On this day: Kathimerini publisher and anti-junta activist Helen Vlachos dies aged 84

·

Helen Vlachos left a lasting legacy not only as the publisher of Greek news outlet Kathimerini, but as an anti-junta activist and advocate for press freedom.

Helen was born in Athens in 1911 to her father, Georgios Vlachos, who founded the Kathimerini newspaper. Brought into journalism by her father, Helen started working for Kathimerini from a young age.

After a brief shut-down period during World War II, Helen resumed working in her father’s newspaper as a columnist. Her column gained high attention due to her repeated criticism of the government.

Helen took control of the newspaper after her father, Georgios, died in 1951.

Greek journalist and activist Helen Vlachos (1911 – 1995), London, UK, 5th May 1968. (Photo by Len Trievnor/Daily Express/Getty Images)

While Helen was a vocal supporter of Greek right-wing parties, she was a passionate anti-junta activist. So much so that she closed down her newspapers as a sign of protest, not willing to submit to the censorship demanded by the junta. This action was among the first overt signs of resistance against the junta.

During a later interview titled Eleni Vlachou: A journalist remembers, with ERT, she said that by not responding to the junta pressure her “silence was her loudest voice”. She also dismissed the junta demands by declaring: “They cannot tell me how to run my newspapers any more than I can tell them how to run their tanks”.

READ MORE: On This Day: Hero of the Greek struggle for Macedonia, Pavlos Melas, passed away
READ MORE: On This Day: The end of the German occupation in Athens

Helen was given a house arrest order after she called some of the junta leaders “clowns”. This house arrest is what prompted the publisher to flee Greece, going to London with the help of her friend Leslie Finer, an author who worked at the Greek Embassy in Washington.

In England she formed an alliance with anti-junta activists Melina Merkouri and Amalia Fleming, also writing a book in 1970 detailing her escape from Greece, entitled House Arrest. During her time in London she also became editor of the Hellenic Review, a journal for the Greek expatriates in Britain.

In 1974 with the fall of the junta, she returned to Greece and restarted the publication of her newspapers. She died on 14 October 1995 in Athens, aged 84

She is recognised as one of the World Press Freedom Heroes, an award sponsored by the International Press Institute. She received the award posthumously in 2000.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

From passion to production: Steven Koutzoumis launches SoundCult studio in Sydney

In the heart of Beverly Hills, a fresh sound is taking shape - and it’s being led by young Greek Australian Steven Koutzoumis who has a vision

Greek immersion in the early years pays off for Year 8 student Mariah Palaktsoglou

Year 8 student Mariah Palaktsoglou won the Hellenic Dreaming High School Short Story Competition held by the Greek Museum of Adelaide Inc.

Faith, family and football: The making of Nectarios Triantis

Growing up in a bustling Greek Australian household in Sydney, footballer Nectarios Triantis was never far from a football - or chaos.

Bella Spasis’ big deal: Live music in Victoria set to thrive

Greek-Victorian bar owner, Isabella (Bella) Spasis, hosted a remarkable event at her venue, ‘The Dog’s Bar’ early on Sunday morning, July 6.

GOCNSW Home for the Aged welcomes Consul General and celebrates its donors

The Greek Orthodox Community Home for the Aged played host to the Consul General of Greece in Sydney and some of its major donors.

You May Also Like

European race walk champion Antigoni Drisbioti sends well wishes for New Year

European race walk champion Antigoni Drisbioti sends well wishes for the New Year through The Greek Herald. Read more here.

Cretan ball in Sydney provides annual dancing and music extravaganza

People turned up to Marrickville Town Hall in Sydney on Saturday, May 13 for the Cretan Association of Sydney and NSW's annual ball.

Constantine Costi to direct play for Musica Viva Australia’s first national tour in 2024

The national tour will start in Newcastle on Tuesday 20 February, and conclude in Perth on Sunday 10 March.