Kostas Ouranis
Encyclopedia
Kostas Ouranis was an acclaimed Greek
poet, travel writer and journalist.
in 1890 to Nikolaos Niarchos and Angeliki Yannousi from Leonidio
, Arcadia
, where he grew up and went to elementary school
. He went to high school in Nafplion
and then Istanbul
, where he graduated. In 1908 he moved to Athens and worked as a journalist
for a while, before moving to Paris
for studies he did not complete.
While there, he suffered from tuberculosis
, and relocated to Davos
in Switzerland
in order to recover. There he met Manuela Santiago from Portugal
, they got married but the marriage did not last. His second marriage, which lasted until his death in 1953 was with Eleni Ourani
, also known with the pen name Alkis Thrylos (Άλκης Θρύλος).
He was the Greek Consul
in Lisbon
from 1920 to 1924, when he moved back to Athens
and worked as a journalist
in many newspapers; as a correspondent
he traveled throughout the world. His shaky health, however, deteriorated, especially during the Occupation of Greece (1941-1945). He died from a heart attack in 1953.
, grants scholarships to foreign students studying Modern Greek Literature, gives each year awards for prose, poetry and essay and publishes works of Greek Literature under the series Νεοελληνική Βιβλιοθήκη (Modern Greek Library).
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
poet, travel writer and journalist.
Life
Ouranis was born in IstanbulIstanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
in 1890 to Nikolaos Niarchos and Angeliki Yannousi from Leonidio
Leonidio
Leonidio is a town and a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality South Kynouria, of which it is a municipal unit...
, Arcadia
Arcadia
Arcadia is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the central and eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. It takes its name from the mythological character Arcas. In Greek mythology, it was the home of the god Pan...
, where he grew up and went to elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
. He went to high school in Nafplion
Nafplion
Nafplio is a seaport town in the Peloponnese in Greece that has expanded up the hillsides near the north end of the Argolic Gulf. The town was the first capital of modern Greece, from the start of the Greek Revolution in 1821 until 1834. Nafplio is now the capital of the peripheral unit of...
and then Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, where he graduated. In 1908 he moved to Athens and worked as a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
for a while, before moving to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
for studies he did not complete.
While there, he suffered from tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, and relocated to Davos
Davos
Davos is a municipality in the district of Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has a permanent population of 11,248 . Davos is located on the Landwasser River, in the Swiss Alps, between the Plessur and Albula Range...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
in order to recover. There he met Manuela Santiago from Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, they got married but the marriage did not last. His second marriage, which lasted until his death in 1953 was with Eleni Ourani
Eleni Ourani
Alkis Thrylos was a Greek writer. She was a member of the Negreponti family. She was a critic of literature of the theatre. Her husband was the distinguished poet Kostas Ouranis...
, also known with the pen name Alkis Thrylos (Άλκης Θρύλος).
He was the Greek Consul
Consul (representative)
The political title Consul is used for the official representatives of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between the peoples of the two countries...
in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
from 1920 to 1924, when he moved back to Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
and worked as a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
in many newspapers; as a correspondent
Correspondent
A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is a journalist or commentator, or more general speaking, an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, location. A foreign correspondent is stationed in a foreign...
he traveled throughout the world. His shaky health, however, deteriorated, especially during the Occupation of Greece (1941-1945). He died from a heart attack in 1953.
Legacy
To this day, the Ouranis foundation, run by the Academy of AthensAcademy of Athens
Academy of Athens may refer to:* Platonic Academy* Academy of Athens...
, grants scholarships to foreign students studying Modern Greek Literature, gives each year awards for prose, poetry and essay and publishes works of Greek Literature under the series Νεοελληνική Βιβλιοθήκη (Modern Greek Library).
Selected works
The main part of his works were poetry and travel writing; he also wrote essays and he was a distinguished translator. Many of his works was collected and published posthumously by his widow, Eleni Ourani.Poems
- Σαν όνειρα (Like dreams), 1909
- Spleen, 1912
- Νοσταλγίες (Nostalgies), 1920
- Ποιήματα (Poems), 1953
Travel writing
- Sol y Sombra (Sun and shadow), 1934
- Σινά, το Θεοβάδιστον Όρος (SinaiMount SinaiMount Sinai , also known as Mount Horeb, Mount Musa, Gabal Musa , Jabal Musa meaning "Moses' Mountain", is a mountain near Saint Catherine in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. A mountain called Mount Sinai is mentioned many times in the Book of Exodus in the Torah and the Bible as well as the Quran...
, the mountain walked by God), 1944 - Ιταλία (Italy), 1953
- Ισπανία (Spain), 1954
- Γλαυκοί δρόμοι (Glaucous Roads), 1955
- Ελλάδα (Greece), 1956
- Από τον Ατλαντικό στη Μαύρη Θάλασσα (From the Atlantic to the Black Sea), 1957
Other works
- Κάρολος Μπωντλαίρ (Charles BaudelaireCharles BaudelaireCharles Baudelaire was a French poet who produced notable work as an essayist, art critic, and pioneering translator of Edgar Allan Poe. His most famous work, Les Fleurs du mal expresses the changing nature of beauty in modern, industrializing Paris during the nineteenth century...
), 1918 - Αναβίωση (Rebirth), 1955
- Αποχρώσεις (Tones of Color), 1956
- Δικοί μας και ξένοι (Our own and foreign), 1954-1956 (in three volumes)
- Στιγμιότυπα (Short Cuts), 1958