Difference between revisions of "Fotis Pittas"

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[[Category:1935 births|Pittas, Fotis]]   
 
[[Category:1935 births|Pittas, Fotis]]   
 
[[Category:1958 deaths|Pittas, Fotis]]
 
[[Category:1958 deaths|Pittas, Fotis]]
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[[Category:EOKA struggle (1955-1959)|Pittas, Fotis]]

Latest revision as of 11:37, August 3, 2006

Fotis Pittas was a Cypriot fighter during the EOKA campaign against the British (1955 - 1959).

Pittas was born in Frenaros, Ammochostos province, on February 28, 1935, one of six children of Stavros and Maria Pittas. He was a teacher by profession and the start of the EOKA campaign found him teaching at a primary school in Achna.

Pittas joined the struggle and, on October 18, 1956 became a wanted man by the British authorities. On January 10, 1957 he was arrested in Vatili, interrogated and tortured. He managed to escape from Pyla prison on March 12, 1958 along with Andreas Karios and two others.

After his escape, Pittas became deputy area leader of EOKA guerrilas in Lysi harassing the British forces who responded with curfews and house-to-house searches. Pittas was forced to leave Lysi and move to Liopetri, however, he and three companions - Andreas Karios, Christos Samaras and Elias Papakyriakou - were once again caught there in the middle of a British search operation. The four men tried to break through the British lines but failed and took refuge in the barn of local man Panagiotis Kallis. The Battle of Liopetri ensued, on September 2, 1958 and the four men fell.

Pittas was buried in his home town of Frenaros where his bust now adorns the town square.