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2021 |
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ακριβώς μπροστά απ' το δέντρο ο τάφος με το σταυρό του Dott.(γιατρού) Alessandro Bruneti |
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το 2016 με αναρτημένο πανό από τη Συμπαράταξη Ελπίδας: "Αξιοποίηση Δημόσιας και Δημοτικής Περιουσίας, Όχι Ξεπούλημα" |
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2012 |
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το πηγάδι στην αυλή και η πόρτα,που για κάποιον λόγο, ήταν ανοιχτή και μπήκαμε |
Το 1948, κι αφού είχε τελειώσει ο πόλεμος, ο Bruneti έφυγε από την Κω και πήγε στη Σικελία. Ως το 1950 αλληλογραφούσε με τον πατέρα της Nelly, που ήταν ακόμη στην Κω. Το 1950 φεύγει κι η οικογένεια Polizio κι από την Κω και πηγαίνει στο Μπάρι της Ιταλίας. Ο Bruneti αρρώστησε, πήγαν τα ανίψια του (της αδερφής του τα παιδιά) και τον πήραν από τη Σικελία και τον πήγαν στην Αθήνα, όπου και πέθανε.
Στις αρχές της δεκαετίας του '70 το κτίριο μετατράπηκε σε έδρα της Ταξιαρχίας, η 80 ΑΔΤΕ, και έχει μείνει γνωστό ως τις μέρες μας ως Ταξιαρχία ή Ανωτέρα.
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η θέα από την ταράτσα που διατηρεί λίγη από την παλιά της αίγλη |
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2020 |
THE VILLA BRUNETI THROUGH THE EYES OF NELLY POLIZIO
Villa Bruneti, the well-known “Brigade” or “Anotera” building, is located at the harbor, near the Public Power Corporation (ΔΕΗ), and between the Astron and Kosta Palace hotels. The main entrance is from the seafront, Akti Kountouriotou, but there is also a side entrance from Themistokleous Street.
This building may now be abandoned, but it enjoyed great glory during the Italian occupation. I spoke with 85-year-old Nelly Polizio, who lives in Bari, Southern Italy, and she told me the beautiful story of her childhood, which was closely linked with Villa Bruneti, as she lived there for six years during World War II.
2021
Directly in front of the tree, the grave with the cross of Dott. (Doctor) Alessandro Bruneti
Alessandro and his wife had three children, two sons and a daughter (the latter married a Greek man, Vafeiadis). For the history of Kos and of the villa, we are concerned only with one son, Antonio-Tito Bruneti, who was born in Alexandria, Egypt.
In 2016, with a banner by “Symparataxi Elpidas”: “Utilization of Public and Municipal Property, Not Sell-Out”
Antonio was a general doctor at the hospital of Kos, as well as a gynecologist, and he lived alone on the first floor of Villa Bruneti when, in 1938, Nelly, then 2 years old, arrived on the island with her siblings and mother from Smyrna. Her father, Francesco, had arrived earlier to build the Sitab tobacco factory. The whole family rented the ground floor of the villa, where they lived from 1938 to 1944. Since Antonio lived alone upstairs, he often came down to eat with the Polizio family.
From what I understood, they were quite a well-to-do family, and Francesco Polizio preferred to rent rather than buy a house, as they supposedly intended to stay temporarily in Kos and then return to Constantinople, where they owned Villa Buyuk Ada.
The well in the yard and the door, which for some reason was open, and we went inside
Nelly recalls that one night in 1944, three German soldiers with rifles entered the house and apparently requisitioned it, declaring that the same night a German Major would be coming to stay there. Nelly was then 8 years old and remembers Nikos Kaiserlis (who worked at her father’s factory) taking her two sisters hidden in baskets on donkeys to Syntrianí, where they, along with the rest of the family, were hosted for two nights by Vasilis Voukouvalidis. Afterwards, they were hosted for two months by Vangelis Stamatiadis (who also worked at her father’s factory).
Meanwhile, the villa was bombed by the Germans, and a hole opened in the wall from the roof down to the first floor. Bruneti left and was hosted by the nuns for 10 days. When he returned, the first floor where he lived was severely damaged, so he moved to the ground floor.
As a result, the Polizio family never returned to Villa Bruneti and rented another house, which now belongs to Minas Chatziantoniou. In 1948, after the war ended, Bruneti left Kos for Sicily. Until 1950, he corresponded with Nelly’s father, who was still in Kos. In 1950, the Polizio family also left Kos and settled in Bari, Italy. Bruneti later fell ill, and his nephews (his sister’s children) took him from Sicily to Athens, where he died.
The villa passed into state hands (it is unclear whether it was sold or ceded) and became a PIKPA Health Station, where all the children’s vaccinations were administered. Some still remember a doctor there named Karavokyros (?). In the early 1970s, the building was converted into the headquarters of the Brigade, the 80th Higher National Guard Battalion Command (80 ΑΔΤΕ), and it has remained known to this day as the “Brigade” or “Anotera.”
In 2002, Nelly returned to Kos after nearly 50 years, visited what was then the Brigade headquarters, and asked to see the house where she had grown up. Naturally, her request was granted, and Nelly, along with her own family, once again beheld the house of her childhood.
The view from the terrace, still preserving a bit of its old grandeur
Since then, Nelly has often visited Kos. Imagine how she must feel seeing the house of her childhood deteriorating year by year. Her dream is for it to become a museum. The truth is, in the last decade, it has fallen into ruin and until recently remained locked and inaccessible, with the weeds in the yard reaching up to the neck. Recently, however, it was cleared, and for the first time we saw the gate open — and, to our great surprise, the side door was open too.
The interior of the building is in rather sad condition. There are places that still hint at something of its glorious past, such as the wood paneling in some rooms, the fireplaces, and the view — but overall, the destruction is extensive. The glass and shutters are all broken, and there are signs that people occasionally stay inside (blankets, cigarette butts, shoes).
I agree with Nelly. I would love to see it turned into a Museum. And I would love for Nelly to live to see it become one! Exceptionally (since in my blog I usually use only my own photos), at Nelly’s suggestion, I present to you two photographs of her family at the villa during the years they lived there (1938–1944) and one from when they returned to Kos in 2002. (The photographs are from Nelly’s personal archive.)
Πολύ θλιβερή ιστορια ...
ΑπάντησηΔιαγραφήείναι πράγματι, σας ευχαριστω για τα σχόλια!
ΔιαγραφήSad story about villa Brunoti! This building intriges me and I was always curious since 2022 about the story behind this beautiful villa! Now I know and it is sad to see how it is neglected and in such a state! I wish I could restore it in the original state and everybody can see how beautiful this is. I love it.....
ΑπάντησηΔιαγραφήthank you for the comment, I also wish something is done!
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