George Seferis: Anniversary of the Nobel laureate's death

September 20 marks the anniversary of the death of George Seferis (1900–1971), the prominent Greek poet and diplomat who was the first Greek citizen to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1963.

Born Georgios Seferiadis in Smyrna, Seferis was a leading figure of the ‘Generation of the ’30s’ and a pioneer of modern Greek poetry influenced by European modernism. His literary body of work includes notable titles such as ‘Strophe’, ‘The Stern’, and ‘The Diary of a Deckhand’.

Beyond his literary contributions, Seferis had a significant career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His life was marked by the tension between his poetic nature and his diplomatic duties. He is also remembered for his political stance, including his famous ‘Declaration’ against the Dictatorship of the Colonels. His funeral in 1971 evolved into a major anti-dictatorship demonstration, attended by large crowds of students and citizens.