Acclaimed Greek Studies Scholar Peter Mackridge Passes Away

Peter Mackridge, an acclaimed translator and scholar of modern Greek, has died, it was announced on Friday.

Mackridge was born in the UK in 1946 and studied modern Greek and French literature at St. Johns College, Oxford.

He became an emeritus professor of modern Greek at Oxford, where he taught from 1981 to 2004, and a fellow of St. Cross College. His research and publications related to Greek language and literature, as well as culture, since 1100, particularly after 1750.

From 1969 to 1972 he studied in Athens as a Queens College scholarship recipient, working on his doctorate on the Greek novel between the World Wars.

His publications included several books on the Greek language and literature, some of which were translated into Greek, as well as numerous academic articles.

Mackridge also edited the Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies journal and published in Greek magazines, such as The Athens Review of Books.

Peter Mackridge was granted honorary Greek citizenship

In 2008 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Athens, while in March 2022 he was granted honorary Greek citizenship.

In a tweet, the Greek Embassy in London wrote, “Prof Peter Mackridge, great scholar and honorary Greek citizen, will be greatly missed. His death is a tragic loss of not only a passionate and enthusiastic advocate of Greece, which he was proud to call “πατρίδα,” meaning ‘home country’, but also of an exceptional Greek citizen. We offer our most sincere condolences.”

Prof Peter Mackridge, great scholar and honorary Greek citizen, will be greatly missed. His death is a tragic loss of a passionate & enthusiastic advocate of Greece, which he was proud to call "πατρίδα", and of an exceptional Greek citizen. We offer our most sincere condolences. pic.twitter.com/daw3FdsXq7

— Greek Embassy UK (@GreeceinUK) June 17, 2022

 

The Athens Review of Books tweeted: “It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing away of our friend and long-time contributor to the ARB, Peter Mackridge, Emeritus Professor of Modern Greek at the University of Oxford. For those who would like to learn more, Issue 136 (Feb 2022) is dedicated to his work.”