BROTHERHOOD OF ACHLADOKAMBITON
"ST. DEMETRIOS" CELEBRATESONE HUNDRED THREE (103) YEARS
OF LIFE AND ACTIVITY
At the Beginning
Our traditional story of the founding of the Brotherhood comes from the first immigrants from Achladokambos in the 1890s. While on the boat from Greece, somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic, the boat was caught in a storm. Fearing for their lives, they joined together in prayer to St. Nicholas, asking for safe passage to America. To thank and honor him, they would make an icon venerating him.
After they arrived and settled, the immigrants remembered their promise to St. Nicholas and intended to keep it. They had to come together again in due time to take a collection. When they did, they decided they should also form an organization to maintain their customs and friendships, resist the phenomenon of the melting pot in America, and to be able to pass along their traditions to their children and give their children a sense of identity. The organization, on the other hand, would provide them an unbreakable link with their beloved Achladokambos which represented for them the ideals of country, religion and family.
A few words about Achladokambos
Achladokambos stands on a picturesque mountainside in the mountainous region of Argolida bordering with Arkadia. It has an elevation of 450 meters (1500 ft).
Achladokambos through the centuries
From Greek Mythology
The area around Achladokambos was important even before recorded history, in the times of Greek Mythology.
The god Pan, god of wine, revelry, and protector of shepherds, was said to frequent this area. On the peak of Parthenio mountain, where today stands the small church of the Virgin Mary, was an altar dedicated to the worship of the god Pan, as was mentioned by the historian Herodotus. At the foot of the same mountain there is also a spring and a cave known as "Panikovi" or "Pinikovi" which come from the name of the god.
Another revered god in the area was Artemis, one of the 12 Olympian deities, daughter of Zeus and from whom the mountain "Artemission" gets its name. There are two altars of the goddess in the area of Achladokambos. The first was in a place called "Portes", near the peak of the mountain, and the second was in a place called "Potamia", near the road leading to Tripoli.
From Ancient History
The first reference in history of the Achladokambos area dates back to 720 BC, under the name Isia, which was a stronghold that served as a front line defense for the kingdom of Argos during the wars between Argos and Sparta, as recorded by historians Thucydides and Pausanias. In 417 BC, the city was destroyed completely by the Spartans. Ruins of the ancient city walls can be found east of the church of the Assumption of the Theotokos near the village. The name Isia, which means wild boar, was used again in 1833, under king Otto I, as the name of a city including Achladokambos, which was abandoned in 1912.
From Byzantine times
In 1295, Gen. Andronicus Asan selected the mountain just to the west of Achladokambos, called Mouchli, to be the site for a fortress. This fortress eventually evolved into a Byzantine city. It was a city which, like Mystras, exemplified the authority of the Byzantine empire. In 1458, 5 years after the fall of Constantinopole, the fortress Mouchli surrendered to the Ottoman forces. In the following years, the citizens abandoned the city. The remnants of the city wall still exist today as do the remnants of the church of the Theotokos "Mouchliotisa".
Under Turkish occupation
In the 17th century we find the first use of the name Achladokambos. At that time the small villages in the area united and chose the name Achladokambos. The first homes were built at the upper end of where the village stands today. The first settlers chose that spot in order to be close to the spring, far from the Turkish passage and to use the mountains as an area of retreat and safety. Since it was built on the only road between Argos and Tripoli, Achladokambos was a well known stopover for travelers and soldiers who would spend the night there.
During the revolution and liberation of Greece
Because of its location, Achladokambos found itself in a position critical to the revolution of 1821.
To stop the revolution, the Turks sent soldiers from Ioannina to the area and on May 1, 1821 Achladokambos was pillaged.
In July of 1822, Achladokambos became the central military outpost of Gen. Kolokotronis in fighting off the invasion by Dramali who was sent as reenforcements to end the revolution. As was recorded by Fotakos, a historian and an assistant to Kolokotroni, Kolokotroni arrived in Achladokambos on July 9, 1822 and gave the order for all the soldiers of the revolution to gather in Achladokambos. The army was organized at the location "Nera" and then embarked to meet the Turks at the historical battle at Dervenakia.
In 1825, the Turks brought in General Imbraim of Egypt to fight the Greeks. He marched his army towards Tripoli, and Kolokotroni, to stop him, met this much larger army of 12,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry at Achladokambos. On June 13, 1825, Achladokambos was completely destroyed by Imbraim. This event motivated many young men and boys to join the revolution.
In 1822, there lived in Achladokambos about 100 families. In the national archives of Greece, there are listed on a record of fighters, dated May 23, 1865, 49 men from Achladokambos.
During modern times
During the period of 1850-1940, Achladokambos produced many scholars and educated men in comparison to its population of 400 families, at its peak towards the end of the period. Among them were doctors, teachers, professors, lawyers, judges, high ranking military and police officers, high ranking state officials, engineers, bankers, minister of the government and even two Chief Justices of the Areos Pagos, the Supreme Court in Greece.
In 1890, the first wave of emigrants left the village, primarily to America, most bound for Chicago. At that time, most of Greece was still under Turkish occupation, and Greece's border was drawn just north of Athens, near Larissa.
In 1912, the Balkan wars broke out and many of the founding members of the Brotherhood returned to Greece to fight against the Turks to liberate the rest of Greece.
