PDA

Επιστροφή στο Forum : H Ελληνική ακτοπλοϊα πριν 100 χρόνια (1908) [Greek Passenger Lines 100 Years Ago]



Nicholas Peppas
02-03-2009, 03:31
GREEK PASSENGER LINES 100 YEARS AGO

Part 1

At the turn of the 20th century the major world powers were anticipating the great need for engineering expertise both at home and throughout their empires; to be competitive in the world markets required major attention to engineering and technology. A telling sign of this competition was the appearance of several technologically sophisticated and nationalistic super ocean liners launched between 1900 and 1912: the Mauritania, the Deutschland, the France, and especially the Imperator, whose impressive structure, speed, and opulence represented a momentary display of German superiority.

Of course, major societal changes are associated with major political changes. 1908 was the year of major Balkan upheavals, a sure sign of an upcoming confrontation that would lead to the Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913… The Greek world tasted political changes with the aftermath of the unsuccessful war against the Ottoman Empire of 1897 and then with the Military League (Stratiotikos Syndesmos). The unfortunate war of 1897 ended in a despicable defeat that led to the need for “new blood” in the army and politics. In addition, the cauldron called Crete was looking for a political solution and union with Greece. But the change did not come immediately… In 1895, Theodoros Deligiannis (1820-1905) became prime minister and was at the head of affairs during the Cretan crisis and the opening of the war with the Ottoman Empire in 1897. The ensuing humiliating defeat caused his dismissal from office when he declined to resign in April 1897. Deligiannis kept his own seat at the election of 1899, but his following dwindled to small dimensions. He was assassinated in June 1905 at the age of 85.

The general poverty of the land, the extremely bad financial conditions of the 1870s that had led Harilaos Trikoupis to declare bankruptcy of the state (HT: Regrettably we are bankrupt; Dystyxos eptoheusamen) and other social factors led to the first immigration of Greeks abroad, to the United States, Canada and even South America. Emigrants came from Laconia, Arcadia, the mountainous Naupaktia, Fokis and Doris and other impoverished regions… By 1900, numerous small ships belonging to Italian, Austrian, British and German interests (and baptized ocean liners –often with fake funnels- to impress the poor emigrants) started transporting Greeks to the new world. Soon, passenger lines became more active to serve the increased transport of emigrants from smaller ports to Piraeus, Patras or Kalamata.

Meanwhile, another type of immigration appeared in the Eastern Mediterranean. Dissatisfied citizens of the Ottoman Empire with Greek nationality started moving to new areas with more promising living and a quieter environment. Inter-island travel as well as travel to and from Alexandria, Egypt, and around the Black sea became prominent. Consequently, by 1900 the Greek passenger lines became quite prominent… Routes were established with connection to many smaller ports and islands. And Greeks populated “new regions” such as Alexandria (many Rhodians went there), Cairo, Sochi, Batum, Odessa, etc.

By 1908, just a hundred year ago, the political and social landscape had changed in Greece. There were obvious preparations for military confrontation, often with the support of major Greek philanthropists who paid large sums of money for the purchase of modern ships and construction of a new Greek navy. Premier among these ships was Averof! In 1908, Corfiote politician Georgios Theotokis (1844 – 1916) was Prime Minister of Greece. Theotokis was a minister in the 1886 Trikoupis government running the Department of the Navy. As a minister of Navy, Theotokis ordered the frigates Spetsai, Hydra and Psara. He also improved drastically the condition of the Navy by promoting better training and by establishing many naval academies and schools. From mid 1903 to 1909 Theotokis became Prime Minister three times. Among his achievements there were the organization and strengthening of the army.

The map here shows Greece at the very beginning of the 20th century and before the addition of Epirus. Macedonia, Thrace, the Northern Aegean islands and the Dodecanesos. By 1908, the southern part of Epirus (Arta, Preveza) as well as Thessaly were parts of Greece.

30952

Nicholas Peppas
02-03-2009, 03:39
GREEK PASSENGER LINES 100 YEARS AGO

Part 2


The map here shows Greece at the very beginning of the 20th century and before the addition of Epirus. Macedonia, Thrace, the Northern Aegean islands and the Dodecanesos. By 1908, the southern part of Epirus (Arta, Preveza) as well as Thessaly were parts of Greece.

