Giannis Sideris

Giannis Sideris was born in Athens in 1898 and passed away in 1975. He studied philology at the University of Athens and served as a philologist in secondary education for approximately thirty years. His great passion was theater and the collection of a Historical Archive from the birth of modern Greek theater until the day he left us. He is rightly considered the most important historian of our theater, with his "History" and countless studies on theater figures and events being the sole sources of responsible information and updates. In 1938, he took on the task of realizing the idea of Th. Synodinos, President of the Hellenic Stage Society, to establish a Greek Theater Museum, assuming the role of Curator, a responsibility he maintained until his death. Alongside his archival work, he continued his contributions in historiography, theater studies, and criticism. His philological studies, theater research, and critical notes are countless and "make him a unique and unparalleled scientist and person," as noted by philologist and theater critic K. Georgousopoulos in a related entry ("World Biographical Dictionary," Ekdotiki Athinon), adding: "Every future theater and historical study will begin and pass through Sideris's work." Who could dispute that?