Greece 2 euros 2018. 75 years since the death of Kostis Palamas

Greece 2 euros 2018. 75 years since the death of Kostis Palamas.

Kostis Palamas (Greek Κωστής Παλαμ) was born on January 13, 1859 in Patras. Secondary education in the school of Mesolongi. In 1887, he entered the School of Law, Economics and Political Science of the University of Athens, but soon dropped out. Since the 1880s, for many years he worked as a journalist, editor of newspapers, collaborated with magazines, publishing satirical poems, speaking in defense of the national language (dimotika) and the national spirit in literature. He worked in the administration of the University of Athens in 1897-1906. Since 1926 - Member of the Athens Academy, which he headed in 1930.
In 1895, Palamas wrote the text of the Olympic anthem to the music of Spiridon Samaras. The hymn premiered during the opening ceremony of the 1896 I Olympic Games. Then for 60 years this version of the anthem was not used. During this period, the states that conducted the competitions entrusted their authors to write their own Olympic anthems. Only in 1958, the version of Palamas and Saramas was declared the official anthem of the Olympics, and since 1960 it has been played at all the Olympic Games.
Palamas is unofficially considered the national poet of Greece and is closely associated with the struggle for the liberation of modern Greece from the purist language, as well as with political liberalism. He dominated literary life for 30 years and had a great influence on the political and intellectual climate of his time.
Palamas was a pioneer of new poetic trends in Greek literature and one of the co-founders of the New Athenian School, along with Georges Drosinis, Nikos Campas, Jonis Polemis. He fought for the penetration of modern spoken Greek into all spheres of society and for dimotika to become a literary language.
The poet was twice nominated for the Nobel Prize in literature. True, unsuccessfully.
He died on February 27, 1943 in Athens during the Second World War, when Greece was occupied by German troops. His funeral became the main event of the Greek resistance. Impressed by the mourning speech of Angelos Sikelianos, 100 thousand people took part in a demonstration against the Nazi occupation.

Obverse: The internal disk shows a portrait of Kostis Palamas in three quarters. On the left, along the edge of the disc, the name of the issuer state “ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ” is engraved, the second line is the name of the poet “ΚΩΣΤΗΣ ΠΑΛΑΜΑΣ”. There is also a mint mark (acanthus leaf). The year of issue of the coin “2018” is indicated on the right. Above the left shoulder is visible the monogram of the artist.
In the circle of the outer ring are 12 stars.

Reverse: Expanded map of the European Union countries, a variant of sample 2007, 12 stars (according to the initial number of eurozone countries) and 6 parallel lines - a symbol of stability. As well as the face value of the coin - “2 EURO”.

Release Date: October 25, 2018