Atlantis (newspaper) - Revision history

Irlandos at 18:50, July 7, 2009

2009-07-07T18:50:17Z

Irlandos at 16:42, March 12, 2007

2007-03-12T16:42:46Z

Lazarus at 14:54, April 29, 2006

2006-04-29T14:54:45Z

Lazarus at 14:54, April 29, 2006

2006-04-29T14:54:35Z

Lazarus at 14:48, April 29, 2006

2006-04-29T14:48:44Z

Lazarus: /* The publication */

2006-04-29T14:08:07Z

The publication

Lazarus at 14:03, April 29, 2006

2006-04-29T14:03:35Z

Lazarus at 13:58, April 29, 2006

2006-04-29T13:58:24Z

Lazarus at 13:56, April 29, 2006

2006-04-29T13:56:31Z

New page

The history of the Greek-language newspaper Atlantis is closely related to the careers of the Vlasto family in the United States. Like many other Greek-Americans, the Vlasto family retained close ties to Greece. The newspaper throughout its history was beaded by a Greek-born and Greek-educated member of the family.

Founder Solon J. Vlasto (1852-1927) immigrated to the United States in 1873. A well-educated man from an upper-class Cretan family, he eventually formed an import-export partnership with his brother Demetrius J. Vlasto (1869-1944). The Vlasto brothers were active in New York City's Greek-American community. Solon served as president of the Greek Society of New York, Athena, and was an exarch of the Greek Orthodox Church.

In [[1894]], the two brothers founded Atlantis. Solon served as publisher until his death in [[1927]]. Demetrius, the treasurer and secretary, succeeded him, and their nephew Solon G. Vlasto became publisher after Demetrius' death. All capital stock in Atlantis and its subsidiaries, despite initial outside investment, also was in family hands by 1921.

'''Atlantis''' was widely recognized as a family paper, and Solon J. Vlasto's high regard for the Greek monarchy was well known. Atlantis remained a royalist paper through the vicissitudes of war, plebiscite, and coup, until King Constantine II's differences with the regime of the colonels during the mid-[[1960s]]. Vlasto's advocacy of a strong Greek-American community in the United States which would be more than another expatriate Greek colony was as controversial in the years before World War I as his royalist views.

His brother and nephew seem to have shared his outlook. Demetrius J. Vlasto was actively involved in Atlantis, in war relief campaigns, and in church affairs. Solon G. Vlasto, son of George Vlasto, came to the United States and joined Atlantis as a copy boy in 1918 or 1919, while still in his teens. In 1944 he became publisher and managing editor. In the early 1960s, he also served briefly as editor. He too was active in war relief work and the church. Several Vlasto family members of the third generation, Solon's son James S., and Barbara, Demetrius S., and Andrew Vlasto, worked for Atlantis as well. James was managing editor and spokesman for the family when the newspaper closed.

Atlantis was published in New York City. It began as a weekly newspaper, but became a daily in 1904. A Sunday edition began circa 1910, and a magazine, the Monthly Illustrated Atlantis, appeared at about the same time. The magazine was published into the [[1930s]] [1932?], then reappeared circa [[1953]]. Atlantis also operated a Greek-language book department, which issued a calendar, published several titles, and distributed many others.

The Atlantis Corporation, formed in [[1904]], underwent reorganization twice. In 1911, Atlantis Publishing Company was organized to purchase the Monthly Illustrated Atlantis. In 1921, the subsidiary Atlantis Greek Book Company was created.

The editor-in-chief of Atlantis traditionally was hired from outside the family. Socrates A. Xanthaky, editor from [[1897]], left in [[1907]] to help found the rival Panhellinios. Adamantios Th. Polyzoides was editor from 1907 to 1933; Vladimir Constantinides, from 1933 to 1960. Solon G. Vlasto filled the post for several years. Panayiotis Gazouleas became editor in 1963 and held the position until Atlantis ceased publication in 1973.

