Dimitrakis Dimitriades: “The Little Hero”
Dimitrakis Dimitriades was only seven years old and in the second grade when a British soldier shot and killed him during a protest. Leaders of the resistance later honored his memory by calling him “the little hero.” His parents had divorced, and his mother had moved to England. Dimitrakis lived with his grandmother, Chrystallou Michael Koute, and he sold flowers to help make a living. Although a calm child, he also possessed a brave and daring spirit.
A Nation in Protest
The exile of Archbishop Makarios and other Cypriot leaders on March 9, 1956, sparked widespread commotion across Cyprus, including in the city of Larnaca. Students from all schools organized protest demonstrations to show their defiance.
The Fatal Day
On March 14, 1956, the students of the Kalogera Urban School, where Dimitrakis studied, joined a militant demonstration with pupils from the Emporikos Lyceum. Security forces quickly mobilized, forcing the young protesters to flee towards the church of Agios Lazaros. There, they rang the church bells and threw stones at the approaching soldiers. The military surrounded the church and responded by throwing tear gas at the students.
A Final Act of Defiance
A group of children, including Dimitrakis, ran towards Leontos tou Sofos Street. A military vehicle carrying armed soldiers passed them and turned onto Nikolaou Rossou Street—a road that now bears Dimitrakis’s name. The soldiers jumped out of their vehicle and took cover behind a corner wall. The older children yelled for Dimitrakis to run away with them, but he stood his ground and continued to throw stones. One of the soldiers fired his weapon, hitting the boy in the head just above his right eye. Fellow students rushed him to the hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.
A Long-Awaited Honor
After his death, authorities buried Dimitrakis in a mass grave at the Ayios Georgios Kontos cemetery in Larnaca. His father had refused their request for a secret, nighttime burial. For decades, his family did not know the exact location of his body. In October 2011, following a formal request from his relatives, a team identified his remains.
The state finally gave him a formal, honorable reburial in March 2016. Years later, on March 12, 2022, a official church service led by Bishop Nektarios of Kition took place at Ayios Lazaros church. The ceremony honored his memory in the presence of his family, House President Annita Demetriou, the Greek ambassador, the mayor, and many other dignitaries. Presidential Commissioner Photis Photiou, attending on behalf of the President, awarded Dimitrakis’s brother, Lakis Demetriades, the national Medal of Honour for his brother’s ultimate sacrifice in the struggle for freedom.
