Alexandros Moraitidis (1850-1929)

Alexandros Moraitidis was born in Skiathos on the 15th of October, in 1850. He was a Greek novelist, academic, journalist, theatrical writer, translator and a dissertation writer. His father was the cousin of Papadiamantis’ mother, with whom he kept very close and friendly relationship. He completed elementary school on the island and he, then, moved to Athens, where he graduated from “Varvakio” Junior High School at the age of 21. Afterwards, he enrolled for the University of Athens, at the department of Greek Literature and Philosophy, from which he graduated in 1881. He worked both as a professional Greek teacher in various schools and as a journalist. In 1901, he married Vasiliki Foulaki. However, after his wife’s death in 1914, he withdrew from the cosmic world and occupied himself solely with writing until 1919, when he was finally convinced by the journalist Stephanos Dafnis to print the first volume of his novels. In the same year, he received the “Letters and Art Commendation”. In 1926, he became a member of the Athens Academy. Moreover, just like his cousin Papadiamantis, he was also very nostalgic when it came to his birthplace. He was an ethographer and a very passionate navy writer (he wrote many stories about navy adventures). In January 1928, he was named as the Head of the Athens Academy, at which, though, he never attended.  In 1929, he returned to Skiathos and died on the 25th of October of the same year. Right before his death, Moraitidis became a monk with the name “Andronikos”.