“Freedom isn’t free.” That’s a sentiment embodied by this memorial. Today we stand before the \u039c\u03bd\u03b7\u03bc\u03b5\u03af\u03bf \u03b1\u03b3\u03ce\u03bd\u03c9\u03bd \u0395\u039f\u039a\u0391 1955-1959 War memorial in Athens. This monument commemorates the fighters of EOKA.
The \u039c\u03bd\u03b7\u03bc\u03b5\u03af\u03bf \u03b1\u03b3\u03ce\u03bd\u03c9\u03bd \u0395\u039f\u039a\u0391 1955-1959 War memorial honors the Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston. EOKA was a Greek Cypriot nationalist paramilitary organisation. It fought during the Cyprus Emergency. The Cyprus Emergency was the period between 1955 and 1959. EOKA’s goal was to end British rule in Cyprus. They wanted unification with Greece.
One significant figure associated with EOKA was Grigoris Afxentiou. He was a renowned fighter. Georgios Grivas recruited Afxentiou. Grivas counted on Afxentiou’s experience as a Greek army lieutenant. Afxentiou served in the army from 1948 to 1952.
Afxentiou met a tragic end. He was killed in his hideout in the Machairas area. This was in the Troodos Mountains. British soldiers burned the cave after his refusal to surrender. Today his hideout near Machairas monastery is restored. It serves as a pilgrimage site for Cypriots. Afxentiou was known as the “Golden Eagle of Machairas”.
Several memorials are dedicated to Afxentiou. These include a statue, a golden eagle sculpture, and the “Threshing floor and Machairas’ Eagle” memorial. The statue of Grigoris Afxentiou is oversized. It stands 7.5 meters tall. Nikolaos Kotziamanis created it. The Cypriot Church funded it. The unveiling took place on March 1st, 1992. Kotziamanis aspired for it to become a universal symbol of freedom.
George Kyriacou created the golden eagle sculpture. It is an abstractive sculpture of 7 x 7 meters. Kyriacou also created the “Threshing floor and Machairas’ Eagle” memorial. The Cypriot Federation of Reserve Officers and others took the initiative for the Golden Eagle sculpture in 1971. The unveiling occurred on March 2nd, 1997.
The “Threshing floor and Machairas’ Eagle” memorial represents Afxentiou’s burned body in life size. It is placed in a marble circle. This memorial references Digenis Akritas. He was a mythical hero who fought with death at the threshing floors. The textures of the brass emphasize the contrast. They highlight the wildness of the natural environment.
Ioannis Notaras was the artist behind the “Memorial to EOKA struggle”. Makarios III commissioned it in 1957. The works began in Athens in 1961. By 1966, fourteen statues were ready. In 1967, they were cast in bronze in Florence, Italy. The construction concluded in July 1974. This was shortly before the Turkish Invasion.
The monument comprises platforms on consecutive levels. It forms a triangular synthesis. Freedom is personified in the archaic figure at the top. The EOKA fighters embody freedom in the middle part. The bottom part represents the fruition of freedom. Liberty’s figure is depicted in classic aesthetics. She points towards the sky.
The statues depict Cypriot society. They include a priest, teacher, mother, daughter, and EOKA fighters. The white marble underlines spiritual purity. It also emphasizes eternity. The faces of ordinary Cypriots show traces of malaise. Initially, the models included figures of Makarios III and Georgios Grivas. This changed in 1965. Two bronze amphora took their places.
The \u039c\u03bd\u03b7\u03bc\u03b5\u03af\u03bf \u03b1\u03b3\u03ce\u03bd\u03c9\u03bd \u0395\u039f\u039a\u0391 1955-1959 War memorial stands as a powerful reminder. It honors those who fought for freedom. Their sacrifices shaped the history of Cyprus. Take a moment to reflect on their courage. Consider the enduring quest for liberty.