Atlantis' nationwide distribution helped it become an influential voice in the Greek-American community. It carried social and organizational notices, fiction, classified advertising, and advice columns. It also published news of Greek-American affairs, of trade and diplomatic relations between the two nations, and of Greek internal politics.

Atlantis moved into national prominence about the time that the conflict between Greek liberal leader [[Eleftherios Venizelos]] and the Greek monarchy with its strong German ties reached its height. This decade before the First World War also was during the peak of Greek migration to the United States. Many immigrants regarded their stay in the United States as temporary and remained strong partisans in Greek politics. The pages of Atlantis and its rivals reflected that partisanship so vigorously that the Vlastos became embroiled in libel actions based on Atlantis articles. Some suits resulted from their criticism of consular and diplomatic representatives of the Venizelos government. Others reflected editorial battles between Atlantis and its rivals [[Panhellinios (newspaper)|Panhellinios]], 1908-1913, and the National Herald (Ethnikos Kyrix, 1915- ).

Atlantis faced particularly stiff challenges after [[King Constantine I]]'s abdication in [[1917]]. Many Greek-American liberals regarded "Constantinism" as German propaganda, and attacked Atlantis' reporting on Greek internal affairs as damaging to the Allied war effort. These attacks brought the newspaper's mailing permit under close government scrutiny. The Vlastos fought hard to meet U.S. Post Office regulations for foreign-language press mailings, and to modify them.

Atlantis during the [[1920s]] is most noted for continuing themes which the more dramatic events of the war decade had overshadowed. The Vlastos' record of leadership and business experience had made '''Atlantis''' an effective channel for voluntary relief aid to Greece during the 1912 Balkan war and the First World War; it performed this service again during the 1921 Asia Minor War.

Atlantis also was a strong voice in favor of American citizenship. Naturalization became more popular after the [[First World War]]. Participation in the war effort had accelerated the Americanization process. Many Greek-Americans also recognized that restrictive immigration legislation soon would make relation to an American citizen virtually the only qualification by which Greeks could immigrate to the United States. Atlantis distributed handbooks and encouraged its readers to begin naturalization. Growing citizen participation in the American political system also led the Greek-American press to increase its coverage, and endorse parties; Atlantis supported the Republican Party.

Another domestic issue during the [[1920s]] was the ecclesiastical administration of Greek Orthodox churches in the United States. Historian [[Theodore Saloutos]] describes Atlantis as "conciliatory" in these disputes.

Atlantis' positions on Greek affairs remained consistent and controversial through the 1920s and 1930s. Most notably, in 1937 the editor joined the Greek consul-general and the Orthodox Church to welcome a visiting spokesman for the [[Ioannis Metaxas|Metaxas dictatorship]] as the representative of Greece's legitimate government. Mussolini's invasion of Greece in 1940 sent the government into exile. The Greek-American political debate was set aside in favor of massive war relief activity conducted through the Greek War Relief Association (GWRA). Atlantis solicited and forwarded contributions to GWRA.

The war years and the postwar period, dominated by the second, American-born generation, seem to be ones in which Ahepa and other fraternal organizations, rather than the press, led the Greek-American community. [[Greek-American|Greek-Americans]] argued the legitimacy of the British-supported royalist government, and the merits of the left and the Greek Communist Party positions, throughout the [[1940s]]. Atlantis continued to support the royalists.

The circulation of Greek-language papers increased during the [[1950s]]. The war effort had renewed Hellenic pride. The Greek Orthodox Churches became more active in their communities. There was an influx of refugee immigrants and a movement to liberalize American immigration laws. Greek internal affairs, including the defeat of the Greek Communists in 1949, the United States' role in Cyprus, and the ascendancy of the Greek military regime, 1967-1974 also continued to be of interest to the Greek-American community and Greek-language press.

The daily Atlantis was published until [[1973]]. In [[1972]] the dismissal of three Newspaper Guild members provoked a strike that suspended publication. For eight weeks, publication resumed in New Jersey, but picketing halted it again. In October 1973, unable to reach agreement with one of its five unions, and pressured for back rent, the Vlasto family decided to cease publishing.

