members were taken to the Paphos Court. A large demonstration was organized in the area of the Courts which ended in a clash with the Police. Evagoras, one of the pioneers of the demonstration, in the following days, was brought to court and fined 10 pounds.
His dream of visiting Greece came true in the summer of 1955, when his school made its customary field trip. Then he probably wrote the following lyrics: "To Cyprus, as we are going/ to our beautiful island/ we want you to arrive/ our Greece and you./ To banish our slavery/ and freedom will come/ to break chains/ and heavy irons ».
During the period that followed until he came out on the mountain, he participated in numerous events against the colonial regime. On the 17thη November 1955 he was arrested together with other classmates and two days later he was brought to Court on the charge of "disturbing". He was released on £30 bail and a trial was set for the 28thη November, but as some of his co-accused did not appear on that date, the trial was adjourned to November 6η December 1955.
On the eve of the trial, however, he announced his decision to his father: "Father, I cannot stay in prison; if I cannot escape, I will kill someone and they will kill me." I prefer to leave, go to the mountain." His father listened to him attentively, gave him input and said the last sentence: "Go to my wish."
In the meantime, Evagoras had written the poems with which he said goodbye to relatives and friends. His classmates with "Aniforia". His mother with the lyrics "I'm tired of slavery/ I'll become a thief mother/ Slavery's poison/ Mother how long will I drink?" His beloved in a poem, whose last stanza is: "I write you my last slavish letter/ and save it for close consolation/ I may be quickly led to the grave."
the 16η December 1955, he was proclaimed and the Police published photographs of him. However, the disobedient young man lived free in the mountain and with his fellow fighters wrote pages of glory and greatness in the Struggle against the occupying forces. He participated in risky missions, excelled in battles, rode by night, starred in ambushes, fought and wrote poems, wrote poems and fought.
Time passed and the conquerors searched for him in vain, as did his competitors. But on the 18thη In December 1956, the students of the Commercial School of Polemio brought the unpleasant news: "We saw Evagoras bleeding in a jeep being carried by the English to the Estate". The news was also confirmed by the colonial authorities. "Patrol of English soldiers arrested Pallikaridis".
He was arrested on the road connecting Lysos with Stavros tis Psoka (village of Pafos). Initially, he was transferred to Paphos prisons on the 12thη January in Nicosia Central Prisons, where he was subjected to horrific torture. On February 25, 1957, the day of his trial, when asked by the judge if he had anything to add, Evagoras replied: "I know you will sentence me to death. You will hang me, I know it. But what I have to say is this: Whatever I did, I did it as a Greek Cypriot who is asking for the freedom of his homeland. Nothing else". The court then announced its decision. In death. Both Evagoras and his parents listened to the decision with complete composure.
He was again taken to the prisons, where in the following days his parents, sisters and relatives visited him. Their last visit was on the 13thη March 1957. Evagoras was calm, he gave them courage and after saying goodbye, locked in the cell of the future dead, he wrote the last letter to his sister.
Shortly after midnight on the 13thth to 14η March 1957, the executioners opened the door of his cell, took him and while they led him to the gallows, the Central Prisons of Nicosia shook with cheers and patriotic songs of the prisoners. It was their way of saying goodbye and giving courage to their fellow hero.
In a few minutes, Evagoras was under the gallows, fearless. He did not even at the last moment give his executioners the opportunity to see him afraid. They put the noose around his neck, the hatch opened and Evagoras ascended the steps of heaven as an angel and herald of freedom, leaving a heavy legacy not only to the Greeks but to all peoples who struggle for freedom, honor and dignity. He lived free and died free to live forever free.
Manolis M. Stergioulis
Philologist
