Initiation into a secret society in the 18th century (Source: Wikipedia)
In 1809, five years before the founding of the Philiki Etaireia and twelve years before the start of the Greek Revolution, the secret organization “Hellenophone Hotel” (Hôtel Hellénophone) was founded in Paris. This society was the first pre-revolutionary Greek organization, whose primary goal was the intellectual rebirth of the Greeks and the preparation of an uprising against the Ottomans.
The historical context of the era and the organization’s headquarters
The founding of the “Hellenophone Hotel” can be viewed as part of the broader trend of the era toward the emergence of a new type of secret society characterized by a conspiratorial nature, ritual initiation procedures, and the politicization of its members [1].
The headquarters of the “Hellenophone Hotel” was located in Paris, specifically on Rue Moncieux, in the Saint-Germain district [2]. The choice of Paris was no accident, as the ideals of the French Revolution were still fresh in the early 19th century. It is worth noting that the society was founded during the height of Napoleon’s power; he encouraged the society with the aim of forging alliances with forces and political circles that could potentially be utilized in accordance with his political plans in various regions of Europe [3].
The aims of the society, its mode of operation, and its activities
The members of the “Hellenophone Hotel” maintained that the company’s objectives were educational. They therefore set as their primary goal the study of ancient Greek civilization and the provision of scholarships to Greek students in Paris, using funds raised through member dues. However, the “Hellenophone Hotel” also had hidden, revolutionary objectives. Thus, the company had stockpiled weapons intended to be sent to Greek regions and used in operations against the Ottomans [4]. It also sought to keep Napoleon’s interest in the fate of the Greeks alive and to foster a favorable climate regarding the Greek question [5].
The operation of the “Hellenophone Hotel” followed the model of similar secret organizations of that era, such as the Carbonari societies on the Italian peninsula. The society’s emblem consisted of two joined hands bearing the initials FEDΑ (Friendship, Greek, Unbreakable Bond) [6]. Members of the “Greek-Speaking Hotel” swore before a committee that they would not reveal its secrets and recognized one another by the gold ring they wore, which was engraved with the initials F.E.D.A. [7].
The members of the society and its philhellene president
Πρωτεργάτες του «Ελληνόγλωσσου Ξενοδοχείου» ήταν ο Θεσσαλονικιός Γρηγόριος Ζαλίκης, ο Αθανάσιος Τσακάλωφ, ο Πέτρος Ομηρίδης-Σκυλίτσης, ο Στέφανος Χατζημόσχος, ο Δημήτριος Κομνηνός κ.ά. [8]. Η ιδέα, βέβαια, για τη σύσταση της εταιρείας ανήκει στην Κύπρια διανοούμενη φιλελληνίδα Ελισάβετ Λουμάκη-Σενιέ (1729-1808) που ήταν μητέρα του σπουδαίου νεοκλασικιστή ποιητή André Marie Chénier (1762-1794). Στο φιλολογικό της σαλόνι συγκεντρώνονταν για πολλά χρόνια σπουδαίοι εκπρόσωποι της γαλλικής διανόησης της εποχής εκείνης, γεγονός που συνέβαλε σημαντικά στην καλλιέργεια φιλελληνικού κλίματος στην τότε γαλλική κοινωνία [9].
Choiseul Gouffier, president of the “Hellenophone Hotel” (Source: Wikipedia)
The founders of the “Hellenophone Hotel” were Grigorios Zalikis from Thessaloniki, Athanasios Tsakalov, Petros Omeridis-Skylitsis, Stefanos Hatzimoschos, Dimitrios Komninos, and others [8]. The idea for the society’s founding, though, belonged to the Cypriot intellectual and philhellene Élisabeth Loumakis-Chénier (1729–1808), who was the mother of the great Neoclassical poet André Marie Chénier (1762–1794). For many years, her literary salon served as a gathering place for prominent figures of the French intellectual elite of that era, a fact that contributed significantly to fostering a philhellenic atmosphere in French society at the time [9].
A member and president of this secret society was the French philhellene count and diplomat Choiseul Gouffier (1752–1818), who was an admirer of ancient Greek civilization. Gouffier studied under Jean-Jacques Barthélemy, and in 1776, at the age of 24, he visited Greece for the first time, with the aim of depicting the ancient monuments and documenting the way of life of modern Greeks. In 1782, he published the first volume of his book “Voyage Pittoresque de la Grèce”, which included a wealth of material from his journey. In 1784, he was appointed by King Louis XVI as France’s ambassador to Constantinople, and later undertook a second journey to the East as a diplomatic envoy of King Louis XVI [10].
The End of the Society
The “Hellenophone Hotel” was highly active while Emperor Napoleon was in power. After Bonaparte’s fall, the society began to decline due to the dominance of supporters of the Restoration and the hostile climate prevailing in Europe at that time toward secret national liberation organizations. The founding and activities of this secret society are considered significant, as it served as a “laboratory of revolutionary initiatives” in support of the Greeks in Europe during the pre-revolutionary period. Finally, the “Hellenophone Hotel” is considered a key precursor to the Philiki Etaireia, which was founded in Odessa in 1814 and into which several of its members were initiated.
Magda Balafouti
Bibliographic references:
[1] https://greece2021.gr/timeline/787-idryetai-to-ellinoglosson-ksenodoxeion.html
[2] Entry “Hellenophone Hotel,” “Papyros-Larousse-Britannica” Encyclopedia (1996), vol. 23, pp. 35–36.
[3] http://www.hri.org/MPA/gr/other/rhgas/ellhnoglosso.html
[4] Entry “Hellenophone Hotel,” “Papyros-Larousse-Britannica” Encyclopedia (1996), ibid.
[5] http://www.hri.org/MPA/gr/other/rhgas/ellhnoglosso.html
[6] Sfyroeras, V. (September 2, 2000). From the “Hellenophone Hotel” to the Philiki Etaireia. Ta Nea. Retrieved from: https://www.tanea.gr/
[7] Voros, F.K. (1986). Those Who Prepared and Launched the Revolution of 1821. Ta Ekpaideutika, 5, pp. 32–51.
[8] Entry “Hellenophone Hotel,” “Papyros-Larousse-Britannica” Encyclopedia (1996), ibid.
[9] Velentzas, K. & Papagiannopoulou, A. (2020). Enduring Philhellenism and Its Contribution to the Greek Revival. In T. Koutsogiannis (Ed.), 1821–2021: Enduring Philhellenism and Its Contribution to the Greek Revival. Athens: Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism.
[10] Stavrakis, G. (2019). French Philhellenes. Athens: Lexitipon Publications, pp. 69–70.