The Internal Revenue Service seized Atlantis' property for delinquent taxes and auctioned it on [[October 26]], [[1973]]. An unknown bidder purchased back issues, presses, and other equipment. James S. Vlasto, speaking for the family, stated that the landlord's impatience and the union's intransigence had closed the paper. "I really don't think there was reason for it to die. The market was there and it could have survived" (New York Times, October 27, 1973).

==Other Resources==
*The Research Library Of The Balch Institute For Ethnic Studies: [http://www2.hsp.org/collections/Balch%20manuscript_guide/html/contents.html A Guide To Manuscript And Microfilm Collections]

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:42, March 12, 2007
Line 43:		Line 43:

	[[Category:Greek American Newspapers\|Atlantis]]		[[Category:Greek American Newspapers\|Atlantis]]
		+	[[Category:Greek-language newspapers]]

	<!--The Atlantis was founded in 1894 by Solon J. Vlasto, who had already become a successful lamp-oil merchant in New York, after immigrating in 1880. Vlasto was the president of the first Greek Orthodox church in New York, now Holy Trinity Cathedral. And he was one of the original residents of the Dakota in 1884, the pioneering apartment building on Central Park West.		<!--The Atlantis was founded in 1894 by Solon J. Vlasto, who had already become a successful lamp-oil merchant in New York, after immigrating in 1880. Vlasto was the president of the first Greek Orthodox church in New York, now Holy Trinity Cathedral. And he was one of the original residents of the Dakota in 1884, the pioneering apartment building on Central Park West.

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 ==Historical background==
-In [[1894]], the Vlasto brothers, [Solon J. Vlasto|Solon]] and Demetrius, founded Atlantis.  Solon served as publisher until his death in [[1927]].  Demetrius, the treasurer and secretary, succeeded him, and their nephew Solon G. Vlasto became publisher after Demetrius' death.  All capital stock in Atlantis and its subsidiaries, despite initial outside investment, also was in family hands by 1921.
+In [[1894]], the Vlasto brothers, [[Solon J. Vlasto|Solon]] and Demetrius, founded Atlantis.  Solon served as publisher until his death in [[1927]].  Demetrius, the treasurer and secretary, succeeded him, and their nephew Solon G. Vlasto became publisher after Demetrius' death.  All capital stock in Atlantis and its subsidiaries, despite initial outside investment, also was in family hands by 1921.
 '''Atlantis''' was widely recognized as a family paper, and Solon J. Vlasto's high regard for the Greek monarchy was well known.  Atlantis remained a royalist paper through the vicissitudes of war, plebiscite, and coup, until King Constantine II's differences with the regime of the colonels during the mid-[[1960s]].  Vlasto's advocacy of a strong Greek-American community in the United States which would be more than another expatriate Greek colony was as controversial in the years before World War I as his royalist views.

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 ==Historical background==
-In [[1894]], the two brothers founded Atlantis.  Solon served as publisher until his death in [[1927]].  Demetrius, the treasurer and secretary, succeeded him, and their nephew Solon G. Vlasto became publisher after Demetrius' death.  All capital stock in Atlantis and its subsidiaries, despite initial outside investment, also was in family hands by 1921.
+In [[1894]], the Vlasto brothers, [Solon J. Vlasto|Solon]] and Demetrius, founded Atlantis.  Solon served as publisher until his death in [[1927]].  Demetrius, the treasurer and secretary, succeeded him, and their nephew Solon G. Vlasto became publisher after Demetrius' death.  All capital stock in Atlantis and its subsidiaries, despite initial outside investment, also was in family hands by 1921.
 '''Atlantis''' was widely recognized as a family paper, and Solon J. Vlasto's high regard for the Greek monarchy was well known.  Atlantis remained a royalist paper through the vicissitudes of war, plebiscite, and coup, until King Constantine II's differences with the regime of the colonels during the mid-[[1960s]].  Vlasto's advocacy of a strong Greek-American community in the United States which would be more than another expatriate Greek colony was as controversial in the years before World War I as his royalist views.