During that same period, life in Athens and the major cities (Patras, Syros, Volos, Nauplion, Kalamai) was becoming more Western European… The people were enjoying a renewed interest in good life. The Royal Theater was in its zenith with exceptional performances by the leading actresses like Marika Kotopouli, Eleni Fyrst, Lola Drakou, Agne Mara and actors like Nikos Meggoulas, Edmondos Fyrst, Panos Kalogerikos, Nikolaos Rozan, and Athanasios Perides. Their major competitors were the Nea Skene of Mitsos Myrat (Dimitris Myrat’s father) with Kyveli Andrianou (known later and simply as Kyria Kyveli). But not everything was quiet in Athens and there were serious fights between those who wanted to use kathareuousa and those who preferred demotike. The Oresteiaka of 1903 were triggered by the fights whether Aeschylos’ Oresteia could be presented at the Royal Theater in demotike! It led to a significant blood shed!
3095330954

Meanwhile, Theofrastos Sakellarides had just presented his first operetta Sia kai araxame and was about to present his first opera Perouze. Leading singers of those days were Mihalis and Zoe Vlachopoulou and the tenor Nikos Moraitis.

Sports had become very popular especially after the Athenian 1896 Olympics and especially after the 1906 Olympics (which while very well recognize at that time are not counted as official Olympics now). The big name athletes of those days were Nikos Georgantas, Costis Tskilitiras and Georgios Aliprantis.
30955
3095630957

Nicholas Peppas
02-03-2009, 03:44
GREEK PASSENGER LINES 100 YEARS AGO

Part 3

Sports had become very popular especially after the Athenian 1896 Olympics and especially after the 1906 Olympics (which while very well recognize at that time are not counted as official Olympics now). The big name athletes of those days were Nikos Georgantas, Costis Tskilitiras and Georgios Aliprantis.
3096030959
It is clear than that by 1908, Greece (and especially Athens) were not as poor as might have been believed… People were living a more reasonable life. Naturally, tourism had commenced in the 1890s and I have already reported on HAPAG cruises to Greece at that same time http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=52271

The tourist guide Baedeker for Greece was printed for the first time in the 1880s to aid German tourists when they were visiting Greece, mostly due to their interest in the antiquities and a few of the islands, notably Corfu. Don’t forget the connections and the importance the Germans were giving to Greece as many Bavarians had come to Greece with King Otto in the 1830s. In addition, many Greeks were completing advanced studies in Germany.

Here is the Handbuch fuer Reisende von Karl Badeker or Handbook for Travelers by Karl Baedeker already in its fifth edition (!) in 1908, published by the Baedeker Publishing House in Leipzig (Lipsia). This is a most informative document about life in Greece 100 years ago. It is extremely detailed with hotels, restaurants and –especially- itineraries! It has a wonderful summary of passenger ships, both domestic and international.
3095830961

Nicholas Peppas
02-03-2009, 04:10
GREEK PASSENGER LINES 100 YEARS AGO

Part 4

The Handbuch fuer Reisende von Karl Baedeker or Handbook for Travelers by Karl Baedeker already in its fifth edition (!) in 1908, published by the Baedeker Publishing House in Leipzig, Germany. This is a most informative document about life in Greece 100 years ago. It has a wonderful summary of passenger ships, both domestic and international.

The Passenger Lines featured are:
Panellinios Lines of Piraeus with Albania, Argolis, Athinae, Epiros, Ionia, Makedonia, Paros, Samos, Sparti, Thessalia, Thraki and Vyzantion
John MacDowall and Barbour Lines (simply known as Tzon) of Athens with Antigone, Aphrodite, Athina, Clio, Daphne, Elsi, Evoia, Era, Ismene, Kalypso, Margarita, Mykale, Nike, Panellinion, Poseidon, and Thetis
Neorion Shipyards Lines of Syros Gesellschaft Werft[/U] which means Shipyard Company in German]. This one had [I]Chios, Hermoupolis, Hydra, Panellinion, Pelops (see photo at http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=53888) and Peneios.
Hermoupolis Lines of I. Foustanos of Syros with Argolis, Nauplion, Neilos, Omonoia, Prigkipissa Eleni and Prigkips Georgios
Goudes Lines of Piraeus with Adriatikos, Hellas, Kriti, Nauplion, Mina, Peloponnisos and Spetsai
Destounis and Yannoulatos Lines of Piraeus with (by 1908 ) Eryssos (see photo at http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=53888), Vassileus Georghios and Zephyros
Diakakis Lines of Piraeus with the passenger ships Keffalinia, Lavrion, Piraieus, Prigkipissa Sophia, Stephanos Strait and Vassilissa Olga
Komnenos Lines of Piraeus with Astrape
Athanassoulis Lines of Piraeus with the legendary Pylaros
Papaleonardos Lines of Piraeus with Amphitrite, Aris and Astir
Portolos Lines of Piraeus with Aghios Ioannis and Alkyon
Most of these passenger ships had been built in the 1870s or 1880s and were of 62 tons (Mina) to about 600 tons
30962

