Recently the Greek newspaper "Ethnos" reported interesting news. They are connected with the prototype of Zorba the Greek - Nikos Kazantzakis' legendary character. Investigating journalists found, that in real life his name was Yorgos (Georgios) Zorbas and not Alexis. He lived two decades in Skopje till his death in 1941. The journalists were looking for the prototype's relatives in Thessaloniki, Skopje and Belgrade. They found even his grave in the "Butel" graveyard in Skopje.


Georgios was born in Katerini, Nord Greece. He married the beauty Eleni, daughter of a rich mine owner, where he was working. She died at the age of 36. After that tragedy Zorbas, together with his 11-years-old daughter Ekaterina, moved to Niš during the twenties. There he bought a mine and also pits around Skopje. Shortly before his death Ekaterina married the eminent Skopje merchant Niko Yada with whom she moved to Belgrade. They had one son Vangel, who kept his grandfather's only picture.


I have never met a man who was able to amuse himself so well, as Zorbas. And how wonderful he plaid sirtaki, said Nikos Kazantzakis before a journalist in Athens. Zorbas from Skopje carried on a correspondence with the writer until his death.