On Friday, February 6, the Corfu Reading Society hosted the presentation of a new edition titled: “GEORGIOS MARTINELIS The excommunicate poet – The works.” This significant event brought the forgotten Corfiot poet back into the literary conversation.
Reintroducing Georgios Martinelis: A Literary Event in Corfu
The Vice-President of the Board of Directors, Spyros Ziniatis, spoke on behalf of the Board, introducing the speakers and outlining the history of the publication. He also highlighted the donation of Martinelis’ manuscripts by his descendants to the Reading Society in 1987 and emphasized the importance of this new edition.
This particular archive of the Reading Society was utilized by Professor Emeritus Th. Pylarinos for the current publication, which essentially brings the work of the Corfiot poet G. Martinelis back into prominence. Representative documents from the G. Martinelis Archive were displayed in the Society’s event hall, offering attendees a glimpse into the poet’s life and work.
Distinguished Speakers and Family Presence
The publication was presented by:
- Theodosis Pylarinos, Professor Emeritus of Modern Greek Literature at the Ionian University
- Kostas Kardamis, Professor of Musicology at the Ionian University, Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Reading Society
- Nikos Koskinas, PhD in Philology from the University of Ioannina
The event was also graced by a greeting from Iosifina Sekopoulou, the great-granddaughter of the poet G. Martinelis, who played a crucial role in the publication of his complete works. Ms. Sekopoulou brought family heirlooms specifically for the presentation evening, which were exhibited alongside the documents from the Martinelis Archive of the Reading Society.
The video recording of the event has been uploaded to the Corfu Reading Society’s YouTube channel, allowing a wider audience to experience the presentation.
The Poet Georgios Martinelis: An Overlooked Figure
Georgios Martinelis (Corfu, 1836-1896) is largely unknown today as a poet, despite being highly recognized in his time, both in his homeland and in Athens, where he lived for a considerable period.
Nephew of the national composer Nikolaos Mantzaros and relative of Iakovos Polylas, a close friend of the historian Ioannis Romanos, it seems paradoxical how he remained outside the Corfiot School during its great flourishing. As a dissenter, he eventually remained obscure in Corfu. It was his dissenting stance towards Solomos’ work (although he acknowledged Solomos’ contribution) that led to his exclusion.
In Athens, by not following the New School but rather the wavering conservative literary faction, he found himself in the midst of the rootless, those not integrated into either the Heptanesian tradition or the pan-Hellenic renewal. Although he recognized the new and understood the linguistic revival, he ultimately remained on the sidelines, a victim of syncretism and an insoluble polyphony.
The Book’s Central Goal: Understanding 19th Century Intellectual Shifts
The central aim of the book is to illustrate the intellectual upheavals of the second half of the 19th century, the ferment of the decline-transfer of regional intellectual beacons (such as culturally advanced Corfu) to the national center, and to highlight the internal reactions in each case (in Corfu there were various tendencies, despite the omnipotence of Polylas and the post-Solomians). It also aims to distinguish the paths towards the creation of an unbroken national literature.
To practically demonstrate all of this, Martinelis’ entire body of work, much of which was previously unpublished, has been collected and published. This collection reveals several interesting thematic and linguistic aspects, as well as several noteworthy works, particularly his poetic dramas.
The presentation at the Corfu Reading Society marks a significant step in re-evaluating Martinelis’ contribution to Greek literature and understanding the complex intellectual landscape of 19th-century Greece.
Source: https://corfustories.com/2026/02/12/%CF%80%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%85%CF%83%CE%B9%CE%AC%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BA%CE%B5-%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BD-%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%BD%CF%89%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%AE-%CE%B7-%CE%BD%CE%AD%CE%B1/