During the 1940s
There was much suffering in Achladokambos. Many men left to fight the Italian invasion in Albania, in which the Greek army was successful. However, when German forces moved south and broke the Greek lines, Achladokambos was soon occupied and suffered greatly. Finally Achladocambos becomes a holocaust one more time during the civil war that followed the German retreat contesting the form of government that was to be adapted by the newly liberated Greece.
It is said that the worst war is civil war. In all of Achladokambos' history, its blackest day came during the civil war, on September 18, 1944. Different groups had taken up arms during the German occupation. After the Germans left, some armed groups wished to take over the village but its people decided not to surrender. A bloody battle followed on September 18, 1944 and Achladokambos lived through two days of hell. In the end, 52 people from Achladokambos were dead, most killed after the invaders entered the village.
Many of today's members of the Brotherhood were in Achladokambos during those dark days.
In all its history, this decade was Achladokambos' harshest. The battles with the Italians and the Germans, the invasion, the occupation, September 18th, the Guerilla war (1946-1949) and the poverty following all this strife left Achladokambos, like much of Greece, destitute. With little arable land and opportunity for work, some members of the village found emigration as the answer. Over 350 people left the village in the 1950s, with the most popular destination being Chicago.
It can be said that the decade of the 1940s marked the beginning of the decline of Achladokambos which was sealed by the mass emigration of its youth that followed.
A few words about the Brotherhood
The Brotherhood of Achladokambiton was founded on the 21st of April, 1905 by the first immigrants from Achladokambos, with headquarters in the city of Chicago and the name "Syndesmos Achladokambiton 'St. Demetrios'."
Later, in 1915, the members amended their constitution and changed the name to "Brotherhood of Achladokambiton 'St. Demetrios'."
The Presidents of the Brotherhood
+Nicholas D. Siambanis 1905-1908
+Aristides H. Sellas 1909-1911
+Themistokles A. Sellas 1912-1914
+Theodoros Papadopoulos 1915-1918
+Gust Nikokiris 1920-1923
+George Lagis 1927-1931
+George N. Sellas 1932-1936
+Christ S. Anton 1937-1939
+Spiros C. Fiflis 1940-1949
+George N. Sellas 1950-1952
+Pete Stamatelos 1953-1959
+Tom G. Argires 1960-1965
+Angelo Anagnostopoulos 1966-1968
Argyris G. Betsios 1969-1970
+Leo F. Athanasoulias 1971-1979
Christ A. Aralis 1980-1982
Ted P. Argires 1983-1988
John Maroutsos 1989-1991
George C. Anagnostopoulos 1992-1995
Dean G. Sellas 1996-2000
+George Papanicolaou 2000-2004
Andreas Parashos 2005-
Just as we can conclude from the charter of the organization as well as the traditions, the purpose of the brotherhood was to keep the unity, the love and the interest of all Achladokambites to their homeland. Truly, a monument to the success of their purpose and proof of the feelings of the immigrants for their motherland is the many works and donations done for the village, both as a group and as individuals, something that we rarely see in other regions.
Works in Achladokambos
Contributions of the organization
St. Demetrios
St. Demetrios is the patron saint of Achladokambos and protector of the Brotherhood, which carried out the renovation of the Church of St. Demetrios, sent religious items, a crystal chandelier, and built its bell tower in 1906.
School
Espousing their values of the importance of education, the Brotherhood builds a two story, six-grade schoolhouse in 1939.
Water system
The Brotherhood developed a water system for the whole village and as a result every house has been supplied with running water.
Electricity
The Brotherhood paid the expenses for extending the power lines to Achladokambos and the village had electric power in 1959, perhaps 10 years ahead of schedule.
Other Churches
Contributions were made for the building of the church of St. John and the renewal of St. Kyriaki.
After the war
Sent clothing and shoes for the needs of the village brought on by the war.
Other works
The St. Nicholas Road, soccer field, community center, medical clinic and many other smaller works.
Contributions by individuals
Immigration
Over 150 sponsorships for immigration were sent to villagers by Christ S. Antonopoulos (Kinezos). He also sent 1300 outfits to the village after the German occupation and willed a portion of his estate to the village after his death.
Bath houses
A noteworthy accomplishment was the public bath houses, constructed in 1957 with a generous donation by Andreas G. Kanellopoulos (Kanellos). He also provided for operating expenses of the bath houses for many years. Today the building functions as a cultural center.
Churches
The churches of St. George and St. Nicholas were built with the donations of George N. Sellas.
Roads
The road "Mihalaki-St. Demetrios-Public Road" was built with donations from John Koutouzos and Gust Nikokiris.
The road "Litharakia-Deli" was built with donations of Paul Skoubis.
Library
Established with the support of Constantine Papadopoulos.
Tower Clock
The clock in the bell tower of St. Demetrios was donated by the Ladies Society of Achladokambos of Chicago.
Accomplishments in Chicago
Insurance
The Brotherhood offers group coverage of a death benefit for all its members.
Scholarships
The Brotherhood gives scholarships to the children of its members who begin college. There have been 160 recipients so far.
Building
Just recently we purchased a building which will be our headquarters and a gathering place for all Achladokambites in Chicago. The building is located at 5424 North Milwaukee.