To whom does Dimitris Mitropanos “belong” today?

On the occasion of the “dialogue” event at “Suita”

By Dimitris Krupis

To whom does Dimitris Mitropanos “belong” today? Who has the right to honor him, hold events for his work, write books about his life?

Until a few weeks ago, I had never been concerned about such issues. I considered it self-evident that Mitropanos “belongs” to all those who love his songs and of course that a book can be written about him or any other public figure who has something to say. Not only positive but even – even negative. It is understood with evidence and respect for his private life. That is why I was impressed by the public report made by the writer-journalist Thanasis Kappos, speaking last Wednesday in Suite at the event of the “dialogue” for the 12 years since the death of Dimitris Mitropanos, that some have made his “life unlivable” because he dealt with Dimitris Mitropanos! In fact, he said directly that even some people from Trikaline almost…threatened him not to come to Trikala and to present his book because they themselves do not approve of it!

I read Mr. Kappos’ book before agreeing to present it. Some thousands more Greeks also read it. Everyone judged it by their own criteria, their own “requirements”. But I believe that we all agree that at no point does it offend the memory of our great artist and rather contributes, more or less everyone judges this differently, in the promotion of the human Dimitris Mitropanos. That’s why I said YES without a second thought and without any personal gain.

And to say a few words about the evening in the “Suita”. Nothing else to do and freeze just to listen to him Vassilis Konstantinouthe veteran international goalkeeper of Panathinaikos and our national team, recounting his memories of his long-standing brotherly friendship with Dimitris Mitropanos would be enough to say that we experienced an interesting and historical evening!

The historian and admirer of his work also spoke about Dimitris Mitropanos Dionysis Grapsa while the author Thanasis Kappos referred to the “adventure” for writing and publishing his book about Mitropanos.

The Regional Governor gave a short greeting Dimitris Kouretas. In fact, he presented to Vassilis Konstantinou as a commemorative gift for his presence in Trikala and in the evening a copy of the book – encyclopedia of the history of AOT “50 YEARS A.O. TRIKALA”, from “KROUPI publications – “dialogos” newspaper. The same gift, along with copies of the collector’s magazine “Xenios Thessalos» were also offered to Mr. Kappo and Grafsa and all of them were impressed by the quality but also the volume of the publication for the AOT.

After the stories about the man Dimitris Mitropanos, the Trikala artists Panagiotis Maglaras (piano), Apostolis Gounaris and Dimitris Padios (singing), Kostas Gorantis and Dimitris Triantaphyllou (bouzouki) and Christos Makris (guitar) took over and gave us a beautiful, warm and emotional evening.