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:48, April 29, 2006
Line 44:		Line 44:

	[[Category:Greek American Newspapers\|Atlantis]]		[[Category:Greek American Newspapers\|Atlantis]]
		+
		+	<!--The Atlantis was founded in 1894 by Solon J. Vlasto, who had already become a successful lamp-oil merchant in New York, after immigrating in 1880. Vlasto was the president of the first Greek Orthodox church in New York, now Holy Trinity Cathedral. And he was one of the original residents of the Dakota in 1884, the pioneering apartment building on Central Park West.
		+
		+	The paper built its reputation by handing dictionaries, imprinted with the Atlantis name, to immigrants as they disembarked from ships from Greece. Later it built a publishing business based on dictionaries, English grammar books and cookbooks teaching Greeks how to make American food.
		+
		+	By the end of the 1960s, the newspaper fell on hard times. By the time it closed in [[1973]], its circulation had fallen to 14,000 a day from a peak of 22,000 in [[1950]]. But the final blow came from a strike by the Newspaper Guild and other unions that lasted nearly a year.
		+
		+	In October 1973, the paper closed after it was evicted by the landlord of its offices on West 23d Street in Manhattan because it had not paid its rent.
		+	-->

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:03, April 29, 2006
Line 42:		Line 42:
	==Other Resources==		==Other Resources==
	*The Research Library Of The Balch Institute For Ethnic Studies: [http://www2.hsp.org/collections/Balch%20manuscript_guide/html/contents.html A Guide To Manuscript And Microfilm Collections]		*The Research Library Of The Balch Institute For Ethnic Studies: [http://www2.hsp.org/collections/Balch%20manuscript_guide/html/contents.html A Guide To Manuscript And Microfilm Collections]
		+
		+	[[Category:Greek American Newspapers\|Atlantis]]

