Читать книгу Elita and her life with F.W. de Klerk - M Meiring - Страница 7

George Lanaras’s father, Zafiris, was born in Naussa in 1886 into a family already well known in the wool industry. Like many sons of successful Greek families, he would be sent abroad to expand the business.

Zafiris set off for Cairo in 1910, but after scarcely two years, he returned to Greece to fight in the first Balkan war against the Turks. When the war was over he returned to Cairo. He continued this to-and-fro existence for a number of years, while his bachelor status became a subject of increasing concern to his family.

Zafiris was presented with a photo of 25-year-old Elizabeth Hadjigrigoriadis, the daughter of a surgeon and by all accounts extremely conservative. The family held its breath. Would their footloose and fancy-free 32-year-old agree to an arranged marriage? He had little choice. In 1918 the couple were married without having previously met or even seen each other before.

Their three sons, of whom George was the eldest, were all born in Cairo. There was a well-established Greek community and the children attended school at the renowned Abet Gymnasium. At home Elizabeth, keenly aware of the dominance of Islam in Egypt, conscientiously guided their religious education and throughout their lives the Lanaras brothers would remain dedicated followers of the Greek Orthodox faith. Years later George would also meet an old schoolfriend from Cairo, Minos Colocotronis, and, as often happens in Greek society, they would forge even closer ties, thanks to the romance between their children, Elita and Tony.

When George was seventeen years old, Zafiris died suddenly. He found himself in charge of the family business, which was in financial decline. He had also to take care of his two younger brothers and his mother. The family moved from Egypt back to Greece, where George was to study at the University of Athens.

Tall, dark, charismatic — and extremely ambitious — George became a sought-after guest in Kolonaki society. Although somewhat reserved, he was popular, especially with young women. Quiet he may have been, but he made no secret of his fondness for pretty girls. In the small circle of Kolonaki there were also many opportunities for young men and girls to meet – often organised by parents

When George became accepted as Nitsa’s future husband he took his friends teasing that he had made a good catch in good part, because he knew that he would still make his own fortune. Thanks to her father’s wealth, Nitsa was certainly a good catch, but with her refined upbringing and modest nature, she was also very attractive. What was more, she cherished a consuming love for George.

Menelaos, who had succeeding in keeping his businesses going even during the civil war, suffered a financial collapse just before Nitsa’s wedding. With typical panache he nevertheless gave his daughter an elegant wedding and in time rebuilt his business empire. Elita recalls her grandfather as a strict man, always working or thinking about business.

George and Nitsa would become a popular couple in Kolonaki, but the marriage would be far from idyllic.