Athanasios Stavroudis
 | This article includes a list of generalreferences,butit lacks sufficient correspondinginline citations.(August 2019) |
Athanasios Stavroudis(Greek:Αθανάσιος Σταυρούδης) was aGreekchieftain of theMacedonian Struggle,soldier of theBalkan Warsand spy of theFrencharmy during theFirst World War.
Athanasios Stavroudis | |
|---|---|
| Native name | Αθανάσιος Σταυρούδης |
| Born | c. 1873 Baldzha,Salonika Vilayet,Ottoman Empire(nowMelissochori,Greece) |
| Allegiance | |
| Service/ | |
| Battles/wars | Macedonian Struggle Balkan Wars |
Biography
[edit]Stavroudis was born in 1873 in Baldzha (nowMelissochori) ofThessaloniki.He joined theMacedonian Strugglevery early on and as a prefect of the town, he was one of the key members of theNational Committee of Baldzha.His mission was to inform the Defense Center ofThessalonikiabout the movements of theBulgarianarmed groups and of theOttomanmilitary detachments. Several times he took armed action with theMilita of Baldzhain order to defend against attacks by Bulgariankomitadjis.In November 1908, while the new regime of theYoung Turkshad launched a persecution against theGreeks,he fled to the Defense Center of Thessaloniki and then fled toAthens,along with his partner Stavros Baretis, from Balaftsa (now Kolchiko), where he came in contact with theMacedonian Committeethere.
In 1912,Themistoklis Sofouliscontacted the Macedonian Committee of Athens to ask for help because the situation inSamoshad become dangerous. The Ottoman-appointedPrince of Samos,Andreas Kopasis,had installed an Ottoman garrison on the island and the Greeks were being persecuted. The aims of the Macedonian Committee of Athens, as well as of Sofoulis and of the Greeks of Samos, concurred, as everyone was trying to liberate their homelands from the Ottomans. So, a collaboration was developed and Stavroudis met with Stavros Baretis and Themistoklis Sofoulis in order to organize the assassination of the ruler Andreas Kopasis.
Stavroudis, pretending to be a tobacco trader, went toSamosin February 1912 with Stavros Baretis and there he prepared the murder plan with locals. A little bit before the plan occurred and Kopasis got murdered by Baretis, he returned by boat to Athens. Later, he participated in bothBalkan Warsand distinguished himself in theBattle of Kilkisin 1913.
During theFirst World War,he was assigned as a spy to theFrench Armyto investigate issues related to Greek interests.
He was honoured with multiple medals for his contribution to theMacedonian Struggleand the Balkan Wars, while for his contribution to the Samos case a bust was erected in thetown of Samos.
Sources & References
[edit]- Ο Μακεδονομάχος Αθανάσιος Σταυρούδης και η εκτέλεση του Ηγεμόνα Ανδρέα Κοπάση, Κωνσταντίνος Τσαρούχας
- John S. Koliopoulos(editor), Αφανείς, γηγενείς Μακεδονομάχοι, Εταιρεία Μακεδονικών Σπουδών, University Studio Press, Thessaloniki, 2008, p. 60
- Επετηρίς Αγωνιστών Μακεδονικού Αγώνος 1903–1909, αύξων αριθμός 3904
