1847 to 1949 – 100 Years Brief Pictorial Memorial Synopsis.
Using Einstein’s General theory of relativity, let’s speed on the curvature of space-time and visit the past … to briefly examine 2 families: The Cohilla and the ‘Georgiou‘ families, both assimilated Jewish.
1) The Cohilla Family – Adonis Cohillas (Κοχιλας, a variation of Kehilla קהילה) was born in a wealthy family (see image above) with extensive land holdings , eventually becoming a Banker of the Imperial Ottoman Bank of Turkey in Constantinople , he was a member of the multi-ethnic Ottoman Turkish elite, likely of partly Greek ancestry, his wife was a very well known philanthrope to the Greek community of Constantinople , she allegedly was from an old Byzantine family . Sultan Abdulaziz of the Ottoman Turkish Government contracted with British and French shareholders allowing them to establish & operate the Imperial Ottoman Bank a.k.a Osmanlı Bankası, بانق عثمانی شاهانه , Banque Impériale Ottomane. The Bank served wealthy individuals and provided loans and services to the Ottoman treasury, it also exclusively issued banknotes
Photo above: courtesy of the Ottoman Bank museum & Garanti BBVA
Photo above: courtesy of the Ottoman Bank museum & Garanti BBVA
Michalis received a very large dowry on his marriage to Victoria as was the custom.
He was a serial enterpreneur all his life .
2) The ‘Georgiou’ Family – Agatha was the daughter of Alexis (alexandros) Spiropoulos scion of an old prestigious Greek family, he was the Army Quartermaster (Καταλυματιας, equivalent to Major) a big landowner with properties famed to be from Albania to Peloponnesus Greece, and the owner of the barracks were Yianko was stationed in North Peloponnesus . Info was passed down the family
Yianko’s family (Guentzburgh?) we believe originated from Rusaki ( Russland Deutschen) ancient Rabinnic German Jews (non Ashkenazi Levi Tribe) mixed with protestants and semi assimilated.
DNA suggests a trail from Ancient Egypt to Ancient Israel then Sardinia in Italy eventually through north Italy settling in Switzerland (YDNA close matches with Schweitzer) then moving to the German Palatinates (Schwarzwald Bavaria) from there to Bohemia (continuing to seeking refuge in protestant areas apparently) then Romania and Imperial Russia – Ukraine, then Greece.
The family engaged in spice and tea trade between Assam in India, the orient and Europe based in Ukraine, (Yanko’s name is of Ukrainian origin).
Their Caravan travelled through Turkey into Iran (autosomal DNA match found with a Greek family traditionally operating a horse farm near the borders of Turkey with Iran) on the way to Assam in India, (male DNA match with individual from the priestly caste of Assam) while engaging in this trade the family mixed with Pontian Greeks who had strong family business networks both in Turkey and Ukraine… enter the Greek connection .This info is based on DNA suggestions but also military orders/medals and papers containing a Germanic name and a very long Jewish one repeating a few times the word ‘ben’ plus Jewish hat, ancient shawl and samovar briefly in our posession
In Imperial Russia, Jews were at times forcebly enlisted in the army and so we assume was Yianko’s father (Pavel) and or grandfather .. An element of martial force was necessary in guiding a Caravan through foreign countries, so a voluntary entry to the Imperial Russian army is also a likely possibility, especially considering the high status and Russian nobility titles accompanying the Imperial Russian Orders received.
1853-1856 & 1877-1878 Following the Caucasus and Balkan wars we find the family in Greece. Russia successfully supported the Bulgarians against the Turks; following peace Ottoman medals were awarded to senior Russian officers including Pavel and Russian medals to senior Ottoman officers … eventually parts of Bulgaria became Greek.
This info is a bit murky, I have used the family Imperial Russian and Turkish Ottoman military orders/medals as evidence to support this story , but probably it is an incomplete one.
Following the Greco-Turkish war Spiro won a National scholarship contest run by the State to educate and populate their officer corps and was sent to France Paris to be educated in Aeronautics
– Spiridon Georgiou (Σπυριδων Γεωργιου) : 1919 1st Infantry Corps of Asia Minor, 1936 Air Squadron Leader, 1948 Chief Air Marshal
Spiro received many medals and orders in his years in the army (some pictured above) including a commendation by the Greek parliament for converting airplanes to bombers during the civil war.
Following below are press articles, mentioning among other Spiro’s presentation to Greek PM Metaxas, the first in PDF format the other two are in ‘microfilm’ type image format, after download you need to zoom in to read.
This Historical recount may be amended as more information trckles in to our research team
