The Papers of Konstantinos and Ioanna Tsatsou donated to the American School of Classical Studies

The American School of Classical Studies announces the acquisition of the papers of Konstantinos Tsatsos, President of the Hellenic Republic (1975-1980), and his wife Ioanna Seferiadi Tsatsou (1909-2000). Tsatsos was a distinguished professor of law at the University of Athens and a member of the Athens Academy.  He published several philosophical treatises , focusing on the philosophy of law, biographies of Eleutherios Venizelos and Konstantinos Karamanlis, as well as translations of Cicero and Demosthenes. In addition to his political and academic career, Konstantinos Tsatsos is also known for his literary work which includes poetic collections and an important book on poetry, which records a public dialogue with George Seferis about the nature of Hellenism in modern Greek art (Ένας διάλογος για την ποίηση, 1975). He is the elusive “Mr. Ypsilon” in Henry Miller’s Colossus of Maroussi (1941). Miller met Tsatsos at Spetses in 1939, where the latter was hiding to avoid arrest during the dictatorship of Metaxas.  In 1930, Constantine Tsatsos married Ioanna Seferiadi, the sister of poet and Nobel laureate George Seferis; Ioanna Tsatsou is the author of My Brother George Seferis. 

The papers of Konstantinos and Ioanna Tsatsou contain manuscripts concerning Tsatsos’ academic and literary work, translations, newspaper clippings, as well as personal and professional correspondence. Of special interest is the correspondence among the members of the Seferis family.  The professional correspondence refers to Tsatsos’ long political career (1930-1987), including his service at the Ministry of Justice (1966), the Ministry of Culture (1975), and his Presidency of the Hellenic Republic (1975-1980).

It is an honor for the American School that the heirs of Konstantinos and Ioanna Tsatsou have selected the Gennadius Library to donate their family’s papers.