Stavros Kallergis
The forerunner of the socialist movement of Greece
Stavros Kallergis, the founder of the socialist movement of Greece (1865-1926) was born in Rethymnon (Choumeri- Mylopotamos in Crete).
During events commemorating May 1st realized annually in Rethymnon, Crete, his significant work regarding Greeks’ labor rights which due to his suggestions and struggles became laws was mentioned.
More specifically, Mrs. Maria Lioni the regional commissioner in the prefect of Rethymnon during a ceremony has mentioned “in our mind he holds the title of the “father” of the Greek Labor May Day as well as the forerunner of the Greek socialistic movement, who had the courage to fight the status quo of his time so as to claim human working conditions not to mention his morality, which inspired his fellow-citizens and awoken the society to struggle for equality and solidarity.
Dreamer, pioneer and fighter are only a few of the characterizations that outline Stavros Kallergis’ multifaceted personality. This personality will always constitute a reference point, not only as the founder of the Labor May Day, but also as a man with unique social sensitivities.
Particularly today, when every day we see the entrenchment of the labor rights, as a result of the unfavorable financial situation our country faces, Stavros Kallergis’ work and his attitude in life, highlight a series of new social claims, which have to be realized in order to preserve not only his legacy but also his companions’ struggles”.
At an early age, with his family, they took refuge to Athens because his father, the chieftain G. Kallergis was considered an outlaw by the Ottoman authorities as he had fought in Arkadi.
On May 1890, he founded in Athens the Central Socialist Society, which constituted the first socialistic cell in Greece that later created branches in other cities, as well. The following month he commenced publishing the initially two-month newspaper under the title Socialist in which he developed a revolutionary for his time socialistic program. This program among others included: complete freedom of speech and consciousness, 8-hour employment, minimum wage, day off on Sunday etc. The above goals according to Kallergis could be realized if a socialist party managed to win a parliamentary majority as well through union struggles.
After the first May Day with the bloody events in Chicago in 1886, Labor May Day becomes an International symbol of Resistance.
In 1893, the first massive gathering was realized in Greece claiming Sunday holiday, eight-hour employment, and part-time employment regarding unhealthy conditions for children and women, as well as the retirement of labor victims’ families.
In Greece only Stavros Kallergis visualized the enormous political importance and dimension of May Day’s celebration, which initiated as a flowers’ celebration and has now become a symbol of social struggles. So, after being informed of what happens abroad he takes the decision to organize May Day’s celebration in 1893, 115 years ago on May 2nd, on Sunday at 5.p.m at the Pan-Athenian Stadium in front of 2000 people. Stood on a rock, he spoke loudly and explained May Day’s symbolism, talked about the struggles of the working class and read the resolution of the gathering focusing on the main claims such as Sunday holiday, 8-hour employment and retirement.
The claims that refer to the resolution follow:
α) On Sundays the stores and the factories should be closed so as our fellow citizens rest.
b) Workers and employees should work 8 hours a day.
c) Retirement should be given to those who are labor victims and unable to maintain themselves and their families.
d) Death penalty executions should be abolished
e) Imprisonment due to personal debts should be abolished and
f) The Board of the Central Association should hand in this Resolution to the members of the Parliament”.
The Resolution which was read by Kallergis was signed by 500 people. However, as its delivery to the Parliament was delayed for about seven months, 2.000 signatures were collected in the meanwhile. When the Speaker of the Parliament finally received the resolution, Kallergis was at the press gallery waiting to listen to the president read the resolution, but this never happened. This action caused Kallergis’ intense reaction and he suddenly started to read the resolution aloud. He was arrested and dragged out of the Parliament Hall by the police at once. Kallergis was beaten then by the police and later was sentenced to 12 days imprisonment. In this way the first Labor May Day ended in Greece along with the events that are connected with it.
It has to be noted that during May Day of 1894, many arrests were realized (Kallergis was among those arrested) and the celebration of the Labor May Day was banned from then on.
Later Kallergis after being tried in the court of law and eventually being found not guilty, he fled to Paris where he met Jean Zores, Emil Zola, Peter Kropotkin and others. He returned to Athens in 1895. Disappointed by the intense criticism which he received by his former colleagues, he left for Crete where he was elected representative of the Cretan State and ran for an MP of Rethymnon. He came back to Athens after three attempts against his life and started to publish the Socialist again. However, this new attempt failed as well as a commercial business of his. He died in Crete, where he lived since 1905. There, he was married and had a family but was penniless as he had spent the large fortune he had inherited from his father for the needs of the socialist movement. His son was the well-known actor, Lycurgus Kallergis.