NEWS

Acclaimed writer Menis Koumandareas, 83, found murdered in Athens home

The acclaimed Greek writer Menis Koumandareas was found murdered in his home on Saturday morning in the central Athenian neighborhood of Kypseli.

The 83-year-old writer lived alone. His body was discovered by a nephew who became concerned for his well-being after being unable to contact his uncle.

His body bore evidence of violence, including contusions to his face. Police said there were no signs of forced entry in the home, though it appeared that a search had been conducted in some of the rooms.

An autopsy is expected to reveal the exact cause of death on Monday.

Koumandareas, born in Athens in 1931, earned numerous awards for his prose and was an active proponent of the resistance against the 1967-1974 military dictatorship. He received the National Writing Award for “The Glass Factory” in 1976 and for “Twice a Greek” in 2002, among other distinctions, and saw his work featured at the 2001 Frankfurt Book Fair.

He was also a prolific translator and one of the founding members of the Greek Authors’ Society.

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