Demetrios Capetanakis
Encyclopedia
Demetrios Capetanakis or Kapetanakis or Capetanaces ' onMouseout='HidePop("25531")' href="/topics/Smyrna">Smyrna
, 1912–London, 9 March 1944) was a Greek poet, essayist and critic. For the last five years of his life (1939-1944) he lived in Britain, and wrote some poetry in English.
Capetanakis was born on 22 January 1912 in the port of Smyrna or Izmir (then in the Ottoman Empire, now in Turkey). His father worked in the port as a doctor. In 1922 his father died, and in the same year he came to Athens
, when his mother fled the Asia Minor Catastrophe with her three children.
He was a graduate in political science and economics from Athens University, where he was taught by Panagiotis Kanellopoulos
(whom he would encounter again in the Greek government in exile
in London). Afterwards he became a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Heidelberg (1934). In Germany he became interested in the ideas of Stefan George, which he ultimately rejected as a forerunner of Nazism.
In Greece he had several philosophic studies published - including one on The Struggle of the Solitary Soul and one on The Mythology of Beauty - as well as translations of poems by Holderlin (1938).
In 1939 with a scholarship from the British Council
he came to Britain, to study at the University of Cambridge
under Dadie Rylands
.
He became a protégé of the poet Edith Sitwell
. In 1941 he met the poet and publisher John Lehmann
, who published Capetanakis in New Writing and became a close friend. Through Lehmann he met William Plomer
.
For a short period he went to the Midlands to help prepare a Friends Ambulance Unit for relief work in Greece so soon as that country should be liberated from Nazi occupation. In 1942 he was diagnosed with leucaemia
. In Birmingham
he was supported by Dame Elizabeth Cadbury. He died in London on 9 March 1944 at Westminster Hospital
, and was buried at West Norwood Cemetery
.
Three years after Capetanakis's death John Lehmann collected his poems and essays and published them as Demetrios Capetanakis A Greek Poet In England (1947). This slim book contains sixteen English poems by Capetanakis, three of his translations from Prevelakis and Elytis and eleven of his essays - on the Greeks, Ghika, Rimbaud, Stefan George, Proust, Dostoevsky, Thomas Gray, English poetry, some contemporary writers, Charlotte Bronte and modern Greek poetry. These are accompanied by tributes from Lehmann, Edith Sitwell, P. Canellopoulos and William Plomer and a portrait photograph by H. Wild.
'Three poems of Demetrios Capetanakis' were set to music for voice and piano by Ned Rorem (1968).
An archive of Capetanakis's manuscripts and correspondence is kept at the American University of Classical Studies at Athens.
Smyrna
Smyrna was an ancient city located at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Thanks to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prominence. The ancient city is located at two sites within modern İzmir, Turkey...
, 1912–London, 9 March 1944) was a Greek poet, essayist and critic. For the last five years of his life (1939-1944) he lived in Britain, and wrote some poetry in English.
Capetanakis was born on 22 January 1912 in the port of Smyrna or Izmir (then in the Ottoman Empire, now in Turkey). His father worked in the port as a doctor. In 1922 his father died, and in the same year he came 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...
, when his mother fled the Asia Minor Catastrophe with her three children.
He was a graduate in political science and economics from Athens University, where he was taught by Panagiotis Kanellopoulos
Panagiotis Kanellopoulos
Panagiotis Kanellopoulos or Panayotis Kanellopoulos was a distinguished Greek politician and Prime Minister of Greece. He was the Prime Minister of Greece deposed by the Greek military junta of 1967-1974....
(whom he would encounter again in the Greek government in exile
Greek government in exile
The Greek government in exile was the official government of Greece, headed by King George II, which evacuated from Athens in April 1941, after the German invasion of the country, first to the island of Crete and then to Cairo in Egypt. Hence it is also referred to as the "Cairo Government"...
in London). Afterwards he became a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Heidelberg (1934). In Germany he became interested in the ideas of Stefan George, which he ultimately rejected as a forerunner of Nazism.
In Greece he had several philosophic studies published - including one on The Struggle of the Solitary Soul and one on The Mythology of Beauty - as well as translations of poems by Holderlin (1938).
In 1939 with a scholarship from the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
he came to Britain, to study at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
under Dadie Rylands
Dadie Rylands
George Humphrey Wolferstan Rylands CH CBE , known as Dadie Rylands, was a British literary scholar and theatre director. Educated at Eton College and King's College, Cambridge, he was a Fellow of King's from 1927 until his death.As well as being one of the world's leading Shakespeare scholars, he...
.
He became a protégé of the poet Edith Sitwell
Edith Sitwell
Dame Edith Louisa Sitwell DBE was a British poet and critic.-Background:Edith Sitwell was born in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, the oldest child and only daughter of Sir George Sitwell, 4th Baronet, of Renishaw Hall; he was an expert on genealogy and landscaping...
. In 1941 he met the poet and publisher John Lehmann
John Lehmann
Rudolf John Frederick Lehmann was an English poet and man of letters, and one of the foremost literary editors of the twentieth century, founding the periodicals New Writing and The London Magazine.The fourth child of journalist Rudolph Lehmann, and brother of Helen Lehmann, novelist Rosamond...
, who published Capetanakis in New Writing and became a close friend. Through Lehmann he met William Plomer
William Plomer
William Charles Franklyn Plomer CBE was a South African author, known as a novelist, poet and literary editor. He was educated mostly in the United Kingdom...
.
For a short period he went to the Midlands to help prepare a Friends Ambulance Unit for relief work in Greece so soon as that country should be liberated from Nazi occupation. In 1942 he was diagnosed with leucaemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
. In Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
he was supported by Dame Elizabeth Cadbury. He died in London on 9 March 1944 at Westminster Hospital
Westminster Hospital
Westminster Hospital was a hospital in London, England, founded in 1719. In 1834 a medical school attached to the hospital was formally founded....
, and was buried at West Norwood Cemetery
West Norwood Cemetery
West Norwood Cemetery is a cemetery in West Norwood in London, England. It was also known as the South Metropolitan Cemetery.One of the first private landscaped cemeteries in London, it is one of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries of London, and is a site of major historical, architectural and...
.
Three years after Capetanakis's death John Lehmann collected his poems and essays and published them as Demetrios Capetanakis A Greek Poet In England (1947). This slim book contains sixteen English poems by Capetanakis, three of his translations from Prevelakis and Elytis and eleven of his essays - on the Greeks, Ghika, Rimbaud, Stefan George, Proust, Dostoevsky, Thomas Gray, English poetry, some contemporary writers, Charlotte Bronte and modern Greek poetry. These are accompanied by tributes from Lehmann, Edith Sitwell, P. Canellopoulos and William Plomer and a portrait photograph by H. Wild.
'Three poems of Demetrios Capetanakis' were set to music for voice and piano by Ned Rorem (1968).
An archive of Capetanakis's manuscripts and correspondence is kept at the American University of Classical Studies at Athens.
Further reading
- Demetrios Capetanakis A Greek Poet In England (London: John Lehmann, 1947) [published in America as 'The Shores of Darkness', 1949]
- Z. Lorenzatos, 'Demetrios Capetanakis', in Z. Lorenzatos, The Drama of Quality, tr. L. Sherrard (2000), p.54-74.
- D. Papanikolaou, 'Demetrios Capetanakis: a Greek poet (coming out) in England', in Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies; 30:2 (2006), p.201-223.