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 Atlantis' nationwide distribution helped it become an influential voice in the Greek-American community.  It carried social and organizational notices, fiction, classified advertising, and advice columns.  It also published news of Greek-American affairs, of trade and diplomatic relations between the two nations, and of Greek internal politics.
-Atlantis moved into national prominence about the time that the conflict between Greek liberal leader [[Eleftherios Venizelos]] and the Greek monarchy with its strong German ties reached its height.  This decade before the First World War also was during the peak of Greek migration to the United States.  Many immigrants regarded their stay in the United States as temporary and remained strong partisans in Greek politics.  The pages of Atlantis and its rivals reflected that partisanship so vigorously that the Vlastos became embroiled in libel actions based on Atlantis articles.  Some suits resulted from their criticism of consular and diplomatic representatives of the Venizelos government.  Others reflected editorial battles between Atlantis and its rivals [[Panhellinios (newspaper)|Panhellinios]], 1908-1913, and the National Herald (Ethnikos Kyrix, 1915- ).
+Atlantis moved into national prominence about the time that the conflict between Greek liberal leader [[Eleftherios Venizelos]] and the Greek monarchy with its strong German ties reached its height.  This decade before the First World War also was during the peak of Greek migration to the United States.  Many immigrants regarded their stay in the United States as temporary and remained strong partisans in Greek politics.  The pages of Atlantis and its rivals reflected that partisanship so vigorously that the Vlastos became embroiled in libel actions based on Atlantis articles.  Some suits resulted from their criticism of consular and diplomatic representatives of the Venizelos government.  Others reflected editorial battles between Atlantis and its rivals [[Panhellinios (newspaper)|Panhellinios]], 1908-1913, and the [[National Herald (newspaper)|National Herald]] (Ethnikos Kyrix, 1915- ).
 Atlantis faced particularly stiff challenges after [[King Constantine I]]'s abdication in [[1917]].  Many Greek-American liberals regarded "Constantinism" as German propaganda, and attacked Atlantis' reporting on Greek internal affairs as damaging to the Allied war effort.  These attacks brought the newspaper's mailing permit under close government scrutiny.  The Vlastos fought hard to meet U.S. Post Office regulations for foreign-language press mailings, and to modify them.
-Atlantis during the [[1920s]] is most noted for continuing themes which the more dramatic events of the war decade had overshadowed.  The Vlastos' record of leadership and business experience had made '''Atlantis''' an effective channel for voluntary relief aid to Greece during the 1912 Balkan war and the First World War; it performed this service again during the 1921 Asia Minor War.
+Atlantis during the [[1920s]] is most noted for continuing themes which the more dramatic events of the war decade had overshadowed.  The Vlastos' record of leadership and business experience had made '''Atlantis''' an effective channel for voluntary relief aid to Greece during the [[First Balkan War|1912 Balkan war]] and the [[First World War]]; it performed this service again during the [[Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)|1919-1922 Asia Minor War]].
 Atlantis also was a strong voice in favor of American citizenship.  Naturalization became more popular after the [[First World War]].  Participation in the war effort had accelerated the Americanization process.  Many Greek-Americans also recognized that restrictive immigration legislation soon would make relation to an American citizen virtually the only qualification by which Greeks could immigrate to the United States.  Atlantis distributed handbooks and encouraged its readers to begin naturalization.  Growing citizen participation in the American political system also led the Greek-American press to increase its coverage, and endorse parties; Atlantis supported the Republican Party.
@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 The war years and the postwar period, dominated by the second, American-born generation, seem to be ones in which Ahepa and other fraternal organizations, rather than the press, led the Greek-American community.  [[Greek-American|Greek-Americans]] argued the legitimacy of the British-supported royalist government, and the merits of the left and the Greek Communist Party positions, throughout the [[1940s]].  Atlantis continued to support the royalists.
-The circulation of Greek-language papers increased during the [[1950s]].  The war effort had renewed Hellenic pride.  The Greek Orthodox Churches became more active in their communities.  There was an influx of refugee immigrants and a movement to liberalize American immigration laws.  Greek internal affairs, including the defeat of the Greek Communists in 1949, the United States' role in Cyprus, and the ascendancy of the Greek military regime, 1967-1974 also continued to be of interest to the Greek-American community and Greek-language press.
+The circulation of Greek-language papers increased during the [[1950s]].  The war effort had renewed Hellenic pride.  The Greek Orthodox Churches became more active in their communities.  There was an influx of refugee immigrants and a movement to liberalize American immigration laws.  Greek internal affairs, including the defeat of the Greek Communists in 1949, the United States' role in [[Cyprus]], and the ascendancy of the [[Junta|Greek military regime, 1967-1974]] also continued to be of interest to the Greek-American community and Greek-language press.
 The daily Atlantis was published until [[1973]].  In [[1972]] the dismissal of three Newspaper Guild members provoked a strike that suspended publication.  For eight weeks, publication resumed in New Jersey, but picketing halted it again.  In October 1973, unable to reach agreement with one of its five unions, and pressured for back rent, the Vlasto family decided to cease publishing.

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 Atlantis was published in New York City.  It began as a weekly newspaper, but became a daily in 1904.  A Sunday edition began circa 1910, and a magazine, the Monthly Illustrated Atlantis, appeared at about the same time.  The magazine was published into the [[1930s]] [1932?], then reappeared circa [[1953]].  Atlantis also operated a Greek-language book department, which issued a calendar, published several titles, and distributed many others.
-The Atlantis Corporation, formed in [[1904]], underwent reorganization twice.  In 1911, Atlantis Publishing Company was organized to purchase the Monthly Illustrated Atlantis.  In 1921, the subsidiary Atlantis Greek Book Company was created.
+The Atlantis Corporation, formed in [[1904]], underwent reorganization twice.  In [[1911]], Atlantis Publishing Company was organized to purchase the Monthly Illustrated Atlantis.  In [[1921]], the subsidiary Atlantis Greek Book Company was created.
-The editor-in-chief of Atlantis traditionally was hired from outside the family.  Socrates A. Xanthaky, editor from [[1897]], left in [[1907]] to help found the rival Panhellinios.  Adamantios Th. Polyzoides was editor from 1907 to 1933; Vladimir Constantinides, from 1933 to 1960.  Solon G. Vlasto filled the post for several years.  Panayiotis Gazouleas became editor in 1963 and held the position until Atlantis ceased publication in 1973.
+The editor-in-chief of Atlantis traditionally was hired from outside the family.  Socrates A. Xanthaky, editor from [[1897]], left in [[1907]] to help found the rival Panhellinios.  Adamantios Th. Polyzoides was editor from 1907 to 1933; Vladimir Constantinides, from 1933 to 1960.  [[Solon G. Vlasto]] filled the post for several years.  Panayiotis Gazouleas became editor in 1963 and held the position until Atlantis ceased publication in 1973.
 Atlantis' nationwide distribution helped it become an influential voice in the Greek-American community.  It carried social and organizational notices, fiction, classified advertising, and advice columns.  It also published news of Greek-American affairs, of trade and diplomatic relations between the two nations, and of Greek internal politics.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 The history of the Greek-language newspaper Atlantis is closely related to the careers of the Vlasto family in the United States.  Like many other Greek-Americans, the Vlasto family retained close ties to Greece.  The newspaper throughout its history was beaded by a Greek-born and Greek-educated member of the family.
 Founder Solon J. Vlasto (1852-1927) immigrated to the United States in 1873.  A well-educated man from an upper-class Cretan family, he eventually formed an import-export partnership with his brother Demetrius J. Vlasto (1869-1944).  The Vlasto brothers were active in New York City's Greek-American community.  Solon served as president of the Greek Society of New York, Athena, and was an exarch of the Greek Orthodox Church.
@@ Line 9: / Line 10: @@
 His brother and nephew seem to have shared his outlook.  Demetrius J. Vlasto was actively involved in Atlantis, in war relief campaigns, and in church affairs.  Solon G. Vlasto, son of George Vlasto, came to the United States and joined Atlantis as a copy boy in 1918 or 1919, while still in his teens.  In 1944 he became publisher and managing editor.  In the early 1960s, he also served briefly as editor.  He too was active in war relief work and the church.  Several Vlasto family members of the third generation, Solon's son James S., and Barbara, Demetrius S., and Andrew Vlasto, worked for Atlantis as well.  James was managing editor and spokesman for the family when the newspaper closed.
 Atlantis was published in New York City.  It began as a weekly newspaper, but became a daily in 1904.  A Sunday edition began circa 1910, and a magazine, the Monthly Illustrated Atlantis, appeared at about the same time.  The magazine was published into the [[1930s]] [1932?], then reappeared circa [[1953]].  Atlantis also operated a Greek-language book department, which issued a calendar, published several titles, and distributed many others.
@@ Line 29: / Line 31: @@
 Atlantis' positions on Greek affairs remained consistent and controversial through the 1920s and 1930s.  Most notably, in 1937 the editor joined the Greek consul-general and the Orthodox Church to welcome a visiting spokesman for the [[Ioannis Metaxas|Metaxas dictatorship]] as the representative of Greece's legitimate government.  Mussolini's invasion of Greece in 1940 sent the government into exile.  The Greek-American political debate was set aside in favor of massive war relief activity conducted through the Greek War Relief Association (GWRA).  Atlantis solicited and forwarded contributions to GWRA.
 The war years and the postwar period, dominated by the second, American-born generation, seem to be ones in which Ahepa and other fraternal organizations, rather than the press, led the Greek-American community.  [[Greek-American|Greek-Americans]] argued the legitimacy of the British-supported royalist government, and the merits of the left and the Greek Communist Party positions, throughout the [[1940s]].  Atlantis continued to support the royalists.