30963

The main routes covered by the Greek passenger ships in those days were:
Argosaronikos
Piraeus, Aegina, Poros, Hydra, Spetsai, Leonidion, Astros, Nauplion
Western Greece
Piraeus, Patras, Corfu then Brindisi
Piraeus, Gytheion, Kalamata, Katakolon, Patras, Corfu then Trieste!
Piraeus, Patras, Mesolonghion, Kyllene, Zante, Kefallinia
Piraeus, Itea, Patras, Ithaca, Leukas, Amfilohia, Corfu
Piraeus, Corinth, Itea, Naupaktos, Aegion, Patras, Ithaca, Leukas, Preveza, Kopraina (Arta), Amfilohia
Piraeus, Itea, Galaxidi, Patras, Astakos, Mytikas, Zaverda (now Palairos) Leukas
Peloponessos
Piraeus, Kapsali (Kythira), Gytheion, Gerolimen, Limeni, Selinitsa, Kardamyli, Kalamata, Nisi (i.e., Messini)
Piraeus, Monemvasia, Aghia Pelagia (Kythira), Gytheion, Kalamata, Nisi (i.e., Messini)
Cyclades
Piraeus, Syros, Paros, Naxos, Ios, Oia, Thera
Piraeus, Syros, Tenos, Andros
Piraeus, Syros, Tenos, Mykonos
Piraeus, Syros, Paros, Naxos, Amorgos, Ios, Sikinos, Folegandros, Thera, Anafi.
Piraeus, Syros, Serifos, Sifnos, Kimolos, Milos.
Crete
Piraeus, Sifnos, Chania, Georgioupolis, Rethymnon, Panormos, Herakleion, Hersonesos, Aghios Nikolaos, Siteia.
Evoia, Volos
Piraeus, Lavrion, Chalkis, Limne, Stylis, Volos
Piraeus, Lavrion, Aliverion, Chalkis, Limne, Stylis, Oreoi (Istiaia), Volos
Piraeus, Chalkis, Volos, Thessaloniki (then in the OE)
Ottoman Empire
Piraeus, Smyrna, Constantinople
Piaeus, Samos, Rhodes, Creta

Below enjoy the itineraries of all these lines…

30964
30965
30966

Nicholas Peppas
02-03-2009, 04:37
GREEK PASSENGER LINES 100 YEARS AGO

Addendum
I am adding here a short addendum for those who are not familiar with German and wish to read the schedules carefully:

v= am m= noon n= pm

Mo= Monday Di= Tuesday Mi= Wednesday Do= Thursday
Fr= Friday Sa= Saturday So= Sunday

jeden= every durch and ueber= via, through nach= to zurueck= return
woechentlich= weekly folgenden= next Tag= day

Ellinis
03-03-2009, 23:48
Στις εταιρειες που ανέφερες Νικόλα, να προσθέσουμε και μια ακόμη που αν και δεν είχε την έδρα της στο ελληνικό κράτος, ανήκε σε έλληνες.
Αναφέρομαι στην εταιρεία "Ατμοπλοϊα Αιγαίου" του Π.Κουρτζή που με έδρα την Κωνσταντινούπολη ένωνε τις οθωμανικές τότε επαρχείες με την Ελλάδα και αλλού, με πλοία όπως τα Πάνορμος, Μασσαλία, Βραϊάλα και άλλα. Περισσότερα είχαμε γράψει εδώ (http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=54133)

Nicholas Peppas
04-03-2009, 02:26
Στις εταιρειες που ανέφερες Νικόλα, να προσθέσουμε και μια ακόμη που αν και δεν είχε την έδρα της στο ελληνικό κράτος, ανήκε σε έλληνες.
Αναφέρομαι στην εταιρεία "Ατμοπλοϊα Αιγαίου" του Π.Κουρτζή που με έδρα την Κωνσταντινούπολη ένωνε τις οθωμανικές τότε επαρχείες με την Ελλάδα και αλλού, με πλοία όπως τα Πάνορμος, Μασσαλία, Βραϊάλα και άλλα. Περισσότερα είχαμε γράψει εδώ (http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=54133)

The point is well taken. But I have not finished. In the next few days, perhaps even this evening, I will upload the portion of the 1908 History referring to the "international lines that were coming to Greece with schedules, etc

Nicholas Peppas
04-03-2009, 06:54
INTERNATIONAL PASSENGER LINES SERVING GREECE 100 YEARS AGO

Please look at http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthread.php?p=177037#post177037 for the continuation of this article with the International Lines
Thank you