Dimitrios Vikelas
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Demetrios Vikelas,(Greek: Δημητριος Βικελας) (February 15, 1835 – July 20, 1908) was a Greek scholar, man of letters and the first president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1894 to 1896. He was an author, historiographer, translator, benefactor and advocate of the revival of the Olympic Games.
Born in Ermoupolis, on the island of Syros in Greece, from a cosmopolitan well educated of family traders, he had a constantly interrupted education. At the age of 5 he migrated to Istanbul, and from there to Odessa and back to Syros where he studied in a private school. For further details:[1].
Demetrios Vikelas was the benefactor of the Viklaia Library of Heraklion, Crete. One of the best libraries of Greece.