Family

Happiness and prosperity for George Costakis were inseparable from the ideal of a large and affectionate family. Having his parents as an example, he realised that only when one can rely on his family, will he be able to endure all the sorrows and hardships that life might put before him.

In search of a better life, his father Dionisios Costakis, traveled to Egypt, Central Asia and, finally, founded a home in Moscow along with his wife Elena, who had an aristocratic upbringing and spoke several languages.They had five children: in 1901 a daughter Marika, two years later the eldest son, who was named Spiridon in honour of his grandfather (Spiridon was killed in 1930, while driving his Harley Davidson motorbike during a competition. Dionisios was never able to come to terms with this loss and died of a heart attack in 1932). Then, five years later, Nikolai was born, another five years later - George and, finally, in 1918 - the youngest of the brothers, Dmitry. In 1917-1918, the family's tobacco trade business was destroyed by the revolution; the brothers had to start working early to support the family.

In his life, George Costakis essentially followed the family lifestyle of his parents: his four children - three daughters (Inna, Aliki and Natalya) and his son Alexander - grew up in an atmosphere of love, with respect for elders, and always surrounded by art, which was valued above any other things.

Everyone who was visiting Costakis’ home recalls the amazing openness of this family, the hospitality of the owners (there were legends about the feasts), their constant readiness to help and listen. The main family savings turned out to be the collection - thanks to it, it was possible to survive the most desperate moments associated with forced